Domhnall Caomhánach (Domhnall mac Murchada or Domhnall Caomhánach mac Murchada, anglicized as Donal Kavanagh) is the ancestor of the Caomhánach line of the

Uí Ceinnselaig The Uí Ceinnselaig (also Uí Cheinnselaig, Anglicized as Kinsella), from the Old Irish "grandsons of Cennsalach", are an Irish dynasty of Leinster who trace their descent from Énnae Cennsalach, a supposed contemporary of Niall of the Nine Ho ...

dynasty and was

King of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasion ...

from 1171 to 1175. Domhnall was the eldest son of the 12th century King of Leinster,

Diarmait Mac Murchada Diarmait Mac Murchada ( Modern Irish: Diarmaid Mac Murchadha), anglicised as Dermot MacMurrough, Dermod MacMurrough, or Dermot MacMorrogh (c. 1110 – c. 1 May 1171), was a King of Leinster in Ireland. In 1167, he was deposed by the High King ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. Domhnall was fostered for his training and education at the monastery of St. Caomhan at Kilcavan in the Barony of Gorey, County Wexford. In an effort to distinguish himself from his other brothers, Domhnall assumed the name Caomhánach (an adjective of the name Caomhan, meaning "of Caomhan", in modern English "of Kevin"). Contrary to usual Irish practice, the name was adopted by his descendants as an inherited surname.

King of Leinster

After the death of his father Diarmait Mac Murchada (English: Dermot McMurrough) in 1171, Domhnall was proclaimed King of Leinster by some clan chiefs, in line with the traditional

Brehon law Early Irish law, historically referred to as (English: Freeman-ism) or (English: Law of Freemen), also called Brehon law, comprised the statutes which governed everyday life in Early Medieval Ireland. They were partially eclipsed by the Norma ...

. Domhnall's legitimacy to the title was widely disputed by the

Cambro-Norman Cambro-Normans ( la, Cambria; "Wales", cy, Normaniaid Cymreig; nrf, Nouormands Galles) were Normans who settled in southern Wales, and the Welsh Marches, after the Norman invasion of Wales, allied with their counterpart families who settled E ...

invaders who viewed that their leader, Strongbow (

Richard de Clare, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (of the first creation), Lord of Leinster, Justiciar of Ireland (113020 April 1176), also known as Richard FitzGilbert, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman notable for his leading role in the Anglo-Norman invasion ...

), was the legitimate successor due to his marriage to Domhnall's sister Aoife/Eva and that Domhnall's claim was "illegitimate" under Norman law. In any case, Diarmait had given Leinster as a

dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment ...

with Aoife/Eva on her marriage to Strongbow, and there is no record that Domhnall publicly opposed her endowment at the time of her marriage. In 1175, it is recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland that Domhnall was killed by O'Foirtchern and O'Nolan during the Battle of

Naas Naas ( ; ga, Nás na Ríogh or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. In 2016, it had a population of 21,393, making it the second largest town in County Kildare after Newbridge. History The name of Naas has been recorded in th ...

. He is buried near his father Diarmait Mac Murchada in the Cathedral graveyard of Ferns village. After his death, Domhnall was succeeded as King by his grandson Muirchertach, the son of Domhnall Oge Caomhánach.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caomhanach, Domhnall 1140s births 1175 deaths 12th-century Irish people Kings of Leinster 12th-century Irish monarchs MacMorrough Kavanagh dynasty

King of Leinster

See also

References