Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh

Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh (fl. c. 1075-1150) was an Archbishop of Connacht, in Ireland.

A member of a Connacht ecclesiastical family, Ua Dubhthaigh was born during the reign of King Áed Ua Ruairc (r. 1067-1087). His family were natives of Lissonuffy in what is now north-east County Roscommon, and produced a number of abbots and bishops.

One such was Flannagan Ruadh Ua Dubhthaigh, listed in his obituary of 1097 as "successor of Comman, and lector of Tuaim-da-ghualann".

Other Ó Dubhthaigh who held high church offices included:

At the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1118, Tuam was named as the seat of a diocese corresponding roughly with the diocese of Elphin, whilst Cong was chosen as the seat of a diocese corresponding with the later archdiocese of Tuam in Iar Connacht. No bishop was given the title "bishop of Tuam" in the Irish annals before 1152, although the annals recorded some "bishops of Connacht".

Domhnall Ua Dubhthaigh, who died at Clonmacnoise in 1136, is recorded in the Irish annals as "Archbishop of Connacht, and successor of Ciaran, head of the wisdom and hospitality of the province". It is unclear if he had retired, as Muireadhach was recorded as Archbishop in 1134.

The Archbishop of Connacht appears to have been the forerunner of the archdiocese of Tuam, which was established at the Synod of Kells in 1152. Muiredhach's successor as first Archbishop of Tuam was Áed Ua hOissín (1152-1161).

In 1134 Ua Dubhthaigh acted as ambassador of King Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair to Cormac Mac Carthaigh, King of Munster, who had "again assembled the Munstermen, Leinstermen, Conmhaicne, the men of Midhe, the Galls of Dublin, Waterford, Wexford and Cork, and the Uí Eachach and Corca Laoighdhe on sea, to proceed into Connacht." Ua Dubhthaigh was successful in brokering a peace deal "between Leath Cuinn and Leath Mogha. Cormac made peace with Toirdhealbhach in honour of the archbishop, and he himself went to Abhall Ceithearnaigh to confirm the peace with Toirdhealbhach."

...
Wikipedia