Fíngen mac Áedo Duib
Encyclopedia
Fíngen mac Áedo Duib was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil
branch of the Eoganachta
. He was the great-grandson of Feidlimid mac Óengusa
, a previous king. He succeeded Amalgaid mac Éndai
as king in 601.
There is some dispute in the sources as to his reign and that of Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn
(died 618) of the Loch Lein branch. The Annals of Tigernach give the title King of Munster to both of them but give Fingin's accession after Amalgaid in 601.
The Annals of Innisfallen do not give Aed this title but give it to Fingin.
His reign was a prosperous one:
According to the saga Mór of Munster and the Violent Death of Cuanu mac Ailchine he was originally married to a Deisi woman but later married Mór Muman
(died 636), the daughter of Áed Bennán. Mór Muman was purported to be the most beautiful and desirable woman in all of Ireland at the time. She later married his successor Cathal mac Áedo
(died 627) thereby transferring the kingship to him.
He was very attentive and attractive to women as evident by this passage in the Psalter of Cashel:
Fíngen, the fierce, the active
Reckless, intrepid to the last
Kind and gentle towards women,
Alas! in bonds of love held fast.
His sons by Mór were Sechnussach and Máenach mac Fíngin
(died 661) who was a King of Munster. A distant descendant was Feidlimid mac Cremthanin
(died 847).
The direct descendants of Fíngen mac Áedo Duib were known as the Cenél Fíngin are the O'Sullivan
s and MacGillycuddy
s. The McGillycuddys are a sub-sept of the O'Sullivan clan. (The name McGillycuddy originates from when O'Sullivan Mór sent his trusted son, Mac Giolla, to be educated under the tutelage of Saint Mochuda at Lismore).
Eóganacht Chaisil
Eóganacht Chaisil were a branch of the Eóganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster during the 5th-10th centuries. They took their name from Cashel which was the capital of the early Christian kingdom of Munster...
branch of the Eoganachta
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...
. He was the great-grandson of Feidlimid mac Óengusa
Feidlimid mac Óengusa
Feidlimid mac Óengusa or Feidlimid Dub was an Eoganachta King of Munster in the early 6th century. He was the son of Óengus mac Nad Froích, the first Christian king of Munster....
, a previous king. He succeeded Amalgaid mac Éndai
Amalgaid mac Éndai
Amalgaid mac Éndai was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Áine branch of the Eoganachta and appears as the first king from this branch....
as king in 601.
There is some dispute in the sources as to his reign and that of Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn
Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn
Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn was a possible King of Munster from the Eóganacht Locha Léin branch of the Eoganachta. He was definitely king of West Munster or Iarmuman. He was the great grandson of Dauí Iarlaithe mac Maithni also a possible king of Munster from this branchThere is some dispute in the...
(died 618) of the Loch Lein branch. The Annals of Tigernach give the title King of Munster to both of them but give Fingin's accession after Amalgaid in 601.
The Annals of Innisfallen do not give Aed this title but give it to Fingin.
His reign was a prosperous one:
Munster in the time of Fíngen mac Áedo, its store-houses were full, its homesteads were fruitful.
According to the saga Mór of Munster and the Violent Death of Cuanu mac Ailchine he was originally married to a Deisi woman but later married Mór Muman
Mór Muman
Mór Muman , also written Mór Mumhan or Mór Mumain, is stated to have been a daughter of Áed Bennán, sometime King of Munster, but may in fact represent a euhemerised sovereignty goddess, particularly associated with the Eóganachta.The Irish language tale Mór Muman 7 Aided Cuanach meic Ailchine Mór...
(died 636), the daughter of Áed Bennán. Mór Muman was purported to be the most beautiful and desirable woman in all of Ireland at the time. She later married his successor Cathal mac Áedo
Cathal mac Áedo
Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach was a King of Cashel in Munster from the Glendamnach sept of the Eoganachta. He was the son of Áed Fland Cathrach and grandson of Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn a previous king of Cashel...
(died 627) thereby transferring the kingship to him.
He was very attentive and attractive to women as evident by this passage in the Psalter of Cashel:
Fíngen, the fierce, the active
Reckless, intrepid to the last
Kind and gentle towards women,
Alas! in bonds of love held fast.
His sons by Mór were Sechnussach and Máenach mac Fíngin
Máenach mac Fíngin
Máenach mac Fíngin was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta. He was the son of Fíngen mac Áedo Duib , a previous king. His mother was Mór Muman , daughter of Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn of the Loch Lein. He succeeded Cúán mac Amalgado as king in 641 The annals...
(died 661) who was a King of Munster. A distant descendant was Feidlimid mac Cremthanin
Feidlimid mac Cremthanin
Fedelmid mac Crimthainn was the King of Munster between 820 and 846. He was numbered as a member of the Céli Dé, an abbot of Cork Abbey and Clonfert Abbey, and possibly a bishop...
(died 847).
The direct descendants of Fíngen mac Áedo Duib were known as the Cenél Fíngin are the O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan or simply Sullivan is an Irish surname, associated with the southwestern part of Ireland, originally found in County Tipperary before the Anglo-Norman invasion, then in County Cork and County Kerry, which due to emigration is also common in Australia, North America and Britain...
s and MacGillycuddy
McGillycuddy of the Reeks
The McGillycuddy of the Reeks is one of the hereditary chiefs of the name of Ireland. The current family head is Donough McGillycuddy, who lives in Himeville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-Mythology:...
s. The McGillycuddys are a sub-sept of the O'Sullivan clan. (The name McGillycuddy originates from when O'Sullivan Mór sent his trusted son, Mac Giolla, to be educated under the tutelage of Saint Mochuda at Lismore).
External links
- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
- TLH: Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae at University College Dublin
- Wiley, Dan M., Mor Muman, Cycles of the Kings