Possible year of death of Niall Noígíallach. The Annals of the Four Masters dates his accession to 378 and death to 405.[1] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368-395, and associating his raiding activities in Britain with the kidnapping of Saint Patrick.[2] However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's legendary status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. Based on Uí Néill genealogies and the dates given for his supposed sons and grandsons, modern historians believe he is likely to have lived some 50 years later than the traditional dates, dying circa 450.[3]
17 March: traditional date for the death of St. Patrick (also entered in Annals of Ulster under A.D. 492). Cath Corp Naomh Padraigh ("Battle for the Body of St. Patrick" fought for possession of his body)
^ Francis J. Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, Second Edition, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001, Chapter 5
^The Concise History of Ireland. Duffy, S. Gill & Macmillan, Dublin. 2005
^Moody, TW & Martin, FX (eds) (1967). The Course of Irish History. Cork, Ireland: The Mercier Press. pp. 45.
^ all dates per The Chronology of the Irish Annals, Daniel P. McCarthy
^ Francis J.Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, Table 8
A New History of Ireland VIII: A Chronology of Irish History to 1976 - A Companion to Irish History Part I, edited by T.W. Moody, F.X. Martin and F.J. Byrne, 1982. ISBN 0-19-821744-7