Finsnechta Cethardec mac Cellaig (died 808) was a King of

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

of the Uí Dúnchada sept of the

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, a fifth-century King of Leinster. He was said to be a cousin of ...

branch of the Laigin. He was the son of

Cellach mac Dúnchada Cellach mac Dúnchada (died 776) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Dúnchada sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Dúnchad mac Murchado (died 728), and Taileflaith. This sept had their royal seat at Líamhain (Lyons ...

(died 776), a previous king. He ruled from 795 to 808. His byname Cethardec meant "four-eyes". On 6 May 795 the previous king

Bran Ardchenn Bran Ardchenn mac Muiredaig (died 795) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Muiredaig sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Muiredach mac Murchado (died 760), a previous king. This sept had their royal seat at Maistiu ( ...

mac Muiredaig of the Uí Muiredaig sept and his queen Eithne were assassinated (by burning) in a church at Cell Cúile Duma (near Stradbally, Co.Leix) by Finsnechta Cethardec mac Cellaig (died 808) of the Uí Dúnchada sept. This was a ruthless political gesture directed at the high king

Donnchad Midi Donnchad mac Domnaill (733 – 6 February 797), called Donnchad Midi, was High King of Ireland. His father, Domnall Midi, had been the first Uí Néill High King from the south-central Clann Cholmáin based in modern County Westmeath and west ...

(died 797) (Eithne was his sister). By this act Finsnechta acquired the throne of Leinster. In 804 the high king

Áed Oirdnide Áed mac Néill (; died 819), commonly called Áed Oirdnide ("the anointed"), was King of Ailech. A member of the Cenél nEógain dynasty of the northern Uí Néill, he was the son of Niall Frossach. Like his father, Áed was reckoned High King ...

(died 819) 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) is ...

led a battle into Leinster and won the submission of Finsnechta. Aed assembled the forces of Leth Conn at Dún Cuair on the Leinster border and attacked Leinster twice in one month. The ''Annals of the Four Masters'' say of this event: "Afterwards he returns to Leinster, Aedh, a soldier who shunned not battles; The robber king did not cease till he left them in dearth." The high king did not appear satisfied with this submission and returned in 805 and deposed Finsnechta. He installed

Muiredach mac Ruadrach Muiredach mac Ruadrach (died 829) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Fáeláin sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. This sept had their royal seat at Naas in the eastern part of the Liffey plain, Airthir Liphi. He was the son of Ruaidr ...

(died 829) of the Uí Fáeláin and

Muiredach mac Brain Muiredach mac Brain (died 885) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Dúnchada sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. This sept had their royal seat at Líamhain (Lyons Hill, on the Dublin-Kildare border). He was the son of Bran mac Fáel� ...

(died 818) of the Uí Muiredaig as joint kings. Finsnechta took refuge with Muirgius mac Tommaltaig (died 815), the King of Connacht who then aided him in recovering his throne in 806.Byrne, pg.160 Finsnechta recovered the throne by defeating the sons of

Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin (died 785) was a King of Leinster of the Uí Fáeláin sept of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Fáelán mac Murchado (died 738), a previous king. This sept had their royal seat at Naas in the ea ...

(died 785), Muiredach and Diarmait. Finsnechta set about ensuring his control of the church of Kildare. This led to hostility with the Uí Failgi of Offaly. In 803 Óengus mac Mugróin, king of Uí Fhailgi, was treacherously killed by Finsnechta's followers and in 806 when he recovered the Leinster throne, the Uí Failgi king, Flaithnia mac Cináeda, was killed in his fort at Rathangan.''Annals of Ulster'' AU 803.6, AU 806.10 Two of his brothers, Fáelán (died 804) and Áed (died 829), a nephew and a grandnephew all enjoyed the abbacy of Kildare in the 9th century and Finsnechta's sister Muirenn (died 831) was abbess of Kildare.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, * ''Book of Leinster'',''Rig Laigin'' a

a
University College Cork

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finsnechta Cethardec Kings of Leinster Kings of Uí Dúnlainge 8th-century births 808 deaths 8th-century Irish monarchs 9th-century Irish monarchs People from County Kildare