Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair

Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair (old spelling: Tairrdelbach Mór Ua Conchobair; 1088 – 1156) anglicised Turlough Mór O'Conor, was King of Connacht (1106–1156) and High King of Ireland (ca. 1120–1156).

Family background and early life Toirdelbhach was born in the year 1088. He was the youngest son of Ruaidrí na Saide Buide (died 1118), and his mother was Mór, daughter of Toirdelbach Ua Briain (1009–14 July 1086). Therefore, through his mother, his great-great-grandfather was Brian Boru. His brothers were Niall (killed 1093), Tadc (killed 1097), Conchobar (murdered 1103), and Domnall, King of Connacht (deposed 1106). There was at least one sister, Dubhchobhlaigh Bean Ua hEaghra of Luighne Connacht (died 1131). Ruaidrí was married to four or more women.

According to the Annals of Tigernach, Toirdelbach's mother died the year he was born, suggesting his birth may have been arduous. In 1092, King Ruaidrí was blinded by Flaithbertaigh Ua Flaithbertaigh, an incident which led to the domination of Connacht by the Dál gCais of Munster, led by Tairrdelbach's uncle, the brother of Tairrdelbach's mother, Muirchertach Ua Briain, High King of Ireland, who possibly took Tairrdelbach into his household to groom him for the day when he would be king of Connacht. (p. 471, MIAE 2005)

However this would not occur until 1106; until then, Connacht endured a prolonged period of civil strife between different factions of the Uí Conchobair, Uí Ruairc of Bréifne as well as more minor families of the Uí Briúin and Síol Muireadaigh, including the long-displaced Ui Fiachrach Aidhne. Tairrdelbach's brothers Tadc and Domnall both gained the kingship at different times, but depended upon the support of Muircherteach Ua Briain.

Early reign The Cross of Cong, a reliquary and processional cross that contains a piece of the True Cross, was commissioned by Toirdelbach and made at Roscommon.

In 1106, with the support of his uncle Muirchertach Ua Briain, eighteen-year-old Tairrdelbach deprived his older brother Domnall of the kingship of Connacht. "Tairrdelbach carefully maintained his alliance with Ua Briain, sending troops to aid the High King against the Ui Ruaric of Bréifne in 1109. But he was also determined to defend his kingdom against predators such as Domnall Mac Lochlainn of the Uí Néill (d. 1121), king of the north of Ireland."

In 1110, Mac Lochlainn raided Connacht, carrying off herds of cattle and captives. While this raid rattled Toirdelbach, he demonstrated that he was not weak by attacking the Conmaicne and Breifne, with mixed fortunes; he defeated the former at Mag Na, but his army was defeated by the men of Breifne at Mag Brenair. He attacked the Northern Uí Néill the next year in 1111, plundering Termonn Dabeoc in Tír Chonaill and ravaging modern County Fermanagh as far as Lough Erne.

Domnall, Toirdelbach's brother who he had taken the Kingship of Connacht from would remain in Connacht, however, and contested Toirdelbach's claim to the throne of the Kingdom, but he was finally expelled southward to Munster by Toirdelbhach several years later in 1114. A year later in 1115, an attempt to assassinate him was made by some of his nobles who were discontent with his rule at Ath Bo, but they were unsuccessful.

Although much of his time and resources during his early reign were spent in Munster, he was also involved in campaigns elsewhere. In 1115, his wife Orlaith of the Kingdom of Meath died, ending the alliance between Toirdelbach and Murchad Ia Mael Sechnaill, King of Meath. Toirdelbach defeated their forces on both land and on the River Shannon, gaining the submission of Meath. He later married Connacht noblewoman Cailleach De, daughter of Ua hEidin, who was the mother of future High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, Toirdelbach's son. At the end of 1115, he bestowed gifts upon the church at the monastery at Clonmacaoise, including a drinking horn and chalice.

A tactic Toirdelbhach used throughout his career in politics and as High King was divide and rule. This can be seen in several instances, most notably the partition of Munster, which at the time, under the rule of the Ua Briain (O'Brien dynasty) was the most powerful kingdom in Ireland and had controlled the High Kingship for over a century, since the death of Brian Boru.

Partition and war in Munster In 1114, Toirdelbhach took advantage of political turmoil in the Kingdom of Munster, which at the time was ruled by his uncle, Muircherteach Ua Briain, King of Munster and High King of Ireland, who had previously often supported Toirdelbach as he reigned in Connacht and was the one who backed him to take the Kingship from his brother, had become "sick to the point of a living Skeleton". It was at this point that Diarmuid, brother of Muircherteach, took the Kingship and banished Muircherteach.

He also created a new supply of water for settlements in eastern Connacht when he constructed a six-mile-long canal which redirected the River Suck around a castle and towards nearby towns and villages. The route of this damn probably began near the modern town of Ballinasloe which was built on the river later.

A political strategy often utilised successfully by Toirdelbhach was the appointment of relatives or loyal nobles as rulers or governors of towns, cities and other lesser regions or kingdoms. This allowed him to keep control of every area in the country and avoid rebellions or alliances against him.

The Northern Uí Néill were alarmed by these attacks on the province of Ulster and decided to take action to assist the O'Donnells. Muircherteach Mac Lochlainn (who would later succeed Toirdelbach as High King of Ireland), who was a member of the Cenel Eoghain branch of the Ui Néill Dynasty, decided to request the assistance of the Viking Norse-Gaels who inhabited the Norse Kingdom of the Isles in the modern Hebrides and Western Isles of Scotland.

The Norse-Gaels were excellent sailors and possessed a large and advanced naval force. Mac Lochlainn sent a representative to request assistance in defeating Toirdelbach's fleet, which was granted. The Vikings, under the command of a man by the name of Mac Scelling, sailed from western Scotland and the two fleets met in a battle off the peninsula of Inishowen.

According to the Annals of the Four Masters, the battle lasted all day from the morning until late in the evening. The Annals state that the battle was "fiercely and spiritedly" fought and that there was a "great slaughter" and a great number of the High King's sailors were killed. However, the Irish fleet prevailed and the Norse-Gaels were slaughtered. Many of them abandoned ship and were subsequently captured by the Irish fleet. The Norse commander, Mac Scelling, apparently lost his teeth in the battle, but survived. However, the heavy casualties suffered by the High Kings forces appear to have severely weakened his power in the north and allow Mac Lochlainn to put more pressure on Ua Conchobhair in his ambition to secure the High Kingship.

Death and legacy Toirdelbach Ua Conchobhair died in the year 1156. His reign had lasted 50 years, one of the longest in Ireland and Europe up to that point in history. He was succeeded as King of Connacht by his son Ruadhrí mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobhair, who had previously been his Tánaiste.

He was succeeded as High King of Ireland by Muircherteach mac Lochlainn of the Northern Uí Néill, who would reign for ten years before being assassinated by his own nobles in the year 1166.

He was initially interred at the Cong Abbey, the very monastery he had rebuilt earlier in his reign. However he was later buried in Clonmacaoise, where many members of the ruling Ua Conchobhair royal bloodline would be buried. Toirdelbach's reforms, advances and military prowess in Ireland would be remembered for many years as arguably the greatest King of Ireland since the reign of his great-great-grandfather Brian Boru.

One of Toirdelbach's twenty sons, Ruadhrí, would become High King of Ireland following the death of Muircherteach mac Lochlainn, despite him rebelling against his father earlier in his life. He became High King of Ireland completely unopposed in the year 1166, and was crowned in Dublin. He would enjoy a period of relative peace in his High Kingship during the period of 1166–1169, however, Ireland would again be thrown into conflict when the Anglo–Norman invasion of Ireland occurred in 1169. This would begin eight hundred years of conflict and political tension with England and later, Britain.

Wives and children Tairrdelbach had the following known wives: Caillech Dé Ní Eidin Órfhlaith Ní Mailshechlainn, died 1115 Mór Ní Lochlainn, died 1122 Tailltiu Ní Mailshechlainn, sister of Órfhlaith, died 1127 Derbforgaill Ní Lochlainn, died 1151. Dubhcobhlach Ní Maíl Ruanaid, died 1168.

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, writing in 1649, wrote the following account of Tairrdelbach's family (219.16 – 220.13, pp. 486–489):

" Toirdhealbhach Mor s. Ruaidhri, high-king of Ireland, had many sons; Ruaidhri, king of Ireland also, Cathal Croibhdhearg, king of Connacht, Domhnall Mor, tainst of Connacht (to him was finally granted the hundredfold increase) were his three sons by his wife; Maol Iosa, coarb of Coman, was the eldest of his family (and his heir), and Aodh Dall and Tadhg Alainn and Brian Breifneach and Brian Luighneach, Maghnus and Lochlainn, Muircheartach Muimneach, Donnchadh, Maol Seachlainn, Tadhg of Fiodhnacha, Cathal Mioghran, two [sons named] Conchabhar, Diarmaid, Domhnall, Muirgheas, Tadhg of Dairean, Murchadh Fionn."

– Conchobar Ua Conchobair, fl. 1126–1144 – unnamed daughter, wife of Murchadh Ua hEaghra, murdered 1134 – Aedh Dall Ua Conchobair, fl. 1136–1194 – Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, fl. 1136–1198 – Tadhg Alainn Ua Conchobair, died 1143/1144 – Cathal Migarán Ua Conchobair, died 1151 or 1152 – Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, 1152–1224 – Donnell Mor Mideach Ua Conchobair, died 1176 – Brian Breifneach Ua Conchobair, fl. 1156 – Brian Luighnech Ua Conchobhair, fl. 1156–1181 – Maghnus Ua Conchobair, died 1181 – Mór Ní Conchobair, died 1190 – Muirchertach Muimhnech Ua Conchobair, died 1210 – Máel Ísa, Abbot of Roscommon, died 1223 – Muirgheas the Canon, died 1224 – Aedh – Maghnus – Lochlann – Donchadh – Maol Seachlainn – Tadhg Fiodhnacha – Conchobair – Diarmaid – Tadhg Dairean – Murchadh Finn – Uran

Via his son, Brian Luighnech O Conchobhair, descended the dynasty of the Ó Conchobhair Sligigh, and from Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair both the O Conchobhair Ruadh and the Ó Conchubhair Donn.

Ancestry

Family tree