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 The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...

High King from the south-central

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 ...

based in modern County Westmeath and western

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

, Ireland. The reigns of Domnall and his successor,

Niall Frossach Niall Frossach (or Niall mac Fergaile) (718–778) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech, sometimes considered to have been High King of Ireland. Brother of high king Áed Allán (died 743), Niall was the son of high king Fergal mac Máele Dú ...

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) i ...

, had been relatively peaceful, but Donnchad's rule saw a return to a more expansionist policy directed against

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...

, traditional target of the Uí Néill, and also, for the first time, the great southern kingdom of Munster. Donnchad continued his father's support for the Columban churches, led by Iona. In his many wars he used the churches, particularly the Columban monastery of Durrow, as a source of support. He also ruthlessly attacked and plundered churches that supported his rivals among the Uí Néill and also those of Leinster and Munster. Donnchad was remembered, not always fondly, as a warrior king. He firmly established Clann Cholmáin's dominance among the Uí Néill kindreds of the midlands. His descendants shared in the High Kingship until the time of

Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill ( ga, Maolsheachlann mac Domhnaill), also called Máel Sechnaill Mór or Máel Sechnaill II (949 – 2 September 1022), was a King of Mide and High King of Ireland. His great victory at the Battle of Tara aga ...

, the last traditional High King of Ireland.

Origins and background

Donnchad was a son of Domnall Midi and Domnall's only known wife, Ailbíne ingen Ailello of Ard Ciannacht, a minor kingdom of the coast north of the

River Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...

. Domnall was reckoned High King of Ireland from 743, when he defeated and killed

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. F ...

of the northern

branch of the Uí Néill, until his death on 20 November 763. Domnall was eventually followed as High King by Áed Allán's younger brother

, who was apparently without rivals. The succession to the kingship of

, the branch of the Uí Néill to which Domnall and Donnchad belonged, was altogether less peaceable. Donnchad's distant kinsman Fallomon mac Con Congalt of Clann Cholmáin Bicc appears to have held the title king of Mide at his death in 766, so that Donnchad can at most have been king of Uisnech, chief of Clann Cholmáin, at his father's death. The Irish annals record strife among Donnchad's kin after his death. His brother Diarmait Dub was killed in 764, leading the forces of the monastery of Durrow in battle against those of

Clonmacnoise Clonmacnoise ( Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery situated in County Offaly in Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. Until the 9th cen ...

, led by Bressal mac Murchado, probably his brother's son. Bressal was himself killed later the same year. That year Donnchad defeated the Fir Tulach Midi, a minor people who lived by Lough Ennell and the following year, with the support of Fallomon mac Con Congalt, he defeated and killed his own brother Murchad at ''Carn Fiachach'', near present-day Rathconrath, County Westmeath. Fallomon was killed in 766, after which Donnchad became King of Mide.

King of Mide

In 769 Donnchad drove Coirpre mac Fogartaig, King of Lagore, into exile. Coirpre, son of former High King Fogartach mac Néill, ruled the southern part of Brega and may have been the leading representative of the rival, but internally divided, southern Uí Néill kin group of

Síl nÁedo Sláine Síl nÁedo Sláine () are the descendants of Áed Sláine (Áed mac Diarmato), son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Cona ...

. The following year, to a background of internal conflict in

, Donnchad led an army into the province. The

king of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasion ...

, Cellach mac Dúnchada, refused to give battle and Donnchad remained camped at

Dún Ailinne Dún Ailinne (; sometimes anglicized Dun Aulin) is an ancient ceremonial site on the hill of Cnoc Ailinne (Knockaulin) in County Kildare, Ireland. It is southwest of Kilcullen, near the R418 road to Athy. It is a large circular enclosure coveri ...

for a week while his army pillaged Leinster. The late ''

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 Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Flood myt ...

