List of kings of Munster

The kings of Munster (Irish: Rí Mumhain) ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the Book of Invasions, the earliest king of Munster was Bodb Derg of the Tuatha Dé Danann. From the Gaelic peoples, an Érainn kindred known as the Dáirine (also known as Corcu Loígde and represented today in seniority by the Ó hEidirsceoil) provided several early monarchs including Cú Roí. In a process in the Cath Maige Mucrama, the Érainn lost their ascendancy in the 2nd century AD to the Deirgtine, ancestors of the Eóganachta. Munster during this period was classified as part of Leath Moga, or the southern-half, while other parts of Ireland were ruled mostly by the Connachta.

After losing Osraige to the east, Cashel was established as the capital of Munster by the Eóganachta. This kindred ruled without interruption until the 10th century. Although the High Kingship of Ireland was dominated during this time by the Uí Néill, the Eóganachta of Munster did provide Cathal mac Finguine and Fedelmid mac Crimthainn as serious contenders. This great tribe was broken down into different septs or branches, the most successful in terms of royalty being the Eóganacht Chaisil (represented by the Ó Súilleabháin and Mac Cárthaigh), the Eóganacht Glendamnach (represented by the Ó Caoimh), and the Eóganacht Áine (represented by the Ó Ciarmhaic).

Their hold was loosened by the rise of Brian Bóruma of the Dál gCais, who established the Ó Briain as kings of Munster. As well as this, Munster had to contend with the Normans. Finally, the kingdom ended as it was split into Thomond, Desmond and Ormond. The former two came to an end during the 16th century with the birth of the Tudor Kingdom of Ireland, with former rulers joining the Peerage of Ireland. There were a number of Gaelic attempts to reassert their power in Munster, such as that of Fínghin Mac Cárthaigh and Domhnall Cam Ó Súilleabháin Bhéara, but these were not successful.

• Bodb Derg, king of the Sid Mumu, and later king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, succeeding The Dagda
• Conmáel, first Milesian king based in Munster, and also High King of Ireland
• Eochaid Faebar Glas, his son and High King of Ireland, possibly based in Munster also
• Eochu Mumu, his grandson and High King of Ireland, and after whom Munster is said to be named
• Énna Airgdech, his son and High King of Ireland
• Eochu Apthach, a possibly fictitious very early High King of Ireland from the Corcu Loídge, but misplaced chronologically in any event
• Íar mac Degad, ancestor of the Érainn, or those specifically named "Descendants of Iar mac Degad"
• Eterscél Mór, his son and High King of Ireland
• Conaire Mór, his son in most sources, and one of the most celebrated High Kings of Ireland
• Conaire Cóem, High King of Ireland and great-great grandson of Conaire Mór
  • Note: both are ancestors of the Síl Conairi
• Dáire mac Degad, ancestor of the Dáirine
• Cú Roí mac Dáire, Munster king and/or deity known from the Ulster Cycle
  • Note: possibly the actual first of the Dáirine, for many generations the dominant military power from Munster, finally falling during the 6th century AD
• Dáire Doimthech, if actually different from Dáire mac Degad, and thus ancestor of the "other" Dáirine
• Lugaid Loígde, his son, if actually different from Lugaid Mac Con below
• Eochaid Étgudach, another son of Dáire Doimthech, but misplaced chronologically
• Nia Segamain, an actual ancestor or group of them of the Clanna Dergthened and thus the Eóganachta
  • Note (critical): actually attested in Munster ogham inscriptions, and in some pedigrees descendant(s) of the "other" Dáirine above
  • Note (in addition): probably wildly misplaced chronologically but considered of high status enough to make it to the legendary High King of Ireland lists
• Mug Nuadat, king in late sagas of Leth Mogha, or Mug's Half, meaning Southern Ireland
  • Note: belonged to the Deirgtine, but may be a mythological figure (Nuada)
• Ailill Aulom, Mug's son, aka Olioll Ólum, associated with the goddess Áine
  • Note: also called a druid in a very early source
• Lugaid Mac Con, was High King of Ireland, and Ailill's foster-son
  • Note: ancestor of the Corcu Loígde, principal later (3rd century and after) Munster sept of the Dáirine
• Éogan Mór, Ailill's son, from whom the Eóganachta took their name
  • Note: the Eóganachta were actually founded by Conall Corc, great-great-grandson of Eógan Mór
• Fiachu Muillethan, son of Éogan Mór
  • Note: a king of the Deirgtine of curious career, supported by Mug Ruith
• Ailill Flann Bec, son of Fiachu Muillethan
  • Note: almost nothing is known of this figure, except that he was adopted by and succeeded his elder brother, Ailill Flann Mór
• Dáire Cerbba, born in Brega of unclear parentage, usually (and obviously) assumed Dáirine but later written a son of Ailill Flann Bec
  • Note: called King of Medon Mairtine, once a very early capital of Munster, in one source, and progenitor of yet "another" sept of the Dáirine
• Óengus Bolg, an important late king of the Dáirine and (near) final sovereign ancestor (of Munster) from the Corcu Loígde
  • Note: features in early stories of Conall Corc, and is an ancestor of the Cashel Eóganachta septs, the "Inner Circle", through his daughter Aimend
• Crimthann mac Fidaig, was High King of Ireland and of territories overseas, and brother of the Queen and Goddess Mongfind
  • Note: considered Eóganacht (if vehemently opposed by them) in some dynastic traditions, but possibly a grandson of Dáire Cerbba (other sources)
• Bressal mac Ailello Thassaig, a King of Munster (one source only) from the early Uí Liatháin
  • Note: Angias, his sister, was the Queen of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland and Emperor of the Barbarians

