Family
Donnchad was certainly married to Bé Fáil ingen Cathail, daughter of Cathal mac Muiredaig, eponym of the Leth Cathail in Ulster. Her death is recorded by the Annals of Ulster in 801: "Be Fáil daughter of Cathal, Donnchad's queen, died." Their children included Óengus and Máel Ruanaid. Donnchad is less certainly believed to have been married to one Fuirseach, daughter of a Dál nAraidi king named Congal, said to have borne him Conchobar. The mother of his sons Ailill, Conn, Domnall and Falloman and his daughters Gormlaith and Euginis is not recorded. Eithne, who married Bran Ardchenn, King of Leinster, is sometimes called Donnchad's daughter but was more probably his sister.
Conn had predeceased his father, killed in 795. It was Domnall who succeeded Donnchad as King of Mide on his death, but he ruled for only a short time. The Annals of Ulster report that "Domnall son of Donnchad was treacherously killed by his kinsmen" in 799.
Donnchad's son Conchobar mac Donnchada was later king of Mide and High King. Máel Ruanaid was king of Mide and father of later High King Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid. Ailill was killed in 803 fighting against his brother Conchobar at Ruba Conaill. Óengus died in 830, he is called "king of Telach Midi"; so too did Fallomon, killed fighting the Munstermen. It may be that Ruaidrí son of Donnchad, the secundas abbas of Clonard and tanaise of Clonmacnoise—these terms probably mean he was vice-abbot of both communities— whose death in 838 is reported by the Chronicon Scotorum, was a son of this Donnchad.
Gormflaith ingen Donncadha, who died in 861, was married to Niall Caille, Áed Findliath was their son. Eugenis, who died in 802, is called "queen of the king of Tara" by the Annals of Ulster.
Read more about this topic: Donnchad Midi
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