Conall mac Suibni (died 635), called Conall Guthbinn, Prince of

Meath Meath may refer to: General * County Meath, Republic of Ireland **Kingdom of Meath, medieval precursor of the county ** List of kings of Meath ** Meath GAA, including the intercounty football and hurling teams ** Diocese of Meath, in the Roman Cath ...

, was 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 Suibne mac Colmáin (died 600), a previous king.Charles-Edwards, ''Early Christian Ireland'', p. 604, table III; Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High Kings'', p. 282, table 3.; Mac Niocaill, pg.109 He ruled from 621 to 635. His byname Guthbinn meant "sweet voiced". His father Suibne had been killed in 600 by his uncle

Áed Sláine Áed mac Diarmato (died 604), called Áed Sláine (Áed of Slane), was the son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Legendary stories exist of Áed's birth. Saint Columba is said to have prophesied his death. His descendants, the Síl nÁedo Sláine—t ...

mac Diarmato (died 604)

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 ...

ous ancestor of the

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 Co ...

. This set off a feud between the Clann Cholmáin and Síl nÁedo Sláine and in 604 a battle was fought in Faithche Mic Mencnain on the shore of Loch Semdid (Lough Sewdy), ( Ballymore Loughsewdy in modern

County Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...

). During the battle Conall saw his foster brother Áed Gustan slaying Áed Sláine. Áed Rón of the Uí Failge and Áed Buide, king of Tebtha, Áed Sláine's allies, were also slain. The ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of 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 Luinín ...

'' record:

It was no time when counsel prevailed, for the warriors beyond Tuirbe: Conall slew Áed of Sláine, Áed Sláine slew Suibne.

Conall succeeded as King of Uisnech in 621 on the death of Óengus mac Colmáin, son of

Colmán Bec Colmán or Colman is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Medieval Irish people * Colmán Bec (died ''c''. 585), Irish dynast * Colmán mac Cobthaig (died ''c''. 622), Irish king * Colmán mac Lénéni (died ''c'' ...

. In 622, during the Battle of Cenn Deilgthen (modern

Kildalkey Kildalkey or Kildalky () is a village and a parish in the Barony of Lune, county and diocese of Meath, Ireland. Population The population of the village was 149 at the time of the 1996 Census. By the time of the 2002 census, the village had gro ...

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 ...

), Conall defeated a rival faction of cousins led by two sons of Librén, son of Illand, son of Cerball. Illand was the brother of Conall's great-grandfather the high king

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 ...

(died 565).

Domnall Brecc Domnall Brecc (Welsh: ''Dyfnwal Frych''; English: ''Donald the Freckled'') (died 642 in Strathcarron) was king of Dál Riata, in modern Scotland, from about 629 until 642. He was the son of Eochaid Buide. He was counted as Donald II of Scotland ...

(died 642), later king of

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is ...

fought alongside Conall. In 633, at the Battle of Áth Goan, west of the Liffey, Conall allied with Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib (died 637), 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 ...

, to assist Fáelán mac Colmáin (died 666?) of the

Uí Dúnlainge The Uí Dúnlainge, from the Old Irish "grandsons (or descendants) of Dúnlaing", were an Irish dynasty of Leinster kings who traced their descent from Dúnlaing mac Énda Niada. He was said to be a cousin of Énnae Cennsalach, eponymous ancest ...

in defeating and slaying

Crimthann mac Áedo Crimthann mac Áedo (died 633) was a King of Leinster from the Uí Máil branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Áed Dibchine mac Senaig (died 595), a previous king. He would have succeeded sometime after the death of Rónán mac Colmáin. His ...

of the

Uí Máil Uí Máil were an Irish dynasty of Leinster. They were descended from Maine Mál, the brother of the legendary high king Cathair Mór. The Uí Máil were a dominant dynasty in Leinster competing for the kingship in the 7th century before being event ...

, acquiring the throne of

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 Ir ...

. The Clann Cholmain assisted the Ui Dunlainge in their rise to power, neutralizing the border situation with the Ui Failgi, as the Ui Dunlainge carried out their rivalry with the Síl nÁedo Sláine. Fáelán mac Colmáin married Conall's sister Uasal ingen Suibni (died 643). In 634, at the Battle of Loch Trethin at Fremainn (Lough Drin, .75 miles northeast of Cullionbeg, County Westmeath), Conall slew

Congal mac Áedo Sláine Congal mac Áedo Sláine (died 634) was a King of Brega from the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of the high king Áed Sláine mac Diarmato (died 604). His father had treacherously slain his nephew, Suibne ma ...

, King of

Brega Brega , also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ( ar, مرسى البريقة , i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, ...

, and his brother Ailill Cruitire, continuing the feud with the Síl nÁedo Sláine. In 635 Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine (died 665) killed Conall in the house of Nad Fraích's son. Conall's son Airmetach Cáech was slain at the

Battle of Mag Rath The Battle of Moira, also known as the Battle of Magh Rath, was fought in the summer of 637 by the High King of Ireland, Domnall II, against his foster son Congal Cáech, King of Ulaid, supported by his ally Domnall Brecc, King of Dál Riata. ...

(modern day Moira, County Down) in 637 fighting for

Congal Cáech Congal Cáech (also Congal Cláen) was a king of the Cruthin of Dál nAraidi in the medieval Irish province of Ulaid, from around 626 to 637. He was king of Ulaid from 627–637 and, according to some sources, High King of Ireland. Origins Wh ...

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

and against the High King

Domnall mac Áedo Domnall mac Áedo (died 642), also known as Domnall II, Was an Irish king and son of Áed mac Ainmuirech and his consort Land, the daughter of Áed Guaire mac Amalgada of Airgíalla. Domnall was High King of Ireland from 628 until his death. He ...

(died 642) of the

Cenél Conaill 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) is ...

. Airmetach's son Fáelchú was also slain in this battle.Charles-Edwards, ''Early Christian Ireland'' , pp. 495, & 497, table 12.5. Airmetach's other son, Diarmait Dian mac Airmetaig Cáech (died 689), was a King of Uisnech.

Notes

References

*
''Annals of Tigernach''
at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] a
University College Cork CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts

''Annals of Ulster''
at
University College Cork CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, * Mac Niocaill, Gearoid (1972), ''Ireland before the Vikings'', Dublin: Gill and Macmillan * ''Book of Leinster'',''Rig Uisnig'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Laud Synchronisms'' a

a
University College Cork
* Hogan, SJ, Edmund (1910)
''Onomasticon Goedelicum''
Documents of Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. {{DEFAULTSORT:Conall Guthbinn Kings of Uisnech 637 deaths 7th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown