Events from the 5th century in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

5th century

;405 *Possible year of death of

Niall Noígíallach Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. The ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

'' dates his accession to 378 and death to 405. The chronology of

Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating (; – ) was an Irish historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became a Catholic priest and a poet. Biography It was generally believed unt ...

's ''

Foras Feasa ar Éirinn ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' – literally 'Foundation of Knowledge on Ireland', but most often known in English as 'The History of Ireland' – is a narrative history of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating, written in Irish and completed .Bernadette Cun ...

'' broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368 to 395, and associating his raiding activities in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

with the kidnapping of

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...

, ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'
1.48
/ref> However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's legendary status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. Based on

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...

genealogies and the dates given for his supposed sons and grandsons, modern historians believe that he is likely to have lived some 50 years later than the traditional dates, dying circa 450.Francis J. Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Second Edition, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001, Chapter 5 ;410 *At about this date, with the

end of Roman rule in Britain The end of Roman rule in Britain occurred as the military forces of Roman Britain withdrew to defend or seize the Western Roman Empire's continental core, leaving behind an autonomous post-Roman Britain. In 383, the usurper Magnus Maximus wit ...

, raiders from Ireland such as the

Uí Liatháin The Uí Liatháin () were an early kingdom of Munster in southern Ireland. They belonged the same kindred as the Uí Fidgenti, and the two are considered together in the earliest sources, for example '' The Expulsion of the Déisi'' (incidental ...

and

Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...

harry the coasts of Britain. They plunder towns and capture slaves but later colonise large areas of

Gwynedd Gwynedd () is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The ci ...

, in particular the

Llŷn Peninsula The Llŷn Peninsula ( or , ) is a peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales, with an area of about , and a population of at least 20,000. It extends into the Irish Sea, and its southern coast is the northern boundary of the Tremadog Bay inlet of Cardigan Ba ...

, the coasts of Arllechwedd and Arfon and

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

430s

;431 * Palladius sent by

Pope Celestine I Pope Celestine I () (c. 359 – 27 July 432) was the bishop of Rome from 10 September 422 to his death on 27 July 432. Celestine's pontificate was largely spent combatting various teachings deemed heretical. He was instrumental for the condemnati ...

as bishop to Irish Christians ;432 *

arrives in

to help convert pagan Gaelic kings to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(traditional date) (but see also 456) ;435 or 436 *Death of Bressal Belach, King of Leinster

440s

;440 *Death of

Amalgaid mac Fiachrae Amalgaid mac Fiachrae (Old Irish: Amalgaid mac Fiachrach Ogham script: ᚐᚋᚐᚂᚌᚐᚔᚇ ᚋᚐᚉ ᚃᚔᚐᚉᚆᚏᚐᚓ) (died 440) was a King of Connacht of the Ui Fiachrach sept. He was the son of Fiachrae mac Echach Mugmedóin a ...

, 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 ...

whose death led to a long-running dispute over the succession ;444 *

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

active in Ireland and Britain (but see the year 405 as well) *

Armagh Armagh ( ; , , " Macha's height") is a city and the county town of County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All ...

founded as the chief church in Ireland. ;445 * Death of Dathí/Nath Í mac Fiachrae ;446 * Battle of Femen, in Brega;

Mac Cairthinn mac Coelboth Mac Cairthinn mac Coelboth (?-446?-530?) was an Uí Enechglaiss King of Leinster. Background Mac Cairthinn is one of the very earliest verifiable Irish kings. Though not listed in any extant Irish genealogies, the Annals of Innisfallen record h ...

, King of Leinster, killed ;447 * Death of Secundinus/St

Seachnaill Secundinus (fl. 5th century), or Sechnall (Modern Irish: ''Seachnall'') as he was known in Irish, was founder and patron saint of Domhnach Sechnaill, County Meath, who went down in medieval tradition as a disciple of St Patrick and one of the fi ...

, bishop in Ireland, on 27 November, founder of

Dunshaughlin Dunshaughlin ( or locally ) is a town in County Meath, Ireland. A commuter town for nearby Dublin, Dunshaughlin more than tripled in population (from 2,139 to 6,644 inhabitants) between the 1996 and 2022 censuses. The town is in a townland and ...

