Máel Ruanaid mac Donnchada Midi (died 843) was a King of

Uisnech , alternate_name = Ushnagh (anglicisation) , image = Hill of Uisneach.jpg , alt = , caption = Information sign , map = , map_caption = , map_type = island of Ireland , map_alt = A map of Ireland , map_size = , location = ...

Mide Meath (; Old Irish: ''Mide'' ; spelt ''Mí'' in Modern Irish) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all of ...

of the

Clann Cholmáin Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his ...

. He was the son of the High King of Ireland,

Donnchad Midi Donnchad mac Domnaill (733 – 6 February 797), called Donnchad Midi, was High King of Ireland. His father, Domnall Midi, had been the first Uí Néill High King from the south-central Clann Cholmáin based in modern County Westmeath and weste ...

(died 797) and brother of the high king

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). He ruled in Uisnech from 833-843. He succeeded his brother as King of Uisnech in 833 but did not succeed to the high kingship which rotated amongst the Clann Cholmain and the Cenél nÉogain of the Northern Ui Neill at this time. Niall Caille became high king as representative of the northern branch. Niall Caille, to ensure his authority, raids Meath in the year 835. Meath was also caught up in the war between Niall Caille and Feidlimid mac Crimthainn, the

King of Munster The kings of Munster ( ga, Rí Mumhan), ruled from the establishment of Munster during the Irish Iron Age, until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earliest ...

. Feidlimid raided Meath and Brega in an advance on Tara in 840 where he was halted by Niall. In 841 Máel Ruanaid was defeated by his nephew Diarmait mac Conchobair and was temporarily ousted from the throne but his son Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid (died 862) killed Diarmait on the same day thereby saving his father and his throne.''Annals of Ulster'' AU 841.2 His sons included Flann mac Máele Ruanaid (died 845) who was King of Mide and Máel Sechnaill who became High King in 846.

Notes

References

* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, * ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Book of Leinster'',''Rig Uisnig'' a

a
University College Cork

External links

a
University College Cork
Kings of Uisnech Kings of Mide 9th-century Irish monarchs 843 deaths Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-royal-stub