Túathal Máelgarb
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section is in the middle of an expansion or major revamping. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. Please view the edit history should you wish to contact the person who placed this template. If this article has not been edited in several days please remove this template. Consider not tagging with a deletion tag unless the page hasn't been edited in several days. |
Túathal mac Cormaic (died 540s), called Túathal Máelgarb, was the son of Cormac Cáech, son of Coirpre mac Néill. He was High King of Ireland. In the earliest accounts he appears to have been regarded as the man who completed the conquest of what would later be Brega for the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
There is only a single significant entry in the Irish annals concerning Túathal. This is a report of his victory in a battle against the Ciannacht "at Luachair between the two estuaries", perhaps in 535.[1] Luachair is a common place name, and it is uncertain which two rivers are concerned.[2] This victory is believed to have established the dominance of Niall's descendants over the Ciannacht and over the plain of Brega.[3] While these entries in the Irish annals are not based on a contemporary record, the language used suggests that they are very early, perhaps dating from the end of the 6th century.[4]
Túathal is reported to have been killed in the 540s. Later glosses to the annals, and tales concerning Diarmait mac Cerbaill and Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, add more detail, but are likely to be much later traditions. According to these, Túathal was attempting to have Diarmait banished, but instead Túathal was killed by Diarmait's uterine half-brother—according to some versions, his adoptive kinsman—"Máelmor Ua Machí" or "Máelmor mac Argadaín". Máelmor himself was killed on the spot.[5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Annals of Ulster, AU 535.2 & AU 539.2; Annals of Tigernach, AT 533. There is a duplicate entry in the Annals of Ulster.
- ^ Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, p. 451, suggests either the River Boyne, in County Louth and the Nanny in County Meath or the Nanny and the Delvin, both in Meath.
- ^ Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, p. 468; Charles-Edwards, "Túathal".
- ^ Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, p. 451.
- ^ Charles-Edwards, "Túathal"; Annals of Ulster, AU 544.1; Annals of Tigernach, AT 543.1.
[edit] References
- The Annals of Tigernach, 1996, <http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100002/index.html>. Retrieved on 26 May 2008
- The Annals of Ulster AD 431-1201, 2003, <http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100001A/index.html>. Retrieved on 26 May 2008
- Byrne, Francis John (1973), Irish Kings and High-Kings, London: Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-5882-8
- Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
- Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2004), “Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (d. 534)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,, Oxford: Oxford University Press, <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/19501>. Retrieved on 22 October 2007
- Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2004), “Tuathal Máelgarb mac Cormaic (fl. 535–539)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,, Oxford: Oxford University Press, <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27785>. Retrieved on 8 May 2008
- De Paor, Liam (1997), Ireland and Early Europe: Essays and Occasional Writings on Art and Culture, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-298-4
- Irwin, Philip (2004), “Coirpre mac Néill (supp. fl. 485–494)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,, Oxford: Oxford University Press, <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/50095>. Retrieved on 12 May 2008
- Mac Niocaill, Gearóid (1972), Ireland before the Vikings, vol. 1, The Gill History of Ireland, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, ISBN 0-7171-0558-X
|
||||||||||||||
