Cathal mac Áedo

Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach (died 627)^[1] was a King of Cashel in 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)^[2] a previous king of Cashel. 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 Ruithchern from the Uí Liatháin 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.^[3]

Mór marries Ruithcern to Lonán mac Findig who is a close ally of Cathal’s, probably of the Éile. 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

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 (died 661), and Aengus Liath (died 644) of Glendamnach (the brother of Cathal) with much slaughter on both sides and Máel Dúin was put to flight.^[6] The death of Cuanu mac Cailchín is mentioned in 644.

Cathal had seven sons including Cathal Cú-cen-máthair mac Cathaíl (died 665) a king of Cashel.^[7]

Notes

1. all dates per The Chronology of the Irish Annals, Daniel P. McCarthy
2. Francis J.Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, Table 13
3. Byrne, pg.204-207
4. Wiley, Dan M., Mor Muman, Cycles of the Kings
5. Byrne, pg.207
6. Annals of Ulster AU 640.1, 643.3; Annals of Tigernach AT 642.1,644.4; Annals of Innisfallen AI 645.1
7. Rev. Eugene O'Keeffe, Book of Munster, Eoghanacht Genealogies

See also

• Kings of Munster

References

• Annals of Tigernach at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
• Annals of Innisfallen at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
• Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
• Revised edition of McCarthy's synchronisms at Trinity College Dublin.
• Wiley, Dan M., Mor Muman, Cycles of the Kings
• Rev. Eugene O'Keeffe, Book of Munster, Eoghanacht Genealogies

External links

• CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork