Diarmait mac Mail na mBo
Encyclopedia
Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó (died 7 February 1072) was King of Leinster, and also High King of Ireland
(with opposition).
He was one of the most important and significant Kings in Ireland
in the pre-Norman era. His influence extended beyond the island of Ireland into the Hebrides
, the Isle of Man
, Wales
, and even into England
.
, a kin group of south-east Leinster
centred around Ferns
. His father, Donnchad mac Diarmata, more commonly known by the epithet
Máel na mBó, whence Diarmait's patronym came. The last of Diarmait's ancestors to have been counter as king of all Leinster was Crimthann mac Énnai
, whose death is placed in the late 5th century, but his ancestors, most recently his great-grandfather Domnall mac Cellaig (died 974), had been counted among the kings of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Diarmait's mother was Aife, daughter of Gilla Pátraic mac Donnchada, king of Osraige. He had at least one sibling, a brother named Domnall whose son Donnchad mac Domnaill Remair was later king of Leinster.
The Uí Cheinnselaig had been prominent in earlier times, but their power had been broken at the battle of Áth Senaig in 738. The rival Uí Dúnlainge
, based in northern Leinster around Naas
and Kildare
, who also enjoyed the support of the powerful Clann Cholmáin
kings of Mide
, dominated Leinster until the time of Brian Bóruma. The decline of Clann Cholmáin, and the defeat inflicted on the Uí Dúnlainge, led by Máel Mórda mac Murchada
, at the battle of Clontarf
in 1014, changed the political landscape to favour the Uí Cheinnselaig once more.
The return of the Vikings to Ireland in the early 10th century brought with it the creation of new towns on the coasts. The towns, centres of trade and manufacture, would give significant political power to those who could control their wealth. Kings of Leinster were in a particularly advantageous position to exploit this new wealth as three of the five principal towns lay in or near Leinster. In Leinster proper, in the south-eastern corner dominated by the Uí Cheinnselaig, lay Wexford
. To the west of this, in the smaller kingdom of Osraige
, which had been attached to Leinster since the late 10th century, was Waterford
. Finally, the most important Viking town in Ireland was Dublin, which lay at the north-eastern edge of Leinster. Compared to this, kings in the north and west of Ireland had easy access to no towns, while those in the south, in Munster
, had access to two, Cork
on the south coast and Limerick
on the west coast.
, king of Ulaid, which helped to put pressure both from the north and south on the kingdoms of Mide, Brega
and Dublin — ruled by the High King.
This alliance paid off handsomly as the High King, who up till then had Dublin as a subject kingdom, was unable to prevent it slipping into the hands of Diarmait.
. County Meath
, on 7 February 1072.
of England escaped to Leinster after the Battle of Hastings
in 1066 where they were hosted by Diarmait. In 1068 and 1069 Diarmait lent them the fleet of Dublin for their attempted invasions of England
.
, &c. Of the death of Diarmaid was said:"
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...
(with opposition).
He was one of the most important and significant Kings in 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...
in the pre-Norman era. His influence extended beyond the island of Ireland into the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
, the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and even into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Background
Diarmait belonged to the Uí CheinnselaigUí Cheinnselaig
The Uí Ceinnselaig , from the Old Irish "grandsons of Cennsalach", are an Irish dynasty of Leinster who trace their descent from Énnae Cennsalach, a supposed contemporary of Niall of the Nine Hostages...
, a kin group of south-east 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...
centred around Ferns
Ferns, County Wexford
Ferns is a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland with a population of about 900. It is 16 km from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy N11 road joins the R745 regional road...
. His father, Donnchad mac Diarmata, more commonly known by the epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
Máel na mBó, whence Diarmait's patronym came. The last of Diarmait's ancestors to have been counter as king of all Leinster was Crimthann mac Énnai
Crimthann mac Énnai
Crimthann mac Énnai was a King of Leinster from the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the Laigin. He was the son of Énnae Cennsalach, the ancestor of this dynasty....
, whose death is placed in the late 5th century, but his ancestors, most recently his great-grandfather Domnall mac Cellaig (died 974), had been counted among the kings of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Diarmait's mother was Aife, daughter of Gilla Pátraic mac Donnchada, king of Osraige. He had at least one sibling, a brother named Domnall whose son Donnchad mac Domnaill Remair was later king of Leinster.
The Uí Cheinnselaig had been prominent in earlier times, but their power had been broken at the battle of Áth Senaig in 738. The rival Uí Dúnlainge
Uí Dúnlainge
The Uí Dúnlainge, from the Old Irish "grandsons 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 ancestor of the rival Uí Chennselaig....
, based in northern Leinster around Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
and Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
, who also enjoyed the support of the powerful Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin is the name of the dynasty descended from Colmán Mór , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.Related dynasties descended through Conall...
kings of Mide
Kings of Mide
In medieval Ireland, the Kings of Mide were of the Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the Uí Néill. Several were High Kings of Ireland. After the collapse of the kingdom in the 12th century its dynasty, the Ua Mael Sechlainn or Ó Melaghlins, were forced west and settled on the east bank of the Shannon...
