Cathair Mór

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Cathair Mór ("Cathair the Great") is the name of a mythical / historical High King of Ireland . In Lebor Gabála Érenn ("The Book of the Lands of Ireland") the reign of Cathair is set at the time of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). In the chronicle Foras feasa ar Éirinn ("Knowledge base about Ireland") by Geoffrey Keating is a time from 113 to 116, the Annála Ríoghdhachta Éireann ("Annals of the four masters") give 119 to 122.

mythology

Cathair Mór is the son of Fedlimid Fir Urglais and took control of Ireland after the death of Fedlimid Rechtmar . Legend has it that he had 30 sons, ten of whom also had children again, which established some of the medieval Leinster dynasties .

In the story Esnada Tige Buchet ("The sage of the Buchet house", "The song of the Buchet house") he is the father of Eithne Tháebfhota, whom he hands over to a follower named Buchet as a foster daughter. This generous foster father is shamelessly exploited by Cathair's sons and plundered under the guise of hospitality. He becomes impoverished and Cathair, who has become old and helpless, is neither willing nor able to compensate for his damage or to restrain his sons. It was only after Eithne's marriage to Cormac mac Airt that the crime of Cathair's sons was made good by his generosity. In one version of the legend, Cathair's successor as the High King, Conn Cétchathach , takes the place of Cormac.

In the legend Fotha Catha Cnucha ("The cause of the battle of Cnucha"), Cathair Mór hands over the hill of Almu ( Dun Aillinne Hillfort , County Kildare ) to the druid Nuada mac Aichi. This hill later became known as the residence of Nuada's great-grandson Fionn mac Cumhaill .

Cathair's reign lasted three years, then he was murdered by a follower of Conn Cétchathach.

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