Biographies A-Z

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Ua Bráein, Tigernach

Ua Bráein, Tigernach (d. 1088), abbot and scholar of Clonmacnoise, was probably one of the Uí Bráein (O'Breens) who were lords of Bregmaine (barony of Brawny, Co. Westmeath) till the seventeenth century. This family supplied several dignitaries to the monastery of Clonmacnoise,…

Ua Briain, Conchobar

Ua Briain, Conchobar (d. 1142) was a son of Diarmait Ua Briain (qv) (d. 1118) and of Mór, daughter of Domnall son of Gilla-Phátraic. Along with his half-brothers, Tairdelbach (…

Ua Briain, Diarmait

Ua Briain, Diarmait (d. 1118) was a son of the Munster king, Tairdelbach ua Briain (qv) (d. 1086) and of Dubchoblaig, daughter of Lorcán, of the Leinster dynasty of Uí Chennselaig. Already politically active during his father'…

Ua Briain, Domnall

Ua Briain, Domnall (d. 1115) was a son of Tadc Ua Briain (d. 1086) son of Tairdelbach (qv) (d. 1086). His mother, Mór, was the daughter of Echmarcach (qv) son of Ragnall of the…

Ua Briain, Domnall Mór

Ua Briain, Domnall Mór (‘the great’) (d. 1194) was a son of Tairdelbach Ua Briain (qv) (d. 1167) and of Sadb, daughter of Donnchad (qv) son of Gilla-Phátraic, king of Osraige. Dynastic…

Ua Briain, Muirchertach

Ua Briain, Muirchertach (c.1050–1119) was a son of Tairdelbach ua Briain (qv) (d. 1086) and a great-grandson of Brian Bórama (qv). His mother was Derbfhorgaill,…

Ua Briain, Tairdelbach

Ua Briain, Tairdelbach (d. 1167) was a son of Diarmait Ua Briain (qv) (d. 1118) and Mór, daughter of Ruaidrí na Saide Buide Ua Conchobair (qv). He proved a loyal…

Ua Briain, Tairdelbach

Ua Briain, Tairdelbach (1009–86) was the son of Tadc (qv) son of Brian (d. 1023) and a grandson of…

Ua Brolcháin, Flaithbertach

Ua Brolcháin, Flaithbertach (d. 1175), abbot of Derry and comarba (coarb or successor) of Colum Cille, 1150–75, and noted church reformer, was apparently the son of Máel-Coluim Ua Brolcháin (d. 1122), bishop of Ardstraw in Cenél nÉogain. We first hear of him as the

Ua Brolcháin, Máel-Ísu

Ua Brolcháin, Máel-Ísu (d. 1086), author and ecclesiastic, was a member of the Uí Brolcháin, which produced a number of important Armagh churchmen in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. According to John Colgan (qv), he was educated at…

Ua Cáellaide, Áed

Ua Cáellaide, Áed (d. 1182), Augustinian canon and bishop of Clogher–Louth, came from a family that had perhaps originally belonged to Éoganacht Chaisil; some members of the family had become kings of Uí Buide in Lóigis–Osraige. He was appointed (1138) to the diocese of Clogher–…

Ua Canannáin, Ruaidrí

Ua Canannáin, Ruaidrí (d. 950), king of Ailech, belonged to Cenél Conaill, a dynasty of the Uí Néill. He does not feature in the surviving genealogies, but his grandfather (or great-grandfather?) Canannán son of Flaithbertach was fourth in descent from…

Ua Caráin, Gilla in Choimded (Gillebertus)

Ua Caráin, Gilla in Choimded (Gillebertus) (d. 1180), archbishop of Armagh, is named as the son of Inlestar Ó hAinlighe ‘chieftain of Cenél Doffa’ in the annals of Loch Cé, though nothing else is known of his antecedents. His name means ‘devotee of the Lord’. He was bishop of Raphoe…

