Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameDomnall (Donald) O’Neill , High King of Ireland
BirthUlster Province, Ireland
Deathabt 980, Armagh, Ulster Province, Ireland
MotherFlann (-940)
Misc. Notes
King of Aileach 949 A.D.; 173rd High King of Ireland in 956-980 A.D.; was first High King of Ireland to use a surname.

"Donald of Armagh", [K. of Ireland 956-80], was the first of the line to be styled "O'Neill" (Ua Neill or "grandson of Niall), being possibly the first Irishman of station to assume what became an hereditary surname; it may have been intended as a quasi-title during the period 944-56, when to be a grandson of Niall "Black-Knee" implied rightful inheritance of the High Kingship (despite the usurpation of Congalach [K. of Brega], who had seized the High Kingship by force of arms). DOMNALL was a patron of learning, and gave "the full of St. Patrick's Bell of silver" to the Archbishop of Armagh in 947. In 962 he carried light boats overland and raided the Danes in the lake-dwellings and islands on Lough Ennell; he raided the settlers again in 969, burning 300 of them in one house. He defeated and overran Meath in 970, and killed GILLACOLUIM [K. of Tir Conaill] in 977. He d. 980 at Armagh, after serving a long penance for his sins. He married Mor, who was probably a daughter of Tadhg "of the Three Towers" [K. of Connaught],
Last Modified 22 Mar 2006Created 12 Oct 2023 using Reunion for Macintosh
Created Thursday, October 12, 2023 by Mike Perry

using Reunion for Macintosh