Kings of Munster

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The name Munster is derived from the Gaelic Goddess, Muman. The province of Munster was once divided into six regions: Tuadh Mhuman (north Munster), Des Mhuman (south Munster), Aur/Ur Mumhan (east Munster), Iar mumhan or Iarmuman (west Munster), Ernaibh Muman (the Ernai tribe's portion of Munster), and Deisi Muman (the Deisi tribe's portion of Munster). Ultimately, these were all subsumed into the kingdoms of Thomond (north), Desmond (south), and Ormond (east), all of which were eventually subsumed by surrender and regrant as Earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland. The names exist only indirectly today, particularly in the case of Thomond. The three crowns represent these three kingdoms.

Ancient and Mythological Kings of Munster

• Bodb Derg, king of the Sid Mumu, and later king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
  • Note: succeeded The Dagda
• Cú Roí mac Dáire, Munster king and/or deity known from the Ulster Cycle
  • Note: belonged to the Érainn or Dáirine, the dominant power in Munster into the 6th-7th centuries AD
• Mug Nuadat, king in late sagas of Leth Mogha, or Mug's Half, meaning Southern Ireland
  • Note: belonged to the Deirgtine, but may be a mythological figure
• Ailill Aulom, Mug's son, aka Olioll Ólum, associated with the goddess Áine
  • Note: not actually king of Southern Ireland, but mythologically associated with the rise of the Eóganachta (see Battle of Mag Mucrama)
• Lugaid mac Con, was High King of Ireland, and Ailill's foster-son
  • Note: ancestor of the Corcu Loígde, principal Munster sept of the Dáirine
• Éogan Mór, Ailill's son, from whom the Eóganachta took their name
  • Note: the Eóganachta were actually founded by Conall Corc, great-great grandson of Eógan Mór
• Fiachu Muillethan, son of Éogan Mór
  • Note: a king of the Deirgtine who may have been historical, but features only in mythological narratives
• Ailill Flann Bec, son of Fiachu Muillethan
  • Note: almost nothing is known of this figure, except that he was adopted by and succeeded his elder brother, Ailill Flann Mór
• Crimthann mac Fidaig, was High King of Ireland and of territories overseas, and brother of the queen and/or goddess Mongfind
  • Note: considered Eóganacht in later dynastic narratives, four centuries after his floruit
• Óengus Bolg, a late king of the Dáirine and ancestor of the Corcu Loígde
  • Note: features in early stories of Conall Corc, and is an ancestor of the Cashel Eóganachta septs, the "Inner Circle", through his daughter Aimend
• Bressal mac Ailello Thassaig, a possible king from the early Uí Liatháin
  • Note: Angias, who may have been his sister, was the Queen of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland

Historical Kings of Cashel, Iarmuman, and Munster

These were not true kings of Munster until the late 7th century, when the Corcu Loígde fell entirely from power, some time after losing their grip on the Kingdom of Osraige. Thus approximately the first twenty five kings below are best described as Kings of Cashel, Kings of Iarmuman, or Kings of the Eóganachta. Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib, the only exception, was the first Eóganacht to significantly project outside Munster, but Iarmuman was still a great rival of Cashel in his time, and little is known of his successors before Cathal mac Finguine.

At and before this time also flourished the independent Uí Fidgenti and Uí Liatháin, a pair of shadowy sister kingdoms whose official origins appear to have been tampered with in the 8th century in an unsuccessful attempt to integrate them into the Eóganachta political structure and genealogical scheme. Diplomatic relations and an alliance were achieved with the Uí Fidgenti, much to the credit of the Eóganachta, but for unknown reasons the Uí Liatháin remained effective outsiders.

Of the Eóganachta, unless noted.

