Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair (old spelling: Tairrdelbach Mór Ua Conchobair; 1088 – 1156) anglicised Turlough Mór O'Conor, was King of Connacht (1106–1156) and High King of Ireland (ca. 1120–1156).
Family background and early life Toirdelbhach was born in the year 1088. He was the youngest son of Ruaidrí na Saide Buide (died 1118), and his mother was Mór, daughter of Toirdelbach Ua Briain (1009–14 July 1086). Therefore, through his mother, his great-great-grandfather was Brian Boru. His brothers were Niall (killed 1093), Tadc (killed 1097), Conchobar (murdered 1103), and Domnall, King of Connacht (deposed 1106). There was at least one sister, Dubhchobhlaigh Bean Ua hEaghra of Luighne Connacht (died 1131). Ruaidrí was married to four or more women.
According to the Annals of Tigernach, Toirdelbach's mother died the year he was born, suggesting his birth may have been arduous. In 1092, King Ruaidrí was blinded by Flaithbertaigh Ua Flaithbertaigh, an incident which led to the domination of Connacht by the Dál gCais of Munster, led by Tairrdelbach's uncle, the brother of Tairrdelbach's mother, Muirchertach Ua Briain, High King of Ireland, who possibly took Tairrdelbach into his household to groom him for the day when he would be king of Connacht. (p. 471, MIAE 2005)
However this would not occur until 1106; until then, Connacht endured a prolonged period of civil strife between different factions of the Uí Conchobair, Uí Ruairc of Bréifne as well as more minor families of the Uí Briúin and Síol Muireadaigh, including the long-displaced Ui Fiachrach Aidhne. Tairrdelbach's brothers Tadc and Domnall both gained the kingship at different times, but depended upon the support of Muircherteach Ua Briain.
Early reign
In 1106, with the support of his uncle Muirchertach Ua Briain, eighteen-year-old Tairrdelbach deprived his older brother Domnall of the kingship of Connacht. "Tairrdelbach carefully maintained his alliance with Ua Briain, sending troops to aid the High King against the Ui Ruaric of Bréifne in 1109. But he was also determined to defend his kingdom against predators such as Domnall Mac Lochlainn of the Uí Néill (d. 1121), king of the north of Ireland."
In 1110, Mac Lochlainn raided Connacht, carrying off herds of cattle and captives. While this raid rattled Toirdelbach, he demonstrated that he was not weak by attacking the Conmaicne and Breifne, with mixed fortunes; he defeated the former at Mag Na, but his army was defeated by the men of Breifne at Mag Brenair. He attacked the Northern Uí Néill the next year in 1111, plundering Termonn Dabeoc in Tír Chonaill and ravaging modern County Fermanagh as far as Lough Erne.
Domnall, Toirdelbach's brother who he had taken the Kingship of Connacht from would remain in Connacht, however, and contested Toirdelbach's claim to the throne of the Kingdom, but he was finally expelled southward to Munster by Toirdelbhach several years later in 1114. A year later in 1115, an attempt to assassinate him was made by some of his nobles who were discontent with his rule at Ath Bo, but they were unsuccessful.
Although much of his time and resources during his early reign were spent in Munster, he was also involved in campaigns elsewhere. In 1115, his wife Orlaith of the Kingdom of Meath died, ending the alliance between Toirdelbach and Murchad Ia Mael Sechnaill, King of Meath. Toirdelbach defeated their forces on both land and on the River Shannon, gaining the submission of Meath. He later married Connacht noblewoman Cailleach De, daughter of Ua hEidin, who was the mother of future High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, Toirdelbach's son. At the end of 1115, he bestowed gifts upon the church at the monastery at Clonmacaoise, including a drinking horn and chalice.
A tactic Toirdelbhach used throughout his career in politics and as High King was divide and rule. This can be seen in several instances, most notably the partition of Munster, which at the time, under the rule of the Ua Briain (O'Brien dynasty) was the most powerful kingdom in Ireland and had controlled the High Kingship for over a century, since the death of Brian Boru.
Partition and war in Munster In 1114, Toirdelbhach took advantage of political turmoil in the Kingdom of Munster, which at the time was ruled by his uncle, Muircherteach Ua Briain, King of Munster and High King of Ireland, who had previously often supported Toirdelbach as he reigned in Connacht and was the one who backed him to take the Kingship from his brother, had become "sick to the point of a living Skeleton". It was at this point that Diarmuid, brother of Muircherteach, took the Kingship and banished Muircherteach.
Tairrdelbach had been scheming against Munster with Muircherteach's enemies, mainly Domnall mac Lochlainn in Ulster and Murchad Ua Máel Sechnaill of the Kingdom of Meath to his east, and they supported Diarmuit's claim to the throne, but Diarmuit soon rose in rebellion against Toirdelbhach. In response, Toirdelbach attacked Munster, ravaging Thomond and expelling Diarmuit.