There were not verifiable Eóganacht overkings of (all or most of) Munster until the early 7th century, after the Corcu Loígde had fallen entirely from power, some time after losing their grip on the Kingdom of Osraige and the support of the Muscraige and others. Thus the earlier kings below are best described as Kings of Cashel, Kings of Iarmuman, or Kings of the Eóganachta. Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib was the first Eóganacht to powerfully project outside Munster, but his Iarmuman relations were a significant rival of Cashel in his time, and not enough is known of many of his successors before Cathal mac Finguine, although the fragmentary nature of the surviving sources can to an extent be blamed.

At this time also flourished the semi-independent Uí Fidgenti and Uí Liatháin, a pair of shadowy sister kingdoms whose official origins appear to have been adjusted in the 8th century in a semi-successful (if ambiguously necessary) attempt to integrate them into the Eóganachta political structure and genealogical scheme. Effective relations and an alliance were achieved with the Uí Fidgenti, to the credit of Eóganacht strength, wealth and finesse, but for unknown reasons the Uí Liatháin remained effective outsiders except to Eóganacht Glendamnach.

Of the Eóganachta, unless noted.

• List of High Kings of Ireland
• List of kings of Ulster
• List of kings of Leinster
• List of kings of Connacht
• List of kings of Mide
• List of kings of Desmond
• List of kings of Thomond

• Bryne, Francis J. Irish Kings and High Kings. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1973.
• Charles-Edwards, T.M. Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.ISBN 9780521363952
• Moody, T.W.; F.J. Byrne and F.X. Martin, ed. A New History of Ireland. Vol. IX. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982.ISBN 0-19-821744-7
• Áed Ua Crimthainn, Book of Leinster, c. 1160.
• The Laud Synchronisms. K. Meyer, 1913.

• MacCarthy Clan Foundation^[usurped] at McCarthyClan.org
• O'Brien Clan Foundation at OBrienClan.com
• The McGillycuddy of the Reeks at McGillycuddy.co.za
• O'Mahony Society at OMahonySociety.com
• O'Donoghue Society at ODonoghue.co.uk