Lugaid mac Con
Encyclopedia
Lugaid Mac Con, often known simply as Mac Con, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland
. He belonged to the Corcu Loígde
, and thus to the Dáirine
. His father was Macnia mac Lugdach, and his mother was Sadb ingen Chuinn
, daughter of the former High King Conn Cétchathach. Mac Con may be to some extent identical with another legendary King of Tara from the Dáirine, Lugaid Loígde
.
After Macnia died, Sadb married Ailill Aulom
, king of Munster
and de facto king of the southern half of Ireland, and Lugaid became his foster-son. He is said to have gained his patronymic/epithet ("dog's son") after he was suckled as a child by a greyhound
called Eloir Derg, which belonged to his foster-father. Lugaid and his stepbrothers, against Ailill's will, were allies of Nemed, son of Sroibcenn, king of the Érainn of Munster, who had killed the former High King Conaire Cóem in the battle of Gruitine. During the reign of the High King Art mac Cuinn
, Conaire's sons defeated and killed Nemed in the battle of Cennfebrat. Lugaid was wounded in the battle, and afterwards was exiled from Ireland by his foster-father. Spending a number of years in exile, made an alliance with Benne Brit, son of the king of Britain
, raised an army of foreigners, and returned to Ireland. He defeated and killed Art in the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe
in Connacht
, and took the High Kingship. He ruled for thirty years, until he was driven from the throne by Art's son Cormac
, after he gave a false judgement on Bennaid, a female hospitaller, whose sheep had illegally grazed on the queen's woad. He fled to Munster, seeking the aid of his relatives. He attempted to make his peace with his foster-father, Ailill Aulom, but Ailill had not forgiven him for the death of his son Éogan Mór, and bit him with a poisoned tooth when they embraced. He then sent the poet Ferches mac Commáin after Lugaid to take revenge for Éogan. Ferchis found Lugaid standing with his back to a standing stone, and killed him with a spear. Cormac was unable to take the throne directly, being forced to flee to Connacht
by the king of Ulster
, Fergus Dubdétach
, who held the High Kingship for a year after Lugaid's death.
The Lebor Gabála Érenn
synchronises Lugaid's reign with that of the Roman emperor
Commodus
(180-192). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 173-203, that of the Annals of the Four Masters
to 195-225. He had two sons, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, who would later be joint High Kings.
Modern descendants of Lugaid mac Con include the O'Driscolls
, O'Leary
s, Coffeys, Hennessy
s and Flynn
s of County Cork
.
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...
. He belonged to the Corcu Loígde
Corcu Loígde
The Corcu Loígde , meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centered in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Munster, the Dáirine, of whom they were the principal royal sept...
, and thus to the Dáirine
Dáirine
The Dáirine , later known dynastically as the Corcu Loígde, were the proto-historical rulers of Munster before the rise of the Eóganachta in the 7th century AD. They appear to have derived from the Darini of Ptolemy and to have been related to the Ulaid and Dál Riata of Ulster and Scotland...
. His father was Macnia mac Lugdach, and his mother was Sadb ingen Chuinn
Sadb ingen Chuinn
Sadb ingen Chuinn was a daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles, a High King of Ireland. She married firstly Macnia mac Lugdach, prince of the Dáirine or Corcu Loígde, and was mother of Lugaid Mac Con, High King of Ireland. Upon the death of Macnia, she married secondly Ailill Aulom, king of...
, daughter of the former High King Conn Cétchathach. Mac Con may be to some extent identical with another legendary King of Tara from the Dáirine, Lugaid Loígde
Lugaid Loígde
Lugaid Loídge "Lugaid of the Calf Goddess", also known as Lugaid mac Dáire, was a legendary King of Tara and High King of Ireland. He is a son of Dáire Doimthech, a quo the Dáirine, and gives his epithet to their principal royal sept, the Corcu Loígde...
.
After Macnia died, Sadb married Ailill Aulom
Ailill Aulom
In Irish traditional history Ailill Ollamh , son of Mug Nuadat, was a king of the southern half of Ireland. Sabia, daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles, was his wife. He divided the kingdom between his sons Éogan, Cormac Cas, and Cian. Éogan founded the dynasty of the Eóganachta...
