| Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair | |
|---|---|
| King of Connacht | |
 Possible depiction of Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair, Abbeyknockmoy | |
| Born | 1153 |
| Died | 1224 |
Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair (Anglicised as Cathal O'Connor/O'Conor and Cathal the Red-handed O'Conor) (1153–1224), was a king of Connacht.[1] He was the youngest son of the High King of Ireland Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair and brother to the last fully recognized High King Ruadri Ua Conchobair. His own sons Aedh Ua Conchobair and Feidhlimidh Ua Conchobair were kings of Connacht after him.[2]
His reign was a troubled one dominated by internal feuds and the outside influence of powerful Anglo-Norman lords. From his base west of the river Shannon, he was forced to deal with the Norman invaders and was a competent leader despite his problems, avoiding major conflicts and winning minor skirmishes. Ua Conchobair attempted to make the best of the new situation with Ireland divided between Norman and Gaelic rulers. His long reign was perhaps a sign of relative success. He is the subject, as Cáhal Mór of the Wine Red Hand, of the poem A Vision of Connaught in the Thirteenth Century by the 19th-century Irish nationalist James Clarence Mangan.
- ^ Jaski, B.: Early Irish kingship and succession. Dublin, 2000.
- ^ "Annála Connacht". celt.ucc.ie. Retrieved 19 September 2020.