Bolgach and Bennchor
Archived: 2 November 2026
Abstract
In 680 CE, Ireland’s surviving annalistic record brings together a striking mixture of dynastic violence, ecclesiastical change and a grave outbreak of illness. The entries are brief, and the manuscripts that preserve them were written much later, so their calendar headings require care. This account follows modern chronological synchronisation rather than simply repeating the sometimes displaced year-numbers in individual annals. On that basis, several developments can responsibly be assigned to 680: the death of Colmán, abbot of Bennchor (Bangor); the killing of Fíanamail mac Máel Tuile, king of Leinster; deaths and fighting in several regions; and, most memorably, the report