Flaithbertach Ua Neill Captures Dun Echdach
Who Fought
Cenél nEógain forces under Flaithbertach Ua Néill
the kingdom of Ulster
History & Significance
Flaithbertach Ua Néill (before 978–1036) was king of Ailech, a kingdom of north-west Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, for which reason he was known as Flaithbertach an Trostáin (Flaithbertach of the Pilgrim's staff). Following the death of his son Áed in 1033, Flaithbertach left his retirement and resumed the leadership of the Northern Uí Néill.
Flaithbertach, a grandson of Domnall ua Néill, belonged to the northern Cenél nEógain branch of the Northern Uí Néill. The later O'Neill (Irish Ua Néill) kindred, kings of Tír Eógain and later earls of Tyrone, descended from Flaithbertach's branch of Cenél nEógain, and were named for his great-great-grandfather Niall Glúndub. The rival Meic Lochlainn branch of Cenél nEógain, which would be important in the generations after Flaithbertach's lifetime probably descended from Niall Glúndub's brother Domnall mac Áeda. Most of the province of Ulster, from the River Bann in the east to the River Foyle in the west, was ruled by Cenél nEógain and their many clients, of whom the Airgíalla were the most important. Their own lands included much of modern County Londonderry and County Tyrone, which bears their name, extending from Lough Neagh to Lough Foyle and northwards to Inishowen. To the east lay the kingdom of Ulster, reduced to little more than modern County Down and southern County Antrim; to the west, Tír Conaill (modern County Donegal) was divided among the branches of another Uí Néill kindred, Cenél Conaill; and to the south the kingdom of Breifne and the kingdom of Mide.
The Cenél nEógain kings of Ailech were based originally in Inishowen. By the 9th century, however, Cenél nEógain power had extended eastwards, into lands which had once belonged to the kingdom of Ulster and the Airgíalla, and kings were inaugurated at Tulach Óg (Tullyhogue Fort, County Tyrone) and buried at Armagh. While not directly under the control of the kings of Ailech, Armagh was subject to their influence and it is recorded that the kings kept a house there. Although the Ecclesiastical Province of Armagh was divided at Synod of Kells-Mellifont in 1152, its authority over the churches of the north and centre of Ireland in Flaithbertach's time was much greater, as shown by the earlier boundaries between provinces established at the Synod of Ráith Bressail in 1111, which divided Ireland between Armagh and Cashel. Armagh was not only Saint Patrick's city, it was also in some measure the city of Cenél nEógain. Other major churches in the region, those established as sees following the 12th-century reforms, included the Columban churches of Derry and Raphoe, and the Patrician churches of Louth, Maghera and Connor.
The ground they fought on
The site of Flaithbertach Ua Neill Captures Dun Echdach lies on Belfast Group, bedrock that formed in the Late Permian. The rock here is sandstone and [subequal/subordinate] limestone, interbedded.
According to the source, having accompanied Brian Bóruma's sons on an invasion of Cenél Conaill as Brian's ally earlier in the same year, Flaithbertach nonetheless reverted to independent aggression against Ulster, capturing Dún Echdach and compelling the Ulster over-king Niall mac Duib Tuinne to submit to him, illustrating how difficult Brian found it to restrain his northern vassal even at the height of his power.
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