CENEL CONAILL

NORTHERN BRANCHES OF Ui NEILL

Extracts from the Annals of Ireland

~~~ Section IV ~~~

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

Names underlined refer to the kings of Cenel Conaill.


THE CHRONOLOGY FROM AD 691 TO AD 899


AU 696

Loingsech son of Aengus begins to reign [as king of Tara].


AU 703

The battle of Corann in which fell the king of Ireland, Loingsech son of Aengus son of Domnall son of Aed son of Ainmire, i.e. by Cellach of Loch Cime son of Ragallach, together with his three sons, and two sons of Colgu, and Dub D�berg son of D�ngal and Fergus Forcraid and Congal of Gabar, and many other leaders. On Saturday, the fourth of the Ides of July, at the sixth hour, this battle was fought. The battle of Corann, in which fell Loingsech son of Aengus, king of Ireland, with his three sons, and also the king of Cairpre Droma Cliab, the king of U� Chonaill Gabra, and ten other Irish kings. The battle was fought at Claenfhinn in �enach Loga situate between Cen�l Conaill and Connachta. Cellach of Loch Cime son of Ragallach son of Uata, king of Connacht, and . . .

AU 707: FM 705

The slaying of Indrechtach son of D�nchad of Muirisc. Fergal son of Mael D�in and Fergal son of Loingsech and Conall Menn, king of Cen�l Cairpri, slew him.

CS 707

The slaying of Indrechtach son of D�nchad i.e. of Muirisc, king of the three Connachta. Fergal son of Mael D�in, king of Cen�l E�gain, and Fergal son of Loingsech, king of Cen�l Conaill, slew him.

AI 722

A battle between the U� N�ill and the Laigin, i.e. the battle of Uchub, in which fell Ferga, son of Mael D�in, and many nobles with him, and [there was also a] great slaughter of the Laigin; and Flaithbertach reigned over U� N�ill.

AU 727: FM 721

The battle of Druim Fornocht* between Cen�l Conall and Cen�l E�gain, in which Flann son of Aurthuile and Sn�dgus Derg, descendant of Mrachide, were killed.

* Four Masters adds that this battle was fought by Flaithbheartach son of Loingseach and Aedh Allan son of Fearghal, and Aedh Allan was defeated and the chiefs slain on the side of Aedh were Flann, son of Erthaile, and Snedgus Dearg Ua Brachaidhe.

AU 728: AT 728

The battle of Druim Corcain between Flaithbertach son of Loingsech and Cinaed son of �rgalach son of Conaing Cumach son of Congalach son of Aed Sl�ine, in which Cinaed, and Eudus son of Ailill, Mael D�in son of Feradach, and D�nchad son of Cormac fell.

AT 728

Flaithbertach son of Loingsech took the kingship of Ireland.

AU 732

A battle between Cen�l Conaill and Cen�l E�gain, in which Aed son of Fergal triumphed over Flaithbertach son of Loingsech* son of Aengus son of Domnall son of Aed son of Ainmire of whose force these leaders were killed: Flann Gohan son of Congal son of Fergus, Flaithgus son of Dub D�berg.

* Four Masters under AD 729 records that after Flaithbertach son of Loingseach, son of Aenghus, had been seven years in the sovereignty of Ireland, he died at Ard Macha having resigned his kingdom for a monastic life.

AU 733

Another encounter between Aed son of Fergal and the Cen�l Conaill in Mag Itha in which Conaing son of Congal son of Fergus and many others fell.

AU 734: AT 734

An encounter in Mag Itha between Flaithbertach son of Loingsech and Fergal's son�Aed All�n�in which the U� Echdach of Cen�l E�gain and others fell.

AU 735: AT 735

A battle in the territory of Muirtheimne between the U� N�ill and the Ulaid, in which Aed R�n, king of Ulaid, and Conchad son of Cuanu, king of Cuib, fell. Aed son of Fergal was victor.

AU 738: AT 738

The battle of �th Senaig i.e. the 'battle of groans' on the 14th of the Kalends of September, the sixth feria, between the U� N�ill and the Laigin was sternly fought, and the two kings respectively, leaders firm and exalted i.e. Aed All�n king of Temair and Aed son of Colgu king of Laigin. One of them i.e. Aed All�n, though wounded, survived triumphant, but the other i.e. Aed son of Colgu was beheaded by a battle-sword. Then the descendants of Conn enjoyed a tremendous victory, when in extraordinary fashion they rout, trample, crush, overthrow and destroy their Laigin adversaries, so much so that almost the entire enemy is well nigh annihilated, there being a few messengers to bring back the tidings. And men say that so many fell in this great battle that we find no comparable slaughter in a single onslaught and fierce conflict throughout all preceding ages. There fell in the battle, moreover, excellent leaders: Aed son of Colgu, Bran Bec son of Murchad i.e. two kings of Laigin, Fergus son of Maenach, Dub d� Crich son of the grandson of Cellach son of Trian, i.e. two lords of Fothairt, Fiangalach grandson of Mael Aitchen, Conall great grandson of Aithechda, four sons of Flann grandson of Congal, �ladach grandson of Maelodar, and many others, and for the sake of brevity, they are here omitted.

AU 741

The killing of Murchad son of Fergal son of Mael D�in.

AU 743: AT 743: AI 743

The battle of Seredmag won by Domnall son of Murchad, i.e. in Cenannas, in which fell Aed All�n son of Fergal and Cumuscach son of Conchobor, king of Int Airthir, and Maenach son of Conlaech, king of U� Chremthainn, and Muiredach son of Fergus Forcraidh, king of U� Thuirtre.

AU 747: AT 747: FM 742

Aed Muinderg, son of Flaithbertach, king of the North*, died.

* The first reference to this title in the Annals of Ulster e.g. king of the North.

AU 754: AT 754

Loingsech m. Flaithbertaigh rex Generis Conaill moritur.

Loingsech son of Flaithbertach, king of Cen�l Conaill, dies.

AU 765: AT 765

Death of Flaithbertach son of Loingsech, king of Temair, in religious life.

AI 767: AU 767: FM 762

The slaying of Murchad son of Flaithbertach, king of Cen�l Conaill.

AU 770

An encounter between Donnchad son of Domnall and Cellach son of Donnchad, and Donnchad went with the army of the U� N�ill against the Laigin and the Laigin eluded him, and went to Sc� Nechtain. The U� N�ill remained seven days in R�ith Ailinne, and burned all the confines of the Laigin with fire.

AU 779

A hosting by Donnchad into In Fochla, and he took hostages from Domnall son of Aed Muinderg, king of the North.

AU 784

A battle won by Donnchad* son of Aed Muinderg over the Cen�l Bogaine.

* Should this be Domnall son of Aed Muinderg?

AU 786

Mors Forbasaigh m. Sechnusaigh regis Gentis B�gaine.

Death of Forbasach son of Sechnusach, king of Cen�l B�gaine.

AU 787

A battle between Cen�l Conaill and Cen�l E�gain, in which Mael D�in son of Aed All�n was victor, and Domnall son of Aed Muinderg was put to flight.

AU 789.12

The battle of Cl�itech between Cen�l E�gain and Cen�l Conaill in which Cen�l Conaill were overthrown, and Domnall escaped�i.e. the battle of Cl�itech won by Aed Oirdnide.

FM 794

Dunfhlaith, daughter of Flaithbheartach, son of Loingseach, died.

AU 804

Domnall son of Aed Muinderg, king of the North, dies.

AU 815

Colman m. Nell iugulatus est a Genere Conaill. Slogad la Aedh iarum for Cenel Conaill i torcair Rogaillnech m. Flaithgusa.

Colm�n son of Niall was killed by the Cen�l Conaill. Aed afterwards made an expedition against Cen�l Conaill, on which Rogaillnech son of Flaithgus fell.

AU 817: FM 813

Mael Duin son of Cenn Faelad, superior of R�ith Both, a member of Colum Cille's community, was slain. Colum Cille's community went to Temair to excommunicate Aed.

AU 817

Colum Cille's community went to Temair to excommunicate Aed.

AU 819: CS 819

A skirmish between the Cen�l E�gain and the Cen�l Conaill in which Mael Bresail son of Murchad, king of Cen�l Conaill, fell. Murchad son of Mael D�in was victor.

AU 820

Murchad, with the northern U� N�ill, made an expedition to Druim ind Eich; Conchobor with the southern U� N�ill, and the Laigin moved northwards, till at length God by his great power separated them.

AU 847

Mael Go�n son of Echaid, king of Cen�l B�gaine, died.

AU 870: CS 870

D�lach son of Muirchertach, chief of Cen�l Conaill, was killed by his own people.

AU 879

Ualgarg son of Flaithbertach, heir designate of the North, dies.

CS 882: AU 882

Flann son of Mael Sechnaill led an army both of foreigners and Irish into the North. He camped at Mag eter d� Glais, and they invaded Ard Macha, and he took the hostages of Cen�l Conaill and Cen�l E�gain on that occasion.

AU 889: CS 889

An expedition by Domnall son of Aed with the men of the north of Ireland against the southern U� N�ill.

FM 896: CS 901

Maelbreasail son of Maeldoraidh, lord of Cinel Conaill, was slain in the battle of Sailtin, by Murchadh son of Maelduin, lord of Cinel Eoghain.

Genelach Cenuiuil Conaill (Rawlinson B. 502 (ca. 1120 AD))

M�el Bresail m. M�el Doraid m. �engusa m. h-Irchada m. M�el Bresail m. Flaithbertaich m. Loingsich m. �engusa m. Domnaill m. �eda m. Ainmerech m. S�tnai m. Fergusa m. Conaill Gulban m. N�ill No�giallaig.

FM 899: CS 904

Fogartach son of Maeldoraidh, lord of Cinel Conaill, fell upon his own javelin, and died of it the wound; of whom was said:

The great deeded chieftain of Eas Ruaidh,
about whom great hosts used to assemble,
He took a Lethiferous drink dangerous truly,
after persecuting the descendant of Jesse (i.e. Christ).



Section IV AD 900 to AD 1099




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