Muirchertach Mac Domnall

Muirchertach Mac Domnall [ ˈmʷiɾʲçəɾtəx makˈdɔ̃wnəɫ ] (* late 11th century in Ireland ; † September 17, 1134 in Armagh ) served as the successor to St. Patrick from 1129 to 1134 as lay bishop in Armagh.

As the son of Domnall Mac Amalgaid, Muirchertach belonged to the Clann Sínaich family , who had been in control of the Church of Armagh since the 10th century and who inherited the office of Patrick's successor under Irish law within the family. When his cousin and predecessor Cellach Mac Aodh died on April 1, 1129 in Ardpatrick , Muirchertach's successor was chosen surprisingly early on April 5, despite the distance between Ardpatrick and Armagh. This choice followed the old tradition according to Irish law, but was at odds with the aspirations of the innovators and reformers in the Irish Church who wanted Malachia to be bishop.

However, Malachias wanted to avoid a conflict and initially renounced the office of Archbishop of Armagh and instead stayed in his monastery in Munster . This meant that Muirchertach could take office without resistance. However, he remained a layman throughout his life and was never ordained a priest or bishop.

According to the information in the Hagiography of Malachias, written by Bernhard von Clairvaux , the reform movement around the papal legate Gilbert von Limerick and Bishop Malchus von Lismore was no longer able to tolerate this situation three years later. Accordingly, accompanied by other bishops, they went to Malachias and, under great pressure, persuaded him to accept the post of Archbishop of Armagh offered by the Pope. Malachias consented only on condition that he was allowed to resign as soon as he succeeded in freeing the Church of Armagh from the control of non-clergy.

Malachias moved to his diocese as Archbishop of Armagh , but avoided visiting the bishopric and thus the direct conflict with Muirchertach. As the annals of the four masters show with an entry from 1133, Muirchertach continued to enjoy the support of Conchobar Mac Lochlainn despite the presence of Malachias . During his visit to Tír Eoghan (now County Tyrone ) he received the tribute due to Patrick's successor.

Muirchertach died on September 17th, 1134 and was positively recognized in the annals of the four masters for his life of penance and martyrdom. Notwithstanding the presence of Malachias and his claim to the bishopric, supported by the Roman Church, a successor was once again appointed within the family in line with Irish clan tradition, namely Niall Mac Aodh , a younger brother of Cellach, which exacerbated the conflict with the reform movement.

swell

• Annals of Ulster with the entry U1129.
• Annals of the four masters with the entries M1129.14, M1133.5, M1134.14 and M1134.15.
• Annals of Loch Cé with the entry LC1129.2.
• Bernhard von Clairvaux , Vita Sancti Malachiae episcopi 1149. A German translation was published as part of the collected works of Bernhard von Clairvaux in Tyrolia Verlag, Volume 1, 1990. ISBN 3-7022-1732-0

Secondary literature

• Ailbe J. Luddy: Life of St. Malachy . MHGill and Son, Ltd, 1930. A reprint was published by Llanerch Publishers in 1994. ISBN 1-8978-5343-2
• Aubrey Gwynn : The Irish Church in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries . Four Courts Press, Dublin 1992. ISBN 1-85182-095-7

predecessor	Office	successor
Cellach Mac Aodh	Follower of Patrick 1129 - 1134	Niall Mac Aodh