- See also: List of Irish monarchs
The Royal Consort of Ireland was the spouse of the monarch of Ireland. In 1541, the second Kingdom of Ireland was created to replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171. The separate Kingdom of Ireland ceased to exist when Ireland joined with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
The early history of Ireland is confused and often obscure, due largely to information given by the sources of the time and after, which are often contradictory, vague, and lacking in detail. Details of the old High Kings of Ireland, and the details of their wives are almost non-existent, except for a few names. Thus, it is practically impossible to construct a complete list of consorts of Ireland prior to the Norman Conquest.
[edit] High Queens of Ireland
[edit] Semi-historical Queens
| Queen | Husband's Reign | Spouse | Remarks |
Brigid ingen Cobthaig [1] | 564-566 | Ainmuire mac Sétnai | Daughter of Cobthaig of the Uí Cheinnselaig. She was the mother of Cobthaig. |
| Eithne | 595-600 | Áed Sláine | She may have been mother to Áed's recorded children: at least six sons, including Diarmait and Blathmac, and a daughter named Rontud. |
Findelb ingen Chellaig [1] | 665-669 | Sechnassach | Probably daughter of Cellach Cualann, king of Leinster (died 715) of the Uí Máil. She was probably the mother of Bé Fáil, Murgal and Mumain, all being daughters. |
| Muirenn ingen Cellaig | 694-701 | Loingsech mac Óengusso | Daughter of Cellach Cualann, king of Leinster (died 715) of the Uí Máil. She was the mother of Flaithbertach, was later High King, and Fergal. |
? ingen Congal Cendmagair [2] | 709-718 | Fergal mac Máele Dúin | Daughter of Congal Cennmagair, High King of Ireland (died 710) of the Cenél Conaill. According to Fáistine Fergaile meic Máele Dúin ("Fergal mac Máele Dúin's Prophecy") to have been an illicit union; she was mother of Áed Allán. |
? [2] | Of the Ciannachta. According to Fáistine Fergaile meic Máele Dúin ("Fergal mac Máele Dúin's Prophecy"), she was mother of Niall Frossach. |
Ailbíne ingen Ailello [3][4] | 739-758 | Domnall Midi | Daughter of Ailello of Ard Ciannacht, a minor kingdom of the coast north of the River Boyne. Only recorded wife of Domnall Midi. |
Dunlaith ingen Flaithbertaich [2] | 759-765 | Niall Frossach | Daughter of Flaithbertach mac Loingsig, High King of Ireland (died 765) of the Cenél Conaill. She was mother of Áed Oirdnide, and died in 798. |
Bé Fáil ingen Cathail [3][4] | 766-792 | Donnchad Midi | Daughter of Cathal mac Muiredaig, eponym of the Leth Cathail in Ulster. She was mother of Óengus and Máel Ruanaid, and her death in 801 is recorded in the Annals of Ulster: "Be Fáil daughter of Cathal, Donnchad's queen, died.". |
Euginis ingen Donnchada [2] | 793-817 | Áed Oirdnide | Daughter of Donnchad Midi, High King of Ireland (died 797) of the Clann Cholmáin. She died in 802. |
Maedhbh ingen Indrechtach [2] | Daughter of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig, King of Connacht (died 723) of the Uí Briúin. Also known simply as Medb. According to the 12th century Banshenchas (Lore of Women), she was mother of Niall Caille, and died in 798. |
Gormflaith ingen Donnchada [2] | 823-846 | Niall Caille | Daughter of Donnchad Midi, High King of Ireland (died 797) of the Clann Cholmáin. She was mother of Áed Findliath, and died in 861 and the notice of her death in the Annals of Ulster calls her "a most charming queen of the Irish". |
| Queen | Husband's Reign | Spouse | Remarks |
[edit] Historical Queens
| Queen | Husband's Reign | Spouse | Remarks |
Gormlaith Rapach ingen Muiredach [2] | 855-879 | Áed Findliath | Daughter of Muiredach mac Eochada, King of Ulster (died 839) of the Dal Fiatach. Known as "the Harsh". According to the 12th century Banshenchas (Lore of Women), she was mother of Domnall mac Áeda and Eithne ingen Áeda. |
Land ingen Dúnlainge [2] | Daughter of Dúngal mac Fergaile, King of Osraige (died 842) and sister of Cerball mac Dúnlainge. She was widow of High King Máel Sechnaill. According to the 12th century Banshenchas (Lore of Women), she was mother of Domnall mac Áeda and Eithne ingen Áeda. She died in 842. |
Máel Muire ingen Cináeda [2] | Daughter of Cináed mac Ailpín, King of the Picts (died 858) of the House of Alpin. She was mother of Niall Glúndub by her first marriage. According to Annals of Ulster, she died in 913. She remarried after her husband's death. |
