Annála Ríoghachta Éireann

The Age of the World....3510-3580
3510....

The ninth year of the reign of Eremon, Un, En, and Edan, fell by him in the battle of Comhaire,[136] There was a church erected at this place by St. Colman mac Fintain (the brother of St. Fursa of Peronne), whose festival was celebrated here on the 25th of September. The place is now called in Irish Cill Comraire, which is anglicised Kilcomreragh. It is situated near the Uisneach, in the barony of Moycashel, and county of Westmeath. -See the Feilire Aenguis, at 16th November; the Irish Calendar of O'Clery, at 25th September; and Colgan's Acta Sanctorum, p. 95, col. 2 . in Meath. The eruption of Eithne, in Ui-Neill;[137] Now the River Inny, which discharges itself into Lough Ree, to the south-west of Ballyshannon, in the county of Westmeath. By the name Ui-Neill is meant terra Nepotuum Neill, the ancient Meath having been so called in later ages, because it was divided among the sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and possessed by their descendants till the English invasion. It would have been more correct to call this territory "Midhe" at this early period. The River Eithne was originally called Glaisi-Bearamain, and is said to have derived its present name from Eithne, daughter of King Eochaidh Feidhleach, and wife of Conchobhar Mac Nessa, King of Ulster in the first century. -See the Book of Lecan, fol. 175, a. b. This river formed the boundary between North and South Teffia in St. Patrick's time. -See Ogygia, part iii. c. 85. of the three Socs,[138] Michael Brennan, in his Irish poem on the River Shannon, states that the three Sucks of Connaught are the rivers still called the Suck and its tributaries, the Sheffin and the River of Clonbrock, in the county of Galway. -See note under AD 1263, where the course of the main branch of the Teora Suca is described. in Connaught; and of the Freagabhail,[139] Now the Ravel Water, which rises in a small lake called Aganamunican, on the mountain of Slieveanee, in the parish of Dunaghy, in the county of Antrim, and, flowing through the valley of Glenravel, to which it gives name, joins the Dungonnell River near the old burial ground of Deschart, whence their united waters flow in a south-east course until they fall into Maine Water, near Glary ford. The territory of Dal-Araidhe extended from Newry to this river; and that of Dal-Riada comprised the remainder of the county of Antrim. between Dal-Araidhe and Dal-Riada, this year. These are rivers.

3516....

The fifteenth year of the reign of Eremhon; he died at the end of this period at Rath-Beothaigh over the Eoir, in Argat-Ross.[140] See note under AW 3501

3517....

The first year of the joint reign of Muimhne, Luighne, and Laighne, sons of Eremon, over Ireland.

3519....

At the end of these three years Muimhne died at Cruachain. Luighne and Laighne fell in the battle of Ard-Ladhron[141] See note under AW 2242 by the sons of Emhear. Er, Orba, Fearon, and Fergen,[142] Called Feorgna in Mageoghegan's Annals of Clonmacnoise, in Keating's History of Ireland, and most of the genealogical accounts of the race of Heber-Finn. the four sons of Emer, reigned half a year. This half year and the half year of Nuadhat Neacht make a full year; and to Nuadhat Neacht it is reckoned in the age of the world. These sons of Emer were slain by Irial Faidh,[143] Called "Irialus Vates" by Dr. Lynch and O'Flaherty, and "Iriell the Prophet," by Connell Mageoghegan. son of Eremon, in the battle of Cuil-Marta,[144] Not identified. It is called Cuilmartra by O'Flaherty. at the end of the half year aforesaid.

3520....

