Ua Ceallaigh, Séamus. Gleanings from Ulster History. Cork: Cork
University Press, 1951. Reprint, Draperstown: Ballinascreen
Historical Society, 1994.
UA CONCHOBAIR (UÍ CONCHOBAIR,
Ó CONCHOBAIR)
The Connacht dynasty of Ua Conchobair claimed
descent from the legendary king Conn Cétchathach.
Conn was the purported ancestor of Brión, whose
descendants, the Uí Briúin, gained ascendancy over
their dynastic rivals in Connacht, and from the ninth
century the kingship of the province was reserved for
those of Uí Briúin extraction. The Uí Briúin split into
the Uí Briúin Seola, the Uí Briúin Bréifne, and the
UíBriúin Aíi. From the latter came the Síl Muiredaig
(named after their ancestor Muiredach Muillethan
(696–702)), from whom sprang the Uí Chonchobair.
Early Ua Conchobair Kings
Within the Uí Briúin, there was contention over the
kingship of Connacht as well. One of the dynasties
contending for the kingship was of Uí Briúin Bréifne
stock, the Uí Ruairc. After a period of Ua Ruairc
sovereignty the kingship came into Uí Briúin Aí
hands and it was Conchobar (966–973) son of Tadg “an
Túir” (“of the Tower,” sometimes called “of the Three
Towers”) who took on the kingship of Connacht.
Conchobar became the progenitor of the Uí Chonchobair;
his grandson Tadg “in Eich Gil” (“of the White Steed”)
(1010–1030) being the first to take the surname.
Among the early Uí Chonchobair kings of some influ-
ence was Cathal (973–1010), Conchobar’s son. He
built a stone bridge over the Shannon at Athlone and
was a patron of the monastery of Clonmacnoise to
which he retired in 1003 and where he died in 1010.
His daughter married the high king Brian Boru.
Until the end of the eleventh century the Uí
Chonchobair claim to the kingship of Connacht was
often heavily contested by the Uí Ruairc, as for instance
during the reign of Áed “in Gaí Bernaig” (“of the
Broken Spear”). Throughout Áed’s reign, the Uí Ruairc
disputed his claim to supremacy. After being killed in
battle fighting the Uí Ruairc in 1067, Áed was suc-
ceeded by Áed Ua Ruairc, the kingship effectively
alternating between the families. Subsequent to Áed
Ua Ruairc’s reign, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (d. 1118)
ruled until he was blinded by Ua Flaithbertaig of Uí
Briúin Seola. This event marked the end of his reign
as, according to Brehon law, it made him unfit to
govern. After an interval of several years, one of his
sons, Tairrdelbach, was inaugurated as king of Connacht
at Áth an Termoinn (probably to be identified with Áth
Carpait in County Roscommon). However, Carnfree
was the traditional inauguration site for the kings of
Connacht, and it was here that they were made king
up to the fifteenth century.The Uí Chonchobair’s Heyday
Ruaidrí’s son Tairrdelbach Mór Ua Conchobair (d. 1156),
in his spectacular career, managed to overcome the
powerful ruler of the northwest of Ireland, Muirchertach
Mac Lochlainn and Tairrdelbach Ua Briain (king of
Thomond) and introduce the Uí Chonchobair to the
high kingship of Ireland. He built several bridges and
castles and was patron of the church and supporter of
church reform. At the strategically important location
of Athlone, Tairrdelbach built a new bridge in 1124, a
castle in 1129 and, according to tradition, a monastery
in about the mid-twelfth century. One of the monas-
teries under Ua Conchobair patronage was Cloontuskert,
which was possibly refounded as an Augustinian
(Arroasian) priory by Tairrdelbach, and his grand-
sonÁed son of Ruaidrí (d. 1244) was buried there.
Tairrdelbach founded an Augustinian priory or hospital
in Tuam in 1140. He made his son Conchobar king of
Dublin and, in theory at least, Leinster, and later king
of Mide; however, Conchobar was assassinated in- Tairrdelbach was considered to be ardrí co fress-
abra, high king with opposition, as his supremacy was
contested.
Tairrdelbach fathered nearly twenty sons, one of
them being Brian Luignech (d. 1181) the progenitor
of the Clann Briain Luignig, from which came the
branch called Ua Conchobair Sligig. Another son of
Tairrdelbach, Muirchertach Muimnech, was the pro-
genitor of the Clann Muirchertaig of Bréifne. Members
of this branch of the dynasty contended and provided
kings for the kingship of Connacht during the second
half of the thirteenth and the first half of the fourteenth
century. However, they subsequently lost their lands
and led an almost nomadic life until the fifteenth cen-
tury, when they disappear from the records.
But it was Ruaidrí (d. 1198) who assumed kingship
when his father Tairrdelbach died in 1156. After some
struggles he was inaugurated king of Ireland in Dublin
in 1166. Like his father before him, he celebrated the
Óenach Tailten (the fair of Tailtiu, in 1168, the last
occasion it was held). He was a patron of learning and
endowed Armagh with an annual income for the teach-
ing of scholars from both Ireland and Scotland. During
his reign, Diarmait Mac Murchada went into exile and
sought protection from overseas, thus triggering the
Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. When King Henry II
came to Ireland in 1171, Ruaidrí refused to submit.
He defeated Strongbow at Thurles (1174), invaded
Meath and ravaged Munster, and was in a very strong
UA CATHÁIN