541 AD St

541 AD St. Molaise founded a monastery at Loch Erne on Devenish Island, in Co. Fermanagh - South West Ulster named for the Firmanach - The Men of Manach - who were originally from Leinster. He also founded another at Inish Murray Island, in Co. Sligo - North West Connacht, which is a half mile wide by a mile long, lying low at the entrance to Donegal Bay. There are still 3 small churches there in existence surrounded by a cashel including a women's church, the church of fire, St. Molaise’s Church, and a beehive hut.

543 AD A Great Plague occurred during this year and took a third of the population throughout the known World.

543 AD - 615 AD St. Columbanus founded monasteries in Ireland, Britain, France & Burgundy.

St. Finnbarr who was born at Rath Raithleen in Crookstown in Co. Cork - Southern Munster became the first Catholic Bishop of Cork and he requested Pope Gregory to confirm his office. Although his application was refused due to his lack of education his school there was to last for 200 years. He was to also found a monastery on the Gougane Barra Loch at the bottom of the Sheehy Mountains in Western Cork.

543 / 547 AD 91.Eogan "Bel," was the 4th Heremonian Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach King of Connacht who was a grandson of 89.Ailill "Molt" the 4th High King of Tara - Ireland, and a nephew of another 90.macc Ercae who died in 543 AD who is the direct ancestor of the Fir Chera Sept who was a brother to his father, 90.Kelly - Cellach. 91.Eogan "Bel" was killed in the Battle of Sligeach at the River Slicech while defending the territory of Cul Conaire in Cera - now Carra in Co. Sligo in North West Connacht, in which the Connachta were defeated. This battle was against 91.Fergus & 91.Donnell "Ilchelgach" the two sons of 90.Murtagh mac Ercae the previous Northern Ui Niaill Cenel nEogain 6th High King of Tara - Ireland. The Cenel nEogain were then allied with 91.Ainmire mac Sedna & 90.Ninnid mac Duach from the Northern Ui Niall Cenel Conaill Sept. 91.Eoghan “Bel” was buried upright at Raith Ua Fiachrach on Knockarea facing northwards with his red spear still in his hand facing towards his enemies the Northern Ui Niaill to create the impression that they could never defeat Connacht. Later the Northern Ui Niaill disinterred his body and buried him face down at Oenach Locha Gile - Loch Gill at there Assembly place. 91.Eogan "Bel" was to be the father of 92.Kelly - Cellach the Bishop of Killala while another of his sons, 92.Murray - Muiredach a brother to 92.Kelly was to be killed by 95.Guaire during an internal dispute between the Northern & Southern Ui Fiachrach Septs. 544 or 548 ? (It was also reported that 91.Eoghan "Bel" was killed in battle at Tortan in Co. Meath fighting against the men of Leinster.) 91.Eoghan "Bel's" son, 92. Ailill "Inbanda" became the Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach 5th King of Connacht.

544 AD At this time 90.Dermot - Diarmait mac Carroll - Cerbaill of the Southern Ui Niaill who would become the 8^th High King of Tara - Ireland was hiding out from 90.Toole "Maelgarb" the 7^th High King of Tara - Ireland, in the marshes of the River Shannon. He had previously banished 90.Dermot from Tara and the surrounding territory in Meath and he had gone with his followers to the reaches of the Upper Shannon for 9 years. This year he met up with St. Kieran - Ciaran and helped him with his foundation in staking out his plans for a monastery, eventually granting him land there, and physically assisted him to build the first wooden church at Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly - Western Leinster. (Also still in existence there now, is a Cathedral and 8 other churches including Teampall Finghin.) Later on when 90.Dermot became the High King at Tara he truly believed that it was through the intercession of St. Kieran's prayers. St. Kieran had previously returned from Inis Ainghin to the mainland and 90.Dermot mac Carroll - Cerbaill was on the river when he landed there and he had followed him to the Hill of the Well - Droim Tibrait now known as Clonmacnoise - Cluain mac Nois - The Meadow of the son of Nois - were he stopped over. He approached St. Kieran who was starting to build his Small Church - Eglais Beg there and St. Kieran then encouraged him to help him out telling him he would one day be the King of Tara - Ireland. Mael Morda who was a son of Airgeadon, who was 90.Dermot's foster - brother and tutor then decided that he would make this prophesy come true. He went to Grellach Eillti in the north of Co. Westmeath - North West Leinster were he had learnt that 90.Toole - "Maelgarb" the Southern Ui Niall 7th High King of Tara - Ireland was staying and speared him in the chest killing him and he himself was then killed in return. This also meant that 90.Toole "Maelgarb's" particular male line to the Kingship from his father, 89.Cormac "Caech" the son of 88.Coirpre, one of the 8 sons of 87.Niall of the Nine Hostages was to come to an immediate end. 90.Dermot mac Carroll was also another great - grandson of 87.Niall from the Southern Ui Niaill line and therefore of equal right to succeed to Tara. He was the son of 89.Fergus "Cerball" - Carroll whose father, 88.Conall "Cremthainn " was another of the 8 sons of 87.Niall. (88.Conall "Cremthainne" had also been a brother to 88.Conall "Gulban" the ancestor of the Cenel Conaill as it was common to use the same name for brothers until the 16th Century.) 88.Conall "Cremthainne's” other son, 89.Ardgal the 3^rd Southern Ui Niaill King of Mide - Meath would become the ancestor of the Cenel nArdgail Sept who were never to produce a High King of their own.

