| Notes |
Ailill mac Dúnlainge (831 - 871) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Muire d a i g s e pt of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. This sept had their r o y a l s e at at Maistiu (Mullaghmast) in South Kildare in what is now Irel a n d . H e w as the son of Dúnlaing mac Muiredaig (died 869), a previous ki n g . H e r u led from 869-871.
There is much confusion in the king lists during this period for Leinst e r . A i l ill is the first person awarded the title King of Leinster in th e A n n a l s of Ulster at his death notice since 838. Francis John Byrne su gg e s t s t hat the root of this apparent confusion lay in the fact that th e U í D ú n l ainge kings exercised little real authority due to the aggress io ns o f t h e ir western neighbour Cerball mac Dúnlainge (died 888), King o f O s r a i ge. Cerball, while unable to install himself as king of Leinster , w a s a b l e to prevent any rival king exercising real power there.
In 870 the high king Áed Findliath (died 879) invaded Leinster and over r a n i t f r om Áth Cliath (Dublin) to Gabrán. Meanwhile, his ally Cerball m a c D ú n l ainge (died 888) of Osraige invaded Leinster from the west. He r e a c h e d Dún Bolg where his camp was attacked by the Laigin who were at f i r s t s u ccessful, but in a counter-attack they were put to flight. Ailil l ' s n a m e is not connected with these events which state that Muiredach m a c B r a i n was the King of Leinster who fought the forces of Cerball. The F r a g m e ntary Annals give a lengthy account of this event and state that C e r b a l l met up with the high king's forces at Belach Gabrán (the pass of G o w r a n i n east-central Osraighe) but both forces then retired and the ho s t a g e s of the Laigin were not taken.
In 871 Ailill was killed by the Vikings of Dublin.
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Abt 830 - 871 (41 years)