Gormlaith ingen Flainn [4] | 879-916 | Flann Sinna | Daughter of Flann mac Conaing, King of Brega (died 868) of the Síl nÁedo Sláine. She was mother of Donnchad Donn.[5] |
Eithne ingen Áeda [4] | Daughter of Áed Findliath, High King of Ireland (died 879) of the Cenél nEógain. She was mother of Máel Ruanaid. She was also married to Flannácan, King of Brega, by whom she had a son named Máel Mithig, although whether this preceded her marriage to Flann is unclear. It is likely that Flann divorced Eithne in order to follow the tradition of marrying his predecessor's widow, Eithne's stepmother. Eithne died as a nun in 917.[6] |
Máel Muire ingen Cináeda [4] | Daughter of Cináed mac Ailpín, King of the Picts (died 858) of the House of Alpin. She was mother of Domnall mac Flainn, King of Brega, and Lígach ingen Flainn (died 923). According to Annals of Ulster, she died in 913. |
Gormlaith ingen Flainn [2] | 916-919 | Niall Glúndub | Daughter of Flann Sinna, High King of Ireland (died 879) of the Clann Cholmáin. Was the widow of Cerball mac Muirecáin, the King of Leinster and before that Cormac mac Cuilennáin, the King of Munster. Legend depicted her as a tragic figure; she was resorted to begging from door to door after Niall's death. She was mother of Muirchertach mac Néill. The Annals of Ulster record her death in 948. |
Cainnech ingen Canannáin [4] | 919-944 | Donnchad Donn | Daughter of Canannán mac Flaithbertach, King of the Cenél Conaill of Tír Connaill. She died in 929. |
Órlaith ingen Cennétig [4] | Daughter of Cennétig mac Lorcáin, King of the Dál gCais of Thomond. She was killed in 941, apparently on Donnchad's order, perhaps due to a sexual relationship between her and her stepson Óengus. |
Dublemna ingen Tigernán [4] | Daughter of a Tigernán, a lord or king of Bréifne of the Ua Ruairc. She died in 943. |
Gormflaith ingen Murchada [4] | 980-1002 | Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill | Daughter of Murchad mac Finn, king of Leinster, and also widow of Olaf Cuaran, the Viking king of Dublin and York. She remarried to Brian Boru. |
Mór [7] | 1002-1014 | Brian Boru | Daughter of Gilla Brigte Ua Maíl Muaid of the Cenél Fiachach. Mother of his successor Murchad mac Brian, who was slain with his father at the Battle of Clontarf. |
Echrad [7] | Mother of his successor Donnchad mac Brian. |
Gormflaith ingen Murchada [7] | Daughter of Murchad mac Finn, king of Leinster. Widow of Olaf Cuaran, the Viking king of Dublin and York, and former wife of Máel Sechnaill. Mother of his successor Donnchad mac Brian, later King of Munster. She was said to be his true love, having mistakeningly challenged his authority one too many times, they divorced. Though she is said to be the cause of his death, she was also said to be the one to mourn him the most. She died in 1030. |
Dub Choblaig [7] | Daughter of a king of Connacht. Mother of Cénnetig mac Briain (Kennedy). |
Cacht ingen Ragnaill [7] | died 1064 (with opposition) | Donnchad mac Briain | Sister of Echmarcach mac Ragnaill, king of Dublin. The marriage was in 1032. |
Derbforgaill ingen Donnchad [8] | died 1072 (with opposition) | Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó | Daughter of Donnchad mac Briain, king of Munster of the Dál gCais. |
Dubchoblaig of the Uí Cheinnselaig [7] | died 1086 (with opposition) | Toirdelbach Ua Briain | Of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Mother of Diarmait Ua Briain, perhaps named for her kinsman and Toirdelbach's protector Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó. She died in 1088 |
Derbforgaill of Osraige [7] | Mother of Tadc and Muirchertach. |
Gormlaith of Ua Fógarta [7] | Of the Ua Fógarta. |
Isabel of Strathbogie [9] | 1315–1318 | Edward Bruce | Daughter of John of Strathbogie, 9th earl of Atholl. Mother of Alexander de Brus and Thomas de Brus. |
Isabella of Ross [9] | Daughter of Uilleam II of Clan Ross, 4th earl of Ross. Edward obtained a dispensation for a marriage to her on June 1, 1317. Their marriage may or may not have taken place before Edward's death; in any case, they had no children. |
| Queen | Husband's Reign | Spouse | Remarks |
[edit] Ladies of Ireland
The Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541) was all-island[citation needed] Irish state created in the wake of the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169–71.
