Cináed mac Conaing
Encyclopedia
Cináed mac Conaing was King of Knowth in the medieval Irish
province of Mide, succeeding his father Conaing mac Flainn
in 849.
Cináed's family belonged to the Knowth, or Uí Chonaing, branch of the Síl nÁedo Sláine
, part of the southern branch of the dominant Uí Néill
kin group. The leadership of the southern branch rested with the rival Clann Cholmáin
whose chief, Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid, was High King of Ireland
. Even within the Síl nÁedo Sláine, Cináed and his kin had a rival in the shape of Tigernach mac Fócartai
, king of Lagore.
In 850 Cináed allied himself with the Viking
armies in the Irish midlands. He and his allies, say the Annals of Ulster
, "plundered [the southern] Uí Néill from the Shannon
to the sea" burning churches and settlements. This is portrayed as a rebellion against Máel Sechnaill, but the target may well have been Cináed's local rival Tigernach whose crannog
in Loch Gabhair
was burned, along with the nearby church at Trevet.
The following year, the Irish annals
record, Cináed was treacherously executed by being drowned by Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach, presumably at a conference as the annals add that this was "in spite of the guarantees of the nobles of Ireland, and the successor of Patrick
[i.e. the abbot of Armagh
] in particular".
Cináed was succeeded by his brother Flann. According to saga material embedded in the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland
, the Viking king Amlaíb
was married to a daughter of Cináed, and killed his brother Auisle
in an argument over her. Whether this wife existed, and if she did, whether she was the daughter of this Cináed, or of the king of the Picts Cináed mac Ailpín, or of some other Cináed, is unclear.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
province of Mide, succeeding his father Conaing mac Flainn
Conaing mac Flainn
Conaing mac Flainn was a King of Brega from the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of Flann mac Congalaig ,a previous kings...
in 849.
Cináed's family belonged to the Knowth, or Uí Chonaing, branch of the Síl nÁedo Sláine
Síl nÁedo Sláine
Síl nÁedo Sláine is the name of the descendants of Áed Sláine , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne....
, part of the southern branch of the dominant Uí Néill
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
kin group. The leadership of the southern branch rested with the rival Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin
Clann Cholmáin is the name of the dynasty descended from Colmán Mór , son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall Cremthainne.Related dynasties descended through Conall...
whose chief, Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid, was High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
. Even within the Síl nÁedo Sláine, Cináed and his kin had a rival in the shape of Tigernach mac Fócartai
Tigernach mac Fócartai
Tigernach mac Fócartai , also called Tigernach of Lagore, was King of Lagore.-Background:Tigernach belonged to the Uí Chernaig branch of the once-powerful Síl nÁedo Sláine kindred, part of the southern Uí Néill. His great-great-grandfather Fogartach mac Néill had been High King of Ireland...
, king of Lagore.
In 850 Cináed allied himself with the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
armies in the Irish midlands. He and his allies, say the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
, "plundered [the southern] Uí Néill from the Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
to the sea" burning churches and settlements. This is portrayed as a rebellion against Máel Sechnaill, but the target may well have been Cináed's local rival Tigernach whose crannog
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
in Loch Gabhair
Loch Gabhair
Loch Gabhair meaning "Lake of the Goats" is a townland in the parish of Ratoath, Ireland. It is located between the villages of Ratoath and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Ireland....
was burned, along with the nearby church at Trevet.
The following year, the Irish annals
Irish annals
A number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century.Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days...
record, Cináed was treacherously executed by being drowned by Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach, presumably at a conference as the annals add that this was "in spite of the guarantees of the nobles of Ireland, and the successor of Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
[i.e. the abbot of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
] in particular".
Cináed was succeeded by his brother Flann. According to saga material embedded in the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland
Fragmentary Annals of Ireland
The Fragmentary Annals of Ireland are a Middle Irish combination of chronicle from various Irish annals and narrative history. They were compiled in the kingdom of Osraige, probably in the lifetime of Donnchad mac Gilla Pátraic , king of Osraige and of king of Leinster.The Fragmentary Annals were...
, the Viking king Amlaíb
Amlaíb Conung
Amlaíb Conung was a Norse or Norse-Gael leader in Ireland and Scotland in the years after 850. Together with his brothers Ímar and Auisle he appears frequently in the Irish annals....
was married to a daughter of Cináed, and killed his brother Auisle
Auisle
Auisle , in Old Norse either Ásl or Auðgísl, was a Scandinavian, or perhaps Norse-Gael, king active in Ireland and north Britain in the 850s and 860s....
in an argument over her. Whether this wife existed, and if she did, whether she was the daughter of this Cináed, or of the king of the Picts Cináed mac Ailpín, or of some other Cináed, is unclear.