Dúnlaing mac Muiredaig (died 869) was a
King of Leinster of the Uí Muiredaig sept of the
Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. This sept had their royal seat at Maistiu (
Mullaghmast) in South
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 10,302, making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. It is home to Kildare Cathedral, historically the site of an important abbey said to have been founded by Saint ...
. He was the son of
Muiredach mac Brain (died 818), a previous king. He ruled from 863 to 869.
There is much confusion in the king lists during this period for Leinster. Between 838 and 871 the title King of Leinster is not recorded in the ''Annals of Ulster''. The death of Dúnlaing is not recorded in this annal but is recorded in other annals.
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 ...
suggests that the root of this apparent confusion lay in the fact that the Uí Dúnlainge kings exercised little real authority due to the aggressions of their western neighbour
Cerball mac Dúnlainge (died 888),
King of Osraige. Cerball, while unable to install himself as king of Leinster, was able to prevent any rival king exercising real power there.
In 868 the annals record that the Laigin participated with the
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...
of
Brega
Brega , also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ( , i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, the most southerly point of ...
and Norse at the Battle of Cell Ua nDaigri on the Boyne estuary. They were defeated by the high king
Áed Findliath (died 879).
[''Annals of Ulster'', AU 868.4] Dúnlaing's name is not mentioned with connection to this event.
His son
Ailill mac Dúnlainge (died 871) was also a King of Leinster. Another son Cairpre mac Dúnlainge (died 884) was King of Iarthair Liffey or western Liffey.
Notes
References
* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
a
University College Cork* ''Chronicum Scotorum'' a
a
University College Cork* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press,
External links
a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunlaing Mac Muiredaig
Kings of Leinster
Kings of Uí Dúnlainge
9th-century Irish monarchs
869 deaths
People from County Kildare
Year of birth unknown