Dargart mac Finguine facts for kids

Dargart mac Finguine, who died in the year 685, was a member of an important family group called the Cenél Comgaill. This family group gave its name to a place in Scotland called Cowal. The only thing we know for sure about Dargart comes from old records called the Irish annals. These records, which were kept on an island called Iona, only mention his death.

People believe that Dargart was the father of two powerful rulers, Bridei mac Der-Ilei and Nechtan mac Der-Ilei. Both of them became kings of the Picts, a group of people who lived in ancient Scotland.

Who Was Dargart mac Finguine?

The name Dargart is quite rare in old records. Because of this, historians think that all mentions of someone named Dargart probably refer to the same person. It was unusual for someone from the Cenél Comgaill family to be mentioned in the Iona records. These records usually focused on another family group called the Cenél nGabráin, who lived in Kintyre.

Only Dargart and his father, Finguine Fota, are mentioned in these old records, and only when they died. This shows they were important enough to be noted.

Dargart's Family History

We know about Dargart's father's family from an old family tree document called the Genelaig Albanensium. This document was added to another important record called the Senchus fer n-Alban. It says that Dargart was a great-grandson of Comgall mac Domangairt, who was a very early leader of the Cenél Comgaill. It also mentions another son of Finguine, named Ferchar.

How Dargart Died

The old records, like the Annals of Tigernach and the Annals of Ulster, say that Dargart died in the year 685. This was the same year as a famous battle called the Battle of Nechtansmere. The records state that Dargart died a violent death. This event was later written down again in the Annals of Ulster for the year 692, but historians believe the 685 date is the correct one.

Dargart's Children

Dargart seems to have married a woman named Der-Ilei. She might have been the daughter of a powerful ruler called Bridei son of Beli, who was also a king of the Picts.

Dargart and Der-Ilei had at least two sons who became very important. These were Bridei, who died around the year 706, and Nechtan, who died in 732. Both of them ruled as kings of the Picts.

Another person named Congal mac Dargarto, who died in 712, was probably also Dargart's son. However, we are not sure if Der-Ilei was his mother. It's also uncertain if Ciniod (or Cináed) mac Der-Ilei, who was killed in 713, was another one of Dargart's sons.