Máel Dúin Mac Máele Fithrich
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Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681) was a King of Ailech and head 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 ...
branch of the northern
Uí Néill The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...
. He had married Cacht ingen Cellaig, daughter of the high king Cellach mac Máele Coba (died 658) of the
Cenél Conaill 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 ...
and their son
Fergal mac Máele Dúin Fergal mac Máele Dúin (died 11 December 722) was High King of Ireland. Fergal belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681), a King of Ailech, and great-grandso ...
(died 722) was high king of Ireland. He was the son of Máel Fithrich mac Áedo (died 630) and grandson of the high king Áed Uaridnach (died 612). He ruled as King of Ailech from circa 668-681. The annals record the destruction of Ailech in 676 by the high king Fínsnechta Fledach (died 695) of the southern Uí Néill who appears to have asserted his authority in the north. Máel Dúin was active increasing the power of the Cenél nEógain. In 677 he slew Dúnchad son of Ultán, king of Airgialla -of the Uí mac Carthainn, near Lough Foyle, Tirkeeran in modern
County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...
- in Dún Forgo. In the summer of 681 he was successful over Dúngal Eilni mac Scandail of Dal nAraide and Cenn Faelad mac Suibni of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin ( Keenaght,
County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...
) at what was called the burning of the kings at Dún Ceithirn (in barony of
Coleraine Coleraine ( ; from , 'nook of the ferns'Flanaghan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 194. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. ) is a town and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, No ...
, in modern County Londonderry). He belonged to the Cenél maic Ercae branch of the family. The rival Cenél Feradaig branch dominated the kingship for most of the 7th century. At the beginning of winter 681 he was defeated and slain at the Battle of Bla Sléibe (in modern County Londonderry) by the Ciannachta of Glenn Geimin and by Fland mac Máele Tuile (died 700) of the rival Cenél Feradaig. Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich is recorded as the ancestor of the
Ó Dálaigh The Ó Dálaigh () were a learned Irish Bardic poetry, bardic family who first came to prominence early in the 12th century, when Cú Connacht Ó Dálaigh was described as "The first ''Ollamh'' of poetry in all Ireland" (''ollamh'' is the title g ...
bardic family in the O'Clery Book of Genealogies.''Analecta Hibernica'' #18 R.I.A. MS. 23 D 17 589, Genelach Muintire Dalaigh.


Notes


References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * ''O'Clery Book of Genealogies'', Analecta Hibernica #18 R.I.A. MS. 23 D 17


External links



a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mael Duin mac Maele Fithrich Kings of Ailech 681 deaths 7th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown