References and Further Reading
Bugge, Alexander, ed. Caithréim Ceallacháin Caisil, the Victo-
rious Career of Ceallacháin of Cashel. Oslo: J. Chek.
Gundersen Bogtrykkeri, 1905.
Mac Airt, Seán, ed. The Annals of Inisfallen. Dublin: Dublin
Institute for Advanced Studies, 1951.
Ó hInnse, Séamus, ed. Miscellaneous Irish Annals. Dublin:
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1947.
Ó Corráin, Donnchadh. Ireland before the Normans. Dublin:
Gill and Macmillan, 1972.
———. “Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil: History or propa-
ganda.” Ériu25 (1974): 1–69.
See alsoBrian Boru; Dál Cais; Éoganachta; Munster
MAC CARTHAIG (Mac CARTHY)
The eponymous ancestor of the MacCarthys, Carthach,
was a grandson of Donnchad mac Cellacháin, the last
king of Munster drawn from the Éoganachta of Cashel.
On Donnchad’s death, the kingship of Munster was
seized by Mathgamain, king of the Dál Cais. The Dál
Cais, and particularly the descendants of Brian Boru,
undermined the political power of the Éoganachta of
Cashel and, by the 1070s, had even wrested possession
of Cashel itself from them. Carthach himself was not
a king, but a son of his, Muiredach mac Carthaig
(d.1092), did become the king of the Éoganachta of
Cashel, though it seems likely that the territory he ruled
over lay somewhere between Emly and Muskerry.
Muiredach’s brother and successor was killed soon
afterward, probably by Cellachán Ua Cellacháin
(O’Callaghan), who was killed in turn in 1115. It was
at that point that Tadc Mac Carthaig, who may have
been responsible for Cellachán’s death, became the
king of the Éoganachta of Cashel. Tadc and his brother
Cormac were the founders of the MacCarthaig dynasty
whose members would dominate southern Munster for
almost five centuries.
Tadc MacCarthaig, as king of the Éoganachta of
Cashel, may have possessed more prestige than power,
but his regal pedigree allowed him to pose as the leader
of a great rebellion of south Munster dynasties against
Muirchertach Ua Briain, the ailing king of Munster, in
- The MacCarthaig-led rebellion succeeded in
dividing Munster in two, a division that was confirmed
by the next high king of Ireland, Tairrdelbach Ua
Conchobair, king of Connacht.
Tadc MacCarthaig (c. 1123), king of Desmond
(South Munster), aspired to being the king of all of
Munster, but his ambitions were thwarted by Tairrdelbach
Ua Conchobair, who did not wish to see a strong
Munster on his southern flank. Tadc was succeeded by
his brother Cormac who is now best remembered for
his chapel at Cashel with its striking Romanesque
architecture. Cormac MacCarthaig chaffed under the
restraints imposed by Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair,
andhe led several coalitions of provinces against the
high king. Late in 1126, though, Cormac was defeated
by Ua Conchobair, and the nobles of Desmonddeposed
Cormac as their king to escape Ua Conchobair’s wrath.
MacCarthaig retired to the religious community at
Lismore but in February 1127 was persuaded by
Conchobar Ua Briain, king of Thomond, to become
the king of a united Munster and to resume the war
against the high king. MacCarthaig commissioned the
composition of Caithréim Cheallacháin Chaisil, a pro-
paganda tract that glorified his rule of Munster by
eulogizing his ancestor, Ceallachán (d. 954), the last
great king of the Éoganachta of Cashel to be the king
of Munster.
Cormac MacCarthaig proved to be an inspirational
leader and, after a long and hard-fought war, finally
overthrew the high kingship of Tairrdelbach Ua
Conchobair in 1133. However, its goal achieved, his
coalition duly disintegrated. In 1138, Tairrdelbach Ua
Briain had Cormac assassinated and became king of
Munster. It was not until a second rebellion in 1151,
led by Cormac’s son Diarmait MacCarthaig, that the
kingdom of Desmond was revived.
Diarmait MacCarthaig was an effective ruler who
aspired to be the king of Munster. Relations between
the MeicCarthaig and Uí Briain were hostile. In 1171,
Henry II came to Ireland to impose his authority over
the Anglo-Norman adventurers who had invaded the
country and recently defeated Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair,
king of Ireland, in battle near Dublin. Diarmait took the
opportunity of Henry’s visit to seek an alliance with the
English against Domnall Ua Briain, king of Thomond—
but Ua Briain then submitted to Henry II to negate any
advantage MacCarthaig had hoped for. These submis-
sions of the Munster kings may have been instrumental
in persuading Henry II to retain an interest in Ireland.
In 1177, Anglo-Norman adventurers led by Robert
fitz Stephen and Miles de Cogan invaded the kingdom
of Desmond and occupied the Hiberno-Norse town of
Cork. MacCarthaig resisted, but the intervention of the
Uí Briain, seeking to exploit Desmond’s difficulties,
undermined MacCarthy’s position and forced him to
submit to fitz Stephen and de Cogan. MacCarthaig
ceded seven cantreds to the knights, as well as Cork
and the cantred of Kerrycurrihy to Henry II, and promised
to pay a tribute on his remaining twenty-four cantreds. In
1182, Diarmait MacCarthaig led a great assault against
the English colonists, but failed to oust them from Des-
mond. In 1185, he was killed by some knights while
parleying with them at Kilbane, west of Cork.
Domnall MacCarthaig, Diarmait’s son and succes-
sor, maintained the war against the English and even
asserted his overlordship over Cork at one point. How-
ever, once he died in 1206, there was a succession
dispute among the MeicCarthaig that the EnglishMAC CARTHAIG (Mac CARTHY)