Niall mac Eochada
Encyclopedia
Niall mac Eochada was king of Ulaid from 1016.
His father, Eochada mac Ardgair, died in 1004. His early military ventures were against members of his own sept, Dál Fiatach
. He defeated a cousin in 1012 at the ‘battle of the Summits’ and in 1020 defeated and blinded Flaithbertach Ua Eochada
In 1022 he defeated the Dublin Norse
at sea. He then defeated the Cenél nEógain
client kingdom of Airgialla
. In 1024 he invaded Dublin and took hostages; a success he repeated two years later.
In 1044 mac Eochada raided the southern Uí Néill
kingdom of Brega
, but was defeated losing 200 men
In 1047 He made an alliance with Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó
which helped to put pressure, from both north and south, on the kingdoms of Mide, Brega and Dublin
In 1056 the southern Uí Néill took 3000 cows and 60 captives from his client Kingdom Dál nAraidi
which was also raided by the Cenél nEógain in 1059.
Niall's son Eochaid (died 1062) was considered co-king of Ulaid with his father. Eochaid's son Donn Sléibe Ua hEochada (died 1091) was also a king of Ulaid, as were many of his descendants.
His father, Eochada mac Ardgair, died in 1004. His early military ventures were against members of his own sept, Dál Fiatach
Dál Fiatach
The Dál Fiatach were a group of related dynasties located in eastern Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland.-Description:...
. He defeated a cousin in 1012 at the ‘battle of the Summits’ and in 1020 defeated and blinded Flaithbertach Ua Eochada
In 1022 he defeated the Dublin Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
at sea. He then defeated the Cenél nEógain
Cenél 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...
client kingdom of Airgialla
Airgíalla
Airgíalla or Airgialla was the name of an Irish federation and Irish kingdom which first formed around the 7th century...
. In 1024 he invaded Dublin and took hostages; a success he repeated two years later.
In 1044 mac Eochada raided the southern Uí Néill
Southern Uí Néill
The Southern Uí Néill or Uí Néill Deisceart were that branch of the Uí Néill dynasty that invaded and settled in the Kingdom of Mide and its associated kingdoms....
kingdom of Brega
Kings of Brega
-Overview:Brega took its name from Mag Breg, the plain of Brega, in modern County Meath, County Louth and County Dublin, Ireland. They formed part of the Uí Néill kindred, belonging to the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Uí Néill. The kingdom of Brega included the Hill of Tara, the site...
, but was defeated losing 200 men
In 1047 He made an alliance with Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó
Diarmait mac Mail na mBo
Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó was King of Leinster, and also High King of Ireland .He was one of the most important and significant Kings in Ireland in the pre-Norman era...
which helped to put pressure, from both north and south, on the kingdoms of Mide, Brega and Dublin
In 1056 the southern Uí Néill took 3000 cows and 60 captives from his client Kingdom Dál nAraidi
Dál nAraidi
Dál nAraidi was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland in the first millennium. The lands of the Dál nAraidi appear to correspond with the Robogdii of Ptolemy's Geographia, a region shared with Dál Riata...
which was also raided by the Cenél nEógain in 1059.
Niall's son Eochaid (died 1062) was considered co-king of Ulaid with his father. Eochaid's son Donn Sléibe Ua hEochada (died 1091) was also a king of Ulaid, as were many of his descendants.