Áed Ua Conchobair or Áed in Gai Bernaig was the

King of Connacht The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, province) of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named ...

, and reigned from 1046 to 1067. He was the son of Tadg in Eich Gil. A member of the Ó Conchobhair family, Áed ascended to the throne after King Art of Connacht was killed by the Cinel Conaill in 1046. This was ''"the second year after his (King Art) having plundered Cluain-mic-Nois."'' In December 1061, Áed survived an invasion from a branch of 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 th ...

dynasty (namely the Síl Cellaigh) which led to the expulsion of the branch to

Iar Connacht West Connacht (; Modern Irish: ''Iar Connacht'') was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Galway, particularly the area known more commonly today as Connemara. The kingdom represented the core homeland o ...

. ''The Muintir Murchadha invaded Loch Oirbsean, and deposed Aedh Ua Conchobhair. The victory of Gleann-Phadraig was gained by Aedh Ua Conchobhair over the people of West Connacht, where many were slain, together with Ruaidhrí. Ó Flaithbheartaigh, lord of West Connacht, was beheaded, and his head was carried to Cruachain in Connacht, after the son of Aedh, son of Ruaidhri, had been defeated.'' The same branch, the

Muintir Murchada Muintir Murchada was the name of an Irish territory which derived its name from the ruling dynasty, who were in turn a branch of the Uí Briúin. The name was derived from Murchadh mac Maenach, King of Uí Briúin Seóla, who died 891. Overview ...

, would later take the life of Áed's son, in May 1062. ''Tadhg, son of Aedh Ua Conchobhair, was slain by the son of Aedh, son of Ruaidhrí, and the people of West Connacht.'' In 1067, Áed died in battle against Áed Ua Ruairc, who became the next King of Connacht.

Family tree

* Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg (d. 1010) ** Dub Choblaigh m.

Brian Boru Brian Boru (; modern ; 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. He ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Vikings, Viking invasio ...

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...

(d. 1014) *** Domnall? **** Diarmait (d. 1051) ** Tadg in Eich Gil, King of Connacht (d. 1030) m. ? *** Áed in Gai Bernaig, King of Connacht (d. 1067) ** Brian (d. 1029) ** Conchobor (fl. 1029) ** In Cléirech (fl. 1044) *** Tadg (d. 1056) *** Conchobar (d. 1069) ** Tadhg Direach *** An Gilla Lónach

References

* ''

Leabhar na nGenealach ''Leabhar na nGenealach'' ("Book of Genealogies") is a massive genealogical collection written mainly in the years 1649 to 1650, at the college-house of St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway, by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh. He continued to add m ...

'',

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, 2004–2005 * ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

'', ed. John O'Donovan, Dublin, 1856 * '' Annals of Lough Ce'', ed. W.M. Hennessey, London, 1871. * ''Irish Kings and High Kings'',

Francis John Byrne Francis John Byrne (1934 – 30 December 2017) was an Irish historian. Born in Shanghai where his father, a Dundalk man, captained a ship on the Yellow River, Byrne was evacuated with his mother to Australia on the outbreak of World War II. A ...

, 3rd revised edition, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001. * ''Ua Conchobair'', Freya Verstraten, in Seán Duffy (ed.), ''Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia''. Routledge. 2005. pp. 464–6Ua * ''Ua Conchobair, Aid in Gai Bernaig'', Ailbhe Mac Shamhrain, in ''Dictionary of Irish Biography ... to the Year 2002: Volume 9, Staines - Z'', 2010, pp. 567–569 1067 deaths Kings of Connacht Nobility from County Galway Nobility from County Roscommon 11th-century Irish monarchs O'Conor dynasty Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-royal-stub