Colmán Rímid (or Colmán mac Báetáin) (died 604) was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. Colmán was the son of Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572), also considered to be a high king, and belonged to the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill.T.M. Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, Appendix V He ruled in Ailech from 578 to 602.he is given a reign of 24 years in the Laud Synchronisms His byname rímid means "the Counter", suggesting that he was numerate, unlike most contemporary kings.
The high kingship of Ireland rotated between the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill branches in the late 6th century.Charles-Edwards, pg.494-495 He is said to have shared the High Kingship with Áed Sláine. The accession of Colmán and Áed to the high kingship is recorded in the annals in 598.Annals of Ulster AU 598.5; Annals of Tigernach AT 596.3 They are also listed as kings in the king lists.given reigns of 6 years in Laud Synchronisms, 7 years in Book of Leinster They are however omitted from the earliest king list, the Baile Chuind (The Ecstasy of Conn), a late 7th-century Irish poem. Fiachnae mac Báetáin of Ulaid may have been effectively king.Charles-Edwards, pg.499-500
In 602 Colmán defeated his Cenél Conaill rival, Conall Cú mac Áedo (died 604) at the Battle of Cúl Sleamna (in Raphoe barony) and Conall was put to flight.Annals of Ulster AU 601.3, 602.2; Annals of Tigernach AT 600.2 Colmán met his death in 604 when he was killed by a kinsman, Lochán Dilmana.Annals of Ulster AU 604.1; Annals of Tigernach AT 602.1 The Annals of Ulster state of this:Annals of Ulster 604.1Of what value kingship, of what value law; of what value power over princes; Since it is king Colmán the Counter whom Lochan Dithnadha has slain?
His daughter, or perhaps granddaughter, Fín, was the mother of Aldfrith son of Oswiu.Francis J.Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, pg.260 The poet Cenn Fáelad mac Aillila (died 679) was his nephew. . Aldfrith of Northumbria and the Irish genealogies. Ireland, C. A., in Celtica 22 (1991]. His brother Máel Umai (died 610) fought at the Battle of Degsastan where he is said to have killed the brother of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia.
Documented relationships Speculative relationships italics Family name
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References
Annals of Ulster at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Annals of Tigernach at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork Charles-Edwards, T.M., Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000. Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press,