General Notes

[1700591.ged]
Cuinn Cetchathach may or may not have been a historical King.  His
kingdom was the entire north of Ireland, Counties Ulster and Connaught,
known as Leth Conn, or Conn's Half, or "Half of the Head."  His seat was
in county Meath, at Tara.  His rival was
Eoghan, Mog Nuadat, who returned from banishment in Spain to rule the
south of Ireland, counties Leinster and Munster. This was called Leth
Mog, or Mog's Half, or "Half of the Servant."
- from Encyclopedia Britannica
How were Irish kings selected? They were normally 'elected' from any one
of the males comprised in the "deirbhfhine", the descendants of a
deceased chief to the fourth generation. Election frequently originated
from higher level kings and overlords,
and kings were often "selected" after battling with rival claimants. The
old law tract 'The Five Paths of Judgement' states that any would-be king
must be the son of a king and the grandson of a king. A man whose father
ruled before him, but not his
grandfather, was known as a middle-ranking king. The candidate must also
be of good legal standing, be not guilty of theft, be physically
unblemished, and also be a man of property.
Early 'Brehon Law' specify three grades of king:
- king of the local "tuath" or tribal kingdom.
- king of a larger territory and overlord of a group of local tuaths.
- king of a province, consisting of multiple territories.
At a later date in Irish history the Ard-Rí was created, or the king of
all provinces, the High King of Ireland.
The celebrated Conn of the hundred Battles was a son of Feidlimid, the
son of Tuathal - though he did not immediately succeed Feidlimid. Between
them reigned Cathari Mor, who was father of thirty sons, among whom and
their posterity he attempted to
divide Ireland, and from whom are descended the chief Leinster families.
As Conn's title suggests, his reign was filled with battling. Conn's
strenuous militancy and the suggestive title that it won for him, made
him famed beyond worthier men - the
greatest pride of some of the noblest families of the land a thousand
years and more after his time trace back their descent to him of the
Hundred Battles. Conn's life and reign were ended by his assassination at
Tara. Fifty robbers hired by the king
of Ulster, came to Tara, dressed as women, and treacherously despatched
the Monarch. Conn's son in law, Conaire II, who succeeded him as monarch
- for his son Art was then but a child - is famed as father of three
Carbris, namely Carbri Musc, from whom
was named the territory of Muskerry, Carbri Baiscin, whose descendants
peopled Corca Baiscin in Western Clare, and most notable of them, Carbri
Riada, who, when there was a famine in the South, led his people to the
extreme Northeast of Ireland, and
some of them across to the nearest part of Scotland, where they settled,
forming the first important colony of Scots (Irish) in Alba, and driving
there the edge of the Irish wedge which was eventually to make the whole
country known as the land of the
Scots (Irish).