Muirchú moccu Machtheni

Who is Muirchú moccu Machtheni?

Muirchú moccu Machtheni, usually known simply as Muirchú, was born sometime in the seventh century. He became a monk in Leinster, and eventually, an Irish historian. He is best known for his Vita sancti Patricii, known in English as The Life of Saint Patrick, one of the first accounts of the famous fifth-century saint, and which credits Patrick with the conversion of Ireland in advance of the spread of monasticism. This work was dedicated to Bishop Aedh of Slébte, who was also the one who suggested the life be written, and was the patron for the work. Muirchú’s work should not be dismissed as historically inaccurate because, though it cannot positively tell us about the period in which Patrick lived, it does show us a lot about the period in which it was composed, the seventh century. Therefore, most scholars agree that while several miraculous episodes are included, the work is probably as accurate as can be expected given the sources available.

Muirchú was possibly a member of the Tuath Mochtaine clan, who resided on Mag Macha, the Armagh plain. Ludwig Bieler believes this can be seen through Muirchú’s recorded last name, Machtheni. Muirchú, along with Bishop Aedh, is recorded to have been among the ecclesiastics who attended the Synod of Birr in 697 A.D. Their attendance at the Synod suggests that the two were concerned with the unification of the two churches in Ireland, the southern and northern churches, Romani and the Hibernenses, who had various differing customs and some opposing ideas on religious matters.