541 AD St

541 AD St. Molaisse founded a monastery at Loch Erne on Devenish Island, in Co. Fermanagh (named for the Fir Manach Sept (The Men of Manach) in the south - west of the Ulster Province who were originally from Leinster Province. He also founded another on Inish Murray Island, in Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province, 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. Molaisse’ 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 was to found monasteries in Ireland, Albion - Briton, France and Burgundy.

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

543 - 547 AD 91.Eogan "Bel," the Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach 4th King of Connacht, was killed in the Battle of Sligeach at the River Slicech, in which the Septs of Connacht Province were defending the territory of Cul Conaire in Carra / Cera in Co. Sligo in the north - west of Connacht against 91.Fergus and 91.Donnell "Ilchelgach," the two sons of 90.Murtagh mac Ercae the previous "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel nEogain 6th King of Tara / Ireland. 91.Eogan "Bel," had been also a grandson of 89.Ailill "Molt" the previous 129th King of Tara / Ireland, and a nephew of another 90.macc Ercae who died in 543 AD also, who is the direct ancestor of the Fir Chera Sept ,who was also a brother to his father, 90.Kelly / Cellach. The "Northern" Ui Niall Cenel nEogain Septs were then allied with their "Northern" Ui Niaill kinsmen, 91.Ainmire mac Setnae, and his cousin, 90.Ninnid mac Duach from the "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel Conaill Sept. 91.Eoghan “Bel” was to be buried upright at Raith Ua Fiachrach on Knockarea, facing northwards with his red spear still in his hand 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 (Assembly Place) at Loch Gill. 91.Eogan "Bel" was to be the father also of another 92.Kelly / Cellach who became the Bishop of Killala, while another of his sons, 92.Murray / Muiredach was to be killed by 95.Guaire "Aidni" during an internal dispute between the "Northern" and "Southern" Ui Fiachrach Septs. 544 or 548 ? (It is also recorded that 91.Eoghan "Bel" was killed in battle at Tortan in Co. Meath in the north - east of Northern Leinster, fighting against the men of Leinster.)

92. Ailill "Inbanda" became the Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach 5th King of Connacht, who was the son of 91.Eogan "Bel" the previous 4th King of Connacht descended from 87.Fiachra the second original King of Connacht who was the direct ancestor of the Ui Fiachrach Septs.

544 AD At this time 90.Diarmait mac Carroll / Diarmuid mheic Cerbaill from the "Southern" Ui Niaill, who was the 5th King of Meath, was still hiding out in the marshes of the River Shannon, from the wrath of 90.Toole / Tuathal "Mael Garb" the "Southern" Ui Niaill 132nd King of Tara / Ireland who had previously banished 90.Diarmait from out of Tara altogether and from the surrounding territory in Meath and he had gone with his followers to the reaches of the Upper Shannon for 9 years. This year, 90.Diarmait met up with St. Kieran / St. Ciaran who had previously returned from Inis Ainghin to the mainland, and he was to assist him to stake out his plans for a monastery at Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly in the north - west of Southern Leinster, on land that 90.Diarmait would eventually grant him there when he was to become the 133rd King at Tara / Ireland. (Also still in existence there to see is a Cathedral and 8 other churches including Teampall Finghin.) 90.Diarmiat had been on the River Shannon, when St. Kieran had landed there, and he followed him to the Hill of the Well / Droim Tibrait now known as Clonmacnoise / Cluain mac Nois (The Meadow of the son of Nois) where he stopped over. He approached St. Kieran while he was starting to build his small Church / Eglais Beg there, and St. Kieran then encouraged him to help him out, and told him that 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, so he went to Grellach Eillti in the north of Co. Westmeath in the north - west of Northern Leinster, where he had learnt that 90.Toole "Mael Garb" the "Southern" Ui Niaill 132nd King of Tara / Ireland was staying. He then speared him in the chest and killed him and he himself was then also killed in return, but 90.Diarmait was now in the running for the "Southern" Ui Niaill Kingship. (The demise of 90.Toole "Mael Garb" meant that he was to be the one and only King of Tara / Ireland ever to be descended from 88.Caibre / Coirpre another of the 8 sons of 87.Niall of the Nine Hostages.) 90.Diarmait mac Carroll was a son of 89.Fergus "Cerball" / Carroll, a son of 88.Conall "Cremthainne," who was also another of the 8 sons of 87.Niall, and therefore was of equal right to succeed to the "Southern" Ui Niaill Kingship of Tara / Ireland. 88.Conall "Cremthainne" had also been a brother to 88.Conall "Gulban," the ancestor of the "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel Conaill Sept, as it was common to use the same name for brothers in Ireland until the 16th Century AD. Although 88.Conall "Cremthainne's” other son, 89.Ardgal had been the 3rd King of Meath and the direct ancestor of the Cenel nArdgail Sept, they were never to produce a King of Tara / Ireland of their own. The Kingship however was to be continued to the end now through 89.Fergus "Cerball" and 90.Diarmait, whose older brother, 90.Maine, the previous 4th King of Meath, had been killed in 531 AD while trying to submit the Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn Ui Maine Sept of Connacht.)

