Matha Mág Tighearnán (anglicised Matthew 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 ...

and

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

Lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...

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 ...

barony,

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 1290 until 1311.

Ancestry

Matha was the 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. His grandfather Sithric ‘Carrach-in-Cairn’ Mág Tighearnán had been a previous chief of the clan. Matha’s brothers were Domhnall ’An Saithnech’ Mág Tighearnán (d.1312) who succeeded him as chief of the clan, Conchobar ‘Buidhe’ Mág Tighearnán (d.1314) who was also a chief of the clan, Tomás Mág Tighearnán (d.1358) who was also a chief of the clan, Duarcán, Cú Chonnacht, Cormac, Fergal 'Cend Craiche' and Mathghamhain (d. 1314).

Chieftainship

On the death of the previous chief, his grandfather Sithric ‘Carrach-in-Cairn’ Mág Tighearnán in 1290, Matha 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 ...

. The McKiernans were involved in a running feud with the neighbouring O'Reilly clan. 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 1293 state- ''Fergal O Raigillig, chieftain of Muinter Mailmorda for twelve years, was killed in the midst of his own stronghold by the Tellach Dunchada this year.'' 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 1293 state- ''Ferghal O'Raighilligh, chieftain of Muinter-Maelmórdha during the space of twelve years, was killed in the middle of his own residence by the Tellach-Dunchadha, in hoc anno.'' In 1301 there was a clash in the McKiernan lands with the O'Reilly and McGovern clans on New Year's Day. It happened in the townland of Aghnacor, parish of

, barony of

, but the annals give different dates. Matthew O'Reilly was killed in the clash. He was the son of the Lord of

East Breifne The Kingdom of East Breifne or Breifne O'Reilly (; , ) was an historic kingdom of Ireland roughly corresponding to County Cavan that existed from 1256 to 1607 in Ireland, 1607. It took its present boundaries in 1579 in Ireland, 1579 when East Br ...

Gilla Isu Ruad mac Domnaill O'Raghallaigh (reigned 1293–1330), and son-in-law of the chief of the McGoverns, Brian ‘Breaghach’ Mág Samhradháin (reigned 1272-1294), being married to Brian's daughter Gormlaidh. Poem 9 in the Book of Magauran is dedicated to Mrs Gormlaidh O'Reilly-McGovern and was written at the time of Matthew O'Reilly's death by the poet Maol Pádraig Mac Naimhin (or Cnáimhín). Stanza 37 refers to Matthew's death as follows- ''Matha's gracefulness could be seen beneath his fair hair even as he was laid low by the hands of his foes;'' ''Ó Raighilligh ever near to spears ruins Magh Fáil by his grave.'' 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 1301 state- ''Matthew Ua Raghailligh Junior was killed by the Tellach-Dunchadha.'' The

for 1304 state- ''Matthew, son of Gilla-Isa O'Raighilligh, king of Breifne, was slain by the Tellach-Dunchadha on Achadh-na-corra, and his gallowglasses were slain there along with him. Mac Shamhradhain and Mac Dorchaidh were wounded there, moreover, along with them.'' But the ALC then repeats the incident for 1305- ''Matthew Og O'Raighilligh was killed by the Tellach-Dunchadha.'' The

for 1304 state- ''Matha son of Gilla Isa O Raigillig, king of Brefne, was killed by the Tellach Dunchada at Aghnacor; some gallowglasses were killed there with him and Mac Samradain and Mac Dorchaid were wounded as well.'' But the AC then repeats the incident for 1305- ''Matha Oc O Raigillig was killed by the Tellach Dunchada.''

Mac Carthaigh's Book ''Mac Carthaigh’s Book'' is a collection of annals of the period AD 1114 in Ireland, 1114–1437 in Ireland, 1437 inclusive. It was compiled from earlier material by Florence MacCarthy, Fínghin Mac Carthaigh Mór (c. 1560–1640) an Irish noble ...

for 1304 states- ''The first of January. Matha son of Giolla Íosa Ó Raighilligh, king of Bréifne, was killed, together with gallowglasses, at Achadh na Corra by the Teallach Dúnchadha. Mac Samhradháin and Mac Dorchaidh were wounded there''. But it repeats the incident for 1305- ''Matha Óg Ó Raighilligh was killed by the Teallach Dúnchadha''. 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 1305 state- ''Matthew Oge O'Reilly was slain by the inhabitants of Teallach-Dunchadha.'' In 1308 his relative Tighearnán died. The

for 1308 state- ''Tigernan Mag Tigernain died.''

for 1308 states- ''Tighearnán Mac Tighearnán died.''

Death

Matha was murdered in Croaghan in 1311 by his foster-son Cathal 'na-taisech' Ó Ruairc. Cathal's nickname 'na-taisech' meant 'Of the chiefs' because he was the son of Domhnall O’Rourke, Lord of Breifne O'Rourke from 1307 to 1311, and brother to two O'Rourke chiefs,

Ualgarg Mór Ó Ruairc Ualgarg Mór Ó Ruairc (died 1346) was King of West Breifne from 1316 until his death in 1346. His long and influential reign ensured that his descendants would rule West Breifne for the rest of its history, 250 years after his death. The West B ...

(reigned 1316-1346) and Flaithbheartach O’Rourke, King of Breifne O’Rourke from 1346-1349 (deposed 1349, died 1352). Some of the annals give a later date for Matha's death. The

for 1311 state ''Matthew Mag Tigernain was killed by Cathal O'Ruairc.'' The

for 1314 state- ''Matthew Mac Tiernan was slain by Cathal O'Rourke. '' The

for the year 1314 state- ''Matha Mag Tigernain, chieftain of Tullyhuncoe, was killed in treachery by Cathal son of Domnall O Ruairc, his foster-son, on the floor of his own house.'' The

for the year 1314 state- ''Matthew Mac Tighernain, dux of Tellach-Dunchadha, was slain by Cathal, son of Domhnall O'Ruairc, i.e. his foster-son, in the middle of his own house, by treachery.''

Family

Matha had four sons- Brian Mág Tighearnán who also became chief of the clan, Amlaibh, Matha and Gíolla Íosa Óg.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mág Tighearnán, Matha Irish lords 1311 deaths People from County Cavan 14th-century Irish people