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). [T.M. Charles-Edwards, "Early Christian Ireland", Appendix V] He ruled in Ailech from 630-636. [ the "Laud Synchronisms" give him a reign of six years]

A rival branch of the Cenél nEógain called the Cenél maic Ercae had dominated the kingship of Ailech until the reign of his brother Suibne Menn (died 628) of the Cenél Feradaig branch. In 630 these two branches of the family clashed at the Battle of Leitheirbe and Ernaine was victorious over Máel Fithrich mac Áedo, who was slain, of the Cenél maic Ercae. ["Annals of Ulster", AU 630.1] The Cenél Feradaig branch then dominated the kingship for most of the 7th century. Ernaine was killed in 636 but his killer is not named. ["Annals of Ulster" AU 636.1; "Annals of Tigernach" AT 638.1] According to the "Laud Synchronisms" he was killed by the Cenél nEógain, probably the Cenél maic Ercae. [ Charles Edwards, Table 12.4]

Notes

References

* "Annals of Ulster" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* "Annals of Tigernach" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), "Early Christian Ireland", Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
* "Laud Synchronisms" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]

External links

* [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]