Colmán Már mac Diarmato (died 555/558) was an Irish king, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Early sources and older scholarship distinguish two sons of Diarmait, Colmán Már (Colmán the Elder) and Colmán Bec (Colmán the Younger), although some scholars suggest there was only one Colmán mac Diarmato. There are some traces of Colmán Bec in the Irish annals, but so far as Colmán Már is concerned only his putative death is recorded.
According to the traditional account, found in genealogical sources, Diarmait mac Cerbaill had three known sons, two of whom were called Colmán. Colmán Bec's mother is said to have been Brea daughter of the Conmaicne, a Connacht people.[1] Colmán Már's mother, Eithne, daughter of Brénainn Dall of the Conmaicne. Other sources claim that Eithne was also a wife of Diarmait's son Áed Sláine, and yet others say that she also married Áed's son Blathmac.[2]
Both Colmáns were regarded as the founders of later dynasties. Colmán Már, to whom the genealogists gave two sons, Suibne and Fergus, was the eponymous ancestor of Clann Cholmáin, a dynasty which dominated the southern Uí Néill from the 8th century to the early 11th century, and which supplied many kings of Tara. Colmán Bec was regarded as the ancestor of the much less important dynasty of Clann Cholmáin Bic, later Caille Follamain, through a son Óengus.[3]
The only record of Colmán Már in the annals is a report of his death in the 550s.[4] A number of difficulties have been noted with the chronology of Colmán Már's death in relation to the floruit of his supposed sons and brothers, with the early appearance of his Latinate name, and with the record of the annals. Ailbhe Mac Shamhráin concludes "...Colmán Már is a hollow figure and looks suspiciously like an artificial creation...".[5] It is suggested that Colmán Már was added to the genealogies in the time of Domnall Midi (died 763).[6]
The first record of Colmán Bec in the annals is in the 560s, when he is reported to have undertaken an expedition to Iardoman—glossed as "Seil and Islay", but sometimes understood to mean the Inner Hebrides more generally—along with Conall mac Comgaill.[7]
In the 570s, the annals record Colmán Bec's defeat at a battle at Femen. Some sources add that he was defeated by Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn, who is recorded as the provincial overking of Munster.[8] There were at least two notable places named Femen, one near to the Hill of Tara, the other near to Cashel.[9] Some historians have supposed that this battle in fact concerned internal Uí Néill disputes.[10]
Colmán Bec's final appearances in the historical record are in the 580s, perhaps 586 and 587. In 586, the annals report the killing of Báetán mac Ninneda, whom they claim to have been king of Tara, "according to Colmán Bec's plan" by Colmán's son Cumméne and a kinsman of the same name, a grandson of Diarmait's brother Illand. The following year there is a report of Colmán Bec's death, fighting against Áed mac Ainmuirech, at the unlocated Belach Dathí.[11]
^Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, p. 604, table; Byrne, Irish Kings, p. 90; ...
^Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, vol 1, pp. 101 & 103 (555:3 & 558:1); Mac Shamhráin, "Nebulae discutiuntur?", p. 89.
^Mac Shamhráin, "Nebulae discutiuntur?", pp. 89–90. See also Byrne, Irish Kings, Additional notes & corrigenda, p. xvii (for p. 90): "Colmán Bec was probably originally identical with Colmán Már..."; Mac Shamhráin & Byrne, "Prosopography I", pp. 215–217: "All things considered it is reasonable to assume that [Colmán Már] is an invention...". For the annalistic discrepancy see Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, vol 1, p. 131 (621.2) & note 3.
^Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, vol 1, pp. 107–108 (568); Mac Shamhráin & Byrne, "Prosopography I", p. 216; Byrne, Irish King, pp. 111 & 259.
^Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, vol 1, p. 109 (573.1) & note 5.
^Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, vol. 2, p. 144, s.v. Femen.
^Mac Shamhráin & Byrne, "Prosopography I", p. 216; Mac Shamhráin, "Nebulae discutiuntur?", p. 90.
