CENEL CONAILL AND CENEL EOGAIN

NORTHERN BRANCH OF Ui NEILL

Extracts from the Annals of Ireland

~~~ Section II ~~~

REFERENCES

AI = Annals of Inisfallen 438-1450
AT = Annals of Tigernach 488-1178
AU = Annals of Ulster 431-1541
CS = Chronicon Scotorum 353-1150
FM = Annals of the Four Masters 123-1616



THE CHRONOLOGY FROM AD 542 TO AD 561


Battle of Tortan (in Ceara, Co. Mayo)

AT 542

Cath Tortan ria Laign�u, in quo cecidit Mac Eacra maic Ailello Muilt, a quo Fir Chera.

AU 543

Bellum Torten, .i. ria Laignibh, ubi cecidit Mc. Erce filii Ailella Molt.

The battle of Tortu i.e. won by the Laigin, in which Mac Erca son of Ailill Molt fell.

CS 543

The battle of Tortan gained by the Lagenians, in which fell Mac Erca (from whom are the Fir Cera), son of Ailill Molt, son of Dathi.

Note: Not mentioned in the Book of Inisfallen.


Battle of Sligo

AT 542: AI 546: FM 537

Cath Sligighe, in quo cecidit Eoghan Bel, r� Condacht, la Fergus & la Domnall, da mac Muirchertaigh maic Earca, & la h-Ainmire mac Setna & la Naindidh mac Duach, qui uictores erant. Unde dictum est:

Fichthir cath h-ua Fiachrach
la feirg faebair tar imbel,
gessit buar namat fri sleaga,
sreatha in cath i crinder.

Aircelt Sligeach do muir mar
fuil fher lia feoil,
bertait ilaigh tar Eba
im chend Eogha�n Beoil.

[Translation] The battle of Sligo, in which Eogan B�l, king of Connacht, fell by Fergus and Domnall two sons of Muircheartach son of Erc, and by Ainmire son of Setna and by Naindid son of Dua who were the victors. Whence it was said:

The battle of U� Fiachrach is fought
With fury of edges over the border
Foemen's kine bellow against spears
The battle was spread out into Crinder.

The Sligo river carried off to the great sea
Men's blood with their flesh
They utter paeans over Eba
Round the head of Eogan B�l.

AU 543

The battle of Slicech, in which E�gan B�l, king of Connacht, fell. Forgus and Domhnall, two sons of Mac Erca, were victors,and Ainmire son of S�tna and Ninnid son of S�tna.

CS 543

The battle of Sligech*, in which Eoghan Bel, King of Connacht, was slain. Fergus and Domhnall, two sons of Mac Erca; and Ainmire, son of Senna; and Nindigh, son of Duach, were the victors:�

The battle of Ui Fiachrach is fought,
With the fury of edged weapons, against Bel;
The enemy's kine roar at lances;
The battle is spread out at Crinder.
The Sligech bears to the great sea
The blood of men, with their flesh;
Trophies are carried across Ebha,
With the head of Eoghan Bel.

* Book of Leinister, �Eogan B�l mac Duach .xxxuii. Fergus & Domnall da mac Meic Erca ro marb Eogan Bel i cath Slicigi�.


CS 544: AU 544: AT 543

Tuathal Maelgarbh, son of Cormac Caech, son of Coirpre, son of Niall, King of Temhair, died from a wound inflicted by Maelmor Ua Mach�, who also was forthwith slain himself. Hence is said "the feat of Maelmor". Diarmait son of Cerball succeeded him.


CS 544: AU 545: AU 545: FM 539

Diarmaid Mac Cerbhaill begins to reign. Maelmor was a son of Diarmaid's mother.

AI 546

The battle of Sligech and the battle of Tortu.

AU 547

The battle of Slicech in which fell E�gan B�l, i.e. king of Connacht; and Domnall and Forgus, two sons of Muirchertach Mac Erca, and Ainmire son of S�tna son of Fergus son of Conall of Gulbu son of Niall Na�giallach, were victors.

