Interegum:Donnchad Ua Brian1022-1064

The Interegum 1022-1042
With the death of Malachy 2 the last O Neill king came to an end.There had been 10 kings from Conal gGulban16 from Tir Eogain9 from Hugh Slaine Diarmait2 from Colmain Melaglin2 of Laogaire1 of Cairbre M Neall 1 of Dathe Ua Fiachrach totally 46 UA Niall kings
As the Clann Domnaill era began with the accention of Crimthann Nia Nair a product of inbreeding and the love affair of siblings in the three Finnemas so the O Neill of the Ua Niall ancestry dynastic rule may well have been ended in another unaceptable sexual behavoir between Maelsechnaill II and Brian Borama giving the kingship over to a new house that of Dal Cais and Munster.
Brian m Ceanidig of Munsterand Allill Molt of Connact make the other two high kings since Patrick converted Ireland to christainity a period of some 597 years.
Future kings would be styled Kings with Opposition.
In the interegum period there was no military force in Ireland stong enough to hold the entire country under one rule.Donnchad son of Brian Borama fell into an immediate fight for surzanity over Munster with his remaining brother Tadg.Brian was sucessful in obtaining his positon over all Munster and in 923 had his brother Tadg killed.
In Leinster and Dublin the chiefs of both the Dane and the Laigain continued hold their surzanity.
In the North the prices of Aileach under Domnall Ua Neill continued to rule the north including Ulaid in the east of the Bann.
The governance of the Irish nation was placed by acceptance or disinterest in the hands of a cleric and a poet.
The cleric Corcoran Clairead held joint authority with Connor Caul O Lochlainn the chief Poet of Ireland .
This prince poet ws killed by the men of Tethba in 1024 by sword. He was also a hinstorian and a cronicler.His coregent Clairead the Cleric lived on and retained his position for 20 years till 1042. He died in 1158.
By 1026 Donnchad who tried to imulate his father Brian was unable to hold Ireland in his grip but he did succeed in consolodating Dal Cais and Munster under his sole rule.
In 1027 the Shrine of Colum Cill was taken by Roen o Melaglin from Skreen in Meath where it had been since 872. Roen was later killed by the Danes after he had overthrown them in Meath.
1036 saw Sitric Silkbeard a Dano [part Norse part Irish] holding Dublin under Canute of Denmark and England.The Danes however did convert to christianity and Sitrick later made a pilgrimage to Rome.
The regent cleric Clairread was nominaly assisted by Donnchad m Brian .
Donnchad has taken an amy to Meath in 1025 took hostages from Brega, Ossery, Leinster and the Danes of Dublin.
He plundered Meath but was opposed by Flaithbeartach O Neill son of Moylesechlainn m Moyleroney.
The princes of Ireland continued to prey and kill each other at will as they had done befor the great battle of Clontarf
Although no one governed Ireland in formal sence these two men one of the Church and the other a military power and provincial king acted as the godfathers of the nation.