Brian Boru - The Man Who Would Be King: Part 1

The story of Brian Boru is as steeped in myth and popular folklore as it is in historical fact. Over the course of this first video on his life and achievements, I will attempt to separate the myths from the facts and create a coherent narrative for you to listen to.
You can email me with questions about this video or others at: [e-mail]

[@willhqAUS]

Excellent short history video of Brian Boru's rise... a period that is far less known than his final days leading to Clontarf. Thanks to Cian for making this and I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Just one comment re the succession story. The video implies that Brian was an unlikely bet to succeed his father. Due to the Gaelic system of "derbhfine", or all male descendants of a common grandfather or great-grandfather being equal candidates for election as the successor, he had an equal legal right of inheritance. As a younger son there may have been practical issues to overcome, but the system was not that of primogeniture, common in feudal Europe, and that which we are most familiar with today for royal succession.

[@historicaldelving5426]

Thank you for the feedback Will, I've pinned your comment so that it will be easy to see for others watching. That was a rookie mistake on my part so thank you for the correction!

[@bsemmanz7274]

🫡⚔️🦅

[@helenbekind8486]

I am an American and I was researching the Kennedy Family. Which led me to Cennetig and then to Brian Boru. Recently I learned about the Hill of Tara after researching the Ark of the Covenant. History is so interconnected and most of us have been disconnected from it. God is taking me on a journey to learn about our past and today I was brought here to your channel. Thank you for the video. Excited to watch and learn!

[@historicaldelving5426]

Good luck with your research! Thanks for watching.

[@bsemmanz7274]

Amen 🫡⚔️🦅

[@toughnumber]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge on these subjects, they are fascinating and really well done 👍

[@historicaldelving5426]

Thank you! It means a lot.

[@the2ndcoming135]

Happy Rest Day, Grampy Brian🕊

[@eoinsweetman9263]

Great stuff man! Thanks.

[@hellajeff5613]

One of the greatest heroes but also greatest tragedies of our history. What could have been...

[@bsemmanz7274]

Can still be

[@patfitzgerald9618]

Dian, Great series. Fair play to you. Can you please elaborate on the reference for the coronation place of the Dalcassian kings. Thanks. Pat

[@historicaldelving5426]

Hi Pat, I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the videos. As regards to the actual ceremony of the Dalcassian coronations, we don't know a whole lot unfortunately. The tree that they were crowned under was located near Quin in county Clare. There is no such tree there anymore as you will have heard in the video. There are a few items of interest still on the site, such as a mound, a standing stone, and a fulacht fia. A fulacht fia was a type of pit that was used for cooking. From this we can infer that perhaps the coronation was followed by an open air feast for the notables of the Dalcassian regime and their followers. Of course there may have been buildings on the site too but if there were their remains have not survived.

[@patfitzgerald9618]

Historical Delving Cian, thank you for coming back to me. I am from Adare and hence my interest. You will be interested in c devane's work on the net under Eachtra Archeology where she identifies the castle (Desmond) as originally an o Brian castle called the black castle. Separately since I commented yesterday I did a little searching and found that unfortunately magh-Adair refers to a place in clare and not adare. Keep up the good work. Regards, Pat

[@teddygallagher9706]

Great video

[@vestty5802]

I’m a descendant of him I am a Bryan from North Carolina , Morgan Bryan moved to the mountainous frontier from Ireland and was said to be a direct descendant of Brian boru

[@historicaldelving5426]

Very interesting! Have you ever been to the home turf of the Dalcassians? Worth a visit after Covid is sorted.

[@vestty5802]

Historical Delving no never my family have been here for almost 300 years

[@andykane439]

Jesus christ does every american think there related to him 😂

[@vestty5802]

@@andykane439 they were O’Briens so yes I am

[@dustinmagner2039]

That is fun to be able to draw a straight connection to a great man. My dna is Norman and Gaelic but I can’t find a connection to a particular notable Gaelic lineage. My Norman ancestors went over with the Barry’s and married local. Though I can’t directly link to an individual that participated, the Magners were not in good standing with the Crown during the Desmond Rebellions and massively immigrated to the US in the late 1700s.

[@danielhbonnie7268]

Make more videos!

[@capeesh5068]

Lamh Laidir an uachtar

[@michealjones9863]

Is that the Irish for wanker 😂

[@danielaaronbrown13]

Fun fact, I’m actually a descendant of this man

[@BaseK59]

so am I

[@rymic72]

It’s a strange thing but I’ve never met anyone in my day to day life who mentions being a descendent of nobility or notable historical figures but when I happen to speak with American tourists every one of them speaks of being a descendent of some king or the other. It must be a cultural difference

[@michaelbonner3908]

How do people find they are related to historical fiqures using dna ? My family has been there in the one village for 100 years all of the info was in the local town church as a village most times dont have a church it seems you can found out where your ancestors are from but going 500+ years to a specific person seems to be very hard to do ? But i dont study it up like most im only a descendent thru my parents plus when ever there we didnt chat about ancient relatives

[@anthonyjackson6771]

he family just found out lol or hoping so told my kin was william smith bryant prince of ireland but was never crowned because comwell forcing him to leave for america

[@historicaldelving5426]

Unfortunately there was never really such a thing as 'Prince of Ireland' The island was divided into many small states in the period, with a High King exercising authority over some (but very rarely all). Regarding the name Bryant, I can't comment on whether it is somehow related to O'Brien, anything is possible I suppose.

[@gary3851]

Brian Boru is the most overrated figure in Irish history essentially because was the first from Munster after 700 years of Ui Neill unitterupted rule. His short reign was rejected/disputed by the Northern Ui Neill until his death, however his bribing of Armagh and weak state of the Southern Ui Neill allowed him to claim the title he yearned temporarily. A deeper look at the role of the Christian Church is documenting Irish History and in particular the fact Brian Boru bribed the Christian center of power in Armagh should be noted. It might explain why a man who's reign was so short lived received such historical prominence.

[@byrne8509]

Him and his army also decisively ended the viking domination in Ireland, with a climax at Clontarf, although somewhat pyrrhic. That might be another reason why is so popular.