Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobhair
Encyclopedia
Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, son of High King of Ireland
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
, was King of Connacht
from 1183 to 1189. He was a military commander and opponent of the Norman
invasion of Ireland
.
Conchobar was apparently the eldest of at least eight sons of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
. He first comes to notice in 1163 when his father was already King of Connacht. Niall mac Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn, son of the High King
had, on a royal heir's feasting visitation ... through Leath Cuinn
... committed various acts of violence in territories and churches.
Coming to Ath Luain he led a force of twelve score men across the bridge and into Connacht, invading Hy-Many
. However, "tria fheill & mheabhail" ("through treachery and guile") "ro marbait uile lá Conchobhar Ua Ceallaigh & la Concobhar Maonmhaighe, & lá h-Uibh Máine" ("they were all killed by Conchobhar Ua Ceallaigh and Conchobhar Maonmhaighe, and the Ui Maine"). Niall was captured "and conducted in safety to his house, by advice of their meeting."
in 1174 in the following terse statement: "The battle of Durlus [was gained] by Domnall Ua Briain and by Conchobur Maenmhaighi upon the people of the son of the Empress (namely, of the king of the Saxons)." The Annals of the Four Masters
list his presence at The Battle of the Connors in Hy-Many in 1180.
In 1184 the King of Meath, Art Ua Melaghlin, "was treacherously slain by Dermot O' Brien (i.e. the son of Turlough), at the instigation of the English." Ruaidri supported the O'Melaghlins as he had annexed much of the midlands to Connacht and Art's successor, Melaghlin Beg O'Melaghlin was aided by Conchobar. The armies of Connacht and Meath, led by both men, attacked and destroyed castles in areas conquered by the invaders, the result being "many of the English were slain."
In 1185 war broke out among the Princes of Connacht ("ríogh-dhamhna", literally "king material"), as three contenders for the kingship of Connacht assailed both Ruaidrí and each other. One of them was Connor's own son, Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobair
, the other two being Connor mac Cormac Ua Conchobar and Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair
. Conchobar appears to have supported his father, but as events of the following year would show he too appears to have become impatient for change and a chance to turn the tide. At any rate, for now, though "the contests between them many were slain," Ruaidrí "and his son afterwards made peace with the other chiefs."
Reconciled, Conchobair and Cathal Carragh burned Killaloe
, as well churches as houses, and carried off all the jewels and riches of the inhabitants ... [left Thomond] ... destroyed and pillaged. In this Conchobar commanded Norman allies, who came as far as [from] Roscommon
, where Ruaidri gave them three thousand cows as wages.
of land was given to him.
Conchobar immediately began establishing his rule, bringing the troublesome Ui Maine under firm control by killing their king, Murrough O Cellaig. The following year he returned to Lenister and along with Melaghlin Beg Ua Melaghlin burned and demolished the castle of Kildare
, where not one of the English escaped, but were all suffocated, or otherwise killed; They carried away their accoutrements, arms, shields, coats of mail, and horses, and slew two knights.
Two years later it was Connacht's turn to be on the receiving end, as John de Courcy
led a Norman incursion into Connaught, accompanied by Connor mac Cormac. Conchobar roused the Connacht chieftains, and was joined by Donnell Mor Ua Brian, King of Thomond
. Apparently all the Normans could do was stay on the move because the Connacht forces would not suffer them to tarry any longer in their country.
While camped at Ballysadare
, the King of Tirconnell likewise assembled his forces to deny them access north into Tirconnell. Forced back, the English were returning by way of the Curlew Mountains where they were attacked by the Connacians and Momonians ... those who survived retreated with difficulty from the country, without effecting much destruction on this incursion.
Alas for the party who plotted this conspiracy against the life of the heir presumptive to the throne of Ireland! To him the greater part of Leth-Mhogha had submitted as king. Donnell O'Brien had gone to his house at Dunloe, where he was entertained for a week; and O'Conor gave him sixty cows out of every cantred in Connaught, and ten articles ornamented with gold; but O'Brien did not accept of any of these, save one goblet, which had once been the property of Dermot O'Brien, his own grandfather. Rory Mac Donslevy, King of Ulidia, had gone to his house. Mac Carthy, King of Desmond, was in his house, and O'Conor gave him a great stipend, namely, five horses out of every cantred in Connaught. Melaghlin Beg, king of Tara, was in his house and took away a large stipend; and O'Rourke had gone to his house, and also carried with him a great stipend.
. Cathal Carragh killed Connor mac Cormac later the same year in revenge of the death of his father.
Cathal would become a King of Connacht, with opposition, before his death in 1202. The ultimate winner for the kingship was Conchobar's uncle, Cathal Crobdearg, who was his ultimate successor.
Of Conchobar's remaining known children:
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Ruaidhri Cathal Crobdearg, 1152-1224.