^Charles-Edwards, Chronicle of Ireland, p. 115 (586.1, 587.1); Mac Shamhráin & Byrne, "Prosopography I", p. 216; Mac Shamhráin, "Nebulae discutiuntur?", pp. 90–91. For context, see also Lacey, Cenél Conaill, pp. 198–199; Byrne, Irish Kings, p. 114; Mac Shamhráin & Byrne, "Prosopography I", pp. 182–189.
Bibliography
Annals of Tigernach at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
Annals of Ulster at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
Annals of the Four Masters at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
Annals of Innisfallen at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
Connon, Anne, "Prosopography II: A Prosopography of the Early Queens of Tara", in Bhreathnach, Edel (ed.), The Kingship and Landscape of Tara, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 225–327, ISBN1-85182-954-7
Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN0-521-36395-0
Connon, Anne, "Prosopography II: A Prosopography of the Early Queens of Tara", in Bhreathnach, Edel (ed.), The Kingship and Landscape of Tara, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 159–224, ISBN1-85182-954-7
Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe (2000), "Nebulae discutiuntur? The emergence of Clann Cholmáin sixth-eighth centuries", in Smyth, Alfred P. (ed.), Seanchas: Studies in Early and Medieval Irish Archaeology, History and Literature in Honour of Francis J. Byrne, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 83–97, ISBN1-85182-489-8
Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe; Byrne, Paul, "Prosopography I: Kings named in Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig and the Airgíalla Charter Poem", in Bhreathnach, Edel (ed.), The Kingship and Landscape of Tara, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 225–327, ISBN1-85182-954-7
Book of Leinster,Rig Uisnig at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
Laud Synchronisms at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
External links
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
April 17, 2023
colmán, már, diarmato, died, irish, king, diarmait, cerbaill, early, sources, older, scholarship, distinguish, sons, diarmait, colmán, már, colmán, elder, colmán, colmán, younger, although, some, scholars, suggest, there, only, colmán, diarmato, there, some, t. Colman Mar mac Diarmato died 555 558 was an Irish king son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill Early sources and older scholarship distinguish two sons of Diarmait Colman Mar Colman the Elder and Colman Bec Colman the Younger although some scholars suggest there was only one Colman mac Diarmato There are some traces of Colman Bec in the Irish annals but so far as Colman Mar is concerned only his putative death is recorded According to the traditional account found in genealogical sources Diarmait mac Cerbaill had three known sons two of whom were called Colman Colman Bec s mother is said to have been Brea daughter of the Conmaicne a Connacht people 1 Colman Mar s mother Eithne daughter of Brenainn Dall of the Conmaicne Other sources claim that Eithne was also a wife of Diarmait s son Aed Slaine and yet others say that she also married Aed s son Blathmac 2 Both Colmans were regarded as the founders of later dynasties Colman Mar to whom the genealogists gave two sons Suibne and Fergus was the eponymous ancestor of Clann Cholmain a dynasty which dominated the southern Ui Neill from the 8th century to the early 11th century and which supplied many kings of Tara Colman Bec was regarded as the ancestor of the much less important dynasty of Clann Cholmain Bic later Caille Follamain through a son oengus 3 The only record of Colman Mar in the annals is a report of his death in the 550s 4 A number of difficulties have been noted with the chronology of Colman Mar s death in relation to the floruit of his supposed sons and brothers with the early appearance of his Latinate name and with the record of the annals Ailbhe Mac Shamhrain concludes Colman Mar is a hollow figure and looks suspiciously like an artificial creation 5 It is suggested that Colman Mar was added to the genealogies in the time of Domnall Midi died 763 6 The first record of Colman Bec in the annals is in the 560s when he is reported to have