Muirgius mac Tommaltaig
Encyclopedia
Muirgius mac Tommaltaig was a King of Connacht
from the Uí Briúin
branch of the Connachta
. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig
Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail (died 774) is recorded in the annals where he is called king of Mag nAi. Muirgius was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin. He reigned from 729 to 815.
(d. 792), of the Síl Cathail sept, who was slain. In 793 we find him imposing the Law of Saint Commán of Roscommon
in conjunction with abbot Aildobur (d. 800) upon the three Connachta at Cruachu.
Another important battle in 792 was the battle of Ard Maiccrime in Sligo Co., where the Ui Ailello where delivered their death blow. Among the slain were Cathmug mac Flaithbertaig of the Cenél Coirpri and Cormac son of Dub dá Crích of the Uí Briúin Bréifne. The Annals of the Four Masters states that Muirgius was the victor in this battle also. The Ui Briun profited by the decline of the Ui Ailello and a branch of the Sil Muiredaig later occupied Mag Luirg.
The Annals of Innisfallen refer to Colla mac Fergusso
(d. 796) as king at his death obit who may have been a rival to Muirgius.. Also, in 796 we find Muirgius defeated at the battle of Áth Féne on the northern border of Ciarraige in his home territory. His reign though appears uncontested after the battle of Dún Gainiba in 799 where Muirgius was victorious in a battle among the Connachta. Also that year Gormgal, abbot of Armagh imposed the Law of Saint Patrick
on Connacht.
Muirgius had imposed his son Cormac (d. 805) as abbot of Baslick, a church of the Ciarraige Aí but Cormac was slain by this tribe in 805. In revenge Muirgius devastated their lands that year.
In 810 two of his sons Tadg (d. 810) and Flaithnia (d. 810) were slain by the Luigni of Corann and in revenge Muirgius devastated their lands. In 812 he slaughtered the Calraige of Mag Luirg and then invaded the south of Connaught.
and in 805 Muirgius gave refuge to the Leinster king Fínsnechta Cethardec
mac Cellaig (d. 808) who had been deposed by Aed; and Muirgius aided Fisnechta in recovering his throne in 806.
In 808 Muirgius gave support to Conchobar mac Donnchada
(d. 833), the king of Mide of the Clann Cholmáin
in his revolt against Aed Ordnide and advanced with the Connacht army as far as the assembly grounds of Tailtiu. But on the appearance of Aed's army the allies dispersed. Aed, however confined his vengeance to the Mide territory.
raised over Connacht in 814 at Cruachu. This law was imposed at an assembly at Cruachu held by Muirgius
(d. 839), a king of Connacht. Another son Máel Dúin was slain fighting the Vikings in 838.
Muirgius' brothers Diarmait mac Tommaltaig
(d. 833) and Finsnechta mac Tommaltaig (d. 848) were also kings of 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...
from the Uí Briúin
Uí Briúin
The Uí Briúin were an Irish kin-group. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brion, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the Uí Fiachrach and Uí Ailello, putative descendants of Eochaid Mugmedon's...
branch of the Connachta
Connachta
The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach...
. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig
Indrechtach mac Muiredaig
Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Muiredach Muillethan mac Fergusso , a previous king. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin....
Muillethan (died 723), a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail (died 774) is recorded in the annals where he is called king of Mag nAi. Muirgius was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin. He reigned from 729 to 815.
Struggle for the throne
The annals state that his reign began after Battle of Sruth Cluana Argai (Cloonargid, Roscommon,Co.) in 792 when he defeated Cináed mac ArtgailCináed mac Artgail
Cináed mac Artgaile was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Artgal mac Cathail , a previous king. He was of the Síl Cathail sept of the Ui Briun....
(d. 792), of the Síl Cathail sept, who was slain. In 793 we find him imposing the Law of Saint Commán of Roscommon
Roscommon
Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
in conjunction with abbot Aildobur (d. 800) upon the three Connachta at Cruachu.
Another important battle in 792 was the battle of Ard Maiccrime in Sligo Co., where the Ui Ailello where delivered their death blow. Among the slain were Cathmug mac Flaithbertaig of the Cenél Coirpri and Cormac son of Dub dá Crích of the Uí Briúin Bréifne. The Annals of the Four Masters states that Muirgius was the victor in this battle also. The Ui Briun profited by the decline of the Ui Ailello and a branch of the Sil Muiredaig later occupied Mag Luirg.
The Annals of Innisfallen refer to Colla mac Fergusso
Colla mac Fergusso
Colla mac Fergusso was a possible King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Forggus mac Cellaig , a previous king...