At the end of this, the tenth year of the reign of Irial Faidh, son of Eremon, he died at Magh-Muaidhe.[145] This may be the plain of the River Moy, flowing between the counties of Mayo and Sligo, in Connaught; but the name was also applied to a plain near the hill of Cnoc Muaidhe, now Knockmoy, six miles south-east of Tuam, in the county of Galway, which is probably the place alluded to in the text. -See Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many, p.6. It was by this Irial Faidh the following battles were fought: the battle of Cuil-marta; the battle of Ard-Inmaoith,[146] Would be anglicised Ard-invy, but the name is obsolete. in Teathbha, in which fell Stirne, son of Dubh, son of Fomhor; the battle of Tenmaighe,[147] This plain is referred to as in Connaught, under AW 3549, but the name is now unknown. in which fell Eocha Echcheann, king of the Fomorians; the battle of Lochmaighe,[148] This is probably Loughma, near Thurles, in the county of Tipperary.- See Luachmagh, AD 1598. in which fell Lughroth, son of Mofemis of the Firbolgs. It was in the time of the same Irial that the clearing of the plains, the erection of the forts, and the eruption of the rivers following, took place. These are the plains: Magh-Sele, in Ui-Neill;[149] i.e. the Plain of the River Sele, in the country of the southern Ui-Neill, that is, Meath. The River Sele, which gave name to this place, is now called the Blackwater. It rises in Lough Ramor, near Virginia, in the county of Cavan, and flowing through the barony of Upper Kells, by Tailten, in Meath, pays its tribute to the Boyne at Dubh-chomar, now the town of Navan. This river is distinctly mentioned as near Taltenia, in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, lib. ii. c. 4, apud Colgan, Trias Thaum, p. 129; and Colgan observes, in a note, p. 173, that it was, in his own time, called Abha-dhubh. Magh nEle,[150] Now Moyelly, a townland in the parish of Kilmanaghan, barony of Kilcoursey, and King's County, famous as having been the residence of Finn Mac Cumhail in the third century, and of Colonel Grace in the seventeenth - See note under AD 1475, and note under AD 1418. in Leinster; Magh-Reicheat;[151] Keating adds that this plain is in Laoighis, i.e. Leix, in the present Queen's County; but in the Preface to the Feilire-Aenguis it is mentioned as a plain in Ui-Failghe (Offaly), containing the church of Cuil-Beannchair, now Coolbanagher, alias Whitechurch. It is now called, in English, Morett, and is a manor in the barony of Portnahinch, adjoining the Great Heath of Maryborough, in the Queen's county. Magh-Sanais,[152] Not identified. in Connaught; Magh-Techt, in Ui-Mac-Uais;[153] Unknown. Ui-Mac Mais is believed to be the barony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath.-See O'Flaherty's Ogygia, part iii. 76. Magh-Faithne, in Airtheara;[154] Called Magh Foithin is na h-iartharaibh by Keating, which is incorrect. Magh-Faithne is obsolete. Arthera is the Irish name of the baronies of Orior, in the county of Armagh. Magh-Dairbhreach,[155] i.e. the Plain of the Oaks. This plain is situated at the foot of the hill of Croghan, in the north of the King's County. The territory of Fotharta Dairbhreach is referred to, in the old Irish authorities, as adjoining this hill, which was anciently called Bri-Eile.-See Ogygia, part iii. c. 64. in Fotharta Dairbhreach; Magh-Lughna,[156] Keating calls this Magh Luinge. We are not told in which of the districts called Cianachta it was situated. in Cianachta; Magh-inis,[157] i.e. the insular plain. This was the ancient name of the barony of Lecale, in the county of Down. -See Tripartite Life of St. Patrick in Trias Thaum, part iii. c. 60, and Colgan's note, p. 185. in Uladh; Magh-Cuilefeadha,[158] Fearnmhagh, i.e. the Alder Plain, is the Irish name of the barony of Farney, in the county of Monaghan. Magh-Cuile-feadha, i.e. the Plain of the Corner or Angle of the Wood, was probably the ancient name of the district around Loughfea, in this barony. in Fearnmhagh; Magh-Comair;[159] i.e. the Plain of the Confluence. Keating places this in Ui-Neill, i.e. in Meath. It was probably the plain around Cummer, near Clonard, in Meath. There is another Magh-Comair, now anglicised Muckamore, near the town of Antrim, in the county of Antrim. Magh-Midhe;[160] This is placed in Cianachta by Keating. Magh-Cobha;[161] This is placed in Ui-Eathach, i.e. Iveagh, in Ulster, by Keating. -See note under AD 1252. Magh-Cuma,[162] Unknown. in Ui-Neill; Magh-Fearnmhaighe,[163] now Farney, a barony in the south of the county of Monaghan. in Oirghialla; and Magh-Riada.[164] This was the ancient name of a plain in Laoighis, or Leix, in the present Queen's County, and contained the forts of Lec-Reda and Rath-Bacain, where the chiefs of Laoighis resided, and the church called Domhnach-mor. -See the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick in Trias Thaum., p. 155. these are the forts: Rath-Croich,[165] i.e. in the barony of Lecale, in the county of Down. Not identified. in Magh-inis; Rath-Cuinceadha, in Seimhne;[166] Island Magee, in the county of Antrim, was anciently called Rinn-Seimhne, and this fort was probably on it, but the name is obsolete. Rath-Bacain, in Latharna;[167] i.e. in Larne, a territory, in the county of Antrim, now included in the barony of Upper Glenarm. The name of this fort is obsolete. Rath-Lochaid, at Glascharn;[168] Both names unknown. Rath-glaisicuilg, which is called Rath-Ciombaoith,[169] This was the name of one of the forts at Emania, or the Navan, near Armagh. There was another fort of the name in the plain of Seimhne, near Island-Magee, in the present county of Antrim. at Eamhain; Rath-Mothaigh;[170] Now Raith-Mothaigh, anglicised Ryemoghy, in the parish of the same name, in the barony of Raphoe and the county of Donegal; and there can be little doubt that Sleachtmhagh was the name of a plain in this parish. Rath-Buirg,[171] Called Rath-Buirech by Keating. Not identified. in Sleachtmhagh. The rivers were the Siuir,[172] Now anglicised "The Suir," which rises in Sliabh Aldiuin, or the Devil's Bit Mountain, in the barony of Ikerrin, and county of Tipperary, and flowing by or through Thurles, Holycross, Golden Bridge, and Cahir, Ardfinan and Carrick-on-Suir, and Waterford, finally unites with the Barrow, at Comar-na na dtri n-Uisceadh, about a mile below Waterford. Feil,[173] There is a river of this name in the county of Kerry, giving name to the village of Abbeyfeale, by which it passes; but it is quite evident, from the Leabhar-Gabhala of the O'Clerys, that the river Corrane, which flows from Loch Luighdheach, alias Corrane Lough in the barony of Iveragh, in the west of the same county, was also originally called "Abhainn-Feile," and that is the river here alluded to. Ercre,[174] Now unknown. in Munster; the three Finns;[175] The River Finn, flowing through the barony of Raphoe, in the county of Donegal, was the principal one of these. The other two were probably tributary streams to it. and the three Coimdes.[176] Not identified.