450s

;450 *Probable date of fall of

Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...

over-kingdom *Approximate date of the foundation by St Macculin of a monastery at Lusk *Death of

(see the entry for 405 for more on this) ;451 *Probable year of birth of

Brigid of Kildare Saint Brigid of Kildare or Saint Brigid of Ireland (; Classical Irish: ''Brighid''; ; ) is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish ...

(Saint Brigid) ;453 *Probable date of death of

(but see also the years 405 and 450) *Probable date of the start of the reign of

Óengus mac Nad Froích Óengus mac Nad Froích (430-489) was an Eoganachta and the first Christian King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. Accordi ...

, first Christian king of Munster ;454 *

Lóegaire mac Néill Lóegaire also Lóeguire, is said to have been a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The Irish annals and king lists include him as a King of Tara or High King of Ireland. He appears as an adversary of Saint Patrick in several hagiographies. His ...

, King of Tara, celebrates Feis Temro (Feast of Tara), pagan inauguration rite. ;456 * Suggested date - 5 April - for arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland (but see also 432) ;457 *Probable death of Palladius ;459 * Death of Auxilius, missionary bishop in Ireland, founder of Killashee,

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...

460s

;461 or 462 * Death of

, King of Tara, son of

Niall Noígiallach Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. H ...

, who founded the kingdom of

Tír Eógain This article lists the rulers of Tyrone (Irish language, Irish: ''Tír Eoghain'') from 1185 to 1616. They are listed from their date of accession to date of death, unless otherwise stated. Prior to this, the ruling dynasty – the Cenél nEógain ...

(modern

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. Its county town is Omagh. Adjoined to the south-west shore of Lough Neagh, the cou ...

) ;464 * The murder of King

Conall Gulban Conall Gulban (died c. 464) was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the ''Cenél Conaill'', who founded the kingdom of '' Tír Chonaill'' in the 5th century, comprising much of what is now County Donegal in Ulster. He was the son of Niall ...

of Donegal by the Masraighe at

Magh Slécht Magh Slécht (sometimes Anglicised as Moyslaught; A variant of Magh Lecht meaning ''a grave-strewn plain'', because of all the ancient stone tombs therein) is the name of a historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square ...

;465 * Death of

Iserninus Saint Iserninus (or ''Isernius'') () was an early Christian missionary of Ireland who is associated with Saint Patrick and Saint Auxilius in establishing Christianity in the south of that island. More recent research associates him not with Pat ...

, missionary bishop in Ireland (''Epsop Fith''), founder of

Kilcullen Kilcullen (), formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Its population of 3,815 at the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census made it the 13th largest settlement in County Kilda ...

, and

Aghade Aghade () is a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and townland, in the Barony (Ireland), barony of Forth in County Carlow, Ireland. It is 3 miles from Tullow and has a notable bridge over the River Slaney. It also has a church, and at one ...

County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county located in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region of Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Carlow is the List of Irish counties by area, second smallest and t ...

* Death of

Eógan mac Néill Eógan mac Néill (Irish orthography: Eoghan mac Néill) (reportedly died in 465 in Ireland, 465) was a son of Niall Noígiallach and the eponymous ancestor of the Cenél nEógain (kindred of Eoghan) branch of the Northern Uí Néill. The Ce ...

, son of

, who founded the kingdom of

(modern

) (but see also 461) ;467 * Death of St. Benigius,

Bishop of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name from the see city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the ot ...

;468 * Battle of Bri Ele ;469 *

Ailill Molt Ailill mac Nath Í (died c. 482 or 484), called Ailill Molt, is included in most lists of the High Kings of Ireland and is also called King of Connacht. His cognomen, ''molt'', means " ram" but its origin is unknown. Family Ailill was said to b ...

mac Nath Í/Dathí celebrates Feis Temro

470s

;470 * First Battle of Dumha Aichir ;476 * First Battle of

Granard Granard () is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland, and has a traceable history going back to 236 CE. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 ...

480s

;480 * Second Battle of

;481 * Death of St. Iarliathe mac Treno, third

bishop of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name from the see city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the ot ...

;482 * Battle of Ochae (in

Mide Meath ( ; ; ) 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 County Meath (which takes its name from the k ...