545 AD. St. Kieran / St . Ciaran founded Clonmacnoise Monastery in Co. Offaly in the north - west of Southern Leinster on the River Shannon where it was to become the burial ground for many of the Irish Kings. It also became a great learning centre and was to be burnt 13 times from 722 AD to 1205 AD and was plundered 8 times by the Vikings from 832 AD to 1163 AD and also attacked by the Irish 27 times from 832 AD - 1163 AD. It was also attacked by the Anglo - Norman English 6 times from 1178 AD to 1204 AD.)

90.Diarmait mac Carroll, was then brought to Tara, were he became the "Southern" Ui Niaill 133rd King of Tara / Ireland, the very next day and was so effected by this result, as he truly believed that it was through the intercession of St. Kieran, that he became a benefactor to the holy site at Clonmacnoise in Co. Offaly itself and soon there were to be seven more churches there and two round towers. All were situated on the east bank of the River Shannon, seven miles below Athlone in Co. Westmeath in the north - west of Northern Leinster. 90.Diarmot mac Carroll then set up his own fortress, at the ancient site at Ceanannus Mor / Kells on the River Blackwater in Co. Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster were his ancestor, 82.Cormac mac Airt the 115th King of Tara / Ireland had retired to after the injury to his eye, and had choked to death there on a bone after being cursed by the Druids for accepting Christianity.

91.St. Columbcille, had been with St. Mobhi who had set himself up at the Fair Stream / Finglas at Glasnevin in Co. Dublin in the north - east of Southern Leinster, and when it was ravaged by the Plague also, he had gone up to the Ulster Province to escape from it's effects. His cousin 91.Ainmire the "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel Conaill Prince in Tir Connell (The Land of 88.Conall) gave him the Oak Grove / Daire / Derry on the River Foyle for a religious settlement, which was previously known as Calgarch's Oak Wood / Daire Calgaich. 91.St. Columbcille, who was now 25 year old, then built the Black Church monastery there on the island of Derry in the north - east of Ulster, which also became known as Daire Columbcille. He also founded another monastery at Drumlane on Loch Oughter near Milltown in Co. Cavan in Southern Ulster, where the ruins are also still in existence. The "Northern" Ui Niall Cenel Conaill Gort na Moyan Inauguration / Crowning Stone was situated 3 mile to the west of Garvagh in Co. Derry in the north - west of Ulster.

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

97.Cairbre / Coirpre was still the Heremonian Ui Laoghaire Ui Lughaidh Cu Corb Ui Dunlainge 6b King of Leinster at this time, who was a son of 96.Cormac, the previous Ui Dunlainge 6a King of Leinster, a son of 95.Ailill the 6th King of Leinster, one of the 2 sons of 94.Dunlainge, the direct ancestor of all of the Ui Dunlainge Septs descended from 86.Cu "Corb," 78.Lewy / Lughaidh, 60.Leary / Laoghaire and 37.Heremon.

547 / 553 AD 93.Eochy / Eochaidh, the Irian 4th King of the Dal nAraidi Sept and 4th King of Ulaid, died this year, who was a son of 92.Connla / Condlae the 2nd King of the Dal nAraidi, a son of 91.Coelub / Caolbhradh, one of the 3 sons of 90.Crond "Ba Drui." (There was now to be a change of dynasties there in Ulaid in the east of the Ulster Province.) 92.Fergnae now became the Dal Fiatach 5th King of Ulaid, who was a son of, 91.Aengus / Oengus "Ibdach," another of the 3 sons of 90.Forgg mac Dallain.

Crimthann the son of Brian, also died this year, as did St. Dubhthach the Abbot of Armagh / Ard Macha who was from the Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn 3 Colla Uais Sept in Southern Ulster, descended from 85.Carroll / Cairell "Colla Uais" the 121st King of Tara / Ireland, 84.Eochy "Doimhlen," 83.Cairbre "Liffeachair: the 116th King of Tara / Ireland and 80.Conn of the Hundred Battles.