, king of 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...
and de facto king of the southern half of Ireland, and Lugaid became his foster-son. He is said to have gained his patronymic/epithet ("dog's son") after he was suckled as a child by a greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
called Eloir Derg, which belonged to his foster-father. Lugaid and his stepbrothers, against Ailill's will, were allies of Nemed, son of Sroibcenn, king of the Érainn of Munster, who had killed the former High King Conaire Cóem in the battle of Gruitine. During the reign of the High King Art mac Cuinn
Art mac Cuinn
Art mac Cuinn , also known as Art Óenfer , was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland....
, Conaire's sons defeated and killed Nemed in the battle of Cennfebrat. Lugaid was wounded in the battle, and afterwards was exiled from Ireland by his foster-father. Spending a number of years in exile, made an alliance with Benne Brit, son of the king of Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, raised an army of foreigners, and returned to Ireland. He defeated and killed Art in the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe
Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe
The Cath Maige Mucrama , is an early Middle Irish language tale which forms part of the Cycles of the Kings.-Content:...
in Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west 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...
, and took the High Kingship. He ruled for thirty years, until he was driven from the throne by Art's son Cormac
Cormac mac Airt
Cormac mac Airt , also known as Cormac ua Cuinn or Cormac Ulfada , was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland...
, after he gave a false judgement on Bennaid, a female hospitaller, whose sheep had illegally grazed on the queen's woad. He fled to Munster, seeking the aid of his relatives. He attempted to make his peace with his foster-father, Ailill Aulom, but Ailill had not forgiven him for the death of his son Éogan Mór, and bit him with a poisoned tooth when they embraced. He then sent the poet Ferches mac Commáin after Lugaid to take revenge for Éogan. Ferchis found Lugaid standing with his back to a standing stone, and killed him with a spear. Cormac was unable to take the throne directly, being forced to flee to Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west 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...
by the king of Ulster
Ulaid
The Ulaid or Ulaidh were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
, Fergus Dubdétach
Fergus Dubdétach
Fergus Dubdétach was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a king of the Ulaid who was briefly High King of Ireland. He took the High Kingship after his predecessor, Lugaid mac Con, was expelled from Tara by Cormac mac Airt and killed in Munster by Cormac's poet Ferches mac...
, who held the High Kingship for a year after Lugaid's death.
The Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
synchronises Lugaid's reign with that of the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Commodus
Commodus
Commodus , was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192. He also ruled as co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until his father's death in 180. His name changed throughout his reign; see changes of name for earlier and later forms. His accession as emperor was the first time a son had succeeded...
(180-192). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 173-203, that of the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
to 195-225. He had two sons, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, who would later be joint High Kings.
Modern descendants of Lugaid mac Con include the O'Driscolls
Driscoll (surname)
Driscoll is one derivation of the Irish Gaelic surname O'Driscoll. The Irish for O'Driscoll is Ó hEidirsceoil. It originates from Cork in the province of Munster where the O'Driscolls were, in ancient times, a powerful clan. They descend from an early High King of Ireland known as Lugaid mac Con...
, O'Leary
O'Leary
O'Leary is an Irish name, an anglicized version of the original Gaelic patronym Ó Laoghaire or Ó Laoire.The Uí Laoghaire clan, today associated with the Uibh Laoghaire parish in County Cork, is considered by scholars to have originated on the south-west coast, in the area of Ros Ó gCairbre , of...
s, Coffeys, Hennessy
Hennessey (disambiguation)
-People:*Brad Hennessey , baseball player* Dan Hennessey , Canadian voice actor* Dorothy Hennessey , Roman Catholic religious sister and activist* Gwen Hennessey , Roman Catholic religious sister and activist...
s and Flynn
Flynn
Flynn is a surname of Irish origin it is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Floinn "descendant of Flann", a byname meaning "red", "ruddy". The name originated in the landlocked county of Laois in the mid-1300s by a large farming family. The name was almost wiped out from both plague and famine,...
s of County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
.