(d. 796) as king at his death obit who may have been a rival to Muirgius.. Also, in 796 we find Muirgius defeated at the battle of Áth Féne on the northern border of Ciarraige in his home territory. His reign though appears uncontested after the battle of Dún Gainiba in 799 where Muirgius was victorious in a battle among the Connachta. Also that year Gormgal, abbot of Armagh imposed the Law of Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
on Connacht.
Subjugation of minor peoples
Muirgius then turned his attention to the south and in 802 he destroyed the fortress at Loch Riach(Loughrea) in the Ui Maine territory of Maenmag. The next year the Cruithne Sogain tribe revolted against their Ui Maine overlords in this region in 803.Muirgius had imposed his son Cormac (d. 805) as abbot of Baslick, a church of the Ciarraige Aí but Cormac was slain by this tribe in 805. In revenge Muirgius devastated their lands that year.
In 810 two of his sons Tadg (d. 810) and Flaithnia (d. 810) were slain by the Luigni of Corann and in revenge Muirgius devastated their lands. In 812 he slaughtered the Calraige of Mag Luirg and then invaded the south of Connaught.
Hostility to the High King
Muirgius was hostile to the ambitions of the high-king Áed Oirdnide mac Néill (d. 817) of the Cenél nEógainCenél nEógain
Cenél nEóġain is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Eógan mac Néill , son of Niall Noígiallach who founded the kingdom of Tír Eoghain in the 5th century...
and in 805 Muirgius gave refuge to the Leinster king Fínsnechta Cethardec
Fínsnechta Cethardec
Finsnechta Cethardec mac Cellaig was a King of Leinster of the Uí Dúnchada sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Cellach mac Dúnchada , a previous king. He ruled from 795 to 808...
mac Cellaig (d. 808) who had been deposed by Aed; and Muirgius aided Fisnechta in recovering his throne in 806.
In 808 Muirgius gave support to Conchobar mac Donnchada
Conchobar mac Donnchada
Conchobar mac Donnchada was High-King of Ireland with opposition between 819 and 833. Conchobar was the son of Donnchad Midi, high-king of Ireland ; his mother was Fuirseach, a noblewoman of the Dál nAraidi. Conchobar married Land, daughter of the former High-King Áed Oirdnide...
(d. 833), the king of Mide of the Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin is the name of the dynasty descended from Colmán Mór , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.Related dynasties descended through Conall...
in his revolt against Aed Ordnide and advanced with the Connacht army as far as the assembly grounds of Tailtiu. But on the appearance of Aed's army the allies dispersed. Aed, however confined his vengeance to the Mide territory.
Viking attacks
Viking attacks occurred on the coast of Connacht during his reign. In 812 the men of Umall slaughtered Viking raiders but the men of Conmaicne were slaughtered by raiders that year. In 813 the Vikings slaughtered the men of Umall and slew their king Dúnadach.Church relations
Muirgius continued to seek support from the church and in 811 Nuado, abbot of Armagh visited Connaught with the casket of Saint Patrick and his Law. In 814 the abbot of Echdruim (Aughrim), Máel Dúin was slain by the Ui Maine. Aughrim was a daughter church of Clonmacnoise and that year Muirgius and Foirchellach, abbot of Clonmacnoise led a retaliatory expedition into Ui Maine territory south of the Suck River. The annals record that Adomnán's Law of the Innocents was violated on this campaign. Muirgius had the Law of Saint Ciarán of ClonmacnoiseCiarán of Clonmacnoise
Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise was one of the early Irish monastic saints and Irish bishop. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Younger to distinguish him from Saint Ciarán of Saighir. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland....
raised over Connacht in 814 at Cruachu. This law was imposed at an assembly at Cruachu held by Muirgius
Descendants
Besides his slain sons Cormac (d. 805), Tadg (d. 810), and Flaithnia (d. 810); Muirgius had a son Cathal mac MuirgiussaCathal mac Muirgiussa
Cathal mac Muirgiussa was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Muirgius mac Tommaltaig , a previous king. He was of the Síl Muiredaig sept of the Uí Briúin...
(d. 839), a king of Connacht. Another son Máel Dúin was slain fighting the Vikings in 838.
Muirgius' brothers Diarmait mac Tommaltaig
Diarmait mac Tommaltaig
Diarmait mac Tommaltaig was a king of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the great-grandson of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan, a previous king. The death of his father Tommaltach mac Murgail is recorded in the annals where he is called king of Mag nAi. He succeeded...
(d. 833) and Finsnechta mac Tommaltaig (d. 848) were also kings of Connacht.