Conall Cremthainne (died 480), also called Conall Err Breg, was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
king. He was the son of
Niall of the Nine Hostages
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. ...
, and one of the progenitors of the
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...
dynasty.
He is the first king of
Uisnech
, alternate_name = Ushnagh (anglicisation)
, image = Hill of Uisneach.jpg
, alt =
, caption = Information sign
, map =
, map_caption =
, map_type = island of Ireland
, map_alt = A map of Ireland
, map_size =
, location = ...
in
Mide
Meath (; Old Irish: ''Mide'' ; spelt ''Mí'' in Modern Irish) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island.
At its greatest extent, it included all of ...
from the Uí Néill mentioned in the ''Book of Leinster'' king list. Conall son of Niall was nicknamed Cremthainne (possibly denoting
fosterage
Fosterage, the practice of a family bringing up a child not their own, differs from adoption in that the child's parents, not the foster-parents, remain the acknowledged parents. In many modern western societies foster care can be organised by th ...
among the Uí Chremthainn of Airgialla), to distinguish him from his brother Conall Gulban, ancestor of the
Cenél Conaill
Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history
*Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...
. The habit of giving the same name to different sons remained common among the prolific Irish princes until the sixteenth century.Byrne, ''Irish Kings'', p. 90. According to a life of
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
by
Tírechán
Tírechán was a 7th-century Irish bishop from north Connacht, specifically the Killala Bay area, in what is now County Mayo.
Background
Based on a knowledge of Irish customs of the times, historian Terry O’Hagan has concluded that Tírechán ...
, Patrick blessed Conall and rejected his brother
Coirpre mac Néill
Coirpre mac Néill ('' fl''. '' c''. 485–493), also Cairbre or Cairpre, was said to be a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Coirpre was perhaps the leader of the conquests that established the southern Uí Néill in the midlands of Ireland. T ...
, ancestor of the
Cenél Coirpri
Tethbae (; also spelled ''Tethba'', often anglicised ''Teffia'') was a confederation of túatha in central Ireland in the Middle Ages. It was divided into two distinct kingdoms, north Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Coirpri, and south Tethba, ruled ...
, at a meeting at
Tailtiu
Tailtiu or Tailltiu (; modern spelling: Tailte) (also known as Talti) is the name of a presumed goddess from Irish mythology. The goddess's name is linked to Teltown (< OI ''Óenach Tailten'') in Co. Meath, site of the
< ...
. Nothing is recorded of him in the annals other than his death date.''Annals of Ulster'' AU 480.1
Through his son Fergus Cerrbél, he was the ancestor of the
Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his s ...
and
Síl nÁedo Sláine
Síl nÁedo Sláine () are the descendants of Áed Sláine (Áed mac Diarmato), 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 ...
. Another son was
Ardgal mac Conaill
Ardgal mac Conaill (died 520) was a King of Uisnech in Mide of the Ui Neill dynasty. He was the son of Conall Cremthainne (died 480) and grandson of Niall Noígíallach. He is considered the third king of Uisnech in the list in the ''Book of Leins ...
(died 520), ancestor of the Cenél nArdgail in County Meath.
References
See also
*
Kings of Uisnech
The Kings of Uisnech were of the Uí Néill and one of its major southern branches, the Clann Cholmáin. The Hill of Uisnech is located in what is now County Westmeath, and was in early historic Ireland considered as the area where all five provinc ...