Tigernach mac Fócartai
Encyclopedia
Tigernach mac Fócartai also called Tigernach of Lagore, was King of Lagore.
kindred, part of the southern Uí Néill
. His great-great-grandfather Fogartach mac Néill
had been High King of Ireland
. The kingdom of Brega
over which the Síl nÁedo Sláine had once ruled was, by the middle of the eighth century, divided into two or more parts. The Uí Chernaig were styled kings of Lagore, or of south Brega, named after Loch Gabhair
in modern County Meath
. Archaeological
study of the crannog
in Loch Gabhair suggests that the seat of the kings of Lagore was there. The Hill of Tara
lay within the kingdom of Lagore, and this may have given the otherwise minor kingdom a somewhat greater importance.
. The earliest record of Tigernach may be his defeat of Máel Sechnaill and the King of Leinster Ruarc mac Brain in 846.
In 848, probably as part of a broad alliance of Irish kings, Tigernach gained a victory over Viking
s at Dísert Do-Chonna, an unidentified location, probably near the coast in the east midlands of Ireland. Vikings, however, were not the main threat to Tigernach. That came from his kinsmen in north Brega, the ambitious Cináed mac Conaing
and his brother Flann.
Cináed, who became king of north Brega in 849, allied with Vikings in 850 and, according to the Annals of Ulster
, "plundered the Uí Néill from the Shannon
to the sea". He attacked the crannog at Loch Gabair, which was burned, as was the nearby church at Trevet with seventy people inside. The Annals of Ulster record Tigernach's revenge. Cináed met with Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach the following year where, in spite of promises of safe conduct guaranteed by the church, he was betrayed and "cruelly drowned in a pool by Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach".
The Irish annals
record a battle between Flann and Tigernach in 854, at Domnach Mór (Donaghmore
in modern County Laois
) where Flann had the best of it. Nothing further is reported of Tigernach until his death in 865. His obituary calls Tigernach king of Lagore (rí
Locha Gabor) and co-king of Brega (lethrí Breg).
family of County Meath
claim descent from Tigernach.
Background
Tigernach belonged to the Uí Chernaig branch of the once-powerful Síl nÁedo SláineSíl nÁedo Sláine
Síl nÁedo Sláine is the name of the descendants of Áed Sláine , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne....
kindred, part of the southern Uí Néill
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
. His great-great-grandfather Fogartach mac Néill
Fogartach mac Néill
Fogartach mac Néill , sometimes called Fogartach ua Cernaich, was an Irish king who is reckoned a High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Uí Chernaig sept of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Uí Néill...
had been High King of Ireland
High 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...
. The kingdom of Brega
Kings of Brega
-Overview:Brega took its name from Mag Breg, the plain of Brega, in modern County Meath, County Louth and County Dublin, Ireland. They formed part of the Uí Néill kindred, belonging to the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Uí Néill. The kingdom of Brega included the Hill of Tara, the site...
over which the Síl nÁedo Sláine had once ruled was, by the middle of the eighth century, divided into two or more parts. The Uí Chernaig were styled kings of Lagore, or of south Brega, named after Loch Gabhair
Loch Gabhair
Loch Gabhair meaning "Lake of the Goats" is a townland in the parish of Ratoath, Ireland. It is located between the villages of Ratoath and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Ireland....
in modern County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
study of the crannog
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
in Loch Gabhair suggests that the seat of the kings of Lagore was there. The Hill of Tara
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
lay within the kingdom of Lagore, and this may have given the otherwise minor kingdom a somewhat greater importance.
Biography
During Tigernach's reign the Irish midlands were dominated by his distant Uí Néill kinsman, the High King Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid of Clann CholmáinClann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin is the name of the dynasty descended from Colmán Mór , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.Related dynasties descended through Conall...
. The earliest record of Tigernach may be his defeat of Máel Sechnaill and the King of Leinster Ruarc mac Brain in 846.
In 848, probably as part of a broad alliance of Irish kings, Tigernach gained a victory over Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
s at Dísert Do-Chonna, an unidentified location, probably near the coast in the east midlands of Ireland. Vikings, however, were not the main threat to Tigernach. That came from his kinsmen in north Brega, the ambitious Cináed mac Conaing
Cináed mac Conaing
Cináed mac Conaing was King of Knowth in the medieval Irish province of Mide, succeeding his father Conaing mac Flainn in 849.Cináed's family belonged to the Knowth, or Uí Chonaing, branch of the Síl nÁedo Sláine, part of the southern branch of the dominant Uí Néill kin group...
and his brother Flann.
Cináed, who became king of north Brega in 849, allied with Vikings in 850 and, according to the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
, "plundered the Uí Néill from the Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
to the sea". He attacked the crannog at Loch Gabair, which was burned, as was the nearby church at Trevet with seventy people inside. The Annals of Ulster record Tigernach's revenge. Cináed met with Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach the following year where, in spite of promises of safe conduct guaranteed by the church, he was betrayed and "cruelly drowned in a pool by Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach".
The 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.Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days...
record a battle between Flann and Tigernach in 854, at Domnach Mór (Donaghmore
Donaghmore, County Laois
Donaghmore is a small village in County Laois in Ireland.It is located in the south of the county near Rathdowney on the main R435 regional road, on the River Erkina, a tributary of the Nore.-The Workhouse:...
in modern County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
) where Flann had the best of it. Nothing further is reported of Tigernach until his death in 865. His obituary calls Tigernach king of Lagore (rí
Rí
Rí, or very commonly ríg , is an ancient Gaelic word meaning "King". It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings and those of similar rank. While the modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottish it is Rìgh, apparently derived from the genitive. The word...
Locha Gabor) and co-king of Brega (lethrí Breg).
Descendants
The Ó Tighearnaigh/TierneyTierney
-Overview:Tierney is an Anglicized form of Irish , , also spelled . It is derived from tiarna, the Irish word for lord or master....
family of County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
claim descent from Tigernach.