Lóegaire Lorc, son of
Úgaine Mor, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a
High King of Ireland. The ''
Lebor Gabála Érenn
''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...
'' says he succeeded directly after his father was murdered by
Bodbchad, although
Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and a ...
and the ''
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Flood myt ...
'' agree that Bodbchad seized power for a day and a half before Lóegaire killed him. He ruled for two years. His brother
Cobthach Cóel Breg
Cobthach Cóel Breg or Cobthach Fion, son of Úgaine Mor, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after murdering his brother Lóegaire Lorc. The story is told that he was so consum ...
coveted the throne, and, taking the advice of a
druid, pretended to be sick so Lóegaire would visit him. When he arrived, Cobthach feigned death, and when Lóegaire was bent over his body in mourning, stabbed him in with a dagger. Cobthach then paid someone to poison Lóegaire's son Ailill Áine, and forced Ailill's son
Labraid to eat his father's and grandfather's hearts and a mouse, before forcing him into exile, supposedly because it was said that Labraid was the most hospitable man in Ireland.
['']Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...
''
"The Destruction of Dind Rig"
/ref> The ''Lebor Gabála'' synchronises his reign to that of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (281–246 BC). The chronology of Keating's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates Bodbchad's reign to 411–409 BC, that of the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' to 594–592 BC.
References
Legendary High Kings of Ireland
5th-century BC rulers
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