Ua Casaide (Caiside), Gilla-Mo-Dutu

Ua Casaide (Caiside), Gilla-Mo-Dutu (d. p. 1150), poet and dynastic historian, came from Ard Breccáin (Ardbraccan, Co. Meath), but his genealogy is unknown. He was based on Daminis (Devenish), an island on Lower Lough Erne (Co. Fermanagh), where he composed his…

Ua Cerbaill, Donnchad

Ua Cerbaill, Donnchad (d. 1168/9), king of Airgialla (Oriel) and noted church reformer, was son of Cú Chaisil of the Uí Duibne branch of the Fernmag dynasty from which the name of the barony of Farney, Co. Monaghan derives. His mother was Aillend, daughter of Ua Baegelláin, a local…

Ua Cerbaill, Murchad

Ua Cerbaill, Murchad (d. 1189), son of Donnchad and king of Airgialla (Oriel), belonged to the Uí Nadshluaig dynasty of Fernmag, which left its name on the barony of Farney, Co. Monaghan. His mother is not recorded, but he had a sister Ben-Mide (who married Cú Maige Ua Flainn,…

Ua Conairche, Christian (Gilla-Críst)

Ua Conairche, Christian (Gilla-Críst) (d. 1186), Cistercian monk, bishop of Lismore, and papal legate, was born somewhere in Co. Kerry. He became a monk, perhaps in Bangor under Malachy (qv), who brought him to Rome on…

Ua Conchobair, Áed in Gaí Bernaig (‘of the gapped spear’)

Ua Conchobair, Áed in Gaí Bernaig (‘of the gapped spear’) (d. 1067), a son of Tadc and overking of Connacht, belonged to the Síl Muiredaig lineage of the dynasty of Uí Briúin Aí. His father, Tadc in Eich Gil Ua Conchobair…

Ua Conchobair, Cathal Carrach

Ua Conchobair, Cathal Carrach (d. 1202), son of Conchobar Máenmaige (qv) and overking of Connacht, belonged to the dynasty of Síl Muiredaig. There is no mention of either his mother or his wife, but he had a…

Ua Conchobair, Cathal Mór Crobderg

Ua Conchobair, Cathal Mór Crobderg (d. 1224), overking of Connacht, belonged to the Síl Muiredaig dynasty. His father Tairdelbach Ua Conchobair (qv) (d. 1156) was high-king of Ireland; his mother, and the…

Ua Conchobair, Conchobar

Ua Conchobair, Conchobar (d. 1144), a son of Tairdelbach, king of Dublin and of Mide, belonged to the Síl Muiredaig dynasty of Connacht. His father Tairdelbach Ua Conchobair (qv) (d. 1156) was claimant to…

Ua Conchobair, Conchobar Máenmaige (‘of Máenmag’)

Ua Conchobair, Conchobar Máenmaige (‘of Máenmag’) (d. 1189), son of Ruaidrí, overking of Connacht and claimant to the high-kingship of Ireland, belonged to the Síl Muiredaig dynasty. His father, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (qv) (d. 1198…

Ua Conchobair Fhailge, Conchobar

Ua Conchobair Fhailge, Conchobar (d. 1115), son of Congalach and joint overking of Leinster, belonged to the Uí Fhlainn lineage of the Uí Fhailge dynasty. His father Congalach, king of Uí Fhailge, a descendant of Flann dá Chongal (…

Ua Conchobair, Ruaidrí

Ua Conchobair, Ruaidrí (d. 1198), overking of Connacht and high-king of Ireland, belonged to the dynasty of Síl Muiredaig, and was a son of Tairdelbach Ua Conchobair (qv) (d. 1156), who reigned as high-king…

Ua Conchobair, Ruaidrí na Saide Buide

Ua Conchobair, Ruaidrí na Saide Buide (d. 1118), a son of Áed and overking of Connacht, belonged to a family line descended from Conchobar (qv) (d. 973) son of Tadc, of the Uí Briúin Aí dynasty. His father was…