Énnae Cennsalach (5th century) was a

King of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Kingdom of Leinster, Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as th ...

and founder of the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the

Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinsterm ...

. He was the grandson of Bressal Bélach (died 436), a previous king. The chronology of

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

kings in the 5th century is contradictory. He is counted as a King of Laigin in the ''Book of Leinster'' but is not mentioned in the annals. Keating records wars of the High King

Eochaid Mugmedón Eochaid Mugmedón () was a semi-legendary Irish king. According to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, Eochaid was a High King of Ireland, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Co ...

with Énnae Cennselach. Eochaid was defeated at the

Battle of Cruachan Claonta A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

by the Leinsterman. According to the sagas ''Aided Néill'' and ''Orcuin Néill Noígíallaig'', Énnae's son Eochu was the killer of the high king

Niall Noígíallach Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. ''Orcuin Néill Noígíallaig'' relates that Eochu killed Niall's chief poet. This led Niall to harry Leinster and exile Eochu. Eochu took refuge with King

Erc of Dalriada Erc was king of Irish Dál Riata from 439 until 474, succeeding Eochaid Muinremuir. He was the father of three sons: Fergus Mór, Loarn and Oengus. He also may have been the great-grandfather of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig. Confusion arises from ...

and later killed Niall on his return from a raid. ''Aided Néill'' relates that Niall's son Fergus avenged his father by killing Eochu.Wiley, Dan M.
Aided Néill
''Cycles of the Kings'' Énnae's son

Crimthann mac Énnai Crimthann mac Énnai (died 483) was a King of Leinster from the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the Laigin. He was the son of Énnae Cennsalach, the ancestor of this dynasty. Biography It is not known when he acquired the throne but, in the annals reco ...

(d. 486) also became King of Leinster. Another son Fedelmid was ancestor of the Uí Felmeda branch of the Uí Cheinnselaig.

Notes

References

* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, * ''Book of Leinster'',''Rig Laigin'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* Geoffrey Keating, ''History of Ireland'' a

a
University College Cork
* Wiley, Dan M.

''Cycles of the Kings'' * Wiley, Dan M.

''Cycles of the Kings''

External links

a
University College Cork
Kings of Leinster 5th-century Irish monarchs People from County Carlow Year of birth missing Year of death missing {{Ireland-royal-stub