The kings of Munster ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the Book of Invasions, the earliest king of Munster was Bodb Derg of the Tuatha Dé Danann. From the Gaelic peoples, an Érainn kindred known as the Dáirine (also known as Corcu Loígde and represented today in seniority by the Ó hEidirsceoil) provided several early monarchs including Cú Roí. In a process in the Cath Maige Mucrama, the Érainn lost their ascendancy in the 2nd century AD to the Deirgtine, ancestors of the Eóganachta. Munster during this period was classified as part of Leath Moga, or the southern-half, while other parts of Ireland were ruled mostly by the Connachta. After losing Osraige to the east, Cashel was established as the capital of Munster by the Eóganachta. This kindred ruled without interruption until the 10th century. Although the High Kingship of Ireland was dominated during this time by the Uí Néill, the Eóganachta of Munster did provide Cathal mac Finguine and Fedelmid mac Crimthainn as serious contenders. This great tribe was broken down into different septs or branches, the most successful in terms of royalty being the Eóganacht Chaisil (represented by the Ó Súilleabháin and Mac Cárthaigh), the Eóganacht Glendamnach (represented by the Ó Caoimh), and the Eóganacht Áine (represented by the Ó Ciarmhaic). Their hold was loosened by the rise of Brian Bóruma of the Dál gCais, who established the Ó Briain as kings of Munster. As well as this, Munster had to contend with the Normans. Finally, the kingdom ended as it was split into Thomond, Desmond and Ormond. The former two came to an end during the 16th century with the birth of the Tudor Kingdom of Ireland, with former rulers joining the Peerage of Ireland. There were a number of Gaelic attempts to reassert their power in Munster, such as that of Fínghin Mac Cárthaigh and Domhnall Cam Ó Súilleabháin Bhéara, but these were not successful.

Ancient and legendary Kings of Munster

Historical Kings of Cashel, Iarmuman, and Munster

There were not verifiable Eóganacht overkings of (all or most of) Munster until the early 7th century, after the Corcu Loígde had fallen entirely from power, some time after losing their grip on the Kingdom of Osraige and the support of the Muscraige and others. Thus the earlier kings below are best described as Kings of Cashel, Kings of Iarmuman, or Kings of the Eóganachta. Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib was the first Eóganacht to powerfully project outside Munster, but his Iarmuman relations were a significant rival of Cashel in his time, and not enough is known of many of his successors before Cathal mac Finguine, although the fragmentary nature of the surviving sources can to an extent be blamed. At this time also flourished the semi-independent Uí Fidgenti and Uí Liatháin, a pair of shadowy sister kingdoms whose official origins appear to have been adjusted in the 8th century in a semi-successful (if ambiguously necessary) attempt to integrate them into the Eóganachta political structure and genealogical scheme. Effective relations and an alliance were achieved with the Uí Fidgenti, to the credit of Eóganacht strength, wealth and finesse, but for unknown reasons the Uí Liatháin remained effective outsiders except to Eóganacht Glendamnach. Of the Eóganachta, unless noted.

Eóganacht Chaisil, –500

–|| || Son of Luigthech mac Ailill Flann Bec ||Aimend several children|| unknown –453|| || Son of Corc mac Luigthig ||unknown|| 453 453–489|| || Son of Nad Froích mac Cuirc ||Eithne Uathach purported to have had twenty-four sons and twenty-four daughters|| 489 489–500|| || Son of Óengus mac Nad Froích ||unknown|| 500

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 500–596

500–522|| || Son of Óengus mac Nad Froích||unknown|| 522 522–542|| || Son of Eochaid mac Óengusa||unknown|| 542 542–577|| || Son of Crimthann Srem mac Echado||unknown|| 577 577–596 (possible) || || Son of Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn||unknown|| 596

Eóganacht Airthir Cliach, 577–582

577–582|| || Son of Crimthann Srem mac Echado||unknown|| 582

Eóganacht Raithlind, 582–588

582–588|| || Son of Tighearnach mac Aedh||unknown|| 588

Eóganacht Áine, 596–601

596–601|| || Son of Éndai||unknown || 601 596–601|| || Son of Éndai||unknown || 601

Eóganacht Chaisil, 601–618

601–618|| || Son of Áedo Duib||Mór Muman several children|| 618

Eóganacht Locha Léin, 618

618|| || Son of Crimthainn mac Cobhtach||unknown|| 618

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 618–627

618–627|| || Son of Áed Fland Cathrach||Mór Muman<BR>several children|| 627

Eóganacht Chaisil, 627–639

627–639|| || Son of Áedo Duib||unknown|| 639

Eóganacht Áine, 639–641

639–641|| || Son of Amalgaid mac Éndai||unknown || 641

Eóganacht Chaisil, 641–661

641–661|| || Son of Fíngen mac Áedo Duib and Mór Muman||unknown|| 661

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 661–665

661–665|| || Son of Cathal mac Áedo||several children|| 665

Eóganacht Chaisil, 665–678

665–678|| || Son of Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib||unknown|| 678

