Updated Early Kings of Connacht Article
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Updated Early Kings of Connacht Article
I have completely revamped my previous Early Kings of Connacht article. A lot of assumptions have been tossed out the window, with a few new ones added. But overall, I think my King List looks very solid now. Comments, suggestions, etc. are very welcome in this post thread.
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RGwinn57
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Re: Updated Early Kings of Connacht Article
David-- This is very interesting and the clarity of your King's List analysis is fantastic. Regarding Feradach Daithe, if I understand correctly he was the last pagan High King but was not considered a King of Connacht. Is that correct?
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Re: Updated Early Kings of Connacht Article
Ron,
Thank you!
And correct. Feradach Daithe (AKA Nath Í) was a High King but not a King of Connacht. His brother Amalgaid was the King of Connacht during his reign as High King. It appears Feradach Daithe (AKA Nath Í) died before Palladius came to Ireland in 431 AD followed by Patrick in 432 AD. While Christianity was known in Ireland before the advent of Palladius and Patrick, it was apparently a very fringe religion since traditional Irish druidism was the norm in all the early accounts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Dating
Regardless, during the period from ~406 AD to ~428 AD, the Uí Fiachroí Foltsnáthaig branch of the Connachta dominated Ireland.
¹ The people who quibble over the range of 5 years for the first Patrick's death date conveniently ignore the fact that this is typical in the early annalistic dates due to the dating system used. See Dr. Daniel P. Mc Carthy's Irish Chronicles and Their Chronology and the synchronized date of the first Patrick's arrival in Ireland.
Thank you!
And correct. Feradach Daithe (AKA Nath Í) was a High King but not a King of Connacht. His brother Amalgaid was the King of Connacht during his reign as High King. It appears Feradach Daithe (AKA Nath Í) died before Palladius came to Ireland in 431 AD followed by Patrick in 432 AD. While Christianity was known in Ireland before the advent of Palladius and Patrick, it was apparently a very fringe religion since traditional Irish druidism was the norm in all the early accounts.
In an aside, I am one of those who accept the hypothesis that there were TWO men who used the title of Patricius while proselytizing Ireland. The first was the man most people recognize as St. Patrick who came to Ireland in 432 AD and died ~457 to 462 AD.¹ The second man only appears attested to by a death date of ~492 to 493 AD. The origin of the second man is unknown and he appears to have been deliberately conflated with the first man by overzealous hagiographers.Pope Celestine I consecrated him [Palladius] a bishop and sent him to Ireland “to the Scotti believing in Christ”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladius ... f_Ireland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick#Dating
Regardless, during the period from ~406 AD to ~428 AD, the Uí Fiachroí Foltsnáthaig branch of the Connachta dominated Ireland.
¹ The people who quibble over the range of 5 years for the first Patrick's death date conveniently ignore the fact that this is typical in the early annalistic dates due to the dating system used. See Dr. Daniel P. Mc Carthy's Irish Chronicles and Their Chronology and the synchronized date of the first Patrick's arrival in Ireland.