Ruaidrí na Saide Buide Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, called Ruaidrí na Saide Buide was King of Connacht, perhaps twice.
Background
Connacht in the 11th century was a region that resembled the modern Irish province. The main difference was that the Kingdom of Breifne, whose rulers sometimes also ruled over Connacht, extended into parts of southern Ulster. The kings of Connacht had, for several hundred years, belong to the Uí Briúin kindred, who traced their descent from a half-brother, Brion, of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Connacht and its kings had been associated with the Uí Néill High Kings of Ireland, descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, but as allies rather than as subjects. With the ending of the era of Uí Néill High Kingship at the death of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill in 1022, a new era began, one in which the various provincial kings in Ireland attempted to impose themselves as kings of Ireland, emulating Brian Bóruma. In the 1070s, Brian Bóruma's grandson Toirdelbach Ua Briain was the leading king in Ireland, and if he was less powerful than his propagandists then and later would claim, he exercised a significant influence over Connacht.The Uí Briúin were divided into three major groups by the 11th century. First, the Uí Briúin Aí, led by the descendants of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór, the family of Ua Conchobair, whose power-base lay in central Connacht, originally centred on the important royal site of Cruachan. The second group were the family of Ua Ruairc, the kings of Breifne, who first provided a king of Connacht in the 10th century, Fergal Ua Ruairc. The third group were the Uí Briúin Seóla, whose leading family was the Ua Flaithbertaig, who dominated Iarchonnacht.
Family
Ruaidrí belonged to the Ua Conchobair family. His father, Áed in Gai Bernaig was a descendant in the 8th generation of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór. Although sons rarely directly followed their fathers as provincial kings, each of Ruaidrí's paternal ancestors as far back as Conchobar had been reckoned a king of Connacht. His mother was Caillech Cáemgein. She may have belonged to the Clann Uatach of modern County Roscommon.Tadg in Eich Gil, died 1030.
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Áed in Gai Bernaig, fl. 1046–67. Tadg Dubhsúileach, d. 1009.
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Ruaidrí na Saide Buide Cú Chonnacht Tadg, d. 1062. Murchad Liathnach, d. 1069. Cathal, d. 1082. Niall Odar
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Niall, d. 1093. Tadc, d. 1097. Conchobar, d.1103. Domnall, Mór Ua Conchobair, Dubhchobhlaigh, Tairrdelbach,
d.1118. d. after 1118. died 1131. 1088–1156.