Ailil Harper

Ailil was one of the sons of the ruler of Brega and the High King of Ireland, Aed Slane , who was killed in 604 ^{[1] [2]} . According to the 12th century treatise Banshenchas (On Famous Women), his mother was Aed's second wife, Eitne Ingen Brenain ^{[3] [4]} .

After the death of Aeda Slane, the throne of Bregui was inherited by his son Conall Laeg Breg , and when he died in battle in 612, another brother of Ailil, Kongal mak Aedo Slane, gained power over the kingdom ^[5] . Although the Irish annals do not call Ailil the king of Bregui, he is mentioned in this capacity in the poem by Flanne Mainistrech, preserved in the Leinster Book , Síl Aeda Sláne na Sleg ^[6] . Modern historians suggest that he could be the co-ruler of his brother Kongal.

In 634, the army of Breguy under the command of the kings of Kongal, poppy Aedo Slane and Ailil Harper, was defeated in the battle of Loch Tretin in Fremainne (modern Loch Dretin near Frevine Hill in Westmeath County ). The winner of the Bregians was King Mede Conall Gutbinn of the clan Holmain , the assassin of King Aedo Slane. Kongal and Ailil fell on the battlefield. The Irish annals in the report of this event only Congal endow with the royal title ^[7] . In contrast to the annals, the poem “ Síl Aeda Sláne na Sleg ” reports that Ailil and Kongal died in the battle of At Goan, intervening in the internecine war in Leinster . Their winners are Conall Gutbinn and the Leinster king Faelan mack Colmain of the Wu Dunlinge clan ^[6] .

After the death of Ailil Harper and Kongal, poppy Aedo Slane, their new kings-co-rulers of Brega became their brothers Blatmak and Diarmait ^[8] . It is known that Ailil had a son Dlutah and a grandson Aed mak Dlutayg , whose descendants in the Early Middle Ages made sept Fir Hul Breg ^{[1] [2]} .