AU 548.3

(The battle of Tortu won by the Laigin in which Mac Erca son of Ailill Molt fell.

AU 548.4

Or here, the battle of Slicech).


Battle of C�il Conaire, Co. Mayo

AT 549.1

The battle of C�il Conaire, wherein fell Ailill the Womanly, king of Connacht, and Aodh the Prevailing, his brother. Fergus and Domnall, two sons of Mac Erca, were victors.

AT 549.2

Duach Tenga Uma son of Fergus, king of Connacht.

AU 550

The battle of C�il Conaire in Cera, in which Ailill Inbanda, i.e. king of Connacht and Aed Fortobol, i.e. his brother, fell. Forgus and Domnall, i.e. two sons of Muirchertach Mac Erca, were victors.

CS 550

The battle of C�il Conaire in Cera, in which Ailill Inbanda son of Eogan king of Connacht, and Aed Fortamail his brother fell. Forgus and Domnall, the two sons of Mac Erca, were victors.


CS 560: AT 559: FM 544

The killing of Curn�n, son of Aed son of Eochu, king of Connacht, by Diarmait son of Cerball when under the protection of Colum Cille, and this is why the battle of C�l Dremne was fought.


Battle of C�il Dreimne, Co. Sligo

AT 560

The battle of C�il Dremne gained over Diarmaid son of Cerball. Forgus and Domnall, two sons of Muircheartach mac Erca and Ainmire son of Setna, and Ninnid and Duach and Aodh, son of Eochaidh Dryflesh, king of Connacht, were victors through the prayer of Columcill, who said:

O God,
Why keepest though not the mist off from us,
if perchance we may reckon the number
of the host that deprives us of judgments.

A host that marches around a cairn,
'Tis a son of storm that betrays them.
He is my druid that denies me not,
The Son of God it is who will work with me.

Beautiful it makes the onset,
Baet�n's steed before the host,
It seems good to Baet�n of the yellow hair,
It will bear its burden upon it.

AU 561

The battle of C�il Dreimne, in which 3000 fell, won over Diarmait son of Cerball. Forgus and Domnall, two sons of Mac Erca, i. e. two sons of Muirchertach son of Muiredach son of E�gan son of Niall, and Ainmire son of S�tna, and Nainnid son of Daui, were victors, with Aed son of Eochu Tirmcharna, king of Connacht. They prevailed through the prayers of Colum Cille.

CS 561

Bellum Cuile Dreinme {.i. i cintu} for Diarmaid mac Cerb�ill. Fergus et Domnall da mac Meic Erca & Ainmire mac Senna & Nindidh mac D�ach & Aodh mac Eachach Tirmcarna ri Connacht uictores erant per orationem Coloim Cille dicentis:

A Dhia,
Ciodh nach dingba an cia
Dus an ermaismis a lin,
An tsluaigh do boing breta din?

Sluagh do cing a ttimcell cairn
Is mac ainfthe nosdusmairn.
Ase mo dr� ni mera no [mel]l[a]
Mac D� is finne congena.

As alainn ferus a lluadh
Gobar Baedain resin sl�aigh;
Fo-la Baod�n fuilt buidhe,
Beraidh a heren fuirre.

Translation: The battle of C�il Dreimne i.e. in vengeance won over Diarmait son of Cerball. Forgus and Domnall two sons of Mac Erca and Ainmire son of Setna and Nainnid son of Daui, and Aed son of Eochu Tirmcharna, king of Connacht, were victors through the prayers of Colum Cille, saying:

O God!
Why dost thou not ward off the mist,
That we might reckon the number
Of the host which has taken judgment from us.

A host that marches around a Cairn,
And a son of storm that betray us;
My druid�he will not refuse me�is
The Son of God; with us He will act.

How grandly he bears his course�
Baedan's steed�before the host;
Good for Baedan of the yellow hair
He will win his renown on him.





Section III AD 562 To AD 690



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