[edit] House of Plantagenet, 1154-1485
This long-lived dynasty is usually divided into three houses: the Angevins, the House of Lancaster, and the House of York.
[edit] Angevins, 1177-1399
As the leader of the [[Norman invasion of Ireland Henry II of England created the title of Lord of Ireland for his youngest son John in 1177. The title came to be held by the monarchs of England when John later, and unexpectedly, inherited the English crown in 1199.
[edit] House of Lancaster
[edit] House of York
[edit] House of Tudor
The Tudors were of partial Welsh ancestry, and in 1536 Wales was fully incorporated into the English state (having been under English control since 1284). With Henry VIII's break from the Roman Catholic Church the monarch became the Supreme Head of the Church of Ireland.
| Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
 | Elizabeth of York [10] | York | 11 February 1466 | 18 January 1486 | 25 November 1487 | 11 February 1503 | Henry VII |
 | Catherine of Aragon [10] | Trastámara | 16 December 1485 | 11 June 1509 | 24 June 1509 | 23 May 1533 marriage annulled | 7 January 1536 | Henry VIII |
 | Anne Boleyn [10] | commoner | between 1501 and 1507 | 28 May 1533 | 1 June 1533 | 17 th of May 1536 marriage annulled | 19th of May 1536 (executed) |
 | Jane Seymour [10] | commoner | between 1507 and 1509 | 30 May 1536 | uncrowned; proclaimed queen 4 June 1536 | 24 October 1537 |
 | Anne of Cleves [10] | Cleves | 22 September 1515 | 6 January 1540 | uncrowned | 9 July 1540 marriage annulled | 16 July 1557 |
 | Catherine Howard [10] | commoner | between 1520 and 1525 | 28 July 1540 | uncrowned | 1541 became queen | 13 February 1542 |
[edit] Royal consorts of Ireland
In 1542 Henry VIII passed the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 in the Parliament of Ireland stating that Henry VIII of England and his successors would also be Kings of Ireland.
[edit] House of Tudor
| Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
 | Catherine Parr [10] | commoner | between 1512 and 1517 | 12 July 1543 | uncrowned | 28 January 1547 husband's death | 5 September 1548 | Henry VIII |
[edit] Disputed consort
| Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Coronation | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
 | Guilford Dudley [10][15] | commoner | 1536 | 15 May 1553 | 10 July 1553 wife's ascension | uncrowned | 19 July 1553 wife's deposition | 12 February 1554 | Jane |
[edit] House of Stuart
Following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 without issue, the Scottish king, James VI, succeeded to the English and Irish throne as James I in what became known as the Union of the Crowns. In 1604 he adopted the title King of Great Britain, although the kingdoms remained separate.
[edit] House of Hanover
The Hanoverian succession came about as a result of the Act of Settlement 1701, passed by the English Parliament. In return for access to the economically alluring plantations in North America,[citation needed] the Hanoverian succession and ultimately the Union was ratified by the English Parliament and subsequently the Scottish Parliament in 1707.
During George III's reign The Kingdom's of Great Britain and Ireland merged to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Act of Union 1800.
For the queens between 1801 and 1927, go to List of British consorts.
[edit] House of Windsor
Following dominion status being conferred on the Irish Free State in 1922, in 1927 the title King of Ireland was re-introduced, and lasted until Ireland became a republic in 1949.
For the queens of Northern Ireland, go to List of British consorts.
[edit] Sources