Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic

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Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic (died 718) [1] was king of Ulaid from 692 to 707 from the Dál Fiatach clan. He was the son of Blathmac mac Máel Cobha (died 670), a previous king. [2] His byname Bairrche refers to the region of the Mourne Mountains in south County Down. Bynames like his can refer to a region or to fosterage and there may be a connection to the Uí Bairrche of Leinster in his byname. [3]

Ulaid

Ulaid or Ulaidh ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages, made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, as well as in Cóiced, which in Irish means "the Fifth". The king of Ulaid was called the rí Ulad or rí in Chóicid.

Dál Fiatach

Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their territory lay in eastern County Down. Their capital was Dún Lethglaise (Downpatrick) and from the 9th century their main religious site was Bangor Abbey.

Uí Bairrche

Uí Bairrche was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster. Another south Leinster kin group associated with the Uí Bairrche were groups of the Fothairt. The south of Leinster was dominated by the Uí Chennselaig in the 8th century. Uí Bairrche held lands around Carlow, however Uí Chennselaig expansion split the kindred. The result was that one Uí Bairrche branch persevered in the Barrow valley; and another was forced to move south towards the Wexford coast.

Contents

Background

The Dál Fiatach had dominated the kingship of Ulster from 637 to 674. Family strife was a common theme among the dynasty at this time. The grandfather of Bécc, Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai had been slain by his nephew, Congal Cennfhatar mac Dúnchada in 647. [4] In 674 Congal, now King of Ulaid, was himself slain by Bécc who thereby acquired the rule of the Dál Fiatach. [5]

Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid. He was the son of Fiachnae mac Demmáin and half-brother of Dúnchad mac Fiachnai, previous kings. He ruled from c. 644-647.

He, however, did not acquire the Ulaid throne until after the death of Fergus mac Áedáin of the rival Uí Echach Cobo branch of the Dal nAraide in 692 who may have been a compromise candidate. [6]

Fergus mac Áedáin was king of Ulaid from 674. He belonged to a branch of the Dal nAraide known as the Uí Echach Cobo in the west part of county Down. They were distinct from the main branch located in County Antrim who were known as Kings of the Cruithne in this period. He was the son of Áedán mac Mongain, a previous king of Cobo.

The High King of Ireland Fínsnechta Fledach of the Síl nÁedo Sláine may have been married to the daughter of Congal named Conchenn and may have had some personal antagonism towards Bécc. The offensive was struck by Bécc who penetrated into southern Ui Neill territory only to be defeated by the high king at Tailltin in 679. [7]

High King of Ireland

The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland for centuries.

Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He was a grandson of Áed Sláine. His father Dúnchad had died in 659. His byname "Fledach" meant "the bountiful" or "the festive".

Síl nÁedo Sláine[ˈsʲiːlʲ ˈnaiðo ˈslaːnʲe] are the descendants of Áed Sláine, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.

Bécc was also married to Conchenn ingen Congaile probably after the death of Fínsnechta in order to bolster his position in Ulaid. He also married Barrdub, daughter of Lethlobar mac Echach (died 709) of the Dal nAraide. [8]

Lethlobar mac Echach was a Dál nAraide king of the Cruthin in Ulaid, an over-kingdom in Ireland. He was the son of Eochaid Iarlaithe mac Lurgain, a previous king. He belonged to the main ruling dynasty of the Dál nAraide known as the Uí Chóelbad based in Magh Line. He ruled from 708 to 709.

He acquired the throne of Ulaid in 692 and as ruler of such was one of the guarantors of the Cáin Adomnáin (Law of Adomnán) at Birr in 697.

The Cáin Adomnáin, also known as the Lex Innocentium, was promulgated amongst a gathering of Irish, Dál Riatan and Pictish notables at the Synod of Birr in 697. It is named after its initiator Adomnán of Iona, ninth Abbot of Iona after St. Columba. It is called the "Geneva Accords" of the ancient Irish, for its protection of women and non-combatants, extending the Law of Patrick, which protected monks, to civilians. The legal symposium at the Synod of Birr was prompted when Adomnáin had an aisling dream vision wherein his mother excoriated him for not protecting the women and children of Ireland.

In 691 the Dál Riata despoiled the Cruithin (Dal nAraide) and the Ulaid (Dál Fiatach). [9] British marauders were active around the turn of the 8th century. In 697 The Ulaids and the Britons laid waste to Mag Muirtheimne in County Louth, home of a border tribe of Ulidia known as the Conaille Muirtheimne. [10] In 703 the Britons and Ulaid were at war with each other and the Battle of Mag Cuilind was fought in the Ards Peninsula. The British enemy, the son of Radgann (known for despoiling churches) was slain. [11]

He abdicated and took up the pilgrim's staff in 707 and died in 718. [12]

His son by Conchenn ingen Congaile, Áed Róin (died 735) was also a King of Ulaid.

Notes

  1. ↑ Annals of Ulster, AU 718.2; Annals of Tigernach, AT 718.2
  2. ↑ Byrne, Table 6; Charles-Edwards, appendix XXI; Mac Niocaill, pg. 155
  3. ↑ Ó Cróinín pg. 194
  4. ↑ AU 647.1; AT 648.1; Mac Niocaill, pg.100
  5. ↑ AU 674.1; AT 674.1; Mac Niocaill, pg.101
  6. ↑ Mac Niocaill, pg. 101
  7. ↑ AU 679.3; AT 679.3; Mac Niocaill, pg. 108
  8. ↑ Mac Niocaill, pg. 115
  9. ↑ AU 691.3; Mac Niocaill, pg. 114
  10. ↑ AU 697.10; AT 697.6
  11. ↑ AU 703.1; AT 703.1; Mac Niocaill, pg. 114
  12. ↑ AU 707.6; Mac Niocaill, pg.115

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