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Flann Mainistrech (died 25 November 1056) was an Irish
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 poet and historian.

Flann was the son Echthigern mac Óengusso, who had been lector
Lector

Lector is a Latin language term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loanword, such as , , and ....
 at the monastery of Monasterboice
Monasterboice

The historic ruins of Monasterboice are of an early Christian settlement in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland, north of Drogheda. It was founded in the late 5th century by Saint Buite who died around Anno Domini 521 and was an important centre of religion and learning until founding of nearby Mellifont Abbey in 1142....
 (modern County Louth
County Louth

County Louth is a county on the east coast of Ireland, on the border with Northern Ireland. The county town is Dundalk.County Louth is affectionately called "the Wee County" being the smallest county in Ireland having a total area of only 821sq kilometres ....
), in Irish Mainistir Buite, whence Flann's byname, meaning "of Monasterboice". He belonged to the Cianacht Breg, a kindred which by the turn of the first millennium controlled Monasterboice, providing its abbot
Abbot

The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery....
s and other notables.






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Flann Mainistrech (died 25 November 1056) was an Irish
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 poet and historian.

Flann was the son Echthigern mac Óengusso, who had been lector
Lector

Lector is a Latin language term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loanword, such as , , and ....
 at the monastery of Monasterboice
Monasterboice

The historic ruins of Monasterboice are of an early Christian settlement in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland, north of Drogheda. It was founded in the late 5th century by Saint Buite who died around Anno Domini 521 and was an important centre of religion and learning until founding of nearby Mellifont Abbey in 1142....
 (modern County Louth
County Louth

County Louth is a county on the east coast of Ireland, on the border with Northern Ireland. The county town is Dundalk.County Louth is affectionately called "the Wee County" being the smallest county in Ireland having a total area of only 821sq kilometres ....
), in Irish Mainistir Buite, whence Flann's byname, meaning "of Monasterboice". He belonged to the Cianacht Breg, a kindred which by the turn of the first millennium controlled Monasterboice, providing its abbot
Abbot

The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery....
s and other notables. Flann himself was also lector there.

Flann's works appear to have been written beginning in the years following the battle of Clontarf
Battle of Clontarf

The Battle of Clontarf took place on Good Friday in 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, M?el M?rda mac Murchada: composed mainly of his own men, Viking mercenaries from Dublin and the Orkney Islands led by his cousin Sigtrygg Silkbeard, as well as the one rebellious king from the province of Uls...
, when Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill
Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill

M?el Sechnaill mac Domnaill , sometimes called M?el Sechnaill M?r or M?el Sechnaill II, was king of Mide and High King of Ireland. He was a contemporary of Brian Boru, who deposed him as High King in 1002....
 of the Uí Néill
Uí Néill

The U? N?ill were Ireland and Scottish dynasties who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical High King of Ireland who died about 405....
 resumed his reign as High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland

A High King of Ireland is a historical or legendary figure who claimed lordship over the whole of Ireland. The High-Kingship was never a political reality in Ireland, but has a strong literary and folkore tradition....
. Some of Flann's surviving historical poems deal with Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin

Clann Cholm?in is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Colm?n M?r , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern U? N?ill — they were the kings of Mide — they traced their descent to Niall of the Nine Hostages and his son Conall Cremthainne....
, to which Máel Sechnaill belonged, such as Mide maigen clainne Cuind and Mugain ingen Choncraid chain, while Síl nÁedo Sláine na sleg deals with the neighbouring Uí Néill kindred of Síl nÁedo Sláine
Síl nÁedo Sláine

S?l n?edo Sl?ine is the name of the descendants of ?ed Sl?ine , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern U? N?ill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall No?giallach and his son Conall Cremthainne....
, who ruled over Ciannacht Breg.

A number of Flann's poems appear in the Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn

Lebor Gab?la ?renn is the Irish language title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages....
—the Book of Invasions—and his works on the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann

The Tuatha D? Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gab?la ?renn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
 were influential. Flann's synchronisms, lists of Irish and Scottish kings arranged to show contemporaries, are important sources for the early history of Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
. Eoin MacNeill
Eoin MacNeill

Eoin MacNeill was an Ireland scholar, nationalist, revolutionary and politician. He was a co-founder of the Gaelic League, to preserve Irish language and culture, going on to establish the Irish Volunteers prompted and encouraged by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and becoming Chief-of-Staff....
 considered Flann the first of the synthetic historians; this synthesis of biblical history and foreign world chronicles with Irish annals
Irish annals

A number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century. Manuscript copies of extant annals include the following:...
, myths and genealogical records was to be much emulated by subsequent writers.

Flann died on 25 November 1056, the date supplied by the Annals of Tigernach
Annals of Tigernach

The Annals of Tigernach is a chronicle probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin language and Old Irish and Middle Irish....
. The Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster

The Annals of Ulster are a chronicle of Middle Ages Ireland. The entries span the years between Anno Domini 431 and AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhr? ? Luin?n, under his patron Cathal ?g Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the province of Ulster....
 call him "eminent lector and master of the historical lore of Ireland".