Fínsnechta Fledach

Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada (died 695) was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He was a grandson of Áed Sláine. His father Dúnchad had died in 659. His byname "Fledach" meant "the bountiful" or "the festive".

He became King of Brega and High King in 675, after killing his predecessor, and first cousin, Cenn Fáelad in battle at Aircheltra, a place which is not identified. The Fragmentary Annals of Ireland relate how Finsnechta won support by his generosity. Among those he won over were the king of Fir Rois and Saint Adomnán. According to this annal, he had been granted a stewardship by Cenn Fáelad, but was unsatisfied with this and encouraged by his friend of Fir Rois he challenged Cenn Faelad to battle and won the kingship.

He appears to have faced resistance from the King of Leinster, a Battle of Loch Gabor(Lagore) was fought in 677. There was mutual slaughter on both sides but Finsnechta emerged the victor. In 680 Finsnechta had the King of Leinster, Fiannamail mac Máele Tuile, assassinated.

Finsnechta was involved in the north as well. In 676 he destroyed Ailech, center of Cenél nEógain power. He fought Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic (d. 718), King of Ulster, in 679 at the Battle of Tailtiu.

In June 684 Ecgfrith, the King of Northumbria, sent an army under Berht to Ireland which laid waste to the plain of Brega, the heart of Fínsnechta's kingdom. The reasons for the sending of the army are unclear. The hostages taken in the raid were later returned through the offices of Adomnán in 687.

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