undertaken an expedition to Iardoman glossed as Seil and Islay but sometimes understood to mean the Inner Hebrides more generally along with Conall mac Comgaill 7 In the 570s the annals record Colman Bec s defeat at a battle at Femen Some sources add that he was defeated by Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn who is recorded as the provincial overking of Munster 8 There were at least two notable places named Femen one near to the Hill of Tara the other near to Cashel 9 Some historians have supposed that this battle in fact concerned internal Ui Neill disputes 10 Colman Bec s final appearances in the historical record are in the 580s perhaps 586 and 587 In 586 the annals report the killing of Baetan mac Ninneda whom they claim to have been king of Tara according to Colman Bec s plan by Colman s son Cummene and a kinsman of the same name a grandson of Diarmait s brother Illand The following year there is a report of Colman Bec s death fighting against Aed mac Ainmuirech at the unlocated Belach Dathi 11 See also EditKings of UisnechReferences Edit Connon Prosopography II pp 294 295 Connon Prosopography II pp 281 284 Charles Edwards Early Christian Ireland p 604 table Byrne Irish Kings p 90 Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland vol 1 pp 101 amp 103 555 3 amp 558 1 Mac Shamhrain Nebulae discutiuntur p 89 Mac Shamhrain Nebulae discutiuntur pp 89 90 See also Byrne Irish Kings Additional notes amp corrigenda p xvii for p 90 Colman Bec was probably originally identical with Colman Mar Mac Shamhrain amp Byrne Prosopography I pp 215 217 All things considered it is reasonable to assume that Colman Mar is an invention For the annalistic discrepancy see Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland vol 1 p 131 621 2 amp note 3 Mac Shamhrain Nebulae discutiuntur p 97 Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland vol 1 pp 107 108 568 Mac Shamhrain amp Byrne Prosopography I p 216 Byrne Irish King pp 111 amp 259 Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland vol 1 p 109 573 1 amp note 5 Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland vol 2 p 144 s v Femen Mac Shamhrain amp Byrne Prosopography I p 216 Mac Shamhrain Nebulae discutiuntur p 90 Charles Edwards Chronicle of Ireland p 115 586 1 587 1 Mac Shamhrain amp Byrne Prosopography I p 216 Mac Shamhrain Nebulae discutiuntur pp 90 91 For context see also Lacey Cenel Conaill pp 198 199 Byrne Irish Kings p 114 Mac Shamhrain amp Byrne Prosopography I pp 182 189 Bibliography EditAnnals of Tigernach at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Annals of Ulster at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Annals of the Four Masters at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Annals of Innisfallen at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Byrne Francis J 2001 Irish Kings and High Kings 2nd ed Dublin Four Courts Press ISBN 978 1 85182 196 9 Connon Anne Prosopography II A Prosopography of the Early Queens of Tara in Bhreathnach Edel ed The Kingship and Landscape of Tara Dublin Four Courts Press pp 225 327 ISBN 1 85182 954 7 Charles Edwards T M 2000 Early Christian Ireland Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 36395 0 Connon Anne Prosopography II A Prosopography of the Early Queens of Tara in Bhreathnach Edel ed The Kingship and Landscape of Tara Dublin Four Courts Press pp 159 224 ISBN 1 85182 954 7 Mac Shamhrain Ailbhe 2000 Nebulae discutiuntur The emergence of Clann Cholmain sixth eighth centuries in Smyth Alfred P ed Seanchas Studies in Early and Medieval Irish Archaeology History and Literature in Honour of Francis J Byrne Dublin Four Courts Press pp 83 97 ISBN 1 85182 489 8 Mac Shamhrain Ailbhe Byrne Paul Prosopography I Kings named in Baile Chuinn Chetchathaig and the Airgialla Charter Poem in Bhreathnach Edel ed The Kingship and Landscape of Tara Dublin Four Courts Press pp 225 327 ISBN 1 85182 954 7 Book of Leinster Rig Uisnig at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Laud Synchronisms at CELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College CorkExternal links EditCELT Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Colman Mar mac Diarmato amp oldid 1026174336, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
