Clan DonalD Ancestors in The Annals of Ulster

Excerpts from the Annals of Ulster (parallel the Annals of the Four Masters)

 

Year 558 AD

The Feast of Temair held by Diarmait, son of Cerball; and the flight before Maelcha’s son; and the death of Gabra, son of Domangart.

Year 600 AD

Repose of St Cainnech, and the battle of the Saxons in which Aedan was vanquished.

Year 606 AD
Death of Aedan son of Gabran son of Domangart, king of Albu (Alba or Scotland), and the slaying of the sons of Baetan i.e. son of Cairell.

Year 616 AD
Death of Suibne son of Crechane, king of Ciannachta Glinne Geimin, and death of Aedan son of Mongan, king of Dal Riata or nAraide and death of Petran bishop of Lusca.

Year 629 AD
The battle of Fid Fain in which Mael Caach son of Scannal, king of the Cruithin (Pict), was victor. The Dal Riata fell. Connid Cerr, king of Dal Riatai, fell.

The battle of Dan Ceithirn, in which Congal Caech took flight, and Domnall son of Aed was victor, in which Guaire son of Forinnan fell.

Death of Echaid Buide son of Aedan, king of the Picts. Thus I have found in the Book of Cuanu.

Year 673 AD
The burning of Mag Lunge.

The killing of Domangart son of Domnall Brec, king of Dal Riata.

Year 691 AD
Theodore, bishop of Britain, rested.

The Dal Riata despoiled the Cruithin (Pict) and the Ulaid (Ulster).

Year 697 AD
Tarachin was expelled from the kingship.

Eochu grandson of Domnall was killed.

Year 703 AD
The battle of Mag Cuilinn in Ard Ua nEchdach between the Ulaid and the Britons, in which Radgann’s son, an enemy of God’s churches, fell. The Ulaid were victors (Ulaid is the ancient name of Ulster, Northern Ireland).

The siege of Rithe.

Year 704 AD
Destruction of the Dal Riata in Glenn Limnae.

Year 731 AD
Echaid’s entry into clerical life.

Cuthwine’s son, king of the Saxons, is imprisoned.

A battle between the Cruithin and the Dal Riata of In Muirbolg, in which the Cruithin were defeated.

Year 735 AD
A huge dragon was seen, with great thunder after it, at the end of autumn.

Bede, a learned man of the Saxons, rested.

Year 736 AD
Aengus son of Fergus, king of the Picts, laid waste the territory of Dal Riata and seized Dan At and burned Creic and bound in chains two sons of Selbach, i.e. Donngal and Feradach; and shortly afterwards Bruide son of Aengus son of Fergus died.

The battle of Cnoc Cairpri in Calathros at Etarlinde between Dal Riata and Foirtriu, and Talorgan son of Fergus goes in pursuit of Ainfchellach’s son who had taken flight, many nobles falling in this encounter.

Year 746 AD
Dragons were seen in the sky.

Year 807 AD
Building of the new monastery of Colum Cille at Cenannas (Kells).

The moon was turned to the colour of blood.

The heathens burned Inis Muiredaig and invade Ros Comain.

Year 824 AD
Eochaid son of Bresal, king of Dal Araidi of the North, was killed by his associates.

Brigte, its king, and his brother Canannan, were taken prisoner and taken away to the ships.

The heathens defeated the community of Ard Macha in a battle at Aignig, and great numbers of them were taken captive.

Year 832 AD
The first plundering of Ard Macha (Armagh) by the heathens three times in one month.

Cinaed son of Echaid, king of Dal Araidi of the North, was deceitfully killed by his own associates.

Year 834 AD
Suibne son of Artra, king of all Mugdorna, was killed by his kinsmen.

Year 837 AD
A naval force of the Norsemen sixty ships strong was on the Bainn, and another one of sixty ships on the river Life. Those two forces plundered the plain of Life and the plain of Brega, including churches, forts and dwellings. The men of Brega routed the foreigners at Deoninne in Mugdorna of Brega, and six score of the Norsemen fell.
The heathens won a battle at Inber na mBarc against the Ui Neill from the Sinann to the sea, in which an uncounted number were slaughtered, though the principal kings escaped.

Year 840 AD
Ard Macha was burned with its oratories and stone church.

In this year below the Norsemen first came to Ireland, according to the senchus.

Year 842 AD
The heathens still at Duiblinn.

A naval force of the Norsemen was on the Boinn at Linn Rois. There was also a naval force of the Norsemen at Linn Sailech in Ulaid.

Year 843 AD
Suibne son of Forannan, abbot of Imlech Fia, dies.

Year 848 AD
A great snowfall on the Kalends 1st of February.

Mael Sechnaill won a battle against the heathens at Forach in which seven hundred fell.

Year 849 AD
A naval expedition of seven score ships of adherents of the king of the foreigners came to exact obedience from the foreigners who were in Ireland before them, and afterwards they caused confusion in the whole country.

Year 851 AD
The dark heathens came to Ath Cliath, made a great slaughter of the fair-haired foreigners, and plundered the naval encampment, both people and property. The dark heathens made a raid at Linn Duachaill, and a great number of them were slaughtered.

The complement of eight score ships of fair-haired foreigners came to Snam Aignech, to do battle with the dark foreigners; they fought for three days and three nights, but the dark foreigners got the upper hand and the others abandoned their ships to them. Stain took flight, and escaped, and Iercne fell beheaded.

Year 856 AD
There was much ice and frost so that the principal lakes and rivers of Ireland could be crossed by people on foot and on horseback from the ninth of the Kalends of December 23 Nov. to the seventh of the Ides 7 of January.

Great warfare between the heathens and Mael Sechnaill, supported by Norse-Irish.

Year 858 AD
The bishop and anchorite Cumsud, superior of Cluain Iraird, rested in peace.

Cinaed son of Ailpin, king of the Picts, and Ethelwulf, king of the Saxons, died.

Year 865 AD
A solar eclipse on the Kalends 1st of January, and a lunar eclipse in the same month.

Cellach son of Ailill, abbot of Cell Dara an I, fell asleep in the country of the Picts.

The Britons were driven from their land by the Saxons and were placed in bondage in Moin Chonain.

Year 866 AD
Aed son of Niall plundered all the strongholds of the foreigners i.e. in the territory of the North, both in Cenal Eagain and Dal Araidi, and took away their heads, their flocks, and their herds from camp by battle (?). A victory was gained over them at Loch Febail and twelve score heads taken thereby.

Year 867 AD
Auisle, one of three kings of the heathens, was killed by his kinsmen in guile and parricide.

The dark foreigners won a battle over the northern Saxons at York, in which fell Aelle, king of the northern Saxons.

Year 893 AD
The Saxons won a battle against the dark foreigners in which countless multitudes fell.

Year 902 AD
Finnguine, king of Caisel, was deceitfully killed by his associates.

The heathens were driven from Ireland, i.e. from the fortress of Uth Cliath, by Mael Finnia son of Flannacan with the men of Brega and by Cerball son of Muirican, with the Laigin; and they abandoned a good number of their ships, and escaped half dead after they had been wounded and broken.

Year 917 AD
Niall son of Aed, king of Ireland, led an army of the southern and northern Ui Neill to Munster to make war on the heathens. He halted on the 22nd day of the month of August at Topar Glethrach in Mag Feimin. The heathens had come into the district on the same day. The Irish attacked them between the hour of tierce and midday and they fought until eventide, and about a hundred men, the majority foreigners, fell between them. Reinforcements(?) came from the camp of the foreigners to aid their fellows. The Irish turned back to their camp in face of the last reinforcement, i.e. Ragnall, king of the dark foreigners, accompanied by a large force of foreigners. Niall son of Aed proceeded with a small number against the heathens, so that God prevented a great slaughter of the others through him. After that Niall remained twenty nights encamped against the heathens. He sent word to the Laigin that they should lay siege to the encampment from a distance. They were routed by Sitriuc grandson of Imar in the battle of Cenn Fuait, where five hundred, or somewhat more, fell.
Year 918 AD
Dainel of Cluain Coirpthe, a wonderful custodian of historical lore, fell asleep in peace.

The foreigners of Loch da Chaech, i.e. Ragnall, king of the dark foreigners, and the two jarls, Oitir and Gragabai, forsook Ireland and proceeded afterwards against the men of Scotland. The men of Scotland, moreover, moved against them and they met on the bank of the Tyne in northern Saxonland. The heathens formed themselves into four battalions: a battalion with Gothfrith grandson of Imar, a battalion with the two jarls, and a battalion with the young lords. There was also a battalion in ambush with Ragnall, which the men of Scotland did not see. The Scotsmen routed the three battalions which they saw, and made a very great slaughter of the heathens, including Oitir and Gragabai. Ragnall, however, then attacked in the rear of the Scotsmen, and made a slaughter of them, although none of their kings or earls was cut off. Nightfall caused the battle to be broken off.

Ethelfled, a very famous queen of the Saxons, dies.

Year 919 AD
The heathens won a battle against the Irish at Duiblinn in which fell Niall Glundub son of Aed, king of Ireland, in the third year of his reign, on the fourth feria, the eighteenth of the Kalends of October 14 Sept., and here fell also Aed son of Eochucan, king of Conchobor’s Province, and Mael Mithig son of Flannacan, king of Brega, and Conchobor grandson of Mael Sechnaill, heir designate or king of Temair, and Flaithbertach son of Domnall, heir designate of the North, and the son of Dub Sinaig, i.e. Mael Craibe, king of Airgialla, and many other nobles.The battle of Ath Cliath won by the foreigners.

Year 952 AD
The foreigners won a battle over the men of Scotland and the Welsh and the Saxons.

Year 965 AD
A battle between the men of Scotland themselves in which many were killed, including Donnchad, i.e. the abbot of Dun Caillen.

Year 971 AD
Cuilen son of Illulb, king of Scotland, was killed by the Welsh in a battle-rout.

Domnall ua Neill, king of Temair, was driven from Mide by the Clann Cholmain.

Year 975 AD
Edgar son of Edmund, king of the Saxons, rested in Christ.

Domnall son of Eogan, king of the Britons, died on pilgrimage, and Fogartach, abbot of Daire, died.

Year 980 AD
The battle of Temair was won by Mael Sechnaill son of Domnall against the foreigners of Ath Cliath (Dublin) and the Isles, and very great slaughter was inflicted on the foreigners therein, and foreign power ejected from Ireland as a result. There fell therein Ragnall son of Amlaib, the son of the king of the foreigners, and Conamal, son of a tributary king of the foreigners, and many others

Year 986 AD
A great disturbance in Ard Macha (Armagh) on the Sunday 25 July before Lammas between the Ui Echach and the Ui Niallain, and in it the son of Trenar son of Celecan and others fell.

The Danes arrived on the coast of Dal Riata, that is, with three ships, and seven score of them were executed and others sold.

I of Colum Cille was plundered by the Danes on Christmas Night, and they killed the abbot and fifteen of the elders of the monastery.

Year 989 AD
Gothfrith son of Aralt, king of Inse Gall, was killed in Dal Riata.

Year 999 AD
Brian, king of Caisel, led an army to Glenn Mama and the foreigners of Ath Cliath, accompanied by the Laigin, came to attack him. And they were defeated and a slaughter was inflicted on them, including Aralt son of Amlaib and Cuilen son of Eitigen and other nobles of the foreigners. This happened on Thursday the third of the Kalends of January 30 Dec. Brian afterwards entered Ath Cliath, and Ath Cliath was plundered by him.

Year 1005 AD
A battle between the men of Albu themselves, in which fell the king of Albu, i.e. Cinaed son of Dub.

Year 1014 AD
Brian son of Ceinnetig son of Lorcan, king of Ireland, and Mael Sechnaill son of Domnall, king of Temair, led an army to Ath Cliath. All the Laigin were assembled to meet him, and the foreigners of Ath Cliath, and a like number of the foreigners of Scandinavia, i.e. to the number of 1,000 breastplates. A valiant battle was fought between them, the like of which was never before encountered. Then the foreigners and the Laigin first broke in defeat, and they were completely wiped out.

Mael Muire son of Eochaid, successor of Patrick, with his venerable clerics and relics, came moreover to Sord Coluim Chille, and brought away the body of Brian, king of Ireland, and the body of his son Murchad, and the head of Conaing and the head of Mothla, and buried them in Ard Macha in a new tomb. For twelve nights the community of Patrick waked the bodies in honour of the dead king.

Year 1016 AD
Ireland at peace.

Year 1034 AD
Suibne son of Cinaed, king of the Gallgaedil, died.

Year 1041 AD
The events indeed are numerous, killings and deaths and raids and battles. No one can relate them all, but a few of the many are given so that the age in which the various people lived may be known through them.