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Cennétig mac Lorcáin (died 951), was a prominent king of the Dál gCais (or "Dalcassians") and king of Tuadmumu. He raised the dynasty in power, from regional vassals of the kings 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 ...
, to challenging for the kingship himself. He was the father of Brian Boru, who would continue Cennétig's war-like rise to power, by becoming
High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
in 1002.


Reign

Cennétig took over after his father Lorcáin mac Lachtna, who is noted as a king of the Dál gCais. They belonged to the Uí Thairdhealbhach, a cadet branch of the Uí Bhloid ruling dynasty of the Dál gCais, the Uí Oengusso. After the death of Rebeachan Mac Mothla, who died as King of the Dál gCais and Abbot of Tuam Greine in 934, Cennetig's father Lorcáin is said to succeed him, being the first of the Uí Thairdhealbhach rulers. Cennétig married Beibhinn, daughter of Urchadh mac Murchadh, king of Iar Connacht (a political marriage typical of the time). Though he also had several other wives, unnamed in the historical sources.''Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf''
(2013), by Sean Duffy (Chapter 1 - the Family of Brian Boru)
He was the first King of the Dál gCais to lead an army outside his own territory (approximately modern day
County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
) and lead raids along the Shannon, reaching as far north as
Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree. It is the second most populous town in the Midland Region, Ir ...
. Through the 940s, Cennétig engaged in an ongoing series of wars against 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 then ruling dynasties of Munster, with the aim of becoming king of Munster himself. His daughter Orlaith married the High King Donnchad Donn as part of an alliance between the Dál gCais and the Uí Neill against the
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 ...
, Cellachán Caisil. He lost the Battle of Gort Rotacháin at Mag Dúin in 944 to Cellachán, where two of his sons are said to have died. '' An Leabhar Muimhneach'' ("''The Book of Munster''") reports that he won a battle against Cellachán at Inis Locha Saingleann (Singland,
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
). Cennétig seems to have fought against the new High King, Congalach Cnogba, in the later attack on Munster in 950. Two of Cennétig sons, Donncuan and Echthighern, were killed in the fighting. Congalach returned again in 951, this time with the combined fleet of " Leth Cuinn" (the northern half of Ireland) and plundered along the Shannon (some of which would have been Cennétig's territory).


Death

On his death in 951, the '' Chronicon Scotorum'' remembers him simply as "king of Dál Cais", but 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� ...
'' describe him as "rí Tuathmumam" (King of Thomund). Whereas the '' Annals of Inisfallen'' give him the title "rídamna Cassil", or a candidate to the Munster kingship. He was succeeded by his son Lachtna. Both the ''
Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib ''Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib'' ("The War of the Irish with the Foreigners") is a medieval Irish text that tells of the depredations of the Vikings and Uí Ímair dynasty in Ireland and the Irish king Brian Boru's great war against them, begin ...
'' ("The War of the Irish with the Foreigners") and the '' Book of Leinster'' (both later sources) say that Cennétig was "slain", but do not specify by whom. Though the Cogad may be implying that the Vikings of Limerick played a part.


Children

Cennétig had many children (by several wives), perhaps 11 or 12 sons, including Brian Boru. Of these only five produced heirs for themselves ( Brian, Mathgamain, Donncuan, Echthighern and Anlón), seven did not (Lachtna, Finn, Dub, Marcán, Flann, Conchobar and another son whose name is not recorded). His daughter Órlaith was the wife of the High King Donnchad Donn (she is Cennétig's only daughter recorded in sources, though he may have had others). Órlaith was executed in 941 by Donnchad, supposedly for adultery with her stepson, Oengus mac Donnchada. The fact that Órlaith was killed rather than simply repudiated by her husband, suggests that her family was regarded as significantly lower ranking than that of the High King. However, the fact that this marriage had been made in the first place suggests that Cennétig and his family were moving up the social hierarchy. Two of his sons—Dub and Finn—are said to have died at Gort Rotacháin in 944, two—Donncuan and Echthighern—died in 950 during the invasion of Munster by Donnchad Donn's successor Congalach Cnogba. Lachtna apparently succeeded his father, but was killed in 953 by the Uí Chearnaigh and Uí Floinn septs of the Dál gCais, he was followed by his brother Mathgamain. When Mathgamain was killed in 976, Cennétig's last remaining son, Brian, took over leadership of the Dál gCais. He would go on to defeat the Eóganacht and become
High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
. Another son, Marcán, was Abbot of Tuamgraney and later Inis Cealtra until his death in 1003. The '' Banshenchas'' says that only Flann and Conchobar were full brothers of Brian (sons of Beibhinn).


Descendants

Since several of his sons founded their own dynasties, Cennétig is the fore-father of many Irish surnames today. The Ó Cinnéide family ( O'Kennedy or Kennedy) take their name directly from him.


References


Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cennetig Mac Lorcain 951 deaths 10th-century Irish monarchs People from County Clare O'Brien dynasty Year of birth unknown