Diarmait Dian mac Airmetaig, also Diarmait Guthbinn, [1] (died 689) was King of Uisnech in Mide of the Clann Cholmáin. He was the grandson of Conall Guthbinn mac Suibni (died 635), a previous king. [2] [3] His father Airmetach Cáech [4] was slain at the Battle of Mag Rath in 637. [5] Diarmait ruled from 653 to 689. [6]
Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.
Conall mac Suibni, called Conall Guthbinn, Prince of Meath, was King of Uisnech in Mide of the Clann Cholmáin. He was the son of Suibne mac Colmáin, a previous king. He ruled from 621 to 635. His byname Guthbinn meant "sweet voiced".
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The feud between Clann Cholmáin and the Síl nÁedo Sláine of the early 7th century had ended in victory for the Síl nÁedo Sláine who dominated the high kingship of Ireland in the second half of the 7th century. They began to feud among themselves, and Clann Cholmain was caught up in the feud as well. In 662, a member of the cousin line of Clann Cholmáin Bicc, Fáelchú mac Máele Umai was slain at the Battle of Ogamain fighting on the side of Conaing Cuirre mac Congaile of Cnogba and Blathmac mac Áedo Sláine (died 665) while fighting the adherents of Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine (died 665). [7]
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.
Conaing mac Congaile, called Conaing Cuirre, was a King of Brega from the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of Congal mac Áedo Sláine, a previous king of Brega. The territory of Brega that he ruled was called Cnogba (Knowth) or North Brega which he ruled from 634 to 662.
Blathmac was a son of Áed Sláine. According to the Irish annals, he was High King of Ireland.
Diarmait himself was killed in 689 as part of the old feud by Áed mac Dlúthaig (died 701) of the Fir Cúl Breg sept of Síl nÁedo Sláine. Áed's grandfather Ailill Cruitire mac Áedo Sláine was slain in battle by Diarmait's grandfather Conall Guthbinn in 634. [8] According to the Book of Leinster, Conall Guthbinn was killed by the High King Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchado (died 695) of Brega. [9]
Áed mac Dlúthaig was a King of Fir Cúl in Brega of the Síl nDlúthaig sept of the Síl nÁedo Sláine of Brega. He was the grandson of Ailill Cruitire mac Áedo Sláine, a king of Brega.
Ailill Cruitire mac Áedo Sláine was a King of Brega from the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of the high king Áed Sláine mac Diarmato. His byname meant "harper".
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".
Diarmait's sons included:
- Murchad Midi mac Diarmato Dian (died 715), [10]
- Áed mac Diarmaito Dian, listed as King of Uisnech, killed in the battle of Mag Singittae, near Billywood, Meath, Leinster, Ireland in 714 [11] [12]
- Colgu mac Diarmaito Dian, listed as King of Uisnech, killed in the battle of Mag Singittae, near Billywood, Meath, Leinster, Ireland in 714 [13] [14]
- Bodbchad, killed in the battle, Clane (Claeneth, claenad), Kildare, Leinster, Ireland in 704. [15] [16]
Murchad mac Diarmato, called Murchad Midi, was an Irish king. One of four or more sons of Diarmait Dian, he succeeded his father as King of Uisnech at the latter's death in 689.
Diarmait's grandson Domnall Midi mac Murchado (died 763) was a high king of Ireland. [17]
Domhnall Mac Murchada, called Domnall Midi, was High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Clann Cholmáin branch of the Uí Néill. Clann Cholmáin's pre-eminence among the southern Uí Néill, which would last until the rise of Brian Bóruma and the end of the Uí Néill dominance in Ireland, dates from his lifetime.