90.Dermot mac Carroll was then brought to Tara were he became the Southern Ui Niaill 8th High King of Tara - Ireland the very next day and was so effected by this instant result that he became a benefactor to the holy site at Clonmacnoise itself. Soon there were seven more churches there and two round towers, which where all situated on the east bank of the Shannon seven miles below Athlone in Co. Westmeath - North West Leinster. 90.Dermot mac Carroll then set up his own fortress at Ceanannus Mor aka Kells on the River Blackwater in Co. Meath - North East Leinster.

91.St. Columbcille, who had been with St. Mobhi who had set himself up at the Fair Stream - Finglas at Glasnevin in Co. Dublin - Mid Eastern Leinster when it was destroyed by the Plague, went up to Ulster to escape from it's effects. His cousin 91.Ainmire the Northern Ui Niaill Ui Conaill Prince in Tirconnell - The Land of Conall - gave him the Oak Grove - Derry on the River Foyle for a religious settlement, which was previously known as Calgarch's Oak Wood - Daire Calgaich. 91.St. Columbcille now 25 year old then built the Black Church monastery there on the island of Derry in Ulster, which became Daire Columbcille. He also founded a monastery at Drumlane on Loch Oughter near Milltown in Co. Cavan - Southern Ulster were the ruins are also still in existence. Their Gort na Moyan Inauguration Stone was situated 3 mile west of Garvagh in Co. Derry - Northern Ulster.

546 AD The Battle of Cuilne occurred this year were many of the Corciche were killed.

97.Cairbre, who was the Heremonian 6a Cu Corb King of Leinster at this time was a son of 96.Cormac, the previous Ui Dunlainge 6a King of Leinster descended from 86.Cu "Corb."

547 AD 93.Eochaidh, the King of Ulidia - Ulster a son of 92.Connla, son of 91.Caelbhadh, son of 90.Crond "Ba Drui," died this year who is the direct ancestor of the Ui Echach Ulaid Sept.

Crimthann the son of Brian, also died this year as did St. Dubhthach the Abbot of Armagh - Ard Macha who was from the Heremonian Dal Cuinn Colla Uais Sept in Southern Ulster descended from 84.Eochy "Doimhlen."

St. Carthy - Carthach founded the monastery at Lismore in Co. Waterford - North East Munster where students attended from Briton, Scotland & Ireland including the Saxon King Alfred the Great.

At this time the pagan Kings in Northumbria and the Lowlands of Scotland were threatening the Celtic Cruthin Picts, the Gaelic Irish and the Gaelic Irish Scottii settlements and also the Celts of Strathclyde.

547 AD St. Kieran - Ciaran who had been a disciple of St. Finnian of Clonard had been able to found his monastery at Clonmacnoise - Cluain Mheic Nois - The Meadow of the son of Nois - in Co. Offaly in Western Leinster as a school for his monks at the junction of Connacht, Meath & Munster. His Church was near his Holy Well, which is one of the most beautiful Wells in Ireland surrounded by 4 crosses that marked Sanctuary, which is situated 3 1/2 miles north west of Ceanannus Mor on the River Blackwater in Meath - Northern Leinster. He had previously left Hare Island on Loch Ree with 8 of his companions but within 7 months of arriving was to die here on the River Shannon at 37 years of age and may have been interred in his own church. Many of the Irish Kings were to also be interred here including the last King of Ireland after the Anglo - Norman Invasion, 112.Rory O Connor, with over 500 grave - slabs throughout the area. His monastery was in close proximity to the centre of Ireland near a ford on the River Shannon were the Esker Ridge crosses Ireland from east to west and was to be supported especially by the Septs in Conn's Half. The Vikings were to ravage it over and over again including Turgesius who was to burn it in 844 AD while his wife, Ota carried out sacrilege to heathen oracles on the altar.

St. Tierney - Tigernach who had been the first Catholic prelate at Clones - Cluain Eois - The Meadow of Eois, after he had founded a monastery there in Co. Monaghan - South West Ulster, also died from the Plague this year.

549 AD Sinheall the Bishop of Killogh - The Lake Church - Cill Locha - in Co. Down - South East Ulster died this year at a very great age.

550 AD 90.Dermot mac Carroll who was now the 8^th King of Tara - Ireland granted Ceanannus Mor aka Kells in Co. Meath - North East Leinster to 91.St. Columbcille - Columba were he built a monastery. Another monastery was built at Tuamgraney in Co. Clare - North West Munster and a Columban monastery was also constructed at Moone 3 miles from Ballintore in Co. Kildare - Central Leinster.

92.Ailill "Inbanda" the 5^th Heremonian Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach King of Connacht who was the son of 91.Eoghan “Bel" was killed along with Aed "Fortamhail" at Cuil Conaire in Ceara by 91.Fergus & 91.Donnell mac Ercae. The territory there was to continually be the cause of disputes between the Connachta and the Northern Ui Niaill Cenel nEogain in Ulster right on down to the 16th Century.

St. Finnian "Cam" founded the monastery of Agha More in what was to become the Mac Carthy Desmond territory in Co. Kerry - Southern Munster now known as Derrynane and on the north end of Church Island near Waterville in Co. Kerry are the ruins of his Oratory.

St. Comhghall was born who later on was to build a monastery at Bangor in Co. Down - South East Ulster where he was to have St. Columbanus and St. Gall as his disciples. St. Mochuda - St. Cuddy who was a member of the O Sullivan Clann from Co. Kerry - South West Munster was born near Slieve Mish in Castlemaine.

St. David was the Bishop of Menevia in Wales and had converted the Welsh to Christianity.

+On to 551 AD - 559 AD

RAINBOW FARMS 603 Roxburgh Road., Muswellbrook. N.S.W. 2333

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