Cairbre Lifechair
Encyclopedia
Cairbre Lifechair son of Cormac mac Airt
, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland
. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat
. During his time Bresal Belach was king of Leinster
, and refused to pay the bórama or cow-tribute to the High King, but Cairbre defeated him in the Battle of Dubchomar, and from then on exacted the bórama without a battle.
, Cairbre takes the throne when his father Cormac is blinded by Óengus Gaíbúaibthech of the Déisi
, it being against the law for the king to have any physical blemish. The chronicles indicate that Eochaid Gonnat
succeeded Cormac, but was soon succeeded by Cairbre following his death in battle.
According to Cath Gabhra
(The Battle of Gabhra), a narrative of the Fenian Cycle
of Irish mythology
, Cairbre married Aine, daughter of Fionn mac Cumhaill
. During his reign, his sons Fiacha Sraibhtine
and Eochaid Doimlen killed Óengus Gaíbúaibthech. To make peace, Cairbre betroths his daughter, Sgiam Sholais, to a Déisi prince. However, the fianna
demand a tribute of twenty gold bars, which they claimed was customarily paid on such occasions. Cairbre decides the fianna have become too powerful, and raises a huge army from Ulster
, Connacht
and Leinster
against them. They are joined by Goll mac Morna
and his followers, who turn against their comrades in the fianna, but Munster
and the Déisi side with the fianna. Cairbre's army wins in the Battle of Gabhra, but Cairbre himself falls in single combat against Fionn's grandson Oscar
, who dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Fionn himself either dies in the battle, or had been killed on the River Boyne
the previous year. The only survivors of the fianna are Caílte mac Rónáin
and Fionn's son Oisín
.
Cairbre had ruled for seventeen, twenty-six or twenty-seven years. He was succeeded by Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con
, ruling jointly. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 245-272, the Annals of the Four Masters
to 267-284.
Cormac mac Airt
Cormac mac Airt , also known as Cormac ua Cuinn or Cormac Ulfada , was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland...
, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat
Eochaid Gonnat
Eochaid Gonnat or Gunnat , son of Fiach, son of Imchad, son of Bresal, son of Sírchad, son of Fíatach Finn, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne on the death of Cormac mac Airt. He ruled for a year, before falling in battle...
. During his time Bresal Belach was king of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, and refused to pay the bórama or cow-tribute to the High King, but Cairbre defeated him in the Battle of Dubchomar, and from then on exacted the bórama without a battle.
Reign
According to the 8th-century text known as The Expulsion of the DéisiThe Expulsion of the Déisi
The Expulsion of the Déisi is a medieval Irish narrative of the Cycles of the Kings. It dates approximately to the 8th century, but survives only in manuscripts of a much later date. It describes the fictional history of the Déisi, a group that had gained political power in parts of Ireland during...
, Cairbre takes the throne when his father Cormac is blinded by Óengus Gaíbúaibthech of the Déisi
Déisi
The Déisi were a class of peoples in ancient and medieval Ireland. The term is Old Irish, and derives from the word déis, meaning "vassal" or "subject"; in its original sense, it designated groups who were vassals or rent-payers to a landowner. Later, it became a proper name for certain septs and...
, it being against the law for the king to have any physical blemish. The chronicles indicate that Eochaid Gonnat
Eochaid Gonnat
Eochaid Gonnat or Gunnat , son of Fiach, son of Imchad, son of Bresal, son of Sírchad, son of Fíatach Finn, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne on the death of Cormac mac Airt. He ruled for a year, before falling in battle...
succeeded Cormac, but was soon succeeded by Cairbre following his death in battle.
According to Cath Gabhra
Cath Gabhra
Cath Gabhra is a narrative of the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. It tells of the destruction of the fianna and the deaths of most of its warriors in a battle against the forces of High King Cairbre Lifechair...
(The Battle of Gabhra), a narrative of the Fenian Cycle
Fenian Cycle
The Fenian Cycle , also referred to as the Ossianic Cycle after its narrator Oisín, is a body of prose and verse centering on the exploits of the mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warriors the Fianna. It is one of the four major cycles of Irish mythology along with the Mythological Cycle,...
of Irish mythology
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
, Cairbre married Aine, daughter of Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill , known in English as Finn McCool, was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland and the Isle of Man...
. During his reign, his sons Fiacha Sraibhtine
Fiacha Sraibhtine
Fiacha Sraibhtine, son of Cairbre Lifechair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. On his father's death, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con, had taken the throne jointly, but within the year Fothad Airgthech killed his...
and Eochaid Doimlen killed Óengus Gaíbúaibthech. To make peace, Cairbre betroths his daughter, Sgiam Sholais, to a Déisi prince. However, the fianna
Fianna
Fianna were small, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill....
demand a tribute of twenty gold bars, which they claimed was customarily paid on such occasions. Cairbre decides the fianna have become too powerful, and raises a huge army from Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
against them. They are joined by Goll mac Morna
Goll mac Morna
Goll mac Morna was a member of the fianna and an uneasy ally of Fionn mac Cumhail in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He had killed Fionn's father, Cumhal, and taken over the leadership of the fianna, but when Fionn grew up and proved his worth Goll willingly stepped aside in his favour.His...
and his followers, who turn against their comrades in the fianna, but Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
and the Déisi side with the fianna. Cairbre's army wins in the Battle of Gabhra, but Cairbre himself falls in single combat against Fionn's grandson Oscar
Oscar (Irish mythology)
Oscar is a figure in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the warrior son of Oisín and the fairy woman Niamh, who also bore his sister, Plor na mBan. Oisín, in turn, was the son of the epic hero Fionn mac Cumhail...
, who dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Fionn himself either dies in the battle, or had been killed on the River Boyne
River Boyne
The River Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newbury Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through County Meath to reach the Irish Sea between Mornington, County Meath and Baltray, County Louth. Salmon...
the previous year. The only survivors of the fianna are Caílte mac Rónáin
Caílte mac Rónáin
Caílte mac Rónáin was a nephew of Fionn mac Cumhail and a member of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He could run at remarkable speed and communicate with animals, and was a great storyteller...
and Fionn's son Oisín
Oisín
Oisín , also spelt in English Ossian or Osheen, was regarded in legend as the greatest poet of Ireland, and is a warrior of the fianna in the Ossianic or Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology...
.
Cairbre had ruled for seventeen, twenty-six or twenty-seven years. He was succeeded by Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con
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 mother was Sadb ingen Chuinn, daughter of the former High...
, ruling jointly. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 245-272, the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
to 267-284.