Ailill Ollamh (or Oilill Olum) in Irish traditional history was the son of
and was a king of the southern half of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
, placed in the 3rd century by early modern
Irish genealogy.
Sadb ingen Chuinn, daughter of
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn Cétchathach (; "of the Hundred Battles"), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Irel ...
, in her second marriage, married Ailill. He divided the kingdom between his sons
Éogan Mór,
Cormac Cas, and Cían. Éogan founded the dynasty of the
Eóganachta. Sadb's son
Lugaid Mac Con
Lugaid Mac Con, often known simply as Mac Con, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Corcu Loígde, and thus to the Dáirine. His father was Macnia mac Lugdach, and his mothe ...
, who was Ailill's foster-son, became
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned an ...
.
The
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...
contains poems ascribed to him.
The O'Sullivans are one of the number of surnames listed below as descendants of Ailill Ollamh. The
An Leabhar Muimhneach
''An Leabhar Muimhneach'', also known as ''The Book of Munster'', is an Irish genealogical manuscript.
''An Leabhar Muimhneach'' is preserved in a number of 18th century manuscripts, the best being the work of the scribe Richard Tipper of Dubl ...
(Book of Munster) has an extensive genealogy of the Eóganacht septs.
Legend
Ailill, King of Munster, discovered that the grass in his fields would not grow. Without the grass, there were no herds; without the cattle, his people would starve. Ferchess the Druid told him to go to Knockainey at
Samhain
Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...
Eve. When he arrived, Ailill became drowsy and fell into a half-sleep in which he had a vision of
Áine
Áine () is an Irish goddess of summer, wealth and sovereignty. She is associated with midsummer and the sun,MacKillop, James (1998) ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology'' Oxford: Oxford University Press pp.10, 16, 128 and is sometimes represent ...
, the goddess of plentiful crops and fertility. Overcome with desire, he forced himself upon her, an assault ending in Áine biting off his ear, hence the name ''Aulom'' "one-eared". By
Ancient Irish law, only an "unblemished" person can rule, and by maiming him so, Áine rendered him unfit to be king. As an embodiment of sovereignty, she can both grant and remove a man's power to rule.
[Meehan, Cary. Sacred Ireland]
/ref>
Closer to history
In one of the oldest surviving tracts on the early history of the Deirgtine
The Deirgtine (Deirgthine, Dergtine, Dergthine), Clanna Dergthened or "Descendants of Dego Dergthened" were the proto-historical ancestors of the historical Eóganachta dynasties of Munster. Their origins are unclear but they may have been of fai ...
, the Proto-Eóganachta, Ailill is himself called a druid
A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...
.
Scéla Mosaulum
'Nia Segamain
Nia Segamain, son of Adamair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Conall Collamrach. Geoffrey Keating says his mother was the presumed woodland god ...
.
See also
* Gailenga
Gailenga was the name of two related peoples and kingdoms found in medieval Ireland in Brega and Connacht.
Origins
Along with the Luighne, Delbhna, Saitne and Ciannachta, the Gailenga claimed descent from Tadc mac Cein mac Ailill Aulom. Franc ...
* Luighne Connacht
Luighne Connacht was a territory located in north-central Connacht, on the borders of what is now County Mayo and County Sligo, Ireland.
Origin
The Luighne were a people, originally found in Brega, south of Kells in what is now County Meath ...
References
External links
Eoghanacht Genealogies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ailill Aulom
Legendary Irish kings
Cycles of the Kings
Áine
Irish poets