• Conall Corc mac Luigthig, founder of Cashel and the Eóganachta
• Nad Froích mac Cuirc, unknown
• Óengus mac Nad Froích r.453?-489
  • Note: supposed first Christian king of Munster
• Dauí Iarlaithe mac Maithni
  • Note: first King of Iarmuman
• Feidlimid mac Óengusa
• Eochaid mac Óengusa, died 522
• Dub-Gilcach mac Óengusso, unknown
• Crimthann Srem mac Echado r.522-542?
• Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn r.542?/560-577
  • Note: defeated Colmán Bec in battle
• Fergus Scandal mac Crimthainn Airthir Chliach, 577-582
• Feidlimid mac Coirpri Chruimm, unknown
• Feidlimid mac Tigernaig, r.582-588
• Amalgaid mac Éndai r.596?-601
• Garbán mac Éndai (c.596)
• Fíngen mac Áedo Duib, r.601-618
  • Note: first husband of Mór Muman
• Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn, died 618
  • Note: King of Iarmuman and father of Mór Muman
• Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach, died 627
  • Note: second husband of Mór Muman
• Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib, died 639
  • Note: defeated Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin in battle
• Cúán mac Amalgado, died 641
• Máenach mac Fíngin, died 661
• Cathal Cú-cen-máthair mac Cathaíl, died 665
• Colgú mac Faílbe Flaind, died 678
• Finguine mac Cathail Con-cen-máthair, died 696
• Ailill mac Cathail Con-cen-máthair, died 701
• Cormac mac Ailello, died 712
• Eterscél mac Máele Umai, died 721
• Cathal mac Finguine, died 742
  • Note: first major competitor with the Uí Néill
• Cathussach mac Eterscélai, unknown
• Máel Dúin mac Áedo, died 786
  • Note: fought a series of battles
• Ólchobar mac Flainn, died 796/797
  • Note: possible king from the Uí Fidgenti
• Ólchobar mac Duib-Indrecht, died 805
• Artrí mac Cathail, died 821
• Tnúthgal mac Artrach, died (circa 807)
• Tnúthgal mac Donngaile (or Dunngusso), died 820
• Feidlimid mac Cremthanin, died 847
  • Note: another great competitor with the Uí Néill
• Ólchobar mac Cináeda, died 851
  • Note: may have sent an embassy to Charles the Bald
• Áilgenán mac Donngaile, died 853
• Máel Gualae mac Donngaile, died 859
• Cenn Fáelad hua Mugthigirn, died 872
• Dúnchad mac Duib-dá-Bairenn, died 888
• Dub Lachtna mac Máele Gualae, died 895
• Finguine Cenn nGécan mac Loégairi, died 902
• Cormac mac Cuilennáin, died 908
  • Note: probable compiler of the famous Sanas Cormaic
• Flaithbertach mac Inmainén, died 944
  • Note: warred with the Uí Néill, but ancestry uncertain, perhaps of the Múscraige
• Lorcán mac Coinlígáin, unknown
• Cellachán Caisil mac Buadacháin, died 954
  • Note: fought a series of battles
• Máel Fathardaig mac Flainn, died 957
• Dub-dá-Bairenn mac Domnaill, died 959
• Fer Gráid mac Clérig, died 961
• Donnchad mac Cellacháin, died 963
  • Note: last true king from the Eóganachta, murdered by his brother

Kings of Munster 963 - 1119

Of the Dál gCais, or, if marked (E), the Eóganacht.

• Mathgamain mac Cennétig, died 976
• Máelmuad mac Brain, died 978 (E)
• Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, died 1014
• Dúngal mac Máelfothartaig Hua Donnchada, died 1025 (E)
• Donnchad mac Briain, died 1064
• Murchad mac Donnchada, died 1068
• Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain, died 1086
• Muircheartach Ua Briain, died 1119
• Diarmait Ua Briain, died 1118

See also

• Kings of Cashel
• Kings of Desmond
• Kings of Thomond 1119 - 1543
• Princes of Thomond 1543 - 2005
• Irish Royal Families

References

• Bryne, Francis J. Irish Kings and High Kings. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1973.
• Charles-Edwards, T.M. Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-521-36395-0
• Moody, T.W.; F.J. Byrne and F.X. Martin, ed. A New History of Ireland. Vol. IX. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982. ISBN 0-19-821744-7
• Áed Ua Crimthainn, Book of Leinster, c. 1160.
• The Laud Synchronisms. K. Meyer, 1913.

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Munster, kings of (DNB00)