Cellach mac Dúnchada (died 776) was a King of
Leinster of the Uí Dúnchada sept of the
Uí Dúnlainge branch of the
Laigin. He was the son of
Dúnchad mac Murchado (died 728), and
Taileflaith {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022
Taileflaith is a rare Gaelic-Irish woman's name from the early Irish historic era, found in the kingdoms of Munster and Laigin.
Bearers of the name
Almost the only one attested is Taileflaith ingen Cathail, descri ...
. This sept had their royal seat at Líamhain (
Lyons Hill, on the
Dublin-
Kildare border). He ruled from 760 to 776.
During his reign the southern dynasty of
Uí Cheinnselaig were preoccupied with war with the
Osraige in 761 and civil wars in 769–770. The first mention of Cellach in the annals involves the Battle of Áth Orc (in
County Offaly
County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in hono ...
) in 770. In this battle Cellach defeated
Cináed mac Flainn
Cináed mac Flainn (died 770) was the king of the Uí Failge, a Laigin people of County Offaly. He was one of the many sons of Fland Dá Chongal, a previous king. He ruled from 757 to 770. He was the second of Fland's sons by Érenach, daughter of ...
of the
Uí Failge and
Cathnio mac Bécce of the
Fothairt
The Fothairt were a Medieval Irish people based in Leinster.
Peoples
The Fothairt are referenced in Leabhar Ua Maine. Their genealogies are preserved in Leabhar na nGenealach, the Great Book of Lecan, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson B 502, and/or ...
, who were slain.
Leinster had suffered a major defeat at the hands of the
high king Áed Allán of the
Cenél nEógain at the Battle of
Áth Senaig (
Ballyshannon, Co. Kildare) in 738. A period of peace under the high kings
Domnall Midi
Domhnall Mac Murchada (born c. 700, died 20 November 763), called Domnall Midi (Donald of Meath), was High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Clann Cholmáin branch of the Uí Néill. Clann Cholmáin's pre-eminence among the southern Uí Néill, ...
(died 763) of the
Clann Cholmáin and
Niall Frossach (died 778) of the
Cenél nEógain. In 770, however, the new high king
Donnchad Midi (died 797) of the Clann Cholmáin asserted his suzerainty over Leinster. Donnchad invaded with the army of the
Ui Neill and the Laigin eluded him. Donnchad remained seven days in the vicinity of the ancient hill fort of Ráith Ailenn (in Co.Kildare) and ravaged the country with fire until the men of Leinster submitted to him.
That same year of 770 the two septs of the
Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Uí Néill made border attacks on Leinster territory. The sept of Uí Chonaing defeated the Uí Théig at the Battle of Áth Cliath in Cualu (southern Dublin Co.) with a slaughter of Laigin but many of the victors drowned in a high tide on their way home. The sept of Uí Chernaig was defeated at the Battle of Bolg Bóinne.
[''Annals of Ulster'' AU 770.9]
Cellach's son,
Fínsnechta Cethardec mac Cellaig (died 808), was also King of Leinster. His sons Fáelán (died 804) and Áed (died 829) were abbots of Kildare and his daughter Muirenn (died 831) was abbess of Kildare.
Notes
References
* ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Textsa
University College Cork* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press,
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
External links
a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cellach Mac Dunchada
Kings of Leinster
Kings of Uí Dúnlainge
8th-century births
776 deaths
8th-century Irish monarchs
People from County Kildare