Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe

Darerca (Mo-Ninne) (d. 519?), foundress of Killevy, Co. Armagh, and saint in the Irish tradition, was, according to the medieval genealogies, daughter of Mochtae son of Lilach. Her genealogy is therefore traced to a discard segment of the Dál nAraide dynasty of east Ulster. Her…

Darlugdach (Der Lugdach) (6th cent.?), abbess of Kildare, was a saint in the Irish tradition. Her genealogy is not preserved, but she may well be identical with Darlugdach of Lemdruim (Lorum, Co. Carlow) mentioned in the Book of Leinster tract on Irish saints and places. In that…

Derbfhorgaill (c.1108–1193), daughter of Murchad and queen-consort of Bréifne, belonged to the Ua Máelshechlainn line of Clann Cholmáin. Her father Murchad Ua Máelshechlainn (qv) was a long-reigning (1106–53) but oft-…

Diarmait (d. 825), grandson of Áed Rón, was founder and first abbot of Dísert Diarmata, a prominent member of the Céli Dé church reform movement, and a saint in the Irish tradition. His father, Fergal, was a relatively undistinguished member of the east Ulster Dál Fiatach…

Diarmait (d. 852), abbot of Armagh, was grandson of one Tigernán. He contested the abbacy with Forannán (qv) (d. 852) son of Murgal, after the death in 834 of Abbot Éogan Mainistrech (qv). In…

Diarmait (d. 565), son of Cerball and king of Tara, was an early representative of Uí Néill and was claimed as common ancestor of the Síl nÁedo Sláine and Clann Cholmáin dynasties. His father is named in Adomnán's ‘Vita Columbae’ and in the Annals of Ulster, and is presumably the…

Diarmait (late 6th cent.), founder and first abbot of Inis Clothrann (Inchcleraun on Lough Ree, Co. Longford), and saint in the Irish tradition, was – according to the medieval pedigree assigned to him – son of Lugna son of Lugaid, who was attached to the Connacht dynasty of Uí…

Diarmait Ruanaid (d. 665), son of Áed Sláine and king of Tara, belonged to the first generation of the Uí Néill dynasty of Síl nÁedo Sláine. His father, Áed Sláine (qv), whose death is placed at 604, reigned as king of Tara. His mother is…

Domnall (d. 1098), abbot of Kells and head of the Columban familia, was son of Robartach and apparently belonged to a lineage of Cenél Conaill. His father, in all probability, was Robartach son of Ferdomnach, also head of the Columban familia, who died in 1057. Domnall…

Domnall (d. 1105), abbot of Armagh, was a son of Amalgaid and a member of the ecclesiastical lineage of Clann Sínaig (descended from the Uí Echdach lineage of Airgialla), which virtually monopolised the headship of Armagh in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, its representatives…

Domnall (d. 642), son of Áed and king of Tara, belonged to the dynasty of Cenél Conaill. His father was Áed (qv) son of Ainmere (qv), king of Tara; his mother was Lann daughter of Áed Guaire, a king of the…

Domnall Brecc (‘the speckled’) (d. 643), son of Eochaid Buide and king of Dál Riata, belonged to the lineage of Cenél nGabráin. It is clear that Domnall had several brothers, but ‘Senchus Fer nAlban’ and other genealogical tracts disagree on the family composition; Conall…

Domnall Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 763), son of Murchad and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of Uí Néill. Domnall's reign saw further consolidation of his dynasty's position in the midlands, and the forging of close links between the Southern Uí Néill (which by…

Domnall Remur (d. 1041), son of Donnchad, a prominent Leinster dynast, belonged to the ruling lineage of Uí Chennselaig. Domnall, dubbed Remur (‘the fat’), was a brother of Diarmait (qv) son of Máel na mBó…

Donnchad (d. 1039), son of Gilla-Pátraic, king of Osraige and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Dál mBirn, which was traced to a proto-historic ancestor, Lóegaire Bern Buadach. Donnchad's father, Gilla-Pátraic son of Donnchad, died in 996 as king of Osraige. While the…

Donnchad Donn (‘the brown-haired’) (d. 944), son of Flann Sinna and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. His father Flann Sinna (qv) held the kingship of Tara till his death in 916; his mother was…

Donnchad Máel Na Mbó (d. 1006), son of Diarmait and king of Uí Chennselaig, belonged to the lineage of Síl nOnchon. He played an important part in retaining the Uí Chennselaig kingship for that segment of Síl nOnchon that later emerged as the family line of Mac Murchada. He was…

Donnchad Midi (‘of Meath’) (d. 797), son of Domnall Midi and king of Tara, belonged to the Clann Cholmáin dynasty of the Southern Uí Néill. Arguably the most powerful Irish king of his day, Donnchad suppressed resistance within his own province of Meath, acted as kingmaker in…

Dub-dá-leithe (d. 793), son of Sínach, was abbot of Armagh and progenitor of the ecclesiastical lineage of Clann Sínaig. He represented an Irish tradition of non-celibate clergy: it was not uncommon, especially in the pre-reform period, for holders of senior church office – including…

Dubthach of the moccu Lugair (5th cent.?), remembered as a leading poet and brehon who flourished around the time of the introduction of Christianity into Ireland, is attached to the population group of Cenél Lugair, which is traced to one Óengus Umall of Connacht. Tradition…

Dúnchad (d. 728), son of Murchad and overking of Leinster, was a member of the Uí Dúnlainge dynasty. Although his father Murchad (qv) son of Bran Mút had died as overking of Leinster in 727, the name of Dúnchad's mother is unrecorded. The…

Dúnlaing (5th cent.?), son of Énnae Nia and Leinster dynast and ancestor figure, features prominently in the historical and genealogical tradition of the Laigin. He is represented as a grandson of Bressal Bélach, ancestor of the Leinster kings, and as a brother of Brión Lethderg…

Dúnlaing (d. 1014), son of Tuathal and overking of Leinster, belonged to the dynasty of Uí Muiredaig. Tuathal (qv) having died as overking (958), Dúnlaing and his brother Augaire strove to maintain the status of their dynasty in the face of…

Dúnlaing (d. 869), son of Muiredach and overking of Leinster, belonged to the Uí Muiredaig lineage of Uí Dúnlainge. His father, Muiredach son of Bran Ardchenn (qv), who had been appointed joint puppet king of Leinster (804) by the king…

Echmarcach (d. 1064/5), son of Ragnall and king of Dublin and the Isles, belonged to the Hiberno-Norse ruling dynasty of Waterford. As his father Ragnall had been slain (1035) by King Sitriuc…