Kevin Patrick Mostyn Family - Person Sheet
Kevin Patrick Mostyn Family - Person Sheet
NameMuirchertach MacToirdelbaig O'BRIEN High King Of Ireland, 25G Grandfather
FatherTorlogh Mór O'BRIEN High King Of Ireland (1009-1086)
MotherDirborgail ingen Taidg (~1010-1098)
Web Notes notes for Muirchertach MacToirdelbaig O'BRIEN High King Of Ireland
King of Munster & Thomond 1086-1114 when he was deposed. King again 1115-1116, when he was again deposed. King again 1118-1119. High King of All Ireland 1086-1014.
From the book "The Oxford History of Ireland" edited by R. F. Foster, 1992, ISBN 0-19-285271-X, page 41:
In 1111 Muirchertach O'Brien spent from 29 Sep to Christmas in his city of Dublin. He was king of Munster and would-be king of Ireland. The kings acted as owners of the land. We find them granting land to the church, often by charter. The most spectacular of these was when Muirchertach O'Brien granted the fortress of Cashel to the church in 1101 as a seat for an archbishop. A generous gesture, but it also deprived his rivals of their royal centre.
Muirchertach expelled the Connacht dynasty in 1095, lopped off three territories for himself, and granted the rest away. He failed to make this stick. The kings made laws and imposed taxes. From 1086-1114 the most powerful king in Ireland was Muirchertach O'Brien. He had dealings with the Anglo-Normans and the Norwegian king, dominated most of the country, and played politics in church as well. However, Domnall Mac Lochlainn, king of the Uí Néill, was able to hold him in check until the dynamic Turlough O'Connor, king of Connacht (1106-56) came on the scene.
page 46:
Ireland was economically dependent on trade with England. This economic dependence explained why the High-King Muirchertach O'Brien and his less celebrated successors were almost invariably careful to maintain a show of devotion, even subservience, to King Henry I of England.
Muircheartach ancestor of Clann Mathghamhna of Thomond according to an ollamh of the Dal gCais themselves. One of their Ollamha speaks as follows -
The children of Toirrdhealghach who shirked not fight
Were great Muircheartach and Diarmaid,
An expert progeny to whom woods bowed,
Noble Muircheartach was their senior.
The children of the younger of them
Were Siol mBrian, sprung from Diarmaid;
While the warlike expert race
Clann Mathghamhna sprang from Muircheartach.
The History and Topography of the County of Clare by James Frost
Part I. Topography of Thomond Chapter 2. Ui Ainmire
. . . in the ninth century the men of Ulster having invaded Thomond, took away from Cratloe a sufficient quantity of oak to roof the palace of the kings of the north, at Aileach, near Derry. In revenge for this offence and for the burning of Kincora also, Murtogh O’Brien, monarch of Ireland in the year 1101, marched northwards to Donegal and demolished Aileach, ordering his men to bring a stone of the building in every sack which had been emptied of provisions on the march. With these stones he built a parapet on top of his palace situated on the site of the present cathedral of St. Mary at Limerick, the materials of which were afterwards incorporated into that edifice.
O’Curry’s Lectures on MS. Materials of Irish History, p. 401. Dublin, 1861; and Annals of Four Masters. II. 969. Dublin, 1856.
He gave King William Rufus of England a gift of oak trees to construct the roof of Westminster Hall.9
In the early 12th century Muirchertach Mor O’Briain was leader of the Dal gCais and could be regarded as High King, although he never got full recognition in the northern half of the country. Muirchertach gave his support to the movement for reform and was present at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 which divided Ireland into dioceses for the first time. The king’s influence and power were apparent in the huge amount of territory given to the diocese of Killaloe, streching from Loop Head in the west to Kinnity in the east. Following the death of Muirchertach in 1119 the power of the O’Briens declined.
From the book "The Oxford History of Ireland" edited by R. F. Foster, 1992, ISBN 0-19-285271-X, page 41:
In 1111 Muirchertach O'Brien spent from 29 Sep to Christmas in his city of Dublin. He was king of Munster and would-be king of Ireland. The kings acted as owners of the land. We find them granting land to the church, often by charter. The most spectacular of these was when Muirchertach O'Brien granted the fortress of Cashel to the church in 1101 as a seat for an archbishop. A generous gesture, but it also deprived his rivals of their royal centre.
Muirchertach expelled the Connacht dynasty in 1095, lopped off three territories for himself, and granted the rest away. He failed to make this stick. The kings made laws and imposed taxes. From 1086-1114 the most powerful king in Ireland was Muirchertach O'Brien. He had dealings with the Anglo-Normans and the Norwegian king, dominated most of the country, and played politics in church as well. However, Domnall Mac Lochlainn, king of the Uí Néill, was able to hold him in check until the dynamic Turlough O'Connor, king of Connacht (1106-56) came on the scene.
page 46:
Ireland was economically dependent on trade with England. This economic dependence explained why the High-King Muirchertach O'Brien and his less celebrated successors were almost invariably careful to maintain a show of devotion, even subservience, to King Henry I of England.
Muircheartach ancestor of Clann Mathghamhna of Thomond according to an ollamh of the Dal gCais themselves. One of their Ollamha speaks as follows -
The children of Toirrdhealghach who shirked not fight
Were great Muircheartach and Diarmaid,
An expert progeny to whom woods bowed,
Noble Muircheartach was their senior.
The children of the younger of them
Were Siol mBrian, sprung from Diarmaid;
While the warlike expert race
Clann Mathghamhna sprang from Muircheartach.
The History and Topography of the County of Clare by James Frost
Part I. Topography of Thomond Chapter 2. Ui Ainmire
. . . in the ninth century the men of Ulster having invaded Thomond, took away from Cratloe a sufficient quantity of oak to roof the palace of the kings of the north, at Aileach, near Derry. In revenge for this offence and for the burning of Kincora also, Murtogh O’Brien, monarch of Ireland in the year 1101, marched northwards to Donegal and demolished Aileach, ordering his men to bring a stone of the building in every sack which had been emptied of provisions on the march. With these stones he built a parapet on top of his palace situated on the site of the present cathedral of St. Mary at Limerick, the materials of which were afterwards incorporated into that edifice.
O’Curry’s Lectures on MS. Materials of Irish History, p. 401. Dublin, 1861; and Annals of Four Masters. II. 969. Dublin, 1856.
He gave King William Rufus of England a gift of oak trees to construct the roof of Westminster Hall.9
In the early 12th century Muirchertach Mor O’Briain was leader of the Dal gCais and could be regarded as High King, although he never got full recognition in the northern half of the country. Muirchertach gave his support to the movement for reform and was present at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 which divided Ireland into dioceses for the first time. The king’s influence and power were apparent in the huge amount of territory given to the diocese of Killaloe, streching from Loop Head in the west to Kinnity in the east. Following the death of Muirchertach in 1119 the power of the O’Briens declined.