Within the 1166, Ireland’s the Higher King and you can Mac Murchadha’s only friend Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn had dropped, and a massive coalition contributed because of the Tighearnan Ua Ruairc (Mac Murchadha’s arch enemy) marched for the Leinster. Ua Ruairc and his partners took Leinster without difficulty, and you will Mac Murchadha and his spouse hardly fled using their lives. Mac computer Murchadha fled in order to Wales and you may from there to help you England and you will France, in order to have King Henry II’s accept feel enjoy hire troops to bring back in order to Ireland and you may recover their kingship. Towards returning to Wales, Robert Fitzstephen helped your organize an excellent mercenary armed forces away from Norman and you will Welsh troops, also Richard de- Clare, 2nd Earl away from Pembroke, alias Strongbow
In the absence, Ruaidhri Ua Conchobhair (boy of Mac Murchadha’s previous enemy, Large Queen Toirdhealbhach) has been around since this new High King of Ireland. Mac Murchadha prepared not just to take Leinster, however, to help you oust the fresh new Ui Conchobhair clan and be the newest High King off Ireland himself. The guy easily retook Dublin, Ossory and also the previous Viking payment of Waterford, and you will within a few days got every one of Leinster in the manage once again. Then he marched into the Tara (upcoming Ireland’s funding) in order to oust Ruaidhri. Mac Murchadha gambled you to Ruaidhri won’t harm the fresh new Leinster hostages which he got (also Mac Murchadha’s oldest boy, Conchobhar Mac computer Murchadha). However Ua Ruairc forced their give and they was basically every murdered.
Diarmaid’s armed forces next shed the fight. He sent word so you’re able to Wales and you may pleaded having Strongbow in the future so you’re able to Ireland as quickly as possible. Strongbow’s short force got inside the Wexford having Welsh and you will Norman cavalry and grabbed more than each other Waterford and you can Wexford. They then got Dublin. MacMurrough try devastated following loss of his son, Domhnall, retreated so you’re able to Ferns and you can passed away two months after.
Gerald away from Wales, good Cambro-Norman historian exactly who went to Ireland and you may whoever uncles and you will cousins was basically preferred soldiers regarding armed forces of Strongbow, told you of Mac Murchadha:
Strongbow hitched Dermot’s daughter Aoife out-of Leinster within the 1170, once the she are good heiress, and thus most of their (and his awesome followers’) home try supplied in order to him under the Irish Brehon legislation, and later reconfirmed not as much as Norman law. The wedding is envisioned and decorated regarding Close concept when you look at the 1854 by the Daniel Maclise.
Inside Irish record guides composed immediately after 1800 on the ages of nationalism, Diarmaid Mac computer Murchadha are tend to seen as a traitor, however, his intent wasn’t to help a keen English invasion of Ireland, but alternatively to utilize Henry’s assist with become 
the Higher King out of Ireland himself. He’d no way from knowing Henry II’s desires for the Ireland. Inside the time, politics is considering dynasties and you can Ireland wasn’t ruled as a single state. Subsequently, Henry II don’t imagine themselves getting English otherwise Norman, however, French, and you may try just giving an answer to new facts on the ground.
He extra „Lord off Ireland” to their a great many other titles
„Today Dermot try a person significant out-of prominence and you may stout out of frame; a good soldier whose heart was in brand new arena, and stored valiant certainly one of his own nation. Out of usually screaming his competition-cry his sound came into existence hoarse. Person who manage oppress his greater vassals, while he elevated in order to higher station guys away from lowly beginning. An excellent tyrant in order to his or her own subjects, he was hated by the visitors; his hands try up against all the guy, and every people’s hand against your.”
Immediately following Strongbow’s successful attack, Henry II mounted the second and you can big attack into the 1171 so you can make certain their command over their Norman subjects, and therefore been successful. Then he approved the newest entry of Irish kings when you look at the Dublin. The guy and made sure you to their ethical state they Ireland, provided of the 1154 papal bull Laudabiliter, was reconfirmed during the 1172 because of the Pope Alexander III and also by an effective synod of the many Irish bishops within Cashel.