, dominated Leinster until the time of Brian Bóruma. The decline of Clann Cholmáin, and the defeat inflicted on the Uí Dúnlainge, led by Máel Mórda mac Murchada
Máel Mórda mac Murchada
Máel Mórda mac Murchada was King of Leinster.Son of Murchad mac Finn and brother of Gormflaith, he belonged to the Uí Fáeláin sept of the Uí Dúnlainge, whose lands lay around Naas on the middle reaches of the River Liffey, in modern County Kildare.Máel Mórda is best known as the enemy of Brian...
, at the battle of Clontarf
Battle of Clontarf
The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, Máel Mórda mac Murchada: composed mainly of his own men, Viking mercenaries from Dublin and the Orkney Islands led by his cousin Sigtrygg, as well as the one rebellious...
in 1014, changed the political landscape to favour the Uí Cheinnselaig once more.
The return of the Vikings to Ireland in the early 10th century brought with it the creation of new towns on the coasts. The towns, centres of trade and manufacture, would give significant political power to those who could control their wealth. Kings of Leinster were in a particularly advantageous position to exploit this new wealth as three of the five principal towns lay in or near Leinster. In Leinster proper, in the south-eastern corner dominated by the Uí Cheinnselaig, lay Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
. To the west of this, in the smaller kingdom of Osraige
Kingdom of Osraige
The Kingdom of Osraighe , anglicized as Ossory, was an ancient kingdom of Ireland. It formed the easternmost part of the kingdom and province of Munster until the middle of the 9th century, after which it attached itself to Leinster...
, which had been attached to Leinster since the late 10th century, was Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
. Finally, the most important Viking town in Ireland was Dublin, which lay at the north-eastern edge of Leinster. Compared to this, kings in the north and west of Ireland had easy access to no towns, while those in the south, in 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...
, had access to two, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
on the south coast and Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
on the west coast.
Niall mac Eochada
He made an alliance with Niall mac EochadaNiall mac Eochada
Niall mac Eochada , was king of Ulaid from 1016.His father, Eochada mac Ardgair, died in 1004. His early military ventures were against members of his own sept, Dál Fiatach. He defeated a cousin in 1012 at the ‘battle of the Summits’ and in 1020 defeated and blinded Flaithbertach Ua EochadaIn 1022...
, king of Ulaid, which helped to put pressure both from the north and south on the kingdoms of Mide, Brega
Kings of Brega
-Overview:Brega took its name from Mag Breg, the plain of Brega, in modern County Meath, County Louth and County Dublin, Ireland. They formed part of the Uí Néill kindred, belonging to the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Uí Néill. The kingdom of Brega included the Hill of Tara, the site...
and Dublin — ruled by the High King.
This alliance paid off handsomly as the High King, who up till then had Dublin as a subject kingdom, was unable to prevent it slipping into the hands of Diarmait.
The Man Who Would Be High King
In 1042 he was able to claim the title "King of Leinster" and install his son, Murchad, as King of Dublin. Thus ruler of two of the most powerful and wealthy towns on the island, he was able to make a bid for the High-Kingship. It was during a battle against the king of Mide, Conchobar Ua Maelsechalinn, that he was killed, near to NavanNavan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
. County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, on 7 February 1072.
The Sons of Harold
The surviving sons of King Harold GodwinsonHarold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
of England escaped to Leinster after the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
in 1066 where they were hosted by Diarmait. In 1068 and 1069 Diarmait lent them the fleet of Dublin for their attempted invasions of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Diarmait's Death in the Annals of the Four Masters
"Diarmaid, son of Mael-na-mbo, King of Leinster, of the foreigners of Ath-cliath, and of Leath-Mogha-Nuadhat, was slain and beheaded in the battle of Odhbha, on Tuesday, the seventh of the Ides of February, the battle having been gained over him by Conchobhar O'Maeleachlainn, King of Meath. There were also slain many hundreds of the foreigners and Leinstermen, along with Diarmaid, in that battle. In it was killed Gillaphadraig O'Fearghaile, lord of the FortuathaFortuatha
-Definition:In Irish Kings and High Kings, Francis John Byrne defines Fortuatha as "kingdoms not ruled directly by members of the dominant dynasty of a province" . T. F...
, &c. Of the death of Diarmaid was said:"
- Two, seven times ten above one thousand,
- From the birth of Christ is reckoned,
- To this year, in which Diarmaid,
- First man in Leinster, fell.
- Diarmaid, of the ruddy-coloured aspect,
- A king who maintained the standard of war,
- Whose death brought scarcity of peace,
- The loss of the heroes of Ladhrann, with their ships.
- Comely youths were cut down there,
- Together with the head of Claire and Cualann.
- It caused in the breeze an unpleasant noise,
- The loss of the King of Riada of great valour.
- Until at Muillenn-Chul was slain
- A brave chieftain of a strong fortress,
- Until the furious fire-brand fell by treachery,
- They found no hero who dared with him contend.
- It is a red wound through my firm heart;
- For the host from Caindruim it was not just
- To destroy our noble chief they had no right,
- It has quenched their spirit greatly,
- Diarmaid of the laughing teeth under violent sorrow;
- There is not on account of his death banquet or feast;
- There will not be peace, there will not be armistice.