Maol Seachlainn Ó Domhnaill

Maol Seachlainn Ó Domhnaill (died 1247) was King of Tír Chonaill and a member of the Uí Domhnaill. He was a son of Domhnall Mór Ó Domhnaill, King of Tír Chonaill (died 1241),^[1] a man who was married to Lasairfhíona, daughter of Cathal Crobhdhearg Ó Conchobhair, King of Connacht. Maol Seachlainn had two brothers: Gofraidh (died 1257) and Domhnall Óg (died 1281).^[2]

Reign

In 1245, Maol Seachlainn ravaged North Connacht. The following year, Maurice fitz Gerald invaded Tír Chonaill, seizing several hostages and secured them within Sligo Castle.^[3] The year afterwards, Maol Seachlainn counter-attacked Maurice, and the hostages were killed in retaliation.^[4]

In 1247, Maurice invaded Tír Chonaill again, and was halted at Ballyshannon by the combined forces of Cineál Chonaill and Cineál Eoghain. When Cormac Ó Conchobhair forded the River Erne and came upon Maol Seachlainn's combined forces from the rear,^[5] and Maol Seachlainn fell in the resulting Battle of Ballyshannon.^[6]

Following Maol Seachlainn's death, Maurice installed Ruaidhrí Ó Cannanáin as Lord of Tír Chonaill. The latter, however, was later repulsed and slain by Gofraidh.^[7]

Maol Seachlainn is the subject of an a contemporary elegy composed by Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe (died c. 1272).^[8]

Citations

1. Simms (2001) p. 14 tab. ii; McKenna (1946) p. 371.
2. Simms (2001) p. 14 tab. ii.
3. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 112.
4. Ó hUiginn (2016) pp. 112–113.
5. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 113.
6. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 113; Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 113; McKenna (1946) p. 371; Orpen (1915) p. 280.
7. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 114.
8. Ó hUiginn (2016) p. 113; McKenna (1946).

References

Primary sources

• McKenna, L (1946). "Some Irish Bardic Poems: LXXIX". Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review. 35 (139): 371–378. ISSN 0039-3495. JSTOR 30100099 – via JSTOR. (subscription required (help)).

Secondary sources

• Orpen, GH (1915). "The Normans in Tirowen and Tirconnell". The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 5 (4): 275–288. ISSN 0035-9106. JSTOR 25514431 – via JSTOR. (subscription required (help)).
• Ó hUiginn, R (2016). "Annals, Histories, and Stories: Some Thirteenth-Century Entries in the Annals of the Four Masters". In Boyd, M. Ollam: A Festschrift for Tomás Ó Cathasaigh. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. pp. 101–115. ISBN 978-1-61147-834-1 – via Google Books.
• Simms, K (2001). "The Clan Murtagh O'Conors". Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society. 53: 1–22. ISSN 0332-415X. JSTOR 25535718 – via JSTOR. (subscription required (help)).