Cathassach mac Máele Cáich (died 682) or Cathassach mac Máele Dúin' was a
Dal nAraide king of the
Cruthin
The Cruthin (; or ; ) were a people of early medieval Ireland. Their heartland was in Ulster and included parts of the present-day counties of Antrim, Down and Londonderry. They are also said to have lived in parts of Leinster and Connacht ...
. He was the son of Máel Cáich mac Scannail (died 666), a previous king. He ruled from 681 to 682.
In the 6th and 7th centuries the Dal nAraide were part of a confederation of Cruthin tribes in
Ulaid
(Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...
and were the dominant members. Cathassach is styled king of the Cruthin in the annals.
British marauders were active around the turn of the 8th century. In 682 Cathassach fought with
Britons
British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, w ...
at the Battle of Ráith Mór, east of
Antrim, capital of the kingdom. Cathassach was slain as was another Cruthin king, Ultán son of Dícuill of the
Latharna, modern
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...
).
[''Annals of Ulster'' a]
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
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See also
*Kings of Dál nAraidi
The Kings of Dál nAraidi were rulers of one of the main kingdoms of Ulster and competed with the Dál Fiatach for the overlordship of Ulaid.
The dynasty resided at Ráith Mór, east of Antrim in the Mag Line area and emerged as the dominant group ...
References
External links
Kings and Lords of Dal Araide by Hugh McGough
Kings of Dál nAraidi
7th-century Irish monarchs
682 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Monarchs killed in action
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