 Abt 0430 - Abt 0483 (53 years)
-
| Name |
CHENNSELAIG Crimthann Mac Ennai |
| Birth |
Abt 0430 |
Kingdom of Leinster, Ireland  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
Abt 0483 |
| Notes |
- Name and Parents
Crimthann mac Énnai was the son of Énnae Cennsalach, the ancestor of this dynasty.[1]
He was a great grandson of Bressal Bélach mac Fiacha [2]
430 Birth Year Estimation
Since he first appears in the record as king at the Battle of Áth Dara in 458, but was a capable fighter at the time, estimate his age being in the late 20's and therefore his birth, say, 430. This date is highly speculative and useful primarily for placing Crimthann in an appropriate time and place.
Baptized as Christian
Crimthann was baptized by Saint Patrick at Ráith Bilech (Rathvilly Moat), County Carlow [3]
Marriages
Marriage Year Estimation
Crimthann's birth having been estimated as the year 430, estimate his marriage, or first marriage, occurring in 450.
Congain Version
According to Keating, his wife's name was Congain. They had a daughter named Eithne Uatahach (d.490), who was fostered by the Deisi and was married to Óengus mac Nad Froích (d.490), the first Christian king of Munster.[4]
Three Wives Version
In the Kinsella (Chennselaigh) and other genealogies, notably the Expulsion of the Déisi (Dessi, Deissi), Crimthann mac Ennai's married three sisters in turn [5] They were the daughters of Ernbrand. [5]
Mel or Mell was the first wife, and the mother of Nath Í. She is referred to in The Expulsion of the Déisi (Dessi, Deissi). [5]
Belc was the second sister. She was was mother Ingren, who was the mother of Crimthann's murdering grandson Eochaid Guinech of the Uí Bairrche. [5]
Cinniu or Congain: Yet another sister was the mother of Eithne Uatahach, who bore only that one daughter. [5]
The Expulsion names the three daughters of Ernbrand as Mell, Belc and Cinniu, adding that from Mell are the SiT Mella., from Belc the Hui Beilce. Cinniu bore Ethne only to him."The Sil Mella and Ui Meala septs refer to descendents of Mell.[5]
Reign
Crimthann was a King of Leinster from the Uí Cheinnselaig sept of the Laigin. [2]
458 Battle of Áth Dara
It is not known when he acquired the throne but, in the annals record of the Battle of Áth Dara, on the River Barrow in Mag Ailbe (South County Kildare), in 458, both the Annals of Ulster and the Chronicum Scotorum name Crimthann as the leader of the Laigin forces.[6]
The Laigin defeated the high king Lóegaire mac Néill (died 462) and captured him. They released him after he promised not to levy the cattle-tribute from Leinster again. [2]
483 Death
The Annals of the Four Masters claim he was present at the Battle of Ocha of 482 when the high king Ailill Molt was slain but this is not confirmed by the other annals. [7]
The annals record that he was slain (mortally wounded) in 483 and the Chronicum Scotorum specifies that Eochaid Guinech of the Uí Bairrche and the men of Arad Cliach were responsible.[8]
Issue
Children of Crimthann and Mel
Nath I. Mel or Mell was the first wife, and the mother of Nath Í. She is referred to in The Expulsion of the Déisi (Dessi, Deissi). [5] Crimthann had at least one son, Nath Í mac Crimthainn, a King of the Uí Cheinnselaig.[9] Nath Í's sons were
Éogan Cáech (a king of the Uí Cheinnselaig), who founded the Síl Fáelchán, Sil Máeluidir, Síl nÉladaig, and Síl Mella septs; [2]
Cormacc, who founded the Sil Chormaic sept; [2]
Ailill, grandfather of the high-king of Ireland Áed mac Ainmuirech.[2]
"The Sil Mella and Ui Meala septs refer to descendents of Mell.[5]
Children of Crimthann and Belc
Ingren was the daughter of Belc, the second sister. Ingren was mother to Crimthann's murdering grandson Eochaid Guinech of the Uí Bairrche. [5] From Belc came the Hui Beilce. .[5]
Eochaid Guinech. The Annals of the Four Masters state that Eochaid Guinech -- his murderer -- was the son of his daughter. [10] Wikipedia notes that the Uí Bairrche probably held an earlier predominant position in the south part of Leinster prior to the rise of the Uí Cheinnselaig. [11]
Children of Crimthann and Cinniu or Congain
Eithne Uatahach, daughter of Crimthann who died in 490 was the child of Cinniu (Congain), who bore Ethne only to him.[5] Ethne was fostered by the Deisi and was married to Óengus mac Nad Froích, who also died in 490, the first Christian king of Munster.[4]She was killed along with her husband at the Battle of Cenn Losnada in Mag Fea (near Leighlin, County Carlow) in 490 by the Uí Dúnlainge sept and the same Eochaid Guinech of the Uí Bairrche who had slain her father.[12]
Sources
↑ Byrne, Table 8; Charles-Edwards, Appendix XVIII; Mac Niocaill pg.83. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ T.M.Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland , pg.234. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ 4.0 4.1 Geoffrey Keating, History of Ireland, Book I, pg.315-317. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Meyer, Kuno, ed. (1901), "The Expulsion of the Dessi", Y Cymmrodor, XIV, London: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, pp. 101–135. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Annals of Ulster AU 458.1, 459.2, 461.4; Chronicum Scotorum 458 Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Annals of the Four Masters M 478.1 Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Annals of Ulster AU 483.2;485.2; Chronicum Scotorum 484. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ 'Corpus Genealogiarum Sanctorum Hiberniae', Ó Riain, Pádraig, ed., Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1985, §380.1. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Annals of the Four Masters M 465.4; it gives a much earlier date than the other annals for his death placing it in 465. Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Ó Cróinín, pg.193-194 Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
↑ Annals of Ulster AU 490.2, 491.3 ; Annals of Tigernach AT 489.2 Cited by Wikipedia: Crimthann Mac Énnai Accessed Jan 31, 2019 jhd
Wikidata: Item Q5185727, en:Wikipedia help.gif
Jaski, Bart Genealogical tables of medieval Irish royal dynasties Table-38 Early Irish Kingship Succession by Jaski Bart, Published by Four Courts Press, 2013, ISBN 1846824265 ISBN 9781846824265
CGH - Corpus Genealogies iHiberniae Vol 1 ed. M.A. O'Brien (Dublin 1962) pg, 42-5, 50-7, 348, 356.
MS - Rawlinson B502 - CELT
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| Person ID |
I58475 |
Freeman-Smith |
| Last Modified |
27 Jan 2026 |
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