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Conchobar Toirdhealbhach Aodh Diarmait
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Cathal Mathghamhain Tadhg Muircheartach Donnchadh Aodh Maelsechlain
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Maelsechlainn
killed 1212
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...
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...
, was King of Connacht
Kings of Connacht
The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD...
from 1183 to 1189. He was a military commander and opponent of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invasion of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Early life
Conchobar Maenmaige took his nickname from the territory of Trícha Máenmaige where he had being fostered as a child.Conchobar was apparently the eldest of at least eight sons of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...
. He first comes to notice in 1163 when his father was already King of Connacht. Niall mac Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn, son of the High King
High king
A high king is a king who holds a position of seniority over a group of other kings, without the title of Emperor; compare King of Kings.Rulers who have been termed "high king" include:...
had, on a royal heir's feasting visitation ... through Leath Cuinn
Leath Cuinn
Leath Cuinn and Leath Moga refers to a legendary ancient division of Ireland.-Geographical extant:Leath Cuinn was the island north of the Esker Riada...
... committed various acts of violence in territories and churches.
Coming to Ath Luain he led a force of twelve score men across the bridge and into Connacht, invading Hy-Many
Hy-Many
Uí Maine, often incorrectly Anglicised as Hy Many, was one of the oldest and largest kingdoms located in Connacht, Ireland. Its territory of approximately encompassed all of what is now north, east and south County Galway, south and central County Roscommon, an area near County Clare, and at one...
. However, "tria fheill & mheabhail" ("through treachery and guile") "ro marbait uile lá Conchobhar Ua Ceallaigh & la Concobhar Maonmhaighe, & lá h-Uibh Máine" ("they were all killed by Conchobhar Ua Ceallaigh and Conchobhar Maonmhaighe, and the Ui Maine"). Niall was captured "and conducted in safety to his house, by advice of their meeting."
Wars against the Normans and Irish
Conchobar Maenmaige is next mentioned in the Annals of UlsterAnnals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
in 1174 in the following terse statement: "The battle of Durlus [was gained] by Domnall Ua Briain and by Conchobur Maenmhaighi upon the people of the son of the Empress (namely, of the king of the Saxons)." 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...
list his presence at The Battle of the Connors in Hy-Many in 1180.
In 1184 the King of Meath, Art Ua Melaghlin, "was treacherously slain by Dermot O' Brien (i.e. the son of Turlough), at the instigation of the English." Ruaidri supported the O'Melaghlins as he had annexed much of the midlands to Connacht and Art's successor, Melaghlin Beg O'Melaghlin was aided by Conchobar. The armies of Connacht and Meath, led by both men, attacked and destroyed castles in areas conquered by the invaders, the result being "many of the English were slain."
In 1185 war broke out among the Princes of Connacht ("ríogh-dhamhna", literally "king material"), as three contenders for the kingship of Connacht assailed both Ruaidrí and each other. One of them was Connor's own son, Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobair
Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobair
Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobair was King of Connacht from 1189 to 1202.One of the seven sons of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, his nickname carragh indicates that he suffered from some form of skin complaint. The identities of his mother and wife are unknown...
, the other two being Connor mac Cormac Ua Conchobar and Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair
Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair
Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair , the youngest son of the Irish High King Tairrdelbach mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair, was a King of Connacht....
. Conchobar appears to have supported his father, but as events of the following year would show he too appears to have become impatient for change and a chance to turn the tide. At any rate, for now, though "the contests between them many were slain," Ruaidrí "and his son afterwards made peace with the other chiefs."
Reconciled, Conchobair and Cathal Carragh burned Killaloe
Killaloe, County Clare
Killaloe is a large village in east County Clare, Ireland, situated in the midwest of Ireland. The village is on the south end of Lough Derg, while the settlement spreads across the River Shannon, with the County Tipperary side known as Ballina...
, as well churches as houses, and carried off all the jewels and riches of the inhabitants ... [left Thomond] ... destroyed and pillaged. In this Conchobar commanded Norman allies, who came as far as [from] Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
, where Ruaidri gave them three thousand cows as wages.
King of Connacht
In 1186 warfare finally erupted between father and son, and by the contests between both the Connacians were destroyed. At length ... by the advice of the Sil-Murray [Ruaidri was allowed to return, and] ... a trícha cétTrícha cét
A Trícha cét or triocha cét was a a territorial unit ... to the eleventh and twelfth centuries [1] in medieval Ireland. It was succeeded by the cantred.Paul MacCotter describes it as:...
of land was given to him.
Conchobar immediately began establishing his rule, bringing the troublesome Ui Maine under firm control by killing their king, Murrough O Cellaig. The following year he returned to Lenister and along with Melaghlin Beg Ua Melaghlin burned and demolished the castle of Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
, where not one of the English escaped, but were all suffocated, or otherwise killed; They carried away their accoutrements, arms, shields, coats of mail, and horses, and slew two knights.