3530....

This was the first year of the reign of Eithrial, son of Irial Faidh, over Ireland.

3549....

The twentieth year of the reign of Eithrial, son of Irial Faidh, son of Eremon, when he fell by Conmhael, son of Emer, in the battle of Raeire.[177] Genit. Raeireann. O'Flaherty says that this is the name of a hill in Hyfalgia, but does not tell us its exact situation. It is the place now called Raeire mor, in the territory of Iregan, or barony of Tinnahinch, in the Queen's county, which was a part of the ancient Ui-Failghe, or Offaly. There is another place of the name in the territory of Ui-Muireadhaigh, near Athy, in the county of Kildare. It was in the reign of this Eithrial that these plains were cleared: Teanmagh,[178] Unknown in Connaught; Magh Lughadh,[179] Unknown. in Luighne; Magh-Bealaigh, in Ui-Tuirtre;[180] i.e. plain of the road or pass. Ui-Tuirtre was the name of a tribe and territory in the present county of Antrim, but the name of the plain is unknown. Magh-Geisille,[181] i.e. the plain of Geshill. This was the ancient name of a plain included in the present barony of Geshill, in the King's County. in Ui-Failghe; Magh-ochtair, in Leinster;[182] Unknown. Lochmagh, in Conaille;[183] Keating places this in Connaught. Magh-roth.[184] Called by Keating Magh-rath. This was the name of a plain in the present county of Down, the position of which is determined by the village of Moira.

