The Uí Ceinnselaig (also Uí Cheinnselaig, Anglicized as Kinsella), from the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

"grandsons of Cennsalach", are 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 ...

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

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 ...

who trace their descent from

Énnae Cennsalach Énnae Cennsalach (5th century) was a King of Leinster and founder of the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the Laigin. He was the grandson of Bressal Bélach (died 436), a previous king. The chronology of Leinster kings in the 5th century is contradic ...

, a supposed contemporary 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. ...

. Énda was said to be a grandson of Bressal Bélach and a first cousin of Dúnlaing mac Énda Niada,

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

ous ancestor of the rival

Uí Dúnlainge The Uí Dúnlainge, from the Old Irish "grandsons (or descendants) of Dúnlaing", were an Irish dynasty of Leinster kings who traced their descent from Dúnlaing mac Énda Niada. He was said to be a cousin of Énnae Cennsalach, eponymous ancest ...

. The earliest associations of the Uí Ceinnselaig are with the region around

Rathvilly Rathvilly () is a village in County Carlow, Ireland. The village is located on the River Slaney near the border with County Wicklow, 11 km from Tullow and 8 km from Baltinglass. It is also on the N81 national secondary route. Rathvill ...

County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ga, Contae Cheatharlach) is a county located in the South-East Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Carlow is the second smallest and the third least populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties. Carlow Cou ...

, and the headwaters of the

River Slaney The River Slaney () is a large river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford for 117.5 km (73 mi), bef ...

, but in time the centre of their power was pushed southwards, later being found around

Ferns, County Wexford Ferns (, short for ) is a historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy R772 road joins the R745, both regional roads. The remains of Ferns Castle are in the centre of the town. His ...

, site of the monastery of the saint

Máedóc of Ferns Saint Máedóc of Ferns (; 6th & 7th century), also known as Saint Aidan ( ga, Áedan; cy, Aeddan; la, Aidanus and '), or Saint Mogue ( ga, Mo Aodh Óg), was an Irish saint who was the first Bishop of Ferns in County Wexford and the fo ...

(d. 626 or 632). In early times the

kings of Leinster Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

came from the Uí Ceinnselaig and the Uí Dúnlainge, but the Uí Dúnlainge came to dominate the kingship of the province, and after

Áed mac Colggen Áed mac Colggen (died 738) was a king of the Uí Cheinnselaig of Leinster. Some sources incorrectly make him joint king of Leinster with Bran Becc mac Murchado, but it appears that Áed was main ruler of Leinster in 738. His father Colcú mac Br ...

(d. 738) it was three hundred years until the next Uí Ceinnselaig king of Leinster,

Diarmait mac Máel na mBó Diarmait mac Máel na mBó (died 7 February 1072) was King of Leinster, as well as High King of Ireland (with opposition). He was one of the most important and significant kings in Ireland in the pre-Norman era.. Background Diarmait belonged ...

(''see''

list of Kings of Uí Cheinnselaig The Kings of Uí Cheinnselaig were a branch of the Laigin who came to dominate southern Leinster, known also as Laigin Desgabair. They were semi-independent of their overlords in the north of Leinster and sometimes provided rulers of all Leinster. ...

). A branch of the family, the descendants of the Uí Ceinnselaig dynast Murchad mac Diarmata meic Máel na mBó, took the

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

''mac Murchada'' (from which modern Irish ''

Mac Murchadha McMurphy, and its variants Murphy, Morrow and MacMurrough, are anglicisations of the Irish language surname ''Mac Murchaidh''. The clan originated in the ferns County Wexford such as Diarmaid mac Murchadha in the 17th century the clan was found ...

'', anglicised as ''MacMurrough'', ''Murphy'', ''Morrow'', etc.). From this branch descended

Domhnall Caomhánach Domhnall Caomhánach (Domhnall mac Murchada or Domhnall Caomhánach mac Murchada, anglicized as Donal Kavanagh) is the ancestor of the Caomhánach line of the Uí Ceinnselaig dynasty and was King of Leinster from 1171 to 1175. Domhnall was the ...

, founder of the

Caomhánach Caomhánach (Irish: ; in Gaelic type) is an Irish language surname first assumed by Domhnall Caomhánach, eldest son of the 12th century Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster (now Leinster, Ireland). A considerable number of anglicised varia ...

family. Another segment of the Uí Ceinnselaig family, the descendants of the Uí Ceinnselaig dynast Domnall Remar mac Mael na mBó, took the Irish surname ''Ua Domnaill''. Both branches—the Meic Murchada and the Uí Domnaill—were bitter rivals over the kingship of Uí Ceinnselaig. Notable kings of the Uí Ceinnselaig and related kindreds included: *

Brandub mac Echach Brandub mac Echach (died 605) was an Irish king of the Uí Cheinnselaig of Leinster. His father, Echu mac Muiredaig had been a king of the Ui Cheinnselaig. They belonged to a branch known as the Uí Felmeda descended from Fedelmid, son of Énnae ...

(died 603)Date per ''The Chronology of the Irish Annals'', Daniel P. McCarthy *

(died 738) *

(died 1072) *

Murchad mac Diarmata Murchad mac Diarmata (English: Murrough MacDermot) (died 1070) was a late eleventh-century ruler of the kingdoms of Leinster, Dublin, and the Isles. He was a member of the Uí Chennselaig, and a son of Diarmait mac Máel na mBó, King of Leinst ...

(died 1070) *

Diarmait Mac Murchada Diarmait Mac Murchada (Modern Irish: Diarmaid Mac Murchadha), anglicised as Dermot MacMurrough, Dermod MacMurrough, or Dermot MacMorrogh (c. 1110 – c. 1 May 1171), was a King of Leinster in Ireland. In 1167, he was deposed by the High King ...

(died 1171) * Aoife MacMurrough (died

1188 Year 1188 ( MCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * January 22 – King Ferdinand II dies after returning from a pilgrimage to Santi ...

) * Art Mór Mac Murchadha Caomhánach (died

1417 Year 1417 ( MCDXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * June 29 – An English fleet, led by the Earl of Huntingdon, defeats a fleet of Ge ...

)

References

* Byrne, Francis John, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings.'' Batsford, London, 1973. Laigin Irish royal families MacMorrough Kavanagh dynasty Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties {{Ireland-hist-stub

See also

References