Máel Fithrich mac Áedo (died 630) 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 (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...
. He was the son of the high king of Ireland
Áed Uaridnach
Áed Uaridnach ("Áed the Warlike", or Áed mac Domnaill, "Áed son of Domnall") (died 612) was an Irish king who was High King of Ireland. He is sometimes also known as Áed Allán, a name most commonly used for the 8th-century king of the ...
(died 612). He ruled in Ailech from 628 to 630.
The branch of the Cenél nEógain that he belonged to was called the Cenél maic Ercae and they had dominated the kingship of Ailech until the reign of his predecessor
Suibne Menn
Suibne Menn (or Suibne mac Fiachnai, "Suibne the Stammerer, son of Fiachnae"; died AD 628) was an Irish king who is counted as a High King of Ireland.
Suibne belonged to the junior branch of the Cenél nEógain kindred of the northern Uí N� ...
(died 628) of the Cenél Feradaig branch. In 630 these two branches of the family clashed at the Battle of Leitheirbe and Máel Fithrich was slain fighting against Suibne's brother
Ernaine mac Fiachnai
Ernaine mac Fiachnai (died 636) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the brother of the high king of Ireland Suibne Menn (died 628). He ruled in Ailech from 630 to 636.
A rival branch of ...
(died 638).
[''Annals of Ulster'', AU 630.1] The Cenél Feradaig branch then dominated the kingship for most of the 7th century.
His son
Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich
Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He had married Cacht ingen Cellaig, daughter of the high king Cellach mac Máele Coba (died 658) of the Cenél C ...
(died 681) was also a King of Ailech.
Notes
References
* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Textsa
University College Cork* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
External links
a
University College Cork
Kings of Ailech
633 deaths
7th-century Irish monarchs
Year of birth unknown
{{Ireland-royal-stub