Eochaid mac Domnaill

Eochaid mac Domnaill (died 572), also Eochaid Find ("the fair"), was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. He was the son of Domnall Ilchelgach (died 566) and grandson of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died 534), also considered high kings.[1] He was a member of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He ruled in Ailech from 565 to 571.[2]

The high kingship of Ireland rotated between the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill branches in the late 6th century.[3] Eochaid ruled jointly with his uncle Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572) from 569.[4] The middle Irish king lists have misplaced their reign putting it earlier than the annalistic tradition but other king lists have them in the correct order.[5] They are also omitted from the earliest list of Kings of Tara, the Baile Chuind (The Ecstasy of Conn), a late 7th-century Irish poem. It is possible that the Ulaid king, Báetán mac Cairill (died 581), was the actual high king at this time.[6]

In 572 the two kings were defeated and slain by Crónán mac Tigernaig, king of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin in modern County Londonderry.[7]

Notes

  1. ^ T.M. Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, Appendix V
  2. ^ he is given a reign of 6 years in the Laud Synchronisms
  3. ^ Charles-Edwards, pg.494-495
  4. ^ they are given a reign of three years in the Book of Leinster and one year in the Laud Synchronisms.
  5. ^ Charles-Edwards, pg.484-487
  6. ^ Francis J.Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, pg.114
  7. ^ Annals of Ulster AU 572.1; Annals of Tigernach AT 571.1

References

  • Annals of Ulster at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
  • Annals of Tigernach at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
  • Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
  • Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
  • Geoffrey Keating, History of Ireland at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork


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