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 678–701

678–696|| || Son of Cathal Cú-cen-máthair||several children|| 696 696–701|| || Son of Cathal Cú-cen-máthair||unknown|| 701

Eóganacht Chaisil, 701–712

701–712|| || Son of Ailello mac Máenach||unknown|| 712

Eóganacht Áine, 712–721

712–721|| || Son of Máel Umai mac Cúán||unknown || 721

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 721–742

721–742|| || Son of Finguine mac Cathail||several children|| 742

Eóganacht Áine, 742–769

742–769|| || Son of Eterscél mac Máele Umai||unknown || 769

Eóganacht Locha Léin, 769–786

769–786|| || Son of Áed Bennán mac Conaing ||unknown|| 786

Eóganacht Áine, 786–805

786–805 || || Son of Duib-Indrecht||unknown || 805

Eóganacht Glendamnach, 805–820

805–820|| || Son of Cathal mac Finguine||one son|| 820 – (possible) || || Son of Artrí mac Cathail||unknown|| 807

Eóganacht Chaisil, 820–847

807–820 (possible) || || Son of Máel Donngaile||unknown|| 820 820–847|| || Son of Crimthainn||unknown|| 28 August 847

Eóganacht Áine, 847–851

847–851|| || Son of Cináeda ||unknown || 851

Eóganacht Chaisil, 851–859

851–853|| || Son of Donngaile||unknown|| 853 853–859|| || Son of Donngaile||one son|| 859

Eóganacht Áine, 859–872

859–872|| || Son of Mugthigirn ||unknown || 872

Eóganacht Chaisil, 872–908

872–888|| || Son of Duib-dá-Bairenn mac Crundmáel||unknown|| 888 888–895|| || Son of Máel Gualae mac Donngaile||unknown|| 895 895–902|| || Son of Loégairi mac Duib-dá-Bairenn||unknown|| 902 902–908|| || Son of Cuilennáin mac Selbach||unknown|| 908

Múscraige, 908–944

908–944|| || Son of Inmainén||unknown || 944

Eóganacht Chaisil, 944–957

944–|| || Son of Coinlígáin mac Corcrán||unknown|| unknown –954|| || Son of Buadacháin mac Lachtnae||one son|| 954 954–957|| || Son of Flann mac Donnchad||one son|| 957

Eóganacht Raithlind, 957–959

957–959|| || Son of Domnall mac Dub-dá-Bairenn||unknown || 959

Eóganacht Chaisil, 959–963

959–961|| || Son of Clérig mac Áilgenán||unknown|| 961 959–963|| || Son of Cellachán Caisil||unknown|| 963

Eóganacht Raithlind, 959–978

959–970 976–978|| || Son of Brian||one son || 978

Uí Ímair, 960–977

960–977 (de facto) || ||uncertain||several children || 977

Dál gCais, 970–1014

970–976|| || Son of Cennétig mac Lorcáin ||unknown || 976 978–1014 || || c. 941 Son of Cennétig mac Lorcáin and Bé Binn inion Urchadh || (1) Mór three sons (2) Echrad one son (3) Gormflaith one son || 23 April 1014

Eóganacht Chaisil, 1014–1025

1014–1025|| || Son of Máel Fathardaig mac Flann||unknown|| 1025

Ó Briain, 1025–1119

1025–1064|| || Son of Brian Bóruma and Gormflaith ingen Murchada ||Cacht ingen Ragnaill Three children || 1064 1064–1068|| || Son of Donnchad mac Briain and Cacht ingen Ragnaill||unknown || 1068 1068–1086|| ||1009 Son of Tadc mac Briain and Mór||(1) Dubchoblaig One son (2) Derbforgaill Two sons|| 1086 1086–1114 1118–1119|| ||1050 Son of Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain||Derb Forgaill ingen Uí Laidcnén Three children|| 1119 1114–1118|| || 1060 Son of Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain||unknown || 1118 1118|| || Son of Murchad mac Donnchada||unknown || 1118

Mac Cárthaigh, 1127–1138

1127–1138|| || Son of Muireadach Mac Carthaigh||unknown|| 1138

Ó Briain, 1138–1194

1138–1142 (claimant) 1142–1167 (claimant) 1167–1168 (claimant) 1168–1194 (claimant)