3550....

This was the first year of the reign of Conmael, son of Emer, over Ireland. He was the first king of Ireland from Munster.

3579....

Conmael, son of Emer, having been thirty years in the sovereignty of Ireland, fell, in the battle of Aenach-Macha[185] This was another name for Emania, or the Navan fort, near Armagh. Keating says that Conmael was buried at the south side of Aenach-Macha, at a place then called Feart Conmhaoil.- See Halliday's edit., p. 320. by Tighernmus,[186] Tighearnmhas Fictional king of Ireland situated in prehistory. His name means 'lordly'. He is described as a descendant of Éireamhon, and is said to have slain Conmhaol, son of Éibhear, and to have won thrice nine battles in one year. It is further stated that, during his reign, the first gold-mine in Ireland was discovered in the territory of the Fotharta of the eastern Liffey (i.e. near Naas in Co Kildare). Tighearnmhas employed a wright called Iuchadán to make a brooch for him from the gold. Also attributed to Tighearnmhas were the making of the first goblets and silver vessels, and the first use of the colours purple, blue, and green on garments. He ordained that colours of garments be worn according to social status - one colour for bondsmen, two for peasants, three for paid warriors, four for lords, five for chieftains, six for learned men, and seven for royalty. Tighearnmhas was said to have originated the worship of the idol Crom Cruach (see Crom) at Magh Sléacht (the plain at Tullyhaw in Co Cavan). He went to that place at Samhain (November) accompanied by the men of Ireland, but was overtaken by some unspecified disaster and died there along with three-fourths of his followers. He is clearly the invention of the mediaeval writers and, although his reign is ascribed to the pagan era, his sudden death was meant to signify the wrath of God against the sin of idolatry. son of Follach. By Conmael had been fought these battles: the battle of Geisill,[187] Now Geshil, in the King's County. in which fell Palap, son of Eremon; the battle of Berra;[188] This is probably Berehaven, in the south-west of the county of Cork. the battle of Sliabh Beatha,[189] There is no Sliabh Beatha in Ireland but that on the borders of the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan, already mentioned under AW 2242. in Ui Creamhthainn; the battle of Uchra;[190] Not identified. the battle of Cnucha;[191] This place is described as over the river Liffey, in Leinster. -See Keating in the reign of Lughaidh Mac Con, and the Battle of Cnucha. It was probably the battle of Castleknock. the battle of Sliabh Modhairn,[192] This was the ancient name of a range of heights near Ballybay, in the barony of Cremorne, and county of Monaghan. The Mourne mountains, in the south of the county of Down, were originally called Beanna Boirche, and had not received their present name before the fourteenth century. in which fell Semroth, son of Inboith; the battle of Clere;[193] Not identified. It may be Cape Clear, Co. Cork, or Clare Island, county Mayo. the battle of Carnmor,[194] This was probably Carn-mor Sleibhe Beatha, for the situation of which see AW 2242. in which fell Ollach; the battle of Loch Lein,[195] The lakes at Killarney were originally so called. The name is now applied to the upper lake only. against the Ernai[196] A sept of the Firbolgs, seated in the present county of Kerry. and Martinei,[197] A sept of the Firbolgs anciently seated in the baronies of Coshlea and Small County, in the county of Limerick, and in that of Clanwilliam, in the county of Tipperary. -See book of Lismore, fol 176, a. a. where Emly is referred to as in the very centre of this territory. and against Mogh Ruith, son of Mofebis of the Firbolgs; the battle of Ele.[198] A territory in the south of the King's County.

3580....

The first year of the reign of Tighernmas, son of Folloch, over Ireland.