Cennétig mac Lorcáin
Encyclopedia
Cennétig mac Lorcáin was an Irish
king. He was the father of Brian Boru
.
, one of the tribes of the Déisi
, subject peoples in Munster
. Their name was new, first recorded in the 930s, and they had previously been an undistinguished part of the northern Déisi. The kings of Munster
at this time came from the Eóganachta
, a vast, complex group of kindreds who claimed descent from Eógan Már. The learned men of the Dál gCais provided a new, and improved, genealogy for their kings, tracing their descent from Eógan Már's brother Cormac Cass.
The Dál gCais were based in eastern County Clare
, part of the region known as Tuadmumu (later Thomond), a name which first appears in 944 in the report of the defeat of Cennétig at Gort Rotacháin by the Eóganachta king Cellachán Caisil
.
Donnchad Donn
. Órlaith was killed in 941, supposedly for adultery with her stepson Óengus.
Two of his sons—Dub and Finn—are said to have died at Gort Rotacháin in 944, two—Donncuan and Echthigern—died in 950 during the invasion of Munster by Donnchad Donn's successor Congalach Cnogba
. Lachtna apparently succeeded his father, but was killed soon after, and followed by his brother Mathgamain
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
king. He was the father of Brian Boru
Brian Boru
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...
.
Reign
Cennétig was king of the Dál gCaisDál gCais
The Dál gCais were a dynastic group of related septs located in north Munster who rose to political prominence in the 10th century AD in Ireland. They claimed descent from Cormac Cas, or Cas mac Conall Echlúath, hence the term "Dál", meaning "portion" or "share" of Cas...
, one of the tribes of the Déisi
Déisi
The Déisi were a class of peoples in ancient and medieval Ireland. The term is Old Irish, and derives from the word déis, meaning "vassal" or "subject"; in its original sense, it designated groups who were vassals or rent-payers to a landowner. Later, it became a proper name for certain septs and...
, subject peoples in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
. Their name was new, first recorded in the 930s, and they had previously been an undistinguished part of the northern Déisi. The kings of Munster
Kings of Munster
The name Munster is derived from the Gaelic God, Muman. The province of Munster was once divided into six regions: Tuadh Mhuman , Des Mhuman , Aur/Ur Mumhan , Iar mumhan or Iarmuman , Ernaibh Muman , and Deisi Muman...
at this time came from the Eóganachta
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...
, a vast, complex group of kindreds who claimed descent from Eógan Már. The learned men of the Dál gCais provided a new, and improved, genealogy for their kings, tracing their descent from Eógan Már's brother Cormac Cass.
The Dál gCais were based in eastern County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, part of the region known as Tuadmumu (later Thomond), a name which first appears in 944 in the report of the defeat of Cennétig at Gort Rotacháin by the Eóganachta king Cellachán Caisil
Cellachán Caisil
Cellachán mac Buadacháin , called Cellachán Caisil, was King of Munster.The son of Buadachán mac Lachtnai, he belonged to the Cashel branch of the Eóganachta kindred, the Eóganacht Chaisil. The last of his cognatic ancestors to have held the kingship of Munster was Colgú mac Faílbe Flaind Cellachán...
.
Children
Cennétig appears to have had many children, perhaps 11 sons. His daughter Órlaith was the wife of the High King of IrelandHigh King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
Donnchad Donn
Donnchad Donn
Donnchadh Donn mac Flainn was High King of Ireland. He belonged to Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern Uí Néill.-Origins:...
. Órlaith was killed in 941, supposedly for adultery with her stepson Óengus.
Two of his sons—Dub and Finn—are said to have died at Gort Rotacháin in 944, two—Donncuan and Echthigern—died in 950 during the invasion of Munster by Donnchad Donn's successor Congalach Cnogba
Congalach Cnogba
Conghalach Cnoghbha was High King of Ireland, according to the lists in the Annals of the Four Masters, from around 944 to 956...
. Lachtna apparently succeeded his father, but was killed soon after, and followed by his brother Mathgamain
Mathgamain mac Cennétig
Mathgamain mac Cennétig was King of Munster from around 970 to his death in 976. He is the elder brother of Brian Bóruma and the ancestor of the McMahon family of County Clare in Western Ireland ....
.