Murchad mac Máele Dúin (flourished 819–833) was a

King of Ailech The Kings of Ailech were the over-kings of the Medieval Ireland, medieval Irish Provinces of Ireland, province of Ailech in north-western Ireland. It encompassed the territories of the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill. After the battle of Cl ...

and head of the

Cenél nEógain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history * Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

branch of the northern

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 ...

. He was the son of Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin (died 788), a previous king and grandson of

Áed Allán Áed Allán (or Áed mac Fergaile) (died 743) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. Áed Allán was the son of Fergal mac Máele Dúin and a member of the Cenél nEógain, a branch of the Northern Uí Néill. Ferga ...

(died 743), a high king of

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 ...

. He ruled from 819–823. He succeeded to the throne of Ailech upon the death of his cousin, the high king Áed Oirdnide in 819. However the high kingship passed back to the Clann Cholmáin of the southern Ui Neill in the person of

Conchobar mac Donnchada Conchobar mac Donnchada (or Conchobar mac Donnchado) was High-King of Ireland with opposition ('' rí Érenn co fressabra'') between 819 and 833. Conchobar was the son of Donnchad Midi, high-king of Ireland ( 733– 797); his mother was Fuirseach ...

(died 833). Murchad meanwhile had to deal with a challenge for supremacy among the northern Ui Neill. In 819 he defeated Máel Bresail mac Murchada of the rival

Cenél Conaill Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

who was slain in the skirmish. In 820 Murchad made a bid for the high kingship and led a hosting of the northern Uí Néill to Druim ind Eich (near modern Dublin) while Conchobor with the

southern Uí Néill The Southern Uí Néill (, ) were a branch of the Uí Néill dynasty that invaded and settled in the Kingdom of Mide and its associated kingdoms. Two sons of Niall Noigiallach, Lóegaire () and Coirpre (), initially led the dynasty. As did th ...

and the

Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...

moved northwards. However no battle ensued. In 822 Murchad made another bid for the high kingship and advanced with the men of the north to Ard Brecáin (County Meath). The men of Brega led by Diarmait mac Néill (died 826) of the Uí Chernaig sept of Síl nÁedo Sláine then went over secretly to Murchad and submitted to him at Druim Fergusa. Conchobor son of Donnchad invaded Brega and camped at Gualu. He invaded southern Brega again and a vast number of the men of southern Brega fell by him, and the Uí Chernaig submitted under compulsion. Murchad had Cumuscach son of Tuathal, king of Ard Ciannachta assassinated in 822 probably in retaliation for his failure. In 823 Murchad's failures led to his deposition by his second cousin Niall Caille (died 846). Murchad seems to have accepted his fate and he is last heard of cooperating with Niall in routing out the Vikings in Daire Calgaig (Derry) in 833. Murchad may have had a Norse wife and the genealogies name Erulb as his son which corresponds to old Norse ''Herulfr''.Byrne (NHI), pg. 612 Another son Ruadrí was father of Birn, ancestor of Clann Birn (or Muinter Birn) in the barony of Dungannon, County Tyrone.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí (2005), ''A New History of Ireland'', Volume One, Oxford: Oxford University Press

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murchad Mac Maele Duin 8th-century births 9th-century deaths Kings of Ailech 9th-century Irish monarchs