Eóganacht Chaisil were a branch of the

Eóganachta The Eóganachta (Modern , ) were an Irish dynasty centred on Rock of Cashel, Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of De ...

, the ruling dynasty of

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

between the 5th and 10th centuries. They took their name from

Cashel Cashel (an Anglicised form of the Irish language word ''Caiseal'', meaning "stone fort") may refer to: Places in Ireland *Cashel, County Tipperary **The Rock of Cashel, an ancient, hilltop fortress complex for which Cashel is named ** Archbishop ...

(County Tipperary) which was the capital of the early Catholic kingdom of Munster. They were descended from

Óengus mac Nad Froích Óengus mac Nad Froích (430-489) was an Eoganachta and the first Christian King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. Accordi ...

(died 489), the first Christian

King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earli ...

, through his son Feidlimid mac Óengusa. In the seventh century, they split into two main clans. Cenél Fíngin descended from

Fíngen mac Áedo Duib Fíngen mac Áedo Duib (Modern Irish: ''Finghin mac Aodha Dhuibh'', ) (died 618) was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta. He was the great-grandson of Feidlimid mac Óengusa, a previous king. He succeeded Amal ...

(d. 618) and became the

O'Sullivan O'Sullivan may refer to: People * O'Sullivan family, a gaelic Irish clan * O'Sullivan (surname), a family name * Sullivan (surname), a variation of the O'Sullivan family name Places * O'Sullivan Dam, Washington, United States * O'Sullivan Army He ...

s and MacGillycuddys. The McGillycuddy are a sept of the O'Sullivan's. A descendant of Fíngen was Feidlimid mac Cremthanin (d. 847). Clann Faílbe descended from Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib (d. 639) and became the

MacCarthy dynasty MacCarthy (), also spelled Macarthy, McCarthy or McCarty, is an Irish Irish clans, clan originating from Kingdom of Munster, Munster, an area they ruled during the Middle Ages. It was divided into several septs (branches) of which the MacCarthy ...

, rulers of the Kingdom of Desmond following their displacement by the Normans. The O'Callaghans belong to the same line as the MacCarthys, while the MacAuliffes are a sept of the MacCarthys. The Eóganacht Chaisil were considered part of the inner circle of Eoganachta dynasties which included the Eóganacht Glendamnach and Eóganacht Áine branches. These three branches rotated the kingship of Munster in the 7th and much of the 8th centuries. The Chaisil branch provided most of the kings in the 9th and 10th centuries in Munster. Kings of Cashel and Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil were:

Kings of Eóganacht Chaisil

, d. 618 * Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib, d. 639 * Máenach mac Fíngin, d. 661 * Colgú mac Faílbe Flaind, d. 678 * Cormac mac Ailello, d. 712 * Tnúthgal mac Donngaile, d. 820 * Feidlimid mac Cremthanin, d. 847 * Áilgenán mac Donngaile, d. 853 *

Máel Gualae Máel mac Donngaile (died 859), known as Máel Gualae, was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster. He was of the Clann Faílbe sept of this branch and a grandson of Tnúthgal mac Donnga ...

, d. 859 * Cormac mac Cuilennáin, d. 908 * Cellachán Caisil, d. 954 *

Donnchad mac Cellacháin Donnchad mac Cellacháin (fl. 961–963) was a son of Cellachan of Cashel who is alleged to have briefly ruled as King of Cashel and Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the ...

, d. 963

Annalistic references

See

Annals of Inisfallen The ''Annals of Inisfallen'' () are a chronicle of the medieval history of Ireland. Overview There are more than 2,500 entries spanning the years between 433 and 1450. The manuscript is thought to have been compiled in 1092, as the chronic ...

(AI) * ''AI954.2 Repose of Dub Inse, learned bishop of Ireland, and of Cellachán, king of Caisel, and of Éladach the learned, abbot of Ros Ailithir, and of Uarach, bishop of Imlech Ibuir, and of Célechair, abbot of Cluain Moccu Nóis and Cluain Iraird, and of Cormac Ua Maíl Shluaig, learned sage of Mumu, and of Lugaid Ua Maíl Shempail, abbot of Domnach Pátraic, and of Cenn Faelad son of Suibne, anchorite of Cluain Ferta Brénainn.''

References

* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, * Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
Ireland's History in Maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eoganacht Chaisil Kings of Munster MacCarthy dynasty Eóganachta