Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Annála Connacht (Author: [unknown])

Annal 1342

1342.1

1342 First of January on Tuesday and the seventeenth day of the moon, A.D. MCCCXLII. Thirteenth year of the Lunar Cycle; tenth year of the Indiction; eighteenth of the Solar Cycle. Common year. F.

1342.2

Gilla Dub Mag Uidir was drowned in Loch Erne in the rear of a raid.

1342.3

A great war broke out between Toirrdelbach O Conchobair, king of Connacht, and Conchobar Mac Diarmata, king of Moylurg;


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and Edmund Burke, Aed son of Feidlim O Conchobair and Donachad O Birn, chieftain of Tir Briuin na Sinna, rose up to help Mac Diarmata. O Birn drove O Conchobair, who had gone to take security for a raid which the Muinter Birn had previously made on Hobert Burke, into the church of Elphin, and Cathal B(ta) O Birn struck O Conchobair on the shoulder with a stick as he was going through the doorway of the church, saying: ‘To your sty, hog!’ ‘May it bring no good to my swineherd!’ answered O Conchobair. They killed some of O Conchobair's gallowglasses, including Mac Ruaidri, their Constable. General war and great evil arose in Connacht then, and the Clan Murtagh, with Aed son of Aed Brefnech and Cathal son of Aed Brefnech and Tadc son of Ruaidri, rose up on their side and began by destroying many of the corn-crops of the country.

1342.4

Ugly treachery was practised on the Clann Uilliam Burc at the bidding of O Conchobair, whereby Thomas Burke was killed by the Clann Muiris while he was present at their assembly, and Seoinin Burke was killed in the same manner by the Clann Ricairt.

1342.5

Cathal son of Gilla Crist Mac Diarmata was killed by Fergal O Taidc in this same war.

1342.6

Fergal son of Gilla Crist Finn Mac Cormaic was killed in this same war.

1342.7

Mac Diarmata and his princes inflicted a heavy defeat on O Conchobair at Bellaslishen. They carried the ford, which he was holding, by assault and slew Diarmait son of Brian O Fergail, the best man of his age of all the Conmaicne, and the son of Hobert Burke and Conchobar son of Donnchad Dub O hEilide.

1342.8

Seoan Mag Mathgamna, king of Oriel, foremost in bounty and valour, went a-raiding against Roalb Mag Mathgamna and was killed, with his gallowglasses, in the rearguard of his prey; and as great was the slaughter as the drowning of them.

1342.9

Cormac son of Ruaidri son of Donmall O Conchobair was captured by Conchobar son of Tadc and Ruaidri son of Cathal O Conchobair this same year, and Conchobar was captured by Brian son of Ruaidri and given into the custody of Conchobar Mac Diarmata, who sent him to the Rock [of Loch Key] to be guarded.

1342.10

Domnall O Dochurtaig, chieftain of Ardmire, a man of


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great bounty and valour, charity and humanity, died in his own house this year, and Seoan O Dochurtaig succeeded to his place.

1342.11

The whole of the Sil Murray, willingly or not, renounced their allegiance to the king of Connacht, Toirrdelbach son of Aed son of Eogan O Conchobair. The foremost of those who rebelled at this time were Edmund son of William Burke, Conchobar Mac Diarmata, king of Moylurg, with his kinsmen and all his Council, Aed son of Aed Brefnech son of Cathal Ruad O Conchobair, Tadc son of Ruaidri O Conchobair, Cathal son of Aed Brefnech son of Cathal Ruad, the forces of Brefne and Conmaicne, and Aed son of Fedlim son of Aed son of Eogan. Toirrdelbach was expelled, and no wonder, by all these. His friends advised him to go to Mac Diarmata's house by night and the Clan Murtagh, getting notice of this plan, made ready to intercept him on the roads and hazardous openings on the way to the stronghold; but he went past them in the pitchblack night with two or three horsemen. He was attacked on the causeway of the stronghold but cut his way through with the strength of his hand, wounding Cathal son of Aed Brefnech. Mac Diarmata had no knowledge of this till he heard the sound of cursing and the cries of distress approaching him in the stronghold. He rose up quickly and rescued O Conchobair and sent men of trust to escort him to the Rock, where he remained the best part of a week and was visited daily by the great men of the land. But Mac Diarmata was not suffered to make peace with him; so he conducted him to Roscommon Castle and left him there.

1342.12

Conchobar Ruad Mac Eochacain, chieftain of Kenaliagh, died.

1342.13

Tomas O Cinga died.

1342.14

Muiris Mag Eochacain rested.

1342.15

Simon son of Conchobar son of Simon Mac Gilla Arraith, one of the chieftains of Leyney, died.

1342.16

Murchad son of Tomaltach O Flannacain, one of the three best men of the Clann Chathail, was killed by the gallowglasses of Cathal's son.

1342.17

Aed son of Aed Brefnech son of Cathal Ruad O Conchobair was made king by the men of Connacht and Macwilliam Burke on the first Monday of Winter; the tanistship of Connacht was given to the son of Feidlim O Conchobair; Tirerrill was given to Fergal Mac Diarmata and Tadc son of Tomaltach son


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of Muirgius Mac Donnchada, expelled from his patrimony by Conchobar Mae Diarmata and his kinsmen, united himself to Toirrdelbach O Conchobair.

1342.18

Conchobar O Domnall, king of Tir Conaill and a worthy vessel for [the kingship of] all Ireland, if God had vouchsafed it to him, for his nobility and splendour and excellent bounty and valour, was killed by Niall O Domnaill, his own father's son. The house at Findros was burned over his head and as he came out he was slain in the doorway, after conquering the world and the Devil; and a large number of O Domnaill's household were also burned and slain there.

1342.19

Niall O Domnaill was made king by some of the Tir Conaill chieftains.

1342.20

Flann Oc O Domnallain, O Conchobair's ollav in poetry, rested.

1342.21

Domnall O Cuindlis, an eminent historian, was killed by the Ui Diarmata.

1342.22

Tomas Mac Gilla Coisclid, a most bountiful man, rested in Christ.

1342.23

Matha Mag Magnusa, a yeoman of Loch Erne, entered into rest.