Roderic O'Connor of Connaught

Children and descendants

The last of Ruaidrí's descendants to hold the kingship of Connacht, Aedh mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair, died in 1233. The Annals of Connacht give the following reason for this:

Aed mac Ruaidri had been five years King of Connacht, as the poet said: 'Aed mac Ruaidri of the swift onslaught, five years his rule over the province, till he fell— a loss on every frontier— by the hand of Fedlimid.' Here ends the rule of the children of Ruaidri O Conchobair, King of Ireland. For the Pope offered him the title to [the kingship of] Ireland for himself and his seed for ever, and likewise six wives, if he would renounce the sin of adultery henceforth; and since he would not accept these terms God took the rule and sovranty from his seed for ever, in punishment for his sin.

The annals and genealogies list thirteen children fathered by Ruaidrí. There may have been more.

– Conchobar Ua Conchobair

– Muirchertach Ua Conchobair

– Aedh Muimhnech Ua Conchobair. Had a son, Conchobar, alive in 1236.

- Domnall Mór Ua Conchobair. Had a son, Niall, killed 1242.

- Aed mac Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, died 1159.

- The daughter of Ruaidhri Ua Conchobair, wife of [F]laithbertach Ua Maeldoraidh, was killed by the sons of Ua Cairella[i]n in 1176.

- Rose Ní Conchobair, married Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath about 1180, and had descendants.

– Conchobar Máenmaige Ua Conchobhair, died 1189.

– Diarmait mac Ruaidrí Ó Conchobair, died 1221. Had sons Diarmait (fl. 1237), Donnchad (fl. 1237), Muirchertach (k. 1237) and Cormac.

– Muirghis Cananach Ua Conchobhair, died 1224.

- Nuala Ní Conchobair, died 1226.

- Aedh mac Ruaidri Ó Conchobair, died 1233.

– Toirdelbach mac Ruaidhi Ó Conchobair, died 1239. Had sons Conchobar Buide and Brian.

- M1211.8. Raghnailt and Caillech De, two daughters of Roderic O'Conor, died.

All of Ruaidrí's large male progeny faded into obscurity in the first half of the 13th century. The last to be mentioned in the Gaelic-Irish annals was his grandson, Niall son of Domnall Mór, who was killed in 1242.

The result is that there are no demonstratable male-line descendants of Ireland's last high-king recorded after the 1240s. All kings of Connacht from 1233 descended from Ruaidrí's much younger brother, Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair. The Ó Conchubhair Donn, the senior member of the entire Síol Muireadaigh dynasty, likewise descends from Cathal Crobhdearg.