Medieval Irish historical tradition held that Ireland had a High King (Ard Rí) based at Tara since ancient times, and compilations like the 11th-century Lebor Gabála Érenn, followed by Early Modern works like the Annals of the Four Masters and Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, purported to trace the line of High Kings. John T. Koch explains: "Although the kingship of Tara was a special kingship whose occupants had aspirations towards supremacy among the kings of Ireland, in political terms it is unlikely that any king had sufficient authority to dominate the whole island before the 9th century". Máel Sechnaill I is often considered the first historical High King, although he faced some opposition. Applying the title to earlier kings is considered anachronistic, while kings from before the 5th century are generally considered legendary. The traditional list of High Kings is thus a mixture of historical facts and legend.
The annals describe some later High Kings as rígh Érenn co fressabra ("Kings of Ireland with opposition"), which is a reference to the instability of the kingship of Tara from the death of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill in 1022. He had been overthrown by Brian Boru in 1002, and restored in 1014 following Brian's death, but Brian's example was followed by many other dynasties in the century following 1022. The High Kingship was effectively ended in the 1170s after the Anglo-Norman invasion, its last holder being Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair.
Legendary kings
Kings in the Baile Chuind The earliest-surviving list appears in the Baile Chuind (The Ecstasy of Conn), a late-7th-century poem in which Conn of the Hundred Battles experiences a vision of the kings who will succeed him. Many of these kings appear to correspond with the kings of later traditions, although the order is different, and some of the kings cannot be identified. The last four kings following Snechta Fína (Fínsnechta Fledach) do not correspond with any of the kings in later lists. The poem is therefore presumed to have been written during his time, and the kings who follow him are presumed to be fictional.Cycles of the Kings Web Project : Baile Chuinn Cétchathaigh
With few exceptions, kings belong to Dál Cuinn (the Connachta and Uí Néill). Understood as a list of kings of Tara, it is not considered to be inclusive. A number of well-known kings from the Laigin, Érainn, Ulaid and Cruthin, are missing. The chief rivals of Dál Cuinn after Conn's floruit (and others for a few centuries before) were the Dáirine (usually the Corcu Loígde during Dál Cuinn's era), two or three of whom are listed, but whose overkingdom in the south of Ireland collapsed in the 6th century. They were outmanoeuvred and replaced by the related Eóganachta, who established the Kingship of Cashel, soon to periodically rival Tara. The poem itself in its closing language probably mentions Cathal mac Finguine when young, and this can also be used to date the Baile Chuind to the late 7th or early 8th century.
Name Presumed identity NotesNot namedConn CétchathachThe list recounts Conn's vision of the kings who will follow himArtArt mac CuinnDál CuinnMac Con moccu Lugde LoígdeLugaid Mac ConDáirineCorbmacCormac mac AirtDál CuinnCorpreCairbre LifechairFiechriFiachrae CássanCruthin and/or Airgialla?Dáire Drechlethanlikely Dáire DoimthechDáirineFéchoFíacha Sroiptine?Dál CuinnMuiredach TirechMuiredach TírechCrimthandCrimthann mac FidaigEóganachta/DáirineNíellNiall NoígíallachDál CuinnLoígaireLóegaire mac NéillDál Cuinn/Uí NéillCorpriCoirpre mac Néill (died )AilillAilill Molt (died 482)Connachta/Uí FiachrachLugidLugaid mac Lóegairi (died c. 507)Uí NéillMac ErcéniMuirchertach mac Ercae (died c. 536)Uí Néill/Cenél nEógainÓengarbTúathal Máelgarb (died c. 544)Uí NéillAídprobably Áed mac Ainmuirech (died 598)Uí Néill/Cenél Conaill; seemingly misplaced, chronologicallyAíd Olláinprobably Áed Uaridnach (died 612)Uí Néill/Cenél nEógain; seemingly misplaced, chronologicallyDiermaitDiarmait mac Cerbaill (died c. 565)Uí Néill? Origins obscure.FeáchnoFiachnae mac Báetáin (died 626) or, perhaps, Fiachnae mac Feradaig, father of Suibne MennCruthin/Dál nAraidi, or Uí Néill/Cenél nEógainSuibneSuibne Menn (died 628)Uí Néill/Cenél nEógainDomnallDomnall mac Áedo (died c. 642)Uí Néill/Cenél ConaillBlathmac and Diarmaid grandson of the other oneBlathmac mac Áedo Sláine and Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine (both died 665)Southern Uí NéillSnechta FínaFínsnechta Fledach (died c. 695)Uí Néill/Síl nÁedo Sláine(Cathal mac Finguine)(died 742)Eóganachta/Eóganacht Glendamnach
Synthetic lists The Lebor Gabála Érenn, dating to the 11th–12th century, purports to list every High King from remote antiquity to the time of Henry II's Lordship of Ireland in 1171. The High Kingship is established by the Fir Bolg, and their nine kings are succeeded by a sequence of nine kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann, most if not all of whom are considered euhemerised deities. After the Milesian (Gaelic) conquest the High Kingship is contested for centuries between the descendants of Eber Finn and Érimón, sons of Míl Espáine. The original compilation stopped at the reign of Tuathal Techtmar. The kings of the Goidelic dynasties established by Tuathal were added by other editors. Later editions of the Lebor Gabála tried to synchronise its chronology with dateable kings of: Assyria, Persia and Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman emperors.R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956
There are a handful of sources slightly predating the Lebor Gabála Érenn covering significant portions of essentially the same list of Milesian High Kings (though following a discrepant chronology), starting with the Laud Synchronisms estimated to have been compiled (part of Laud 610). The oldest section of the Lebor Gabála Érenn "Roll of Kings" is taken from the poems of Gilla Cómáin mac Gilla Samthainde, written .
Early Modern works like the Annals of the Four MastersAnnals of the Four Masters vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at CELT and Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar ÉirinnThe History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating at CELT continued this tradition based on later Irish annals. Keating's chronology, based on reign lengths, is longer than the synchronised chronology of the Lebor Gabála, and the Four Masters chronology is even longer.
LGE: synchronised dates from Lebor Gabála Érenn FFE: chronology based on reign lengths given in Geoffrey Keating's Forus Feasa ar Erinn. AFM: chronology from the Annals of the Four Masters
Fir Bolg High Kings These kings are considered to be legendary.
LGEFFEAFMSláine mac Dela 1514–1513 BC1934–1933 BCRudraige mac Dela 1513–1511 BC1933–1931 BCGann and Genann mac Dela 1511–1507 BC1931–1927 BCSengann mac Dela 1507–1502 BC1927–1922 BCFiacha Cennfinnán mac Starn 1502–1497 BC1922–1917 BCRinnal mac Genann 1497–1491 BC1917–1911 BCFodbgen mac Sengann 1491–1487 BC1911–1907 BCEochaid mac Eirc 1487–1477 BC1907–1897 BC
Tuatha Dé Danann High Kings These kings are considered to be legendary.
LGEFFEAFMBres 1477–1470 BC1897–1890 BCNuada 1470–1447 BC1890–1870 BCLugh 1447–1407 BC1870–1830 BCEochaid Ollathair (The Dagda) 1407–1337 BC1830–1750 BCDelbáeth 1337–1327 BC1750–1740 BCFiacha 1327–1317 BC1740–1730 BCMac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine 1317–1287 BC1730–1700 BC
Milesian High Kings These kings are considered to be legendary.
LGEFFEAFMEber Finn and Érimón 1287–1286 BC1700 BCÉrimón 1286–1272 BC1700–1684 BCMuimne, Luigne and Laigne 1272–1269 BC1684–1681 BCÉr, Orba, Ferón and Fergna 1269 BC1681 BCÍriel Fáid 1269–1259 BC1681–1671 BCEthriel 1259–1239 BC1671–1651 BCConmáel 1239–1209 BC1651–1621 BCTigernmas 1209–1159 BC1621–1544 BC Interregnum 1544–1537 BCEochaid Étgudach 1159–1155 BC1537–1533 BCCermna Finn and Sobairce 1155–1115 BC1533–1493 BCEochaid Faebar Glas 1115–1095 BC1493–1473 BCFíachu Labrainne 1095–1071 BC1473–1449 BCEochu Mumu 1071–1050 BC1449–1428 BCÓengus Olmucaid 1050–1032 BC1428–1410 BCÉnna Airgdech 1032–1005 BC1410–1383 BCRothechtaid mac Main 1005–980 BC1383–1358 BCSétna Airt 980–975 BC1358–1353 BCFíachu Fínscothach 975–955 BC1353–1333 BCMuinemón 955–950 BC1333–1328 BCFaildergdóit 950–943 BC1328–1318 BCOllom Fotla 943–913 BC1318–1278 BCFínnachta 913–895 BC1278–1258 BCSlánoll 895–880 BC1257–1241 BCGéde Ollgothach 880–863 BC1241–1231 BCFíachu Findoilches 863–833 BC1231–1209 BCBerngal7th century BC833–831 BC1209–1197 BCAilill mac Slánuill831–815 BC1197–1181 BCSírna Sáeglach814–794 BC1181–1031 BCRothechtaid Rotha794–787 BC1031–1024 BCElim Olfínechta787–786 BC1024–1023 BCGíallchad786–777 BC1023–1014 BCArt Imlech7th–6th century BC777–755 BC1014–1002 BCNuadu Finn Fáil755–735 BC1002–962 BCBres Rí735–726 BC962–953 BCEochu Apthach6th–5th century BC726–725 BC953–952 BCFinn mac Blatha725–705 BC952–930 BCSétna Innarraid5th