Ferchar mac Connaid
Encyclopedia
Ferchar mac Connaid was king of Dál Riata
(in modern Scotland
) from about 642 until 650.
He was a son of Connad Cerr
and thus probably a member of the Cenél Comgaill, although some older reconstructions make him a member of the Cenél nGabráin. His death appears in the Annals of Ulster
for 694 along with a number of other entries which appear to be misplaced by 45 years. The Duan Albanach
grants him a reign of 16 years, which may mean that he ruled jointly with Domnall Brecc
before becoming sole king, but the reign lengths of the Duan are problematic and this may be an error.
Ferchar is the only descendant of Connad Cerr known to have held the kingship of Dál Riata. The genealogies in the Senchus fer n-Alban
do not include Ferchar and his kin.
Dál Riata
Dál Riata was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western coast of Scotland with some territory on the northeast coast of Ireland...
(in modern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) from about 642 until 650.
He was a son of Connad Cerr
Connad Cerr
Connad Cerr was a king of Dál Riata in the early 7th century. He was either a son of Conall mac Comgaill or of Eochaid Buide. Connad appears to have been joint king with Eochaid Buide in the 620s....
and thus probably a member of the Cenél Comgaill, although some older reconstructions make him a member of the Cenél nGabráin. His death appears in the Annals of Ulster
Annals 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...
for 694 along with a number of other entries which appear to be misplaced by 45 years. The Duan Albanach
Duan Albanach
The Duan Albanach is a Middle Gaelic poem found with the Lebor Bretnach, a Gaelic version of the Historia Brittonum of Nennius, with extensive additional material ....
grants him a reign of 16 years, which may mean that he ruled jointly with Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc was king of Dál Riata, in modern Scotland, from about 629 until 642...
before becoming sole king, but the reign lengths of the Duan are problematic and this may be an error.
Ferchar is the only descendant of Connad Cerr known to have held the kingship of Dál Riata. The genealogies in the Senchus fer n-Alban
Senchus fer n-Alban
The Senchus Fer n-Alban is an Old Irish medieval text, believed to have been compiled in the 10th century. It may have been derived from earlier documents of the 7th century which are presumed to have been written in Latin...
do not include Ferchar and his kin.
External links
- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach (which includes the Duan Albanach), Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress.