Ailill

Ailill mac Máta is a legendary figure in Irish mythology, remembered as the king of Connacht and the husband of Medb (Maeve). He appears most prominently in the Ulster Cycle, especially in the tale known as the Cattle Raid of Cooley (Táin Bó Cúailnge), where the political alliance between Ailill and Medb drives a major conflict with the kingdom of Ulster. The name Ailill is a traditional Irish personal name; mac Máta identifies him as the son of Máta.

In the Táin, Ailill and Medb project a display of wealth and power to justify a campaign to seize Ulster’s prized cattle, including the famed brown bull Donn Cuailnge. Their wealth-driven claim and dynastic partnership set the stage for a protracted war that tests loyalty, courage, and strategy across numerous Irish kingdoms. The tale depicts Ailill as a ruler whose ambitions and cunning are matched by Medb's bold leadership, making them one of literature’s most famous royal couples.

The narrative presents Connacht as prosperous under their rule, yet the campaign brings devastation and shifting alliances. The cattle raid culminates in a climactic confrontation with Ulster’s forces, and the pursuit of the Donn Cuailnge ends in catastrophe for many involved. Different manuscript traditions offer varying details about the couple’s fortunes, but the core dynamic—Ailill and Medb as a formidable, wealth-centered power couple—remains central.

In modern scholarship, Ailill is treated as a literary archetype of a powerful royal consort whose alliance with Medb drives one of Ireland’s best-known epics. He is one of several figures named Ailill in early Irish literature, and his portrayal is best understood within the broader context of the Táin and related genealogies.