Diarmait mac Tommaltaig (died 833) 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 Delbhn ...

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 The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles). The modern western province of Connacht (Irish ''Cúige Chonnacht'', province, literally "f ...

. He was the great-grandson of

Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 723) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Muiredach Muillethan mac Fergusso (died 702), a previous king. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Bri ...

Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail (died 774) is recorded in the annals where he is called king of Mag nAi. He succeeded his brother

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). He was of the Síl Muiredaig

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ( ...

of the Uí Briúin. He ruled from 815 to 833. His brother had been a successful king who built up the local power of Connacht. Diarmait was confronted with opposition upon his succession. In 816 he defeated the

Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe The Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe were a branch of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty of the Connachta in medieval Ireland. They were centred on the Moy River valley of modern-day County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. At its largest extent, their territory, Tír Fhía ...

(a rival dynasty of County Mayo who had last held the kingship in 773) and sacked Foibrén in the territory of Grecraige (a subject people of the Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe). The annals point out that many common people were killed in this attack. Then in 818 he imposed his authority over the

Uí Maine U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pro ...

(the third major grouping of Connacht in Counties Galway and southern Roscommon) with a Pyrrhic victory at the Battle of Forath in the territory of the Delba Nuadat (a subject people of Uí Maine in southern Roscommon). Their king Cathal mac Murchada was slain. Máel Cothaid mac Fogartaig of the Síl Cathail sept of the Ui Briun is listed with Diarmait as victors in this battle and they are called Kings of the Uí Briúin, implying Diarmait may have shared his rule at first. In 822 Diarmait defeated his rivals among the Uí Briúin at the Battle of Tarbga. Dúnchad son of Maenach, and Gormgal son of Dúnchad were slain. In this battle the Uí Maine fought alongside Diarmait. The annals record another battle among the Connachta in 824 in which many fell. No more opposition is recorded to the rule of Diarmait in the annals after this. In 818 the Bishop of

Armagh Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Pri ...

, Artrí son of Conchobor, came to Connacht with the shrine of

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...

. He returned in 825 to impose the law of Patrick upon the three Connachta. These actions would help to establish the legitimacy of Diarmait's rule. In 829 the high king

Conchobar mac Donnchada Conchobar mac Donnchada (or Conchobar mac Donnchado) was High-King of Ireland with opposition (''rí Érenn co fressabra'') between 819 and 833. Conchobar was the son of Donnchad Midi, high-king of Ireland (733– 797); his mother was Fuirseach, ...

(died 833), with the men of Mide (Meath), attacked Connacht and defeated the Connachta in battle. In 830, the 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), invaded and crushed the southern Uí Briúin Seola. These actions occurred during a short-lived alliance of these two kings who were soon engaged in hostility with one another.Byrne, pg. 221

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
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diarmait Mac Tommaltaig Kings of Connacht 833 deaths Nobility from County Roscommon 9th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown