Cathal mac Áeda

Who is Cathal mac Áeda?

Cathal mac Áeda was a king in southern Brega of the Uí Chernaig sept of Lagore of the Síl nÁedo Sláine. He was the son of Áed Laigin mac Néill and great-great grandson of the high king Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine. His father had been slain at the Battle of Allen in the great defeat of the Ui Neill by the men of Leinster. He was chief of the Uí Chernaig from 729 to 737.

An isolated reference in the Annals of Ulster for the year 733 has 'the overthrow of Cathal by Domnall in Tailtiu, and the overthrow of Fallomun by Cathal in Tlachtga'. The consensus view among historians is that the Cathal mentioned was Cathal mac Finguine, King of Munster. However, the historian Charles-Edwards argues in favor of Cathal mac Áeda. He cites the lack of mention of this event in the Munster oriented Annals of Innisfallen. This theory proposes that Domnall attacked Cathal at Tailtiu, where the Uí Néill high kings traditionally held their main óenach. He was attacked there by Domnall Midi of the Clann Cholmáin branch and defeated. This was a step in the rise to Domnall as high king. Cathal however defeated the minor Uí Néill kindred of Clann Cholmáin Bicc under Fallomon mac Con Congalt at Tlachtga, the Hill of Ward, the site of another major Uí Néill óenach.