Civil History

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To such an extent was Irish energy, absorbed in religious and scholarly activities during this period that but little is to be said regarding the political history. The new dynasties were establishing themserves and in som

e cases meeting with some opposition. Friction, too, arose when their rising power came into conflict with the older states. The struggles that took place were not, however, of lasting importance.

• Rivalry of Tara and Laighin.—The one instance of bitter and continued hostility during the period is afforded by the rivalry between the Kings of Tara and Laighin. The aggression of the former and the opposition of the latter, which began in the time of Tuathal and Conn, were continued for centuries. The excuse was the imposition of the Borumha tribute, which, it should be remarked, was divided a mongst the Kingdoms ruled by the Siol Chimin—Tara, Oirghialla, Aileach, and Cruachan. In the lifetime of St. Patrick, King Laoghaire fought several battles to enforce the tribute, and his immediate successors followed his example. In the battle of Dunbolg* a famous Leinster King, Bran Dubh, defeated and slew the Ard Ri Aodh Mac Ainmire (a.d. 598). At St. Moling’s request the tribute was remitted (a.d. 677), but only for a time. In a great battle at the Hill of Allen,\ the Leinstermen won a complete victory (a.d. 722), but at Aih Seanaigh% they were utterly defeated by the Ard Ri, Aodh Allen (a.d. 738). The site of most of the fighting that took place in this long contest was the level plain lying between the slopes of the Wicklow Mountains and the hills that border the Bog of Allen.
• Dal Riada and Argyll.—It has been noticed in connection with Colmchille that the northern coast of Ireland and the coast of Caledonia which lay opposite were occupied by the Dal Riada. Early in the sixth century a migration of Irish Gaels took place under Fergus, who became King of Dal Riada—the Scottish portion of which took the name of Argyll (Airthir-Gaedhil—eastern Gaels). This Gaelic colony steadily extended its power until finally all Scotland was united under its King, Kenneth Mac Ailpin (a.d. 885), f rom whom all the succeeding Kings of Scotland were descended.
• Desertion of Tara.—After the reign of Diarmuid as Ard Ri, the palace of Tara was abandoned as a royal residence (a.d. 565). The desertion is said to have taken place owing to its being cursed by St. Ruadhan because the King had violated his sanctuary at Lorrha. It is, however, also urged that it was due to the weak position of the hill for the purposes of defence. Henceforward the Ard Ri lived in his own royal residence, such as Aileach for the Northern Ui Neill, and Dun na Sciath (near Lough Ennel) for the S outhern Ui Neill. The buildings of Cormac Mac Airt fell into decay and in the time of Brian Boroimhe a poet describes their grass-grown ruins. But the Ard Ri continued to be styled ” King of Tar a ” ; and even long after the Norman invasion, the annalists in recording the succession of each member of the royal family of Meath say that he became ” King of Tara.”
• Convention of Druim Ceata.—In the reign of Aodh Mac Ainmire the famous Convention of Druim Ce ata* (A.d. 574) took place. This meeting was held to consider two great questions—the right of the Ard Ri to tribute from the Gaelic colony in Argyll, and the position of the bardic order. The most pr ominent figure at the gathering was Colmchillef who crossed over from Iona accompanied by his relative Aidan, whom he had crowned King of Dal Riada. The colony of Argyll were declared free of tribute and they undertook to be the allies of the Ard Ri. The bards, who had become so numerous and exacting that many wished to abolish them, were retained, but their privileges were limited and their position made more definite. The decisions on both of these questions were mainly due to the influence of St. Columba.
• Battle of Moira.—It has been noticed that, general as had been the conversion of Ireland, some traces of paganism still remained. Many of its upholders were to be found amongst the bards, which probably accounted for the hostility to the order at Drumceata. In the Kingdom of Ulaidh both bards and druids best found shelter. Here, nearly two centuries after St. Patrick’s death, druidism fought its last organised fight. Congal Claon, King of Ulaidh, gathered together a large army of Saxon and Pictish mercenaries and made war against the Ard Ri, Domhnall. In a battle at Moira,% which lasted for six days, Congal was slain, his army annihilated, and the last trace of organised druidism swept away, a.d. 637.
• The Ard Ri.—From the date of the battle of Ocha, a.d. 483 {page 20), until the first attack of the Norsemen, a.d. 795, the annals give a list of thirty-four Kings who enjoyed the purely nominal title of Ard Ri. On five occasions we are told that joint Kings reigned, so that in reality the title changed hands only twenty-nine times in over 300 years. All of those who became Ard Ri were either of the Southern or Northern Ui Neill. Of the two branches the Northern predominated and there was no fixed order of succession, a number of Meath Kings sometimes succeeding each other, and vice versa. In the Northern branch, again, the Cineal Eoghain had a superiority over the Cineal Chotiaill family, Flahertach, who gained the title a.d. 727, being the last of the latter family who is named as Ard Ri.

* Near Limavady.