'' places Niall Frossach's abdication in the same year as Donnchad's campaign in Leinster, dated to 770 by the '' Annals of Ulster'', and places the beginning of Donnchad's reign from 771 AD. Later sources present the succession of High Kings as regular, with one king following another immediately. This is not believed to be an accurate representation. Where Niall Frossach is concerned, some years may have elapsed between his death and Domnall Midi's inauguration. Another possible cause for, or sign of, Niall's fall from power appears in 771 and 772 when Donnchad campaigned in the lands of the northern Uí Néill. In 775 Donnchad took control of the monastery at Clonard in the Leinster borderlands. He also campaigned in Munster. The ''Annals of Ulster'' record that Donnchad "did great devastation in the territory of the Munstermen, and many of the Munstermen fell". He repeated this in 776 with the aid of the community of Durrow. Donnchad is recorded as twice having disturbed the óenach of

Tailtiu Tailtiu or Tailltiu (; modern spelling: Tailte) (also known as Talti) is the name of a presumed goddess from Irish mythology. The goddess's name is linked to Teltown (< OI ''Óenach Tailten'') in Co. Meath, site of the

< ...

, first in 774, when no explanation is given, and again in 777, this time the annals state that the Ciannachta, by which the Síl nÁedo Sláine--this time, the north Brega branch of the kindred are meant--were the targets. This is explicitly linked to the war between Donnchad and

Congalach mac Conaing Congalach mac Conaing (died 778) was a King of Brega from the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba (Knowth) of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of Conaing mac Amalgado (died 742), a previous king. He is listed as t ...

, the King of Knowth, which began earlier in 777 when Donnchad led an army from Leinster into Brega. A pitched battle somewhere in Brega in 778 ended with Congalach and many of his allies dead.

High King of Ireland

The only evidence that Donnchad may have been High King before Niall Frossach's death comes in 778 when he is said to have proclaimed the "law of Columba" together with Bressal, Abbot of Iona. Niall died later that year on Iona. In 779 Donnchad campaigned against the northern Uí Néill once again and received the submission of the "king of the North", Domnall, son of

Áed Muinderg Áed mac Flaithbertaig (died 747), called Áed Muinderg, was a chief of the Cenél Conaill of the northern Uí Néill in Ireland. He was the son of the high king Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765). His byname Muinderg means "red-necked". His f ...

. A raid on Donnchad's territories by the Leinstermen in 780 was repulsed. Later in the year a meeting between the Uí Néill and the Leinstermen was held, and the

King of Tara The term Kingship of Tara () was a title of authority in ancient Ireland - the title is closely associated with the archaeological complex at the Hill of Tara. The position was considered to be of eminent authority in medieval Irish literature ...

is believed to have settled whatever dispute had provoked the raid. In 784 a similar meeting appears to have been planned between Donnchad and Fiachnae mac Áedo Róin, the

King of Ulster The King of Ulster (Old Irish: ''Rí Ulad'', Modern Irish: ''Rí Uladh'') also known as the King of Ulaid and King of the Ulaid, was any of the kings of the Irish provincial over-kingdom of Ulaid. The title rí in Chóicid, which means "king of ...

, at ''Inis na Ríg'', one of the islands that gave modern Skerries its name. The intended conference was turned into a non-event by Donnchad's refusal to appear the lesser party by boarding Fiachnae's ship and Fiachnae's refusal to come ashore for the same reason. This was commemorated in verse in the margins of the ''Annals of Ulster''. In 786 the annals record that Febordaith, head of the monastery at Dulane, was killed. A later gloss adds that the killing was avenged. This appears to be related to the following entry in the ''Annals of Ulster'', which reports that Donnchad defeated the Síl nÁedo Sláine at ''Lia Finn'', near to modern

Nobber Nobber ( – referring to the description by the local native Irish population, to the development of moat around a Norman castle) is a village in north County Meath, Ireland. The village is located near a river called the Dee () and near White ...

, killing Fogartach mac Cummuscaig, the king of Lagore. In 791 Donnchad is said to have "dishonour dthe staff of Jesus and relics of Patrick" during an óenach, probably the óenach of Tailtiu. The óenach Tailten may have seen further trouble in 791, for Donnchad attacked Áed Oirdnide and drove him from Tailtiu and out of the valley of the

river Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...

. Cathal mac Echdach, king of the Uí Chremthainn, and other notables were killed in the rout. The last of the many records of Donnchad at war comes in 794, when he aided Leinster against Munster. Donnchad died early in 797, aged 64. He was succeeded as High King by Niall Caille's son Áed Oirdnide and by his son Domnall as head of Clann Cholmáin and King of Mide. Donnchad's reputation was mixed. The '' Félire Óengusso'', written at

Tallaght ) , image_skyline = TallaghtDublinD24.jpg , image_caption = Tallaght, Dublin , image_flag = , flag_size = , pushpin_map = Dublin#Ireland , pushpin_label_position = left , ...

in the borderlands of Leinster, apparently includes him among the oppressive secular rulers whom the authors dismissed as at best unimportant and at worst wicked. It does, however, confirm the apparent record of the annals, that Donnchad was a warlike ruler quite unlike his father, referring to him as "Donnchad the wrathful, ruddy, chosen". While Donnchad was a friend to the Columban churches, other religious communities, and especially those on the borders of Munster, suffered at his hands. Although earlier histories saw the arrival of the

Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...

, first attested in the seas around Ireland shortly before Donnchad's death, as responsible for changes in warfare that made churches a frequent target, Donnchad and his contemporaries sacked churches with some regularity.

Family

Donnchad was certainly married to Bé Fáil ingen Cathail, daughter of

Cathal mac Muiredaig Cathal mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 735) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Muiredach Muillethan mac Fergusso (died 702), a previous king and brother of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan (di ...

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

of the Leth Cathail in

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

. Her death is recorded by the ''Annals of Ulster'' in 801: "Be Fáil daughter of Cathal, Donnchad's queen, died." Their children included Óengus and Máel Ruanaid. Donnchad is less certainly believed to have been married to one Fuirseach, daughter of a

Dál nAraidi Dál nAraidi (; "Araide's part") or Dál Araide, sometimes Latinised as Dalaradia or Anglicised as Dalaray,Boyd, Hugh AlexanderIrish Dalriada ''The Glynns: Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society''. Volume 76 (1978). was a Cruthin kin ...

king named Congal, said to have borne him Conchobar. The mother of his sons Ailill, Conn, Domnall and Falloman and his daughters Gormlaith and Euginis is not recorded. Eithne, who married

Bran Ardchenn Bran Ardchenn mac Muiredaig (died 795) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Muiredaig sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Muiredach mac Murchado (died 760), a previous king. This sept had their royal seat at Maistiu (Mu ...

King of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasion ...

, is sometimes called Donnchad's daughter but was more probably his sister. Conn had predeceased his father, killed in 795. It was Domnall who succeeded Donnchad as King of Mide on his death, but he ruled for only a short time. The ''Annals of Ulster'' report that "Domnall son of Donnchad was treacherously killed by his kinsmen" in 799. Donnchad's son Conchobar mac Donnchada was later king of Mide and High King. Máel Ruanaid was king of Mide and father of later High King

Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid Máel Sechnaill mac Máel Ruanaida (Modern Irish: ''Maolsheachlann Mac Maolruanaidh''), also known as Máel Sechnaill I, anglicised as Malachy MacMulrooney (died 27 November 862) was High King of Ireland. The Annals of Ulster use the Old Irish ...

. Ailill was killed in 803 fighting against his brother Conchobar at ''Ruba Conaill''. Óengus died in 830, and he is called "king of Telach Midi"; so too did Fallomon, killed fighting the Munstermen. It may be that Ruaidrí son of Donnchad, the ''secundas abbas'' of Clonard and ''tanaise'' of

—these terms probably mean he was vice-abbot of both communities— whose death in 838 is reported by the '' Chronicon Scotorum'', was a son of this Donnchad. Gormflaith ingen Donncadha, who died in 861, was married to

Niall Caille Niall mac Áeda (died 846), called Niall Caille (Niall of the Callan) to distinguish him from his grandson Niall mac Áeda (died 917), was High King of Ireland. Background Niall belonged to Cenél nEógain, a northern branch of the Uí Néill, ...

and

Áed Findliath Áed mac Néill (died 879), called Áed Findliath ("fair-grey Áed"; Modern Irish: ''Aodh Fionnadhliath'') to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olac ...

was their son. Eugenis, who died in 802, is called "queen of the king of Tara" by the ''Annals of Ulster''.''Annals of Ulster'', AU 802.7 & AU 861.2; Doherty, "Donnchad". The ''Annals of the Four Masters'', AFM 797.11, add that Eugenis was the wife of the king of Brega. Which king is not stated.

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Donnchad mac Domnaill 733 births 797 deaths High Kings of Ireland Kings of Mide People from County Westmeath 8th-century Irish monarchs 8th-century Irish people