century BC705–685 BC930–910 BCSiomón Brecc685–679 BC910–904 BCDui Finn679–674 BC904–894 BCMuiredach Bolgrach674–670 BC894–893 BCÉnna Derg670–658 BC893–881 BCLugaid Íardonn658–649 BC881–872 BCSírlám649–633 BC872–856 BCEochu Uairches633–621 BC856–844 BCEochu Fíadmuine and Conaing Bececlach621–616 BC844–839 BCLugaid Lámderg and Conaing Bececlach616–609 BC839–832 BCConaing Bececlach (alone)609–599 BC832–812 BCArt mac Lugdach 599–593 BC 812–806 BCFíachu Tolgrach 593–586 BC806–796 BCAilill Finn5th–4th century BC586–577 BC796–785 BCEochu mac Ailella577–570 BC785–778 BCAirgetmar4th century BC570–547 BC778–748 BCDui Ladrach547–537 BC748–738 BCLugaid Laigdech537–530 BC738–731 BCÁed Rúad530–509 BC731–724 BCDíthorba509–488 BC724–717 BCCimbáeth488–468 BC717–710 BCÁed Rúad (2nd time) 710–703 BCDíthorba (2nd time) 703–696 BCCimbáeth (2nd time) 696–689 BCÁed Rúad (3rd time) 689–682 BCDíthorba (3rd time) 682–675 BCCimbáeth (3rd time) 675–668 BCCimbáeth and queen Macha 668–661 BCMacha Mong Ruad (alone)4th–3rd century BC468–461 BC661–654 BCRechtaid Rígderg461–441 BC654–634 BCÚgaine Mor3rd century BC441–411 BC634–594 BCLóegaire Lorc411–409 BC594–592 BCCobthach Cóel Breg409–379 BC592–542 BCLabraid Loingsech379–369 BC542–523 BCMeilge Molbthach369–362 BC523–506 BCMug Corb362–355 BC506–499 BCÓengus Ollom355–337 BC499–481 BCIrereo337–330 BC481–474 BCFer Corb330–319 BC474–463 BCConnla Cáem319–315 BC463–443 BCAilill Caisfiaclach3rd–2nd century BC315–290 BC443–418 BCAdamair290–285 BC418–414 BCEochaid Ailtlethan285–274 BC414–396 BCFergus Fortamail2nd century BC274–262 BC396–385 BCÓengus Tuirmech Temrach262–232 BC385–326 BCConall Collamrach232–226 BC326–320 BCNia Segamain226–219 BC320–313 BCÉnna Aignech219–191 BC313–293 BCCrimthann Coscrach191–184 BC293–289 BCRudraige mac Sithrigi2nd–1st century BC184–154 BC289–219 BCFinnat Már154–151 BC219–210 BCBresal Bó-Díbad151–140 BC210–199 BCLugaid Luaigne140–135 BC199–184 BCCongal Cláiringnech1st century BC135–120 BC184–169 BCDui Dallta Dedad120–110 BC169–159 BCFachtna Fáthach110–94 BC159–143 BCEochu Feidlech94–82 BC143–131 BCEochu Airem82–70 BC131–116 BCEterscél1st century BC–1st century AD70–64 BC116–111 BCNuadu Necht1st century64–63 BC111–110 BCConaire Mór63–33 BC110–40 BC interregnum (5 years) interregnum40–33 BCLugaid Riab nDerg1st century33–13 BC33–9 BCConchobar Abradruad13–12 BC9–8 BC Cairbre Cinnchait 1st centuryCrimthann Nia Náir 12 BC – AD 5Crimthann Nia Náir8 BC – AD 9 Feradach Finnfechtnach 1st centuryFeradach FinnfechtnachAD 5–25Cairbre CinnchaitAD 9–14 Fíatach Finn, 1st centuryFiatach Finn 25–28Feradach Finnfechtnach 14–36 Fíachu Finnolach 1st centuryFiacha Finnfolaidh28–55Fiatach Finn 36–39 Elim mac Conrach, 2nd centuryCairbre Cinnchait55–60Fiacha Finnfolaidh39–56 Elim mac Conrach60–80Elim mac Conrach56–76
Goidelic High Kings Many of these kings are considered to be legendary. Dynastic affiliations are based on the genealogies of historical dynasties who claimed them as an ancestor.