Brian Mág Tighearnán (anglicised Brian McKiernan) was chief of the

McKiernan Clan The surname McKiernan (), is of Irish origin and is found predominantly in County Cavan where it originated. The Irish name is Mág Tighearnán meaning ''the Son of Tighearnán'' and the clan or sept takes its name from one Tighearnán who lived ...

Tullyhunco Tullyhunco () is a barony in County Cavan, Ireland. It comprises the civil parishes of Kildallan, Killeshandra and Scrabby. Location Tullyhunco is located in western County Cavan. It borders County Leitrim to the west and County Longford to ...

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...

from 1358 until 1362.

Ancestry

Brian was the son of Matha Mág Tighearnán (d.1311), son of Gíolla Íosa 'Leith' Mág Tighearnán, son of Sithric ‘Carrach-in-Cairn’ Mág Tighearnán (d.1290), son of Duarcán Mág Tighearnán, the Second (d.1290), son of Íomhaor Mág Tighearnán, the Second (died c.1269), son of Tighearnán, son of Duarcán the First, son of Íomhaor the First, son of Gíolla Chríost, son of Amhlaoibh, son of Tighearnán, the founder of the clan.M.V. Duignan (1934), "The Uí Briúin Bréifni genealogies", pp. 90–137, in JRSAI Vol. 4, No. 1, 30 Jun. 1934. His father Matha Mág Tighearnán had been a previous chief of the clan. Brian’s brothers were Amlaibh, Matha and Gíolla Íosa Óg.

Chieftainship

On the death of the previous chief, his uncle Tomás Mág Tighearnán in 1358, Brian took the chieftaincy and resided in the castle of Croaghan of the Cups (Irish- Cruachan O'Cúbhrán), now in the townland of Coolnashinny, besides the modern town of

Killeshandra Killeshandra or Killashandra () is a small town or village and civil parish in County Cavan, Ireland. It is located west of Cavan Town. Killeshandra town has a long record of participation in the National Tidy Towns competition and has won ...

. On 29 April 1361 his wife Aifric died. The

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

for 1361 state- ''Aiffric, daughter of Brian Ua Raighillaigh, wife of Brian Mag Tigernain, died a week before Easter. And there was no stint to her goodness up to the time of her decease.'' The

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

for 1364 state- ''Affrica, daughter of Brian O'Reilly, and wife of Brian Mac Tiarnan, died.''

Description

According to his death eulogy Brian was a very generous host.

Death

Brian died on 25 July 1362 but some of the annals give a later date. The

for 1362 state ''Brian, son of Matthew Mag Tigernain, the son of a chief of greatest felicity and pre-eminence, general patron respecting food and cattle, died about the feast of Saint James July 25 that year, as the poet said:'' ''Brian Mag Tigernain of the contests,'' ''With his hospitality comparison were not just'' ''He practised hospitality without reward,'' ''Heaven was the end of his battle-career.'' The

for 1365 state- ''Brian, the son of Matthew Mac Tiernarn, Chief of Teallach Dunchadha, the most distinguished for valour, renown, fame, and power, of the sub-chieftains of Breifny, died. Of him was said:'' ''Brian Mac Tiernan of the battles,'' ''Whose hospitality was incomparable;'' ''He followed generosity without hatred,'' ''And heaven was the goal of his career.'' The

Annals of Connacht The ''Annals of Connacht'' (), covering the years 1224 to 1544, are drawn from a manuscript compiled in the 15th and 16th centuries by at least three scribes, all believed to be members of the Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin. The early sections, commenc ...

for the year 1365 state- ''Brian son of Matha Mag Tigernain, chieftain of Tullyhuncoe, the most famous man of the Brefnians, died. As the poet says: ‘Brian Mag Tigernain of the encounters, no bounty should be compared with his bounty; peacefully he ever practised hospitality; Heaven was the end of his career.'' The

Annals of Loch Cé The ''Annals of Loch Cé'' (also ''Annals of Lough Cé'') cover events, mainly in Connacht and its neighbouring regions, from 1014 to 1590. It takes its name from Lough Cé in the kingdom of Moylurg - now north County Roscommon - which was th ...

for the year 1365 state- ''Brian, son of Matthew Mac Tighernain, chieftain of Tellach-Dunchadha, the most famous man of the Breifnians, mortuus est, ut dicitur—'' ''Brian Mac Tighernain of the conflicts'' ''With his hospitality comparison was not just'' ''He followed generosity without hatred;'' ''Heaven was the end of his battle-career.''

Family

Brian was married to Aifric (d.1361), the daughter of Brian O’Reilly and had at least one daughter, Áine (d.1405) and nine sons- Brian, Tighearnán (d.1369), Cathal, Cú Connacht, Philip, Manus, Toirdhealbhach (d.1369), Maol Sechlann, Flaherty 'Riabhach' and Gíolla Íosa (d.1424).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mág Tighearnán, Brian Irish lords 1362 deaths People from County Cavan 14th-century Irish people