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

killed, and the

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 ...

monopolise kingship of Tara ;483 * Assassination of Cremthann mac Endai Chennselaig, King of Leinster ;484 * Probable year of birth of Saint Brendan "the Navigator" ;485 * Death of Fincath mac Garrchu (or Findchad mac Garrchon), King of Leinster ;485 or 486 * Battle of

or Grainaret.

Coirpre mac Néill Coirpre mac Néill ('' fl''. '' c''. 485–493), also Cairbre or Cairpre, was said to be a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Coirpre was perhaps the leader of the conquests that established the southern Uí Néill in the midlands of Ireland. Th ...

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 ...

, defeats and kills Fincath mac Garrchu or ''Findchad mac Garrchon'': he was a king of Leinster, was defeated and killed by the Uí Néill. (He is not mentioned as king in 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 ...

, he is however given this title in the

Annals of Innisfallen The ''Annals of Inisfallen'' () are a chronicle of the medieval history of Ireland. Overview There are more than 2,500 entries spanning the years between 433 and 1450. The manuscript is thought to have been compiled in 1092, as the chronic ...

). ;486 * Death of Crimthann mac Énnai Cennsalach who was a King of Leinster from the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the Laigin. He was the son of Énna Cennsalach, the ancestor of this dynasty.Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Table 8 ;487 * Death of Bishop Mel of Ardagh, 6 February ;489 * Battle of Cell Osnadha: death of

, first Christian

King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment 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 earli ...

* Battle of Tailtin * Death of St. Cianán of

Duleek Duleek (; ) is a small town in County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Duleek takes its name from the Irish language, Irish words ''daimh'' and ''liag'', meaning house of stones, referring to an early stone-built church, St. Cianán's Churc ...

, a follower of St. Patrick, on 24 November

490s

;490 * In about this year, the

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaels, Gaelic Monarchy, kingdom that encompassed the Inner Hebrides, western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North ...

establish a kingdom in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

;492 * About this year the deaths occur of St. Mac Caill, Bishop of Cruachu Brig Ele ( Croghan,

County Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...

); and

, King of

Cashel Cashel (an Anglicised form of the Irish language word ''Caiseal'', meaning "stone fort") may refer to: Places in Ireland *Cashel, County Tipperary **The Rock of Cashel, an ancient, hilltop fortress complex for which Cashel is named ** Archbishop ...

(but see also 489) ;493 *The battle of Sruth *The second battle of Granairet * 17 March: traditional date for the death of St. Patrick (also entered in Annals of Ulster under A.D.

492 Year 492 ( CDXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Anastasius and Rufus (or, less frequently, year 1245 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 492 for thi ...

). Cath Corp Naomh Padraigh (''" Battle for the Body of St. Patrick"'' fought for possession of his body) ;494 * Battle of Ceann Ailbhe ;495 * Second Battle of

; Echu mac Coirpri defeats and kills Fráech mac Finchada, King of Leinster (but see also 480) ;496 * 6 September: death of St. Mac Cuilinn, Bishop of Lusk ;497 * Death of Cormac,

, ''heres Patricii'' (heir of

Patrick Patrick may refer to: *Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People *Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint * Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

) ;498 * Birth of saint

Kevin of Glendalough Kevin (; , ; Latinized ; 498 (reputedly)–3 June 618) is an Irish saint, known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland. His feast day is 3 June. Early life Kevin's life is not well documented because no conte ...

(died 618 according to his legend), the

Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...

Glendalough Glendalough (; ) is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland, renowned for an Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin. From 1825 to 1957, the head of the Glendalough Valley was the site of a galena lead min ...

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...

, Ireland * 23 June: death of St. Mo Choi of Nendrum; also listed under 497 in

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

;499 * ''"Bellum"'' (war) listed as occurring in

* 23 April: death of Bishop Ibar of Bergerin,

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

Harbour

500

;500 *Composition of archaic

genealogical poems by Laidcenn mac Bairchedo and others *Archaic Old Irish period (to c. AD

700 The denomination 700 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Avar and Slavic tribes co ...

) *Warfare continues in Leinster between its kings and the

References

*''A New History of Ireland VIII: A Chronology of Irish History to 1976 - A Companion to Irish History Part I,'' edited by T.W. Moody, F.X. Martin and F.J. Byrne, 1982.
List of Published Texts at CELT
—

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...

's ''Corpus of Electronic Texts'' project has the full list of Irish Annals. {{DEFAULTSORT:5th Century In Ireland