Tigernach Ua Braín was abbot of Clonmacnoise

Abbot of Clonmacnoise

The Abbot of Clonmacnoise was the monastic head of Clonmacnoise. They also bore the title "Comarba of Saint Ciarán", "successor of Saint Ciarán". The following is a list of abbots:-List of abbots to 1539:-References:...

 and abbot of Roscommon

Roscommon

Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...

. He was once held to be the author of the Annals of Tigernach

Annals of Tigernach

The Annals of Tigernach is a chronicle probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish....

, hence its name, but though this view is no longer sustainable, the nature and extent of his involvement remain unclear.

The Uí Braín and Clonmacnoise

The annalistic compilation known as the Chronicon Scotorum

Chronicon Scotorum

Chronicon Scotorum is a medieval Irish chronicle.According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is "a collection of annals belonging to the 'Clonmacnoise group', covering the period from prehistoric times to 1150 but with some gaps, closely related to the 'Annals of Tigernach'...

mentions that he was 'heir of Ciarán

Ciarán of Clonmacnoise

Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise was one of the early Irish monastic saints and Irish bishop. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Younger to distinguish him from Saint Ciarán of Saighir. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland....

 and of Commán', that is abbot of Clonmacnoise and Roscommon, and came from the Síl Muiredaig, descendants of Muiredach Muillethan

Muiredach Muillethan

Muiredach Muillethan mac Fergusso was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the grandson of Rogallach mac Uatach , a previous king. He belonged to the Uí Briúin Ai sept...

 (d. 702), a ruling sept of the Connachta

Connachta

The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach...

. The Uí Braín were a branch of the Síl Muiredaig, but being no player in the race for kingship, focused on Clonmacnoise to pursue a career in the church instead. The first known Uí Braín member to become abbot of Clonmacnoise was Dúnchad Ua Braín (d. 989) and others are attested after Tigernach's life-time who also headed the abbey of Roscommon. The monastery of Clonmacnoise stood in Mide, but it had held land in Connacht since the 7th century and by the 11th century it ranked as the most important church in Connacht. Since the rulers of Mide were usually in alliance with those of Connacht, Clonmacnoise appears to have remained on good terms with the rulers of both provinces.

The Annals of Ulster and the Chronicon Scotorum record Tigernach's death under the entry for 1088.

Annals of Tigernach

The copy of the Annals of Tigernach which is preserved in the 14th-century manuscript Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B. 488, has a note attached to the entry for 1088, apparently the year of his death. It reports that Tigernach had written the text up to that point, but does not specify whether he had merely written down the text or was (also) the annalist responsible for the entries. T.M. Charles-Edwards considers it a good possibility that Tigernach was one of a succession of annalists.

Further reading