Ragnall was a son of Gofraid mac Arailt, King of the Isles.
Ragnall belonged to the Meic Arailt, a family named after his paternal grandfather, Aralt.
The latter's identity is uncertain, although he may well have been a member of the Uí Ímair kindred.
From at least 972 to 989 Gofraid actively campaigned in the Irish Sea region, after which the political cohesion of Kingdom of the Isles—perhaps shaken by Orcadian encroachment in the 980s—seems to have diminished.

There is evidence to suggest that Sigurðr Hlǫðvisson, Earl of Orkney extended his authority from Orkney into the Isles in the late tenth- and early eleventh century.
According to various Scandinavian sources, Sigurðr oversaw numerous raids into the Isles during his career.
For instance, the thirteenth-century Njáls saga states that one of Sigurðr's followers, Kári Sǫlmundarson, extracted taxes from the northern Hebrides, then controlled by a Hebridean earl named Gilli.
Also noted are additional assaults conducted by accomplices of Sigurðr throughout the Hebrides, Kintyre, Mann, and Anglesey.
The thirteenth-century Orkneyinga saga makes note of Sigurðr's raids into the Hebrides, whilst the thirteenth-century Eyrbyggja saga states that his forces reached as far as Mann where he collected taxation.

The extent of Gofraid's own authority in the Hebrides is unknown due to his apparent coexistence with Gilli, and to the uncertainty of Orcadian encroachment.
Gofraid's successor is likewise uncertain.
On one hand, he may have been succeeded by Ragnall himself.
Although it is conceivable that either Gilli or Sigurðr capitalised on Gofraid's death, and extended their overlordship as far south as Mann, possible after-effects such as these are uncorroborated.
Although it is possible that Gilli controlled the Hebrides whilst Gofraid ruled Mann, the title accorded to the latter on his death could indicate otherwise.
If so, the chronology of Gilli's subordination to Sigurðr may actually date to the period after Ragnall's death in 1004/1005.
Little is certain of Ragnall's reign.
Certainly, he was accorded the kingship of the Isles by the time of his death, and it is possible that he faced opposition from Sigurðr during his career.

Njáls saga specifically states that the latter and his men overcame a king on Mann named Gofraid after which they plundered the Isles.
Whilst this royal figure may well refer to Ragnall's father, another possibility is that source actually refers to Ragnall himself.
Contemporary Orcadian expansion may be perceptible in the evidence of the land-assessment system of ouncelands in the Hebrides and along the western coast of Scotland.
If Sigurðr's authority indeed stretched over the Isles in the last decades of the tenth century, such an intrusion could account for the numbers of silver hoards dating to this time.
The remarkable proportion of silver hoards from Mann and the Scandinavian regions of Scotland that date to about 1000 seem to reflect the wealth of Sigurðr's domain at about the apogee of his authority.
The hoards from Argyll that date to this period could be indicative of conflict between Sigurðr and Ragnall.

At some point in the decade following Gofraid's demise, Sveinn Haraldsson, King of Denmark was forced from his own realm.
According to Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum by Adam of Bremen, Sveinn fled to Æthelræd II, King of the English, before he found shelter with a certain "rex Scothorum".
Whilst this unnamed monarch could be identical to the reigning Cináed mac Maíl Choluim, King of Alba, the term Scoti can refer to the Irish just as well as the Scots.
Adam is otherwise known to have been less than well-informed of affairs in Britain, and it is possible that was confused as to the king's true identity.
For instance, Adam may well have referred to a Scottish, Irish, Cumbrian, or Norse-Gaelic monarch.
In fact, Ragnall's position of power in the Irish Sea could well have led Adam to regard him as an Irish royal.
In 995, the "B" version of the eleventh- to thirteenth-century Annales Cambriæ, the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century text
Ragnall was a son of Gofraid mac Arailt, King of the Isles. Ragnall belonged to the Meic Arailt, a family named after his paternal grandfather, Aralt. The latter's identity is uncertain, although he may well have been a member of the Uí Ímair kindred. From at least 972 to 989 Gofraid actively campaigned in the Irish Sea region, after which the political cohesion of Kingdom of the Isles—perhaps shaken by Orcadian encroachment in the 980s—seems to have diminished.
There is evidence to suggest that Sigurðr Hlǫðvisson, Earl of Orkney extended his authority from Orkney into the Isles in the late tenth- and early eleventh century. According to various Scandinavian sources, Sigurðr oversaw numerous raids into the Isles during his career. For instance, the thirteenth-century Njáls saga states that one of Sigurðr's followers, Kári Sǫlmundarson, extracted taxes from the northern Hebrides, then controlled by a Hebridean earl named Gilli. Also noted are additional assaults conducted by accomplices of Sigurðr throughout the Hebrides, Kintyre, Mann, and Anglesey. The thirteenth-century Orkneyinga saga makes note of Sigurðr's raids into the Hebrides, whilst the thirteenth-century Eyrbyggja saga states that his forces reached as far as Mann where he collected taxation.
The extent of Gofraid's own authority in the Hebrides is unknown due to his apparent coexistence with Gilli, and to the uncertainty of Orcadian encroachment. Gofraid's successor is likewise uncertain. On one hand, he may have been succeeded by Ragnall himself. Although it is conceivable that either Gilli or Sigurðr capitalised on Gofraid's death, and extended their overlordship as far south as Mann, possible after-effects such as these are uncorroborated. Although it is possible that Gilli controlled the Hebrides whilst Gofraid ruled Mann, the title accorded to the latter on his death could indicate otherwise. If so, the chronology of Gilli's subordination to Sigurðr may actually date to the period after Ragnall's death in 1004/1005. Little is certain of Ragnall's reign. Certainly, he was accorded the kingship of the Isles by the time of his death, and it is possible that he faced opposition from Sigurðr during his career.
Njáls saga specifically states that the latter and his men overcame a king on Mann named Gofraid after which they plundered the Isles. Whilst this royal figure may well refer to Ragnall's father, another possibility is that source actually refers to Ragnall himself. Contemporary Orcadian expansion may be perceptible in the evidence of the land-assessment system of ouncelands in the Hebrides and along the western coast of Scotland. If Sigurðr's authority indeed stretched over the Isles in the last decades of the tenth century, such an intrusion could account for the numbers of silver hoards dating to this time. The remarkable proportion of silver hoards from Mann and the Scandinavian regions of Scotland that date to about 1000 seem to reflect the wealth of Sigurðr's domain at about the apogee of his authority. The hoards from Argyll that date to this period could be indicative of conflict between Sigurðr and Ragnall.
At some point in the decade following Gofraid's demise, Sveinn Haraldsson, King of Denmark was forced from his own realm. According to Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum by Adam of Bremen, Sveinn fled to Æthelræd II, King of the English, before he found shelter with a certain "rex Scothorum". Whilst this unnamed monarch could be identical to the reigning Cináed mac Maíl Choluim, King of Alba, the term Scoti can refer to the Irish just as well as the Scots. Adam is otherwise known to have been less than well-informed of affairs in Britain, and it is possible that was confused as to the king's true identity. For instance, Adam may well have referred to a Scottish, Irish, Cumbrian, or Norse-Gaelic monarch. In fact, Ragnall's position of power in the Irish Sea could well have led Adam to regard him as an Irish royal. In 995, the "B" version of the eleventh- to thirteenth-century Annales Cambriæ, the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century text
Ragnall mac Gofraid