Riagan mac Dúnlainge (sometimes spelled Riacán; patronymic sometimes spelled ''Dúngaile'') was king of

Osraige Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of ...

from 888 to 894 AD.

History

King Riagan was the son of king

Dúngal mac Fergaile Dúngal mac Fergaile (sometime Dúnlang mac Fergaile) was king of Osraige from 802 until his death in 842. History Dúngal mac Fergaile was of the old Ossorian lineage called the Dál Birn, who traced their descent from Óengus Osrithe the first ...

, of the

Dál Birn ''Dál Birn'' (''"portion" of Birn'') is a tribal epithet found in Irish sources which refers to the descendants of Loegaire Birn Buadach, the hereditary ruling lineage of the kingdom of Osraige in Ireland. Lineage This illustrious lineage produ ...

lineage of Osraige. He peacefully succeeded to the throne of Osraige upon the death of his older brother

Cerball mac Dúnlainge Cerball mac Dúnlainge (patronymic sometimes spelled ''Dúngaile'', ) (died 888) was king of Ossory in south-east Ireland. The kingdom of Ossory (''Osraige'') occupied roughly the area of modern County Kilkenny and western County Laois and lay b ...

in 888. He was also brother to the influential princess

Land ingen Dúngaile Land ingen Dúngaile (died 890 AD) (sometimes spelled ''Lann'' or ''Flann''; her patronymic sometimes ''Dúnlainge'') was a Dál Birn princess of Osraige who was a noteworthy figure in Irish politics during a critical time in Viking-age Ireland ...

William Carrigan William Carrigan (29 August 1860 – 12 December 1924) was an Irish Roman Catholic priest and historian, who was appointed canon of the Diocese of Ossory. Early life William Carrigan was the youngest of 13 children. He was born in 1860 in Rut ...

states that Riagan must have been aged upon ascending the throne, as his brother's famous reign lasted over forty years. The

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...

record him winning a victory over the Vikings of

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

:FM888.6 Whether king Riagan died or abdicated on account of age is not known; he was succeeded by his nephew

Diarmait mac Cerbaill Diarmait mac Cerbaill (died ) was King of Tara or High King of Ireland. According to traditions, he was the last High King to follow the pagan rituals of inauguration, the ''ban-feis'' or marriage to goddess of the land. While many later sto ...

References

External links

The Fitzpatrick – Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society
Kings of Osraige Riagan {{Ireland-royal-stub