Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681) was a King of Ailech and head of the

Cenél nEógain 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) i ...

branch of the northern

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 t ...

. He had married Cacht ingen Cellaig, daughter of the high king

Cellach mac Máele Coba Cellach mac Máele Coba (died 658) was an Irish king and is said to have been High King of Ireland. Cellach was the son of Máel Coba mac Áedo (died 615) and belonged to the Cenél Conaill branch of the northern Uí Néill. According to the Ir ...

(died 658) 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) i ...

and their son

Fergal mac Máele Dúin Fergal mac Máele Dúin (died 11 December 722) was High King of Ireland. Fergal belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681), a King of Ailech, and great grandson o ...

(died 722) was high king of Ireland. He was the son of Máel Fithrich mac Áedo (died 630) and grandson of the high king

Áed Uaridnach Áed Uaridnach ("Áed the Warlike", or Áed mac Domnaill, "Áed son of Domnall") (died 612) was an Irish king who was High King of Ireland. He is sometimes also known as Áed Allán, a name most commonly used for the 8th-century king of the ...

(died 612). He ruled as King of Ailech from circa 668-681. The annals record the destruction of Ailech in 676 by the high king

Fínsnechta Fledach Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada (died 695) was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He was a grandson of Áed Sláine. His ...

(died 695) of the southern Uí Néill who appears to have asserted his authority in the north. Máel Dúin was active increasing the power of the Cenél nEógain. In 677 he slew Dúnchad son of Ultán, king of Airgialla -of the Uí mac Carthainn, near Lough Foyle, Tirkeeran in modern County Londonderry- in Dún Forgo. In the summer of 681 he was successful over

Dúngal Eilni mac Scandail Dúngal Eilni mac Scandail (died 681) was a Dál nAraidi king of the Cruthin. He ascended to this position some time after 668. He was the son of Scandal mac Bécce (died 646), a previous king. In the 6th and 7th centuries the Dál nAraidi were ...

of Dal nAraide and Cenn Faelad mac Suibni of the

Cianachta Glenn Geimin Keenaght () is a barony in the mid-northerly third of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by four other baronies: Coleraine to the east; Loughinsholin to the south-east; Tirkeera ...

( Keenaght, County Londonderry) at what was called the burning of the kings at Dún Ceithirn (in barony of Coleraine, in modern County Londonderry). He belonged to the Cenél maic Ercae branch of the family. The rival Cenél Feradaig branch dominated the kingship for most of the 7th century. At the beginning of winter 681 he was defeated and slain at the Battle of Bla Sléibe (in modern County Londonderry) by the Ciannachta of Glenn Geimin and by Fland mac Máele Tuile (died 700) of the rival Cenél Feradaig. Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich is recorded as the ancestor of the Ó Dálaigh bardic family in the O'Clery Book of Genealogies.''Analecta Hibernica'' #18 R.I.A. MS. 23 D 17 589, Genelach Muintire Dalaigh.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * ''O'Clery Book of Genealogies'', Analecta Hibernica #18 R.I.A. MS. 23 D 17

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mael Duin mac Maele Fithrich Kings of Ailech 681 deaths 7th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown