Eochaid mac Echdach was king of

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 ...

(modern western

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 ...

) from 726 until 733. He was a son of

Eochaid mac Domangairt Eochaid mac Domangairt (died c. 697) was a king of Dál Riata (modern western Scotland) in about 697. He was a member of the Cenél nGabráin, the son of Domangart mac Domnaill and father of Eochaid mac Echdach; Alpín mac Echdach may be a son of ...

. Eochaid came to power as king of Dál Riata in 726, presumably deposing

Dúngal mac Selbaig Dúngal mac Selbaig was king of Dál Riata. His reign can best be placed in the years 723 to 726, beginning with the abdication of his father, Selbach mac Ferchair, who entered a monastery, and ending with the rise of Eochaid mac Echdach of the ...

, son of

Selbach mac Ferchair Selbach mac Ferchair (died 730) was king of the Cenél Loairn and of Dál Riata. Selbach's existence is well-attested as he is mentioned repeatedly in Irish annals. Life Selbach mac Ferchair was a son of Ferchar Fota. He ruled as king of the Cené ...

. Selbach may have tried to restore his son to power, and fought against Eochaid's supporters at ''Irros Foichnae'' in 727, but without apparent success. The annals vary as to whether the despatch of a fleet from Dál Riata to

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 ...

to aid

Flaithbertach mac Loingsig Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765) was a High King of Ireland. He was a member of the Cenél Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Loingsech mac Óengusso (died 703), a previous high king. He ruled from 728 to 734. He ...

in his war with

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. Ferga ...

should be placed in the reign of Eochaid, or that of his successor. At his death in 733, Eochaid is named king rather than lord of Dál Riata, which may suggest that after the defeat of Dúngal and Selbach his reign was unchallenged. His son,

Áed Find Áed Find (Áed the White), or Áed mac Echdach (before 732–778), was king of Dál Riata (modern western Scotland and County Antrim, Ireland). Áed was the son of Eochaid mac Echdach, a descendant of Domnall Brecc in the main line of Cené ...

, was later king of Dál Riata. As Dál Riata certainly maintained a separate existence until 736, Eochaid must have had a successor, or successors. It appears that he was succeeded by Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig, who had replaced Dúngal mac Selbaig as king of the

Cenél Loairn The Cenél Loairn, the descendants of Loarn mac Eirc, controlled parts of northern Argyll around the Firth of Lorne, most probably centred in Lorne but perhaps including the islands of Mull and Colonsay, Morvern and Ardnamurchan. The bounda ...

External links

Annals of Ulster
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eochaid Mac Echdach 733 deaths Kings of Dál Riata 8th-century Irish monarchs 8th-century Scottish monarchs Year of birth unknown