Cathal mac Áedo

Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach (d. 627) [all dates per "The Chronology of the Irish Annals", Daniel P. McCarthy] was a King of Munster from the Glendamnach sept of the Eoganachta. He was the son of Áed Fland Cathrach and grandson of Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn (died 577) [Francis J.Byrne, "Irish Kings and High-Kings", Table 13] a previous king of Munster. He succeeded to the throne on the death of Fíngen mac Áedo Duib in 618.

According to an old saga poem "Mór of Munster and the Violent Death of Cuanu mac Ailchine", he married the widow of his predecessor Mór Muman (died 636) who was the daughter of Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn (died 618) of the Loch Lein Eoganachta of West Munster thereby assuring his right to rule at Cashel. After rescuing her sister Ruitchern from the Uí Líatháin who had captured her, the two sisters proceeded to lament the dead king Fíngen mac Áedo Duib and the prosperity of his time for which they were rebuked by Cathal. [Byrne, pg.204-207]

Mór marries Ruithchern to Lonán mac Findig who is a close ally of Cathal’s. However one day the king bids him rise and show respect to the king of the Déisi. Lonán takes offense at this request and leaves Cashel taking his wife with him planning to stay with his wife’s family, the sons of Áed Bennán, but en route, he is attacked and wounded by Cuanu mac Ailchine of the Fir Maige Féne who abducts Ruithchern. [ Wiley, Dan M., [http://www.hastings.edu/academic/english/Kings/Mor_Muman_ocus_Aided_Cuanach.htm Mor Muman] , "Cycles of the Kings"] This leads to a war between the sons of Áed Bennán and the sons of Cathal. The warfare led to attacks by both septs on the subject peoples of each other avoiding direct confrontation with each other. [Byrne, pg.207]

The events of this saga in terms of the feud between the Glendamnach and Loch Lein branches is reflected in some references in the annals to events in the next generation. In 644 was fought the battle of Cenn Con in Munster between Máel Dúin mac Áedo Bennán (d. 661), and Aengus Liath (d. 644) of Glendamnach (the brother of Cathal) with much slaughter on both sides and Máel Dúin was put to flight. ["Annals of Ulster" AU 640.1, 643.3; "Annals of Tigernach" AT 642.1,644.4; "Annals of Innisfallen" AI 645.1] The death of Cuanu mac Cailchín is mentioned in 644.

Cathal had seven sons including Cathal Cú-cen-máthair mac Cathaíl (d. 665) a king of Munster. [Rev. Eugene O'Keeffe, "Book of Munster", [http://www.clanmacrae.org/documents/munster.htm Eoghanacht Genealogies] ]

Notes

ee also

*Kings of Munster

References

* "Annals of Tigernach" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* "Annals of Innisfallen" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
* [http://www.cs.tcd.ie/Dan.McCarthy/chronology/synchronisms/annals-chron.htm Revised edition] of McCarthy's synchronisms at Trinity College Dublin.
* Wiley, Dan M., [http://www.hastings.edu/academic/english/Kings/Mor_Muman_ocus_Aided_Cuanach.htm Mor Muman] , "Cycles of the Kings"
*Rev. Eugene O'Keeffe, "Book of Munster", [http://www.clanmacrae.org/documents/munster.htm Eoghanacht Genealogies]

External links

* [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]

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