Uí Fáeláin and Uí Failge, leaving Fáelán Mac Fáeláin
and Muirchertach Ua Conchobair Failge (sl. 1166)
there as kings. This forced Mac Lochlainn to reaffirm
his high kingship, plundering Bréifne and west Mide
and taking the submissions of the Dublin Ostmen and
Mac Murchada. Faced by Mac Lochlainn’s might,
Ruaidrí pragmatically negotiated with Mac Lochlainn
on the plain of Tethbae. Although Ruaidrí gave Mac
Lochlainn four hostages for Uí Briúin, Conmaicne,
Munster, and Mide, the Clonmacnoise annals say he
gave twelve. It is clear, though, that his submission
was far from unconditional given that the high king
did not depose Connacht’s allies in Uí Fáeláin and Uí
Failge. In return, Ruaidrí received Connacht and was
granted west Mide by Mac Lochlainn, while east Mide
was confirmed to Diarmait Ua Máelsechlainn. At this
time, Mac Lochlainn was king of Ireland cen fressabra
(“without opposition”), presiding over a convention of
the laity and the clergy of Ireland at Dervor in Mide.
While Ruaidrí presumably attended, he was biding his
time. Afterwards he returned to Connacht and executed
Domnall Ua Laeghacháin despite the sureties of the
bishop of Clonmacnoise.
A sign of Ruaidrí’s acknowledgment of Mac
Lochlainn’s superiority was the presence of Connacht
troops at the high king’s siege of Dublin during 1162.
He also drew Diarmait Ua Máelsechlainn closer to
him, returning west Mide to him for five score ounces
ofgold in 1162. During 1163, he sent a timely mes-
sage to Mac Lochlainn, allowing his heir Conchobar
Máenmaige Ua Conchobair (sl. 1189) to capture the
high king’s son in Connacht before sending him home.
By 1164, Ruaidrí was up to his old tricks, resuming
his favorite ploy of exploiting Mac Lochlainn’s diffi-
culties in the north. In Thomond, Ruaidrí’s half-brother
Muirchertach Ua Briain (sl. 1168) seized the kingship
from his father Tairrdelbach Ua Briain. Ruaidrí and
Muirchertach tried to expel Tairrdelbach, but failed.
Undeterred, Ruaidrí campaigned with Ua Ruairc to the
borders of Dublin before crowning the year by trans-
ferring his capital from Dunmore to his new fortress
of Tuam. With Mac Lochlainn distracted by troubles
in the north, Ruaidrí consolidated his grip on the mid-
lands and parts of Leinster. In 1165 he punished the
Leinster subkingdom of Cairpre (Carbury) for its par-
ticipation in the killing of Sitriuc Ua Ruairc. That year
he restored Diarmait Ua Máelsechlainn to the kingship
of west Mide, subdued the latter’s enemies in the Mide
subkingdoms of Brega and Saithne, campaigned into
Leinster, and asserted his superiority over Diarmait
Mac Carthaig.
Ruaidrí’s great moment came in 1166 when Mac
Lochlainn’s high kingship unwound amid a serious
rebellion in the north. Around April 24, Mac Lochlainn
blinded Eochaid Mac Duinnsléibe of Ulaid, prompting
the outraged Donnchad Ua Cearbaill of Airgialla
(sl.1167) (Eochaid’s foster-father) to repair to Connacht
to Ruaidrí. Realizing his time had come, Ruaidrí
marched on Dublin and was acknowledged as high
king. Deep inside Mac Lochlainn’s sphere at
Drogheda, Ruaidrí took Ua Cearbaill’s submission, but
instead of attacking Mac Lochlainn, he first drummed
up support against Mac Murchada in Uí Fáeláin and
Uí Failge. In May, Ruaidrí invaded Mac Murchada’s
home kingdom of Uí Chennselaig, defeating him at
Fid Dorcha. With Mac Murchada subdued, Ruaidrí
marched to Tír Conaill to take the submissions of its
lords, ensuring they did not go to Mac Lochlainn’s aid.
Thereafter, the collapse of Mac Lochlainn in the north
was rapid; Ruaidrí’s allies killed him in the Fews of
Armagh. He began a circuit of Ireland in Tír nEógain
(Tyrone), dividing it between Niall Mac Lochlainn
(sl.1176) and Áed Ua Néill (sl. 1177) and took the
submission of the king of Ulaid (east Ulster). He then
entered Leinster, took the submissions of the king of
Osraige before traveling to Munster to take the alle-
giance of its kings. In Ruaidrí’s absence, Mac Murchada
attempted to reassert himself, leading to the August
invasion of Uí Chennselaig by Ua Ruairc, Diarmait Ua
Máelsechlainn, the Leinster princes, and the Dublin
Ostmen. Mac Murchada fled in search of Henry II,
resulting in the division of Uí Chennselaig between
the Mac Gilla Pátraic dynasty of Osraige and Murchad
Mac Murchada (sl. 1172). Before the close of the
year, Ruaidrí at Athlone rewarded all his clients who
had played decisive roles in his capture of the high
kingship.
As high king, he was determined to rule the dispar-
ate kingdoms of Ireland, taking steps towards the
achievement of effective royal government by presid-
ing over an almost national assembly at Athboy in
Mide during 1167. But he was compelled to campaign
against Niall Mac Lochlainn, marching with the kings
of Mide, Thomond, Desmond, and Ulaid to Armagh
before catching the fleet to attack Derry. After forcing
Mac Lochlainn’s submission, he redivided Tír nEógain
between him and the Uí Néill. In August, Mac Murchada
returned with English troops and reconquered Uí
Chennselaig. Ruaidrí reacted quickly and brought him
to heel after two clashes at Kellistown. Feeling
secure,Ruaidrí celebrated the Óenach Tailten (“fair of
Teltown”), an act proclaiming his dominance over the
island. Although the most powerful man in Ireland,
Ruaidrí had difficulties in welding his kingdom
together, particularly in Mide and Thomond. But he
coped competently, extracting a fine of 800 cows from
Diarmait Ua Máelsechlainn for killing a client. But the
trouble did not end there, for angered by Ua
Máelsechlainn’s payment of the fine, the Meathmen
deposed him; and Ruaidrí’s troops sent to restore himUA CONCHOBAIR, RUAIDRÍ (c.1116–1198)