UA CONCHOBAIR, TAIRRDELBACH (1088–1156)
During 1115, Tairrdelbach’s rule led to great dis-
quiet among some of his own vassals, leading to an
unsuccessful attempt to kill him at Áth bó. Moreover,
the death of his wife Orlaith that year ended Tairrdel-
bach’s Ua Máelsechlainn alliance, granting him a pre-
text to attack Mide (Meath), inflicting defeat on Domnall
Ua Fergail’s fleet before forcing Ua Máelsechlainn’s
submission. At the close of 1115, Tairrdelbach gave
thanks, bestowing gifts of a drinking horn inlaid with
gold and a golden cup and patina for a chalice upon
the monastery of Clonmacnoise. He then married the
Connacht noblewoman Caillech Dé, daughter of Ua
hEidin, mother of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (d. 1198).
Their union was brief as Tairrdelbach soon married
Mór (d. 1122), daughter of Mac Lochlainn. Through-
out 1116 and 1117, Tairrdelbach was opposed on the
political front by Diarmait Ua Briain (d. 1118). But
during 1118 Tairrdelbach, Ua Máelsechlainn, and Áed
Ua Ruairc (sl. 1122) joined a recovered Muirchertach
Ua Briain to attack Tadg Mac Carthaig of Desmond
(d. 1124). However, they turned on Ua Briain at
Glanmire near Cork, allying with Mac Carthaig to
depose the high king for good. Tairrdelbach then broke
Ua Briain’s hold over Leinster, Osraige, and Ostman
Dublin, expelling Domnall Ua Briain (d. 1135) from
that city. And he even invaded Thomond itself, demol-
ishing the Ua Briain fortress at Kincora, hurling it into
the Shannon. During 1119, Tairrdelbach demonstrated
his power, compelling Leinster, Osraige, and Ostman
Dublin to campaign against the Uí Bhriain. But his
exiling of Ua Máelsechlainn to Ulster in 1120 and
his celebration of Óenach Tailten (“the fair of Teltown”),
an act proclaiming his highkingship, attracted Mac
Lochlainn’s unwelcome attentions. Mac Lochlainn
reinstated Ua Máelsechlainn in Mide, compelling
Tairrdelbach to back off and make “false peace” with
them at Athlone. Luck, though, was on Tairrdelbach’s
side, for Mac Lochlainn died during 1121, leaving
him the most powerful man in Ireland. And he made
the most of it, subduing Munster, causing “the people
to cry aloud.”
In 1122, the Munster question was briefly settled
when Tadg Mac Carthaig submitted. As his political
fortunes soared, Tairrdelbach suffered a blow when
hisfourth wife Mór died that year. Despite his grief,
Tairrdelbach did not remain single, taking a fifth wife
in Tailltin (d. 1128), daughter of Ua Máelsechlainn.
Moreover, he threw himself into his campaigns with
zest, capturing Tairrdelbach Ua Briain (d. 1167), forc-
ing the submission of Énna Mac Murchada of Leinster
(d. 1126), and probing the north to Lough Erne.
Although primarily a soldier king, Tairrdelbach prag-
matically cultivated church support through generous
patronage. In 1123, he capitalized upon the visitation
of a relic of the true cross to Ireland, enshrining a piece
of it at Roscommon and commissioned the later pro-
cessional Cross of Cong to hold it. Indeed, Tairrdelbach
displayed traits of contemporary European kings, mak-
ing land grants to both clerical and lay supporters,
levying taxation, and possibly issuing a form of coin-
age. He was also a builder, erecting abbeys, as well as
improving his communication and defensive abilities
by building bridges and Irish castles.
In 1123, the Munster problem reappeared with
Cormac Mac Carthaig (sl. 1138) determined to fight.
Although Tairrdelbach forced the Munstermen to sub-
mit, they rose up again during 1124. The Munster
troubles then spread to Leinster and the midlands, cul-
minating in an alliance between Munster, Mide,
Osraige, the Conmaicne, and Leinster. While Tairrdel-
bach routed the Conmaicne, Desmond, Leinster, and
Mide invaded west Mide and moved to attack him at
Athlone. Contemptuously, the high king executed the
hostages of Desmond, causing the alliance to splinter
for fear of more executions. Tairrdelbach now taught
his enemies a lesson, beginning with Mide in 1124.
In 1125 he took the hostages of Osraige, and forced
the submission of Tigernán Ua Ruairc of Bréifne
(sl. 1172) and banished Ua Máelsechlainn to the north.
In spite of considerable opposition and the loss of his
bridges at Athlone and Áth Croich, he divided Ua
Máelsechlainn’s kingdom among three family rivals
and Ua Ruairc, before confirming the Leinster king-
ship of Énna Mac Murchada (d. 1126). Tairrdelbach’s
dominance was such that the Annals of Tigernach
record in 1126 that he assumed the Leinster kingship
after the death of Mac Murchada and installed his son
Conchobar (sl. 1144) as king of Dublin. He then routed
Mac Carthaig, Osraige, and the Meic Murchada of Uí
Chennselaig before transferring the Leinster kingship
to Conchobar.
In 1127, he proved his superiority over the Mun-
stermen, routing their armies and fleets before dividing
the province. But while Tairrdelbach was in Munster,
the Leinstermen and the Dublin Ostmen deposed
Conchobar as king of Leinster and Dublin. This
brought Tairrdelbach back into Leinster, but even he
was forced to concede that Conchobar was unsuitable
as provincial king, turning instead to Domnall Mac
Fáeláin of Uí Fáeláin (sl. 1141). Again he gave thanks
for his success, granting lands to the archiepiscopal
see of Tuam (though it did not obtain metropolitan
status until 1152). After the death of Tailltin in 1128,
Tairrdelbach married Mac Lochlainn’s daughter,
Derbforgaill (d. 1151). In Leinster there was trouble,
leading to Tairrdelbach’s campaign against the Meic
Murchada of Uí Chennselaig. Before the end of the year
Tairrdelbach again forced Munster to sue for peace and
devastated Tír Conaill in 1130, leading to a truce with
Conchobar Mac Lochlainn (sl. 1136).