Cenel Luacháin
The Conmhaicne Luacháin (Conmaicne descended from Luchan) or Cenel Luchain (race of Luchan), were an early people of Ireland, whose tuath comprised the parishes of Oughteragh and Drumreilly, barony of Carrigallen, in southern County Leitrim.
Origin[edit]
The Conmhaicne or Conmaicne were a people of early Ireland, perhaps related to the Laigin, dispersed to various parts of Ireland. Settling in Connacht and Longford, they gave their name to several territories. [1][2] After the sixth century, the Conmaicne Rein came from the south to the region, west of Lough Garadice, and some septs settled at Cenel Luacháin, Cluain Conmaicne, Maigh Rein, and Maigh Nissi, overrunning and absorbing the existing inhabitants called the Masraige.[3]
Luacháin[edit]
Luacháin may be a personal name. Hogan, and Book of Fenagh, say their name derives from a branch of Conmaicne Rein, of the race of Luachan, son of Onchu, 4th in descent from Cumscrah. Cenel Luach is sometimes corrupted "Kinel-Luachain".[citation needed]
Territory[edit]
Centered in Oughteragh parish, barony of Carrigallen, southern county Leitrim, their territory was bounded by native Irish forests on all sides,[4] Sliabh an Iarainn west and north, Tullyhaw north east, and Conmaiche of Maigh Rein to the south. In the eighth century, when Ua Bruin Breifne claimed large swaths of north Connacht, some Cenel Luachain migrated to Teathbha.[3]
Septs[edit]
Sept or tribal names of the Conmhaícne of Cenel Luacháin, in north east south Leitrim, are listed.
- Ui Dubain (Devine)
- Mac Maelfabhaill (O'Mullaville, Lavelle)
- Ui Bathbairr (O'Kearon or O'Kerrane or O'Kerrivane or O'Kerwan or O'Kirrane)
- Tullach Cleirig (O'Kearon or O'Kerrane or O'Kerrivane or O'Kerwan or O'Kirrane)
- Ui Braci (O'Kearon or O'Kerrane or O'Kerrivane or O'Kerwan or O'Kirrane)
- Tullach Maelfinnen
- Ui Buidbhin
- Ui Chailti
- Ui Cianacian
- Ui Conbhuidhe
- Ui Damaigh
- Ui Dimusaigh
- Ui Dubhain (their seat was Inis Doiri Dubhain)
- Ui Erailb
- Ui Eturrai
- Ui Gabhadain
- Ui MAelpatraig
- Ui Maelsuthain
- Ui Muinechain
- Ui Tredmain.
- Teallach Tanaidhe.[5]
Taoiseach[edit]
The Magc Dorchaids (Mac dorcy, Darcy) were the chief family. Ua Cuaggain and Ua Tormadain are noted as chiefs in 1159.
"The MacDarchaids, Dorchys, or Darcys as the name is now Anglicised, derive their descent from Luchain, or Duchain, otherwise Dubhchain, of the race of Fergus M'Roy. According to John O'Dugan and the Four Masters, the M'Dorchys were chief the country denominated Cinel Luachain, which was co-extensive with the parish of Oughteragh in the barony of Carrigallen, and county of Leitrim, containing about 16,000 statue acres, watered by the Oughteragh stream. By O'Dugan they are thus mentioned: M'Dorchy, whose tribe is not enslaved, Rules over the heroic Cinel Luchain.[6]".
Rectory of Cinel Luachain[edit]
The parish of Drumreilly derives its name from Druim Airbhealaigh, (pronounced 'Drum-ar-va-lay') which means "the ridge of the eastern pass". The parish is centered on the medieval island church in Lough Garadice, whose ruins are extant today. All churches of the parish, and one townland, inherited the parish name.[7][8]
The parish of Oughteragh contained a church located on a high hill one kilometre north of present-day Ballinamore. The church, and nearby holy well, were dedicated to Saint Brigid. There was a hospital Irish: teach spidel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, located at the (Ballinamore) ford over the Yellow River.[9]
Both parishes were joined together to form the "Rectory of Cinel Luachain". This is confirmed by the Annates for 1423 (p. 230) which state "rectoria parrochialium ecclesirum de Drumreilly et Oughteragh alias de Kenel Luchan vulgariter nuncupata".[8] The rectory corresponded with the territory of the Conmaicne of Luachain.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ MacKillop 2004.
- ^ AFM, p. 417.
- ^ a b O'Duigeannain 1934, p. 113-140.
- ^ Kelly 1995, pp. 1–12.
- ^ "Droim Thanaí". Placenames Database of Ireland. Government of Ireland - Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City University. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ O'Flaherty 1846, p. 71.
- ^ Earley & O'Seaneachain 2015, p. 439.
- ^ a b Seymour 1935, p. 245.
- ^ Earley & O'Seaneachain 2015, p. 440.
Secondary sources[edit]
- John O'Donovan, ed. (1856). Annála Rioghachta Éireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters... with a Translation and Copious Notes. 7 vols. Translated by O'Donovan (2nd ed.). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. CELT editions. Full scans at Internet Archive: Vol. 1; Vol. 2; Vol. 3; Vol. 4; Vol. 5; Vol. 6; Indices.
- MacKillop, James (2004). "Conmaicne. Oxford Reference.". A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford University Press.
- O'Flaherty, Roderic (1846) [1684]. A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught. Notes and Illustrations by, James Hardiman M.R.I.A. Irish Archaeological Society.
- Kelly, Liam (1995). The face of Time. Lilliput Press.
- Seymour, John D (1935). "Drumreilly and Its Clergy A.D. 1401-1481". The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Seventh Series. 5 (2): 245–253. JSTOR 25513789.
- Earley, Joseph E; O'Seaneachain, Diarmuid (2015). "The medieval island church in Lough Garadice". Breifne Journal of Cumann Seanchais Bhreifne: 439–469. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019.
- O'Duigeannain, Micheal (1934). "Notes on the history of the kingdom of Breifne". Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Seventh Series. 5 (1): 113–140. JSTOR 25513764.
- Hogan, Edmund (1999). "Onomasticon Goedelicum". Documents of Ireland Project, University College Cork. p. 1.