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 dynasty and was King of Leinster from 1171 to 1175. Domhnall was the eldest son of the 12th century King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. Domhnall was fostered for his training and education by the coarb of the monastery of St. Caomhán at Kilcavan near Gorey, County Wexford. Fosterage was common practice in Medieval Ireland, with some aristocrats being fostered by clergymen or monastic schools. It was due to Domhnall's fosterage at the monastery that he adopted the name Caomhánach (an adjective of the name Caomhán, meaning "of Caomhán", in modern English "of Kevin"). This was contrary to the practice of using an inherited surname that had come into use from around the 10th century. His descendants subsequently adopted this name as an inherited surname.

King of Leinster

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

Brehon law Early Irish law, also called Brehon law (from the old Irish word breithim meaning judge), comprised the statutes which governed everyday life in Early Medieval Ireland. They were partially eclipsed by the Norman invasion of 1169, but underwe ...

. Domhnall's legitimacy to the title was widely disputed by the Cambro-Norman invaders who viewed that their leader, Strongbow (

Richard de Clare, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke Richard de Clare (c. 1130 – 20 April 1176), the second Earl of Pembroke, also Lord of Leinster and Justiciar of Ireland (sometimes known as Richard FitzGilbert), was an Anglo-Norman nobleman notable for his leading role in the Anglo-Norman inv ...

), 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 land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...

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 ( ; or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge, County Kildare, Newbridge) and the List of urban ar ...

. 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 Kings of Leinster 12th-century Irish monarchs MacMorrough Kavanagh dynasty

King of Leinster

See also

References