Cathal mac Muirgiussa (died 839) was a King of

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...

from the

Uí Briúin The Uí Briúin were a royal dynasty of Connacht. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brión, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the U ...

branch of the Connachta. He was the son of

Muirgius mac Tommaltaig Muirgius mac Tommaltaig (died 815) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail ( ...

(died 815), a previous king. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin. He ruled from 833–839 succeeding his uncle

Diarmait mac Tommaltaig Diarmait mac Tommaltaig (died 833) was a king of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail ( ...

(died 833). His reign coincided with the renewal of Norse raids and in 836 the Vikings made a cruel devastation of all the lands of the Connachta from the Shannon and the west coast. In 838 Cathal's brother, Máel Dúin, was slain in a battle between the Connachta and the Norse. In 837 the powerful King of Munster,

Feidlimid mac Crimthainn Fedelmid mac Crimthainn was the King of Munster between 820 and 846. He was numbered as a member of the Céli Dé, an abbot of Cork Abbey and Clonfert Abbey, and possibly a bishop. After his death, he was later considered a saint in some mart ...

(died 847), ravaged Uí Maine and invaded Connacht. However Cathal threw back this invasion in Mag nAi (a plain in central County Roscommon).AU 837.8; Byrne, pg.222 The virtual hereditary kingship that his father had established was broken upon his death but became restored when his nephew

Conchobar mac Taidg Mór Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the grandson of Muirgius mac Tommaltaig (died 815), a previous king. His father Tadg Mór (died 810) had been slain fighting in Muirgi ...

(died 882) became king c. 855.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, *Ó Corráin, Donnchad (1972), ''Ireland Before the Normans'', Dublin: Gill and Macmillan

External links

a
University College Cork
Kings of Connacht 9th-century Irish monarchs 839 deaths Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-royal-stub