Two years later it was Connacht's turn to be on the receiving end, as John de Courcy
John de Courcy
John de Courcy was a Anglo-Norman knight who arrived in Ireland in 1176. From then until his expulsion in 1204, he conquered a considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for both the Benedictines and the Cistercians and built strongholds at Dundrum Castle in County...
led a Norman incursion into Connaught, accompanied by Connor mac Cormac. Conchobar roused the Connacht chieftains, and was joined by Donnell Mor Ua Brian, King of Thomond
Thomond
Thomond The region of Ireland associated with the name Thomond is County Clare, County Limerick and north County Tipperary; effectively most of north Munster. The name is used by a variety of establishments and organisations located in , or associated with the region...
. Apparently all the Normans could do was stay on the move because the Connacht forces would not suffer them to tarry any longer in their country.
While camped at Ballysadare
Ballysadare
Ballysadare is a village about 7 kilometres from Sligo town Centre. Built on the Ballysadare river, the area experienced rapid growth during the 'Celtic Tiger' boom, with many new housing developments, many of which now lie empty, creating phantom estates. The village was once choked with heavy...
, the King of Tirconnell likewise assembled his forces to deny them access north into Tirconnell. Forced back, the English were returning by way of the Curlew Mountains where they were attacked by the Connacians and Momonians ... those who survived retreated with difficulty from the country, without effecting much destruction on this incursion.
Assassination
This successful first act was denied a sequel when in 1189 Conchobar was killed in Clanconway. The assassins were Manus mac Flann Ua Finaghty, Aodh mac Brian (his first cousin), Muircheartach mac Cathal mac Dermot mac Tadhg, and Giolla na Naomh Ua Mulvihill of the Tuathas. His murderers were described as a party of his own people and tribes, though the real culprit seems to have being that other contender for the kingship of Connaucht, Connor mac Cormac. In the same sentence he was described as the King of all Connaught, both English and Irish. The annalist further stated:Alas for the party who plotted this conspiracy against the life of the heir presumptive to the throne of Ireland! To him the greater part of Leth-Mhogha had submitted as king. Donnell O'Brien had gone to his house at Dunloe, where he was entertained for a week; and O'Conor gave him sixty cows out of every cantred in Connaught, and ten articles ornamented with gold; but O'Brien did not accept of any of these, save one goblet, which had once been the property of Dermot O'Brien, his own grandfather. Rory Mac Donslevy, King of Ulidia, had gone to his house. Mac Carthy, King of Desmond, was in his house, and O'Conor gave him a great stipend, namely, five horses out of every cantred in Connaught. Melaghlin Beg, king of Tara, was in his house and took away a large stipend; and O'Rourke had gone to his house, and also carried with him a great stipend.
Successors and Descendants
Ruaidri was once more recalled to be king, though only briefly and ended his days as a monk at CongCong, County Mayo
Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
. Cathal Carragh killed Connor mac Cormac later the same year in revenge of the death of his father.
Cathal would become a King of Connacht, with opposition, before his death in 1202. The ultimate winner for the kingship was Conchobar's uncle, Cathal Crobdearg, who was his ultimate successor.
Of Conchobar's remaining known children:
- Mathghamhain mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairMathghamhain mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairMathghamhain mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht, died 1196Mathghamhain one of the seven sons of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair of Connacht...
was killed in 1196. - Muirchertach Tethbhach Ua ConchobairMuirchertach TethbhachMuirchertach Tethbhach Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht, died 1204.Muirchertach Tethbhach was one of the seven sons of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair of Connacht . He was a grandson of King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair...
was killed in 1204. - Donnchadh mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair was killed in 1207.
- Tadhg mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairTadhg mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairTadhg mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht, fl. 1210.Tadhg was one of the seven sons of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair of Connacht . He was a grandson of King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair....
was recorded as alive in 1210. - Mael Seachlainn mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairMael Seachlainn mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairMael Seachlainn mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht, died 1219.Mael Seachlainn was a son of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair of Connacht and a grandson of King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair....
was slain by Manus, the son of Turlough O'Conor, who had taken his house (by force) at Cloontuskert, in 1219. - Aodh mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairAodh mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua ConchobairAodh mac Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht and Irish Crusader, died 1219.Aodh was the last surviving son of the seven sons of King Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair of Connacht...
died in 1224 on his return from Jerusalem and the River Jordan.
Family Tree (simplified)
Toirdelbach, King of Connacht, d.1156.|
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Ruaidhri Cathal Crobdearg, 1152-1224.
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Conchobar Toirdhealbhach Aodh Diarmait
| issue issue issue
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Cathal Mathghamhain Tadhg Muircheartach Donnchadh Aodh Maelsechlain
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Maelsechlainn
killed 1212
Sources
- Annals of Ulster
- Annals of the Four Masters
- Annals of Connacht
- O'Byrne, Emmet. War, Politics and the Irish of Lenister 1156-1606, 2004.