Fiachnae mac Báetáin

Who was Fiachnae mac Báetáin?

Fiachnae mac Báetáin, also called Fiachnae Lurgan or Fiachnae Find, was king of the Dál nAraidi and high-king of the Ulaid in the early 7th century. He was a son of Báetán mac Echdach and brother of Fiachra Cáech, grandson of the Ulaid king Eochaid mac Condlai., and father of Mongán.

The Dál nAraidi kingdom was, in fact, a number of competing cruithne tribes at this time, so that succession to the kingship was achieved through force of arms and prestige, rather than by any regular means. Fiachnae's predecessor according to the genealogies was his great-uncle Áed Dub mac Suibni, who died c. 588, and Fiachnae will have become king some time after Áed Dub's death. The kingship of the Ulaid was contested by Dál nAraidi and Dál Fiatach kings, so that Fiachnae will again not have succeeded directly to the kingship, but have required some time to impose himself as high-king after the death of his predecessor, again Áed Dub.

Specifically there is a reference in the Annals of the Four Masters dated 597 describing the Battle of Cuil Cael where he defeats the Dal Fiatach leader Fiachnae mac Demmáin and from this could date his true overlordship of Ulaid.