Niall Frossach

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Niall Frossach (or Niall mac Fergaile) (died 778) was an 8th century Irish king of Ailech, sometimes considered to have been High King of Ireland. Brother of Áed Allán, Niall was the son of Fergal mac Máele Dúin and a member of the Cenél nEógain, a branch of the Northern Uí Néill. The epithet Frossach (showery) is said to come from showers of silver, honey and wheat which fell on his home at Fahan in Inishowen at his birth.

Niall followed Domnall Midi as High King in 763. His reign was considered notably peaceful. He abdicated in 770 for religious reasons, and died on Iona in 778.

He was followed as King of Ailech by his nephew, Máel Dúin son of Áed Allán. The Kingship of Tara and supposed High Kingship passed back to Clann Cholmáin in the person of Domnall Midi's son Donnchad.

[edit] References

• Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings. Batsford, London, 1973. ISBN 0-7134-5882-8

[edit] External links

• CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork The Corpus of Electronic Texts includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach and the Four Masters as well as Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress
• Fergal's Prophecy by Dan M. Wiley

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