of Fedelmid's rule, when he ravaged the east midland kingdoms of Mide and Brega and is recorded as having rested in Temhar (Tara), and the annals have a short poem on this:Feidhlimid is the King, To whom it was but one day’s work [To obtain] the pledges of Connaught without battle, And to devastate Midhe. Downfall and death However, this triumph was short-lived and, in 841, he was defeated in battle by Niall Caille at Magh-Ochtar in Kildare, presumably by surprise, as the following verse suggests:The crozier of the devout Feidlimid, Was abandoned in the blackthorns, Niall, mighty in combat, took it, By right of victory in battle with swords. Fedelmid does not appear to have recovered from this defeat and died in 847. Although the cause of his death is not noted in the Annals of Ulster, the majority of the other sources place the cause of his death on St. Kieran, the patron saint of Clonmacnoise, as revenge for Fedelmid's plunderings of the site. The Annals of Clonmacnoise offer the following description:After his returne to Munster ye next year, he was overtaken by a great disease of the flux of the belly, which happened in this wide. As King felym (soone after his return to Mounster) was taking his rest inn his bed, St. Wueran appeared to him with his habit and bachall.. & there gave him a push of his Bachall in his belly whereof he tooke his disease and occasiontion of Death, and notwithstanding his great irregularity and great desire of spoyle he was of sum numbered among the scribes and anchorites of Ireland. Annalistic references AI838.1 A great assembly of the men of Ireland in Cluain Ferta Brénainn, and Niall son of Aed, king of Temuir, submitted to Feidlimid, son of Crimthann, so that Feidlimid became full king of Ireland that day, and he occupied the abbot's chair of Cluain Ferta. AI840.1 Kl. Feidlimid harried Leth Cuinn from Birra to Temuir, and he was checked at Temuir, and he seized Gormlaith, daughter of Murchad, king of Laigin, together with her female train, and Indrechtach, son of Mael Dúin, was killed by him at Temuir. AI847.1 Kl. The seventh feria [Saturday], tenth of the moon.Feidlimid, son of Crimthann, fell asleep. See also List of royal saints and martyrs Notes References External links Annals of Ulster Annals of Inisfallen High Kings of Ireland 847 deaths Kings of