Máel Cothaid mac Fogartaig(flour.818) was a possible King of
Connacht
Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
from 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 ...
branch of the
Connachta
The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasty, dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King of Ireland, High King Conn of the Hundred Battles, Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles). The modern western Provinces of ...
. He was the grandson of
Cathal mac Muiredaig
Cathal mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 735) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta
The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasty, dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King of Ireland, High Ki ...
Muillethan(d.735), a previous king and nephew of
Dub-Indrecht mac Cathail(d.768) and
Artgal mac Cathail(d.791).
[Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Table 20] He was of the Síl Cathail sept of the Ui Briun. His father Fogartach mac Cathail was defeated in a battle among the Connachta in 789 at Druim Góise during a time when the throne of Connacht was being contested.
The king lists such as the ''
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster ( , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled and now kept in Trinity College Dublin. It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' ("Book of Nuachongbáil"), a monastic site known today as Oughaval.
In 2023 ...
'' do not mention him as king nor is he referred to as king in the annals. The only reference for him in the annals is where, in conjunction with
Diarmait mac Tommaltaig
Diarmait mac Tommaltaig (died 833) was a king of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail ( ...
(d.833), as chiefs of the Ui Briun, they defeated the
Ui Maine at the Battle of Foráth in the territory of the Delbna Nuadat between the Suck and Shannon Rivers in 818. The king of the Ui Maine, Cathal mac Murchadh, was slain.
His son
Mugron mac Máel Cothaid (d.872) was the last Sil Cathail king of Connacht.
Notes
See also
*
Kings 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 name ...
References
* ''Annals of Ulster''
* Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings''
* ''Book of Leinster'', Section 30
* ''The Chronology of the Irish Annals'', Daniel P. McCarthy
External links
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Textsa
University College Cork
Kings of Connacht
9th-century Irish monarchs
{{Ireland-royal-stub