Ard Macha

[I] (Armagh.) Capital of Ulster, founded in 370 b.c. by Macha Mong Ruadh. The story is interwoven with another Macha who is goddess of battles. Armagh (The Height of Macha) was a short distance from Emain Macha, which throughout the Ulster Cycle is the seat of the kings. See Emain Macha. St. Patrick founded his religious centre there, and it is now the seat of the primacy of the Catholic Church in Ireland. The Book of Armagh, completed by Derfdonnach at Armagh in a.d. 807, is now in Trinity College, Dublin.

Ard Rí

[I] Old spelling Ard Rígh, “the High King.” According to the ancient bardic king lists, Slaigne the Firbolg was the first High King of Ireland, and from his accession until a.d. 1 there were 107 High Kings: 9 Firbolg, 9 Dé Danaan, and 89 Milesians. From a.d. 1 until the last High King of Ireland, Ruaraidh Ó Conchobhar (a.d. 1161–1198), there were 81 High Kings listed. Ruaraidh Ó Conchobhar signed the Treaty of Windsor in October a.d. 1175, accepting Henry II of the Angevin Empire as suzerain of Ireland. There is evidence that a High King system also existed in Alba, with Coinneach Mac Alpín recognised as the first High King of Alba in a.d. 844. With the overthrow of MacBeth (a.d. 1040–1057) by Callum a’ chinn mhòr (Malcolm Canmore), the structure of the monarchy changed. Malcolm was the first to use the non-Celtic theory of kingship and claim kingship “by hereditary right.” He had been brought up in England under a different system. In Celtic society, kings were elected to office by their chieftains and clan assemblies. There is a good argument for the existence of the High Kingship as an institution elsewhere in the Celtic world, for the Celtic tribal and provincial systems of government produced petty kingdoms over which “High Kings” ruled. Vortigern, the king of Britain at the time of the first Anglo-Saxon invasions, bears a name that actually means “High King” or “overlord.”

Argadnel

[I] “Silver Cloud.” One of the islands of earthly paradise seen during Bran’s fabulous voyage.

Argetlámh

[I] See Nuada.

Arianrod

[W] See Aranrhod.

Art

[I] High King of Ireland. Son of Conn of the Hundred Battles. Known as Art Aenfer (Solitary). According to the king lists he ruled at Tara from a.d. 220 to 250. He wins the love of Delbchaem