St. Carthy / St. Carthach (The Loving One) founded the monastery at Lismore in Co. Waterford in the south - east of the Munster Province where students attended from Albion / Briton, Scotland and Ireland, and later on in the 9th Century AD, Alfred the Great the Saxon King of Wessex would be a student there also.

At this time the Pagan Kings in Northumbria in Albion / Briton and the Lowlands of Scotland, were threatening the Celtic Cruthin Gaelic Picts, the Gaelic Irish Scottii of Dal Riada and also the Celts of Strathclyde.

547 AD St. Kieran / St. Ciaran, who had also been a disciple of St. Finnian of Clonard, had been able to found his monastery at Clonmacnoise / Cluain mheic Nois (The Meadow of the sons of Nois) in Co. Offaly in the north - west of Southern Leinster, as a school for his monks, and it was situated at the territorial junction of Connacht Province, Meath / Mide in Northern Leinster and the Munster Province. His Church was near his Holy Well, which is one of the most beautiful Wells in Ireland, and it was surrounded by 4 crosses that marked Sanctuary. He had previously left Hare Island on Loch Ree with 8 of his companions, but within 7 months of arriving he was to die here on the River Shannon at 37 years of age, and may have been interred there in his own church. Many of the Irish Kings were to also be interred there, including 112.Rory O Connor the last Ui Briuin King of Ireland, after the Anglo - Norman Invasion, and there are over 500 grave - slabs throughout the area. St. Kieran's monastery was also 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 Heremonian 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 there.

St. Tierney / St. 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 in the south - west of the Ulster Province, also died from the Plague this year.

549 AD Sinheall, the Bishop of Killough / Cille Locha (The Lake Church) on Killough Bay in Co. Down in the south - east of the Ulster Province, died this year, at a very unusual great age.

550 AD 90.Diarmait mac Carroll who was now the "Southern" Ui Niaill 133rd King of Tara / Ireland granted Ceanannus Mor (The Great Head Fort) / Kells in Co. Meath in the south - east of Northern Leinster to 91.St. Columbcille / St. Columba were he also built a monastery, which had previously been a Royal residence for Centuries. (This was the place were 82.Cormac mac Airt the 115th King of Tara / Ireland had retired and choked to death on a bone.) Another monastery was also built at Tuamgraney in Co. Clare in the north - west Munster Province, and a Columban monastery was also constructed at Moone, 3 miles from Ballintore in Co. Kildare in Central Southern Leinster.

92.Ailill "Inbanda" the Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn Ui Fiachrach 5th King of Connacht, who was the son of 91.Eoghan “Bel" the previous 4th King of Connacht was killed this year, along with Aed "Fortamhail," at Cuil Conaire in Cera / Carra by 91.Fergus and 91.Donnell, the sons of 90.Murtaugh mac Ercae the previous Heremonian Ui Cobhthaigh Dal Cuinn "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel nEogain 131st King of Tara / Ireland. They would become the future joinjt 9th Kings of Ireland, in their own right, as the territory there was to continually be the cause of disputes between the Dal Cuinn Connachta Septs and the Dal Cuinn "Northern" Ui Niaill Cenel nEogain Septs in the Ulster Province, right on down to the 16th Century AD.

St. Finnian "Cam" founded the monastery of Agha More, in what was to later become the Mac Carthy Desmond territory in Co. Kerry in the south - west of the Munster Province, which is 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 this year, who later on was to build a monastery at Bangor in Co. Down in the south - east of the Ulster Province, where he was to have St. Columbanus and St. Gall as his disciples. - St. Mochuda / St. Cuddy who was a member of the Heberian Eoghanacht O Sullivan Clann from Co. Kerry in the south - west of the Munster Province was also born this year, near Slieve Mish in Castlemaine, and it was from him that the Mac Gillycuddys / Mheic Giolla Chuda (Descended from a son of a devotee of St. Mochuda) were to later on gain their surname in Co. Kerry.

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

+On to 551 AD - 559 AD

Situated on the western bank of the Hunter River, midway between Muswellbrook and Denman the doorway to the Heart of Australia's "Horse Capital" in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales., Australia.

John & Sue Markham

RAINBOW FARMS 603 Roxburgh Road., Muswellbrook., 2333.

02 65 479 100 - Fax: 02 65 479 102 E - Mail: www.rainbowfarms@bigpond.com