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The High Kings of Ireland
Ireland was never conquered by the Romans.
Instead the Irish helped hasten the end of Roman control over Britain by
constantly raiding the British coastline, capturing slaves and booty. They
were converted to Christianity by the Romano-British Saint Patrick in the mid-fifth
century. Isolated from the chaos that swept Britain during the Anglo-Saxon
invasion, Ireland was able to develop its own rich and
prominent Christian culture. During the sixth century, Saint Columba
followed in the footsteps of the Irish Scotti to spread the Celtic Church
into Dal Riada (now Western Scotland).
Ireland was never politically unified enough to translate its religious
and cultural influence into political power. There were
some signs that unity would have eventually come, however. At
various points in its later history, Ireland was united under the High Kings (Ard
Ri), and, but for many incursions by Danes,
Normans and the
English,
Ireland might have developed into a fully unified single kingdom in the
same way as England had in the tenth century. The High Kings were
nominally in charge, but in practice, descended as they were from the
prominent Ulster Ui Neill / O'Neill Clan, the only territory under their
command without dissent was Ulster.
The earliest rulers are often legendary, with little or no proof of their
actual existence bar oral history. As such, where necessary, they are shown over a
lilac-tinted background. |
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364 |
According to Ammianus Marcellinus, the
Picts, Scotti,
Saxons, and Attacotti
attack Roman
Britain
in what seems to be a serious incursion.
|
367 |
The Barbarian Conspiracy sees attacks falling on Roman
Britain from all sides,
including from the Scotti.
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379 - 405 |
Niall Noígillach of the Nine Hostages |
Ruled from Tara. First non-legendary High King? |
|
404/405 |
Attacks on the south coast of
Britain by
Niall are best associated with this year. |
405 - 428 |
Dathi / Nath I |
|
429 - 463 |
Lóeguire macNéill |
|
463 - 483 |
Ailill Motl mac Nath I |
|
483 - 507 |
Lugaid macLóeguiri O'Néill |
|
c.480 - 550 |
During
this period, the domination of the High Kings pressurised the Scoti, in
the north and east of Ulster, into migrating to western
Pictland.
Once there, they founded the Dal Riada. |
507 - 534 |
Muirchertach macErcae O'Néill/Muiredach |
Dau. m.Sawyl
Penuchel, King of Dunoting.
|
534 - 544 |
Tuathal Máelgarb macCorpri Cáech O'Néill |
|
544 - 565 |
Diarmait macCerbaill O'Néill |
|
565 - 566 |
Domnall macMuirchertaig O'Néill |
|
565 - 566 |
Forggus macMuirchertaig O'Néill |
|
566 - 569 |
Ainmere macSátnai O'Néill |
|
569 - 572 |
Báetán macMuirchertaig O'Néill |
|
569 - 572 |
Eochaid macDomnaill O'Néill |
|
572 - 581 |
Báetán macNinnedo O'Néill |
|
581 - 598 |
Aed macAinmerech O'Néill |
|
598 - 604 |
Aed Sláine macDiarmato O'Néill |
|
598 - 604 |
Colmán Rímid macBáetáin O'Néill |
Rival claimant. |
604 - 612 |
Aed Uaridnach macDomnaill O'Néill |
|
612 - 615 |
Máel Cobo macAedo O'Néill |
|
615 - 628 |
Suibne Menn macFiachnai O'Néill |
|
628 - 642 |
Domnall macAedo O'Néill |
|
642 - 654 |
Conall Cóel macMáele Cobo O'Néill |
|
642 - 658 |
Cellach macMáele Cobo O'Néill |
|
656 - 665 |
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Diarmait macAedo Sláine O'Néill |
Joint ruler. |
656 - 665 |
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Blathmac macAedo Sláine O'Néill |
Joint ruler. |
665 - 671 |
Sechnussach macBlathmaic O'Néill |
|
671 - 675 |
Cenn Fáelad macBlathmaic O'Néill |
|
675 - 695 |
Finsnechtae Fledach macDúnchada O'Néill |
|
695 - 704 |
Loingsech macOengus O'Néill |
|
704 - 710 |
Congal Cinn Magir macFergus Fánat O'Néill |
|
|
710 - 722 |
Fergal macMáele Dúin O'Néill |
And Cenél Ailech. |
722 - 724 |
