One king to rule them all (or not)

 #OTD in 1316 the Second Battle of Athenry was fought in Ireland (the first was in 1249), inside the kingdom of Connacht, modern-day Galway. I’m a complete amateur when it comes to the internal politics of medieval Ireland, so bear with me. 

Second Athenry was a shattering defeat for the Connacht Gaels, who were allied to Edward Bruce, brother of Robert I King of Scots. They were defeated by an Anglo-Irish army led by Richard de Bermingham (Rickard Mac Fheorais), lord of Athenry. Very little is known of the course or precise location of the battle. However, the Irish annals agree that it was an appalling defeat for the Gaels. Among the casualties was Feidhlimid mac Aedh Ó Conchobair, King of Connacht from 1310-1316. According to the Annals of Connacht, his inauguration as king had witnessed a revival in ancient Irish custom and practice. Quote:  

“…and he, Fedlimid mac Aeda meic Eogain, was proclaimed in a style as royal, as lordly and as public as any of his race from the time of Brian son of Eochu Muigmedoin till that day. And when Fedlimid mac Aeda meic Eogain had married the Province of Connacht his foster-father waited upon him during the night in the manner remembered by the old men and recorded in the old books; and this was the most splendid kingship-marriage ever celebrated in Connacht down to that day.'‘ 

The battle was also a devastating blow to the Bruce cause in Connacht, even though Edward Bruce himself never went west of the Shannon. While Edward had proclaimed himself High King of Ireland, he could only draw upon support from central and east Ulster. He needed Fedlimid, who was able to raise support from at least three of the five provinces. 

The outcome was not a disaster for all the Gaels. to Quote Adrian Martyn, an expert on the Irish wars of this period: 

“The real winners at Athenry included the Uí Cellaigh and the Uí Briain, who were able to keep their respective kingdoms free from Anglo-Irish and English interference for over two hundred years. In both Ui Mhaine and Tuadmuma, Gaelic culture and arts would flourish, all as a direct and indirect result of the events at Athenry.” 

(Third pic is of Athenry Castle)