Reign
Donnchad's first venture was a campaign against armies of the Foreigners in modern County Louth, "in which a very large number were slaughtered." The majority of the reports of battles with the Foreigners thereafter in Donnchad's reign concern "the Hector of the western world", the indefatigable Muirchertach mac Néill—Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks—the King of Ailech and likely to have been Donnchad's successor had he not died in battle against the Foreigners on 26 February 943. Donnchad's relations with Muirchertach, his daughter's husband, were not good, and conflict between them is recorded in 927, 929, and 938. Muirchertach's wife died in 940, and in 941 he raided Mide, Osraige, and Munster, taking the Munster king Cellachán Caisil hostage as a demonstration of his power, and Donnchad's limited authority.
On Donnchad's death, he was succeeded as King of Tara by his sister's son, Congalach Cnogba, a member of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the Uí Néill. Donnchad's son Óengus became King of Mide.
Read more about this topic: Donnchad Donn
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