Fogartach macNéill O'Néill |
|
724 - 728 |
Cináed mac Irgalaig |
|
724 - 734 |
Flaithbbertach macLoingsig O'Néill |
Died in 765. |
734 - 743 |
Aed Allán macFergal O'Néill |
|
743 - 763 |
Domnall Midi O'Néill |
|
763 - 770 |
Niall Frossach macFergal O'Néill |
Died in 778. |
770 - 797 |
Donnchad Midi macDomnaill Midi O'Néill |
|
797 - 819 |
Aed Oirdnide macNéill Frossach O'Néill |
|
819 - 833 |
Conchobar macDonnchado Midi O'Néill |
|
833 - 846 |
Niall Caille macAedo Oirdnide O'Néill |
|
846 - 862 |
Máel Sechnaill macMáele Ruanaid O'Néill |
King of Mide. |
879 - 916 |
Flann Sionna macMáele Sechnaill O'Néill |
King of Mide. |
862 - 879 |
Aed Findliath macNéill Caille O'Néill |
Cenél Ailech. |
916 - 919 |
Niall Glúndubh macAedo Findliath O'Néill |
Cenél Ailech. |
919 - 944 |
Donnchad Donn macFlann O'Néill |
|
944 - 950 |
Ruaidrí ua Canannáin |
Rival claimant. |
944 - 956 |
Congalach Cnogba macMáel Mithig O'Néill |
|
956 - 980 |
Domnall macMuirchertaig O'Néill |
|
980 - 1002 |
Máel Sechnaill macDomnaill O'Néill |
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1002 - 1014 |
Brian Bóruma macCennétig / Brian Boru |
King of
Munster (976-1014). |
1014 |
Brian Boru defeats the
Dublin Norse at the Battle of Clontarf,
but dies in the process, destroying Irish unity. |
1014 - 1022 |
Máel Sechnaill macDomnaill O'Néill |
Restored. |
1022 - 1064 |
Donnchad MacBrian |
King of
Munster (1022?-1064). |
|
1064 - 1072 |
Diarmait MacMáil na mBó |
King of
Leinster. |
|
1072 - 1086 |
Toirdelbach O'Brien |
King of
Munster. |
|
1090 - 1121 |
Domnall macArdgar O'Lochlainn O'Néill |
Cenél Ailech. |
|
1121 - 1135 |
Toirrdelbach
macRuaidrí na Saide Buide ua Conchobair / Turlogh |
King of
Connacht (1106-1156). |
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1141 - 1150 |
Toirrdelbach macRuaidrí na Saide Buide ua Conchobair / Turlogh |
King of
Connacht (1106-1156). |
|
1150 - 1166 |
Muirchertach macNéill macLochlainn / Murtagh |
Cenél Ailech (1136-1166). |
|
1166 - 1175 |
Ruaidrí macToirrdelbaig |
King of
Connacht (1156-1183). |
1175 - 1258 |
Ruidri
is the last of the High Kings. Henry II of
England now
styles himself "Lord of Ireland". |
|
1258 - 1260 |
Brian Catha an Duin |
|
1260 - 1316 |
English
rule is restored. |
|
1316 - 1318 |
Edward de Bruce |
|
1318 |
English rule is restored. |
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1541 |
Henry VIII of
England raised
Ireland from a lordship to a kingdom and assumes the title King of Ireland. |
1579 - 1583 |
The Second Desmond Rebellion against
England is put down. |
1594 - 1603 |
The Nine Years' War between
England and Irish
rebel Hugh O'Neill ends with the surrender of the Irish. |
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1801 |
The
Act of Union joins Ireland with Britain. |
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1914 |
A
Home Rule for Ireland Bill is passed, but immediately suspended upon the
outbreak of World War I. |
1916 - 1918 |
The
Easter Rising in Dublin and a declaration of an Irish Republic in 1916 leads to the
proclamation being ratified by the Irish parliament in 1918. |
1921 - 1922 |
The
British
government legislates to establish Ireland as an autonomous region of the
United Kingdom, terming the twenty-six counties of the south as,
appropriately, Southern Ireland. |
1922 |
Following the
Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Irish Free State is a dominion in the British
Commonwealth. |
1937 |
The
Irish Free State is abolished as a state which is called simply Ireland
comes into being with a new constitution on 29 December, although it is
still represented internationally by the
British
monarchy as an instrument of Irish policy. |
1949 |
The
Republic of Ireland is declared with a president at its head, but the six
protestant counties of Northern Ireland remain part of
Britain. |
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