A year later in 1115, Muircherteach Ia Briain regained his strength and led campaigns against his brother to regain the Kingship, with backing from Toirdelbach and other powerful kings, in an attempt to restore order in the province. However, this war would remain a stalemate for several years, and allowed others both within and outside the Kingdom to scheme and form their own plans against Munster. In 1118, Muircherteach and, with backing from Toirdelbach, Ua Máel Sechnaill, and Aéd Ua Ruairc of the Kingdom of Breifne, attacked Tadgh Mac Carthaigh of the MacCarthy Mór dynasty.
But they turned against Muircherteach at Glanmire in County Cork, allying with the MacCarthys to remove the High King from power once and for all. At the same time, Toirdelbach's forces attacked Leinster, Osraige and Dublin, which were still held by the Ua Briain's, removing Domnall Ua Briain as governor of Dublin, and forcing the forces of the three kingdoms to join Toirdelbach in his campaigns against Munster. Toirdelbach even went as far as destroying the Ua Briain palace at Kincora, Killaloe.
Meanwhile, in southwest Munster, in modern Counties Cork and Kerry, the Mac Carthaigh (MacCarthys), another royal dynasty of Munster who had been living under the rule of the Ua Briain rebelled. Toirdelbach, eager to further destabilize Munster, backed this revolt. Toirdelbach then resolved the issue he had created by partitioning Munster in 1118. The province was partitioned into the Kingdoms of Thomond, under the rule of the Ua Briain Dynasty, the Kingdom of Desmond, under the rule of the Mac Carthaigh Mór Dynasty, and finally the short-lived Kingdom of Osraige, under the rule of the Kennedy Dynasty, though the latter kingdom was small in comparison to the other two and were rarely involved in the politics or struggles for the Kingship of Munster.
But it was around this point that Muircherteach finally managed to successfully topple his brother Diarmuid from power and retook the Kingship, however, he was now only King of Thomond, not the whole of Munster. He would die a year later in 1119 at Lismore. Toirdelbach had successfully divided Munster, and a year later he annexed the Ua Briain homeland of County Clare into the Kingdom of Connacht, leading to the further decline of the Ua Briain dynasty.
Toirdelbach had now defeated and partitioned the Kingdom of Munster, gained the submission of several other kings, and notably ended the Ua Briain's hold of the High Kingship which had lasted since 1002. In 1120 he celebrated the Oneach Titleann, an event meant to signify one's holding of the High Kingship of Ireland. However, this attracted the attention of Domnall mac Lochlainn of Ulster. The two kings met at Athlone where they agreed to a "false peace". Although Mac Lochlainn remained a threat to Toirdelbach he died in 1121, leaving Toirdelbach the most powerful man in Ireland. He immediately subdued unrest in Munster, causing the "people to cry aloud".
Innovation and political strategies Toirdelbhach spent much of his career modernising and improving various aspects of Ireland, particularly in his home province of Connacht. Tairrdelbach constructed Dún Gaillimhe in 1124, for use as a fort and naval base, from which the King's fleets could attack all along the west coast of Ireland. A small settlement grew up around this fort and eventually this developed into Galway city. Although the town was destroyed or burned many times over the next few centuries it continued to grow into a prosperous city.
He also created a new supply of water for settlements in eastern Connacht when he constructed a six-mile-long canal which redirected the River Suck around a castle and towards nearby towns and villages. The route of this damn probably began near the modern town of Ballinasloe which was built on the river later.
A political strategy often utilised successfully by Toirdelbhach was the appointment of relatives or loyal nobles as rulers or governors of towns, cities and other lesser regions or kingdoms. This allowed him to keep control of every area in the country and avoid rebellions or alliances against him.
This can be seen in 1126 when Toirdelbhach appointed one of his sons, Conchobhair, as king of Laigin (Leinster) and the city-state of Dublin. Toirdelbhach realized the political and military importance of Dublin as the city had become more or less the capital of the country. It was also one of the main trading ports of the country. Therefore, control of Dublin was crucial to a successful High Kingship of Ireland. Conchobhair would also be given the Kingship of the province of Mide (Meath) later in 1143, however, this move would backfire when he was assassinated a year later.
In the year 1129, Toirdelbach reputedly built the first stone castle in Ireland, on the River Shannon in Athlone. Toirdelbach would build several more of these throughout Connacht, notably in Dún Gallimhe, Dún Mór and Ballinasloe, strengthening the defences of the province. Athlone was a strategic location as it guarded one of the few crossings over the Shannon and guarded the area against any invasions via ships sailing up or down the river, especially from Munster whom Toirdelbhach was involved in an ongoing war with at the time.
Toirdelbach was also known to have constructed or rebuilt several churches, cathedrals and monasteries, notably the Cong Abbey. This increased his power as he would often have the Catholic Church on his side in any political or military conflicts later in his career which was crucial given to the importance of religion in Ireland at the time, though notably, the church protected the King's son Ruadhrí from Toirdelbach after failed rebellions against him in both 1136 and 1143.
The Cross of Cong, made at the behest of Tairrdelbach was designed to be placed on top of a religious staff or crosier. It was made for the Cathedral church at Tuam. The cross was subsequently moved to Cong Abbey. He is also believed to have refounded Cong Abbey ca. 1135.
Tairrdelbach's successful and innovative reign as High King of Ireland has been summed up as follows: