Written in 1703
Rev. Eugene O'Keeffe
Parish priest and Poet of
Doneraile, North Cork
Branching out of the Race of Eoghan, son of Oilill Olum.
Here commences the genealogies and the branches of relationships of
the family of eoghan Mor son of Oilill Olum - as set out here; and
beside the other descendants of Oilill Olum.
Eoghan Mor son of Oilill Olum, had one son i.e., Fiacha Muilleathan (i.e. Fiacha of the Flat head). This son was conceived as follows: one night Eoghan went to the house of Dil of the Crecraighe tribe, before going to the battle of Magh Mucruimbe. Dil then lived at Carn Fhearadhaig in the territory of the Northern Deis. This Dil then had a marriageable beautiful daughter called Muncha. While they were drinking Dil, the Druid, asked Eoghan if he had a family. No, said Eoghan. "Sleep with my daughter tonight," said the druid "and you shall have a wonderful child."" Eoghan agreed with this and Dil went to his daughter and said, "Cohabit with Eoghan tonight and there shall be conceived a son and he shall be a king and his family and race shall be a royal one afterwards and Eoghan shall be slain in the forthcoming battle of Magh Muchraime.
Muncha lay with Eoghan that night, at the druid's directive. Eoghan went off in the morning along with his kinsmen to join forces with Art son of Conn (from Tara) and they went to the battle of Magh Muchruime. Afterwards the druid and his daughter Muncha went to Western Magh Femhin, for there was Eoghan's residence at Knockgraffon. When the time came for the child to be born, the druid said, "Daughter, if
it is today that you shall bear the child, he shall be a druid; but if he is not born until tomorrow, the child shall be king and his descendants shall be a royal race."
Muncha said: "My son shall not be born until tomorrow so that he shall be king. The daughter of Dil's then goes to the River Suir, to Ath Hisil on the Suir. There was a great flagstone in the middle of the ford there - she lay flat on the stone until daybreak on the following day.
It is time now, O daughter - said her father, "to bear the child." The wonderful talented youth was then born, in the middle of the flagstone that is Fiacha Muilleathan - father of all the eoghanachta (tribe of Owen). Noble was the youth then born - Fiacha Fer da Liach i.e., Fiacha the Man of two Sorrows; his father was slain the day after his conception, his mother on the day of his birth.
Eventually Fiacha Muilleathan, son of Eoghan Mor, assumed the kingship of the two Munsters and during his reign Cormac Ua Cuind, king of Ireland, came (from Tara) with a hosting into Munster, demanding tribute from the two provinces of Munster. Cormac besieged the Munstermen at Druim Damhaire (Knockloag); this king weilded great power, both by the vastness of his army and the power of his druids. Cormac had British druids weaving their spells against the Munstermen, so that by necromancy they had dried up all the wells and rivers of Munster, so that the people and their lands were in danger of death from the want of water.
Then Fiacha Muilleathan sent for Mogh Ruith son of Fergus, the best druid to be found in Ireland. Mogh Ruith then lived in Oilen Dairbhre (Valentia Island) in his old age, blind and decrepit, as he had outlived nineteen kings of Ireland:- from the time of Roth mac Rioghuill (the
druid who had trained Mogh Ruith in sorcery) to the time of Cairbre Lifechair son of Cormac mac Airt. Mogh Ruith then came to meet Fiacha Muilleathan and the Munster nobles and they complained about what the druids of Leath Cuinn (Northern half of Ireland) had done to them. he undertook to oppose their magic spells, and he chose the territory of Fir Mhwige (Fermoy) as his reward. Mogh Ruith then overcame the druidery of Cormac and they defeated Cormac's forces routing them from Knockling to Tara with a great massacre. Fiacha Muilleathan the Munster king did not leave Leath Cuind until he got hostages and homage from Cormac mac Airt; as the poet Feidhlime mac Crimithann
wrote:-
Good was the king Fiacha Muilleathan
A great territory the Half over which he ruled
He brought hostages from Tara the Strong
To Rathfuim to Rath Naoi
Though he was great; Cormac Ua Cuinn
He bowed to the king of Tir Duinn (Munster).
Fiacha Muilleathan had three noble sons, Oilill Flann Mor and
Oilill Flann Beag and Deachluath. The latter, Deachluath is ancestor of the
tribe called Uí Fiachach Eile (in north-east of Tipperary - Thurles and
Roscrea) and Oilill Flann Mor left no issue.
The family of Oilill Flann Beag.
Oilill Flann Beag had four sons, i.e.,
1. Lughaid, ancestor of all the Eoghanachta;
2. Fiodach, father of Crimthann;
3. Daire Cearba from whom was the Uí Liathain;
4. Maine Munchaoin from whom the Uí Fidgeinte; (the O'Donovans
and O'Collinses of mid and west Limerick)
Fiodach, to him was son Criomthann Mor mac Fiodhaig from whom is the tribe Clann Crimthann. He was king of Ireland and Britain.
them as follows.
(Cork Harbour) - Luguid ancestor of the eoghanachta and Fiodach father of
Criomthann took this half; from Belach Conglais (Cork Harbour) to Limerick -
Daire Cearba and Maine Muncharim to this other half.
These latter two Daire and Maine were born at one birth and concerning them
(before birth their mother saw this vision: they were back to back in her womb
and a black chafer between them. This was interpreted as follows: The tribe
of Mogh Ruith the druid was the chafer placed between the Uí Liathain and the
Uí Fidgeinte so that neither could come to the help of the other.
1. Lughaid, from whom were the little sept of Uí Luighdheach Eile (at Bomisoleigh, Co. Tiperrary)
2. Cathfaidh, from whom were the Uí Cathfhaid Cuile (these were scattered about N.W. Tipperary)
3. Corclosadh, the third son. The three above had as mother Dail, dau. of Fiacha, son of Niall, King of Eile.
4. Corc, son of Luighaid, the fourth son, from him the Eoghanachta and kingship of Munster.
The birth of Corc son of Lughaid. While Lughaid was in the kingship of
Munster, Corc was born. Lughaid's wife then was Daoil daughter of Fiacha
King of Eile. It happened that a woman satirist came to the king's house
in Feimhin (South Tipperary plain). Doilg Ireithneach was her name.
She put a desire to cohabit with her into the king's mind and born to them
whom they called Conall son of Lugaid.
the persons who fostered Conall were Maghlar Dearg of the Corca Oiche tribe
(Abbeyfeale district) and Torna Eigeas the poet of the Ciaraigh Luachra (of
Kerry) - they reared him in the house of Crimthann Mor now of Fiodhach.
There were Sorceresses in Munster at that time, destroying youths and every
newborn child they choose to destroy. Some of these Sorceresses led by
Feidhlim daughter of Mothair came to the house when the infant Corc was. The
nurses who were in the house hid the youth under an upturned cauldron which
was in the house. Said one of the Sorceresses: Whom shall we destroy of the
people of this house. Another said: None but whoever is hid beneath the
cauldron. After that a spark shot out of the fire and pitched in the youth's
ear so that it became purple (Corcra); hence he was called Corc.
Corc, son of Lugaid, had eleven sons.
1. Nadfraoich, from whom were the Eoghanacht of Cashel and the
Eoghanacht of Glanworth and the Eoghanacht of Aine (Knockeiney)
and the Eoghanacht of Airthir Cliach (Tipperary town district).
2. Cas, son of Corc, from whom were the Eoghanacht Raithlenn and
Uí Eachach Mumhan (the O'Mahonys, O'Donoghues etc. in West Cork)
3. MacBroic from whom were the Uí Mhic Broic (unkown).
4. Ciar from whom were the Uí Mhic Ceir (an umimportant sept on
the south side of Cork City)
These four were sons borne to Corc by Aoibhinne, daughter of Aonghus
folg, king of Corca Louighodhe (the O'Driscoll sept in diocese of
Ross, West Cork).
Corc, however, had four sons by Mungfionn daughter of Feredhach, King
of the Picts of Scotland.
5. Cairbre Cruithneachan, from whom were the Eoghanacht of Magh Geirginn in Scotland.
6. Maine Leambna (i.e., Maine of Leven at Loch Leven in Scotland) from whom were the Leamhnaig of Scotland.
7. Cairbre Luachra (i.e., Cairbre of Sliobh Luachra on Cork-Kerry border), from whom were the Eoghanacht of Loch Lein (Killarney) and the Aos Aiste (Tuosist) Aos Alla (in Dhallow) and the Aos Greine (at Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick).
8. Croanan from whom were the Cuircus sept of Westmeath. The two Cairbres were twins. Two of the latter four remained in Scotland in the hereditary paterning of their mother, of the Picts of Scotland, i.e., Cairbre Cruithneacain in Magh Geirrgimn (Kincardine) and Maine Leambna in Magh Leambna (Leven). This Aoibhinn, daughter of Aonghus Bolg and the first wife of Cork, saw a vision the first night while she lay with the king of Cashel; She though she bore four whelps - the first Nad Fracich, she bathed in wine; the second Cas, in ale, the thired, MacBroic in new
milk, and the fourth, MacCiair, in water. Then came a fifth whelp and he was bathed in blood - Cairbre Cruithneacain and that he bit the nipples off her breasts then. She also saw the vision in another form: four birds in a nest (in Cashel). Two other birds came to ireland and fought with them; then one went straight westwards and the other east. Of the four in the nest, three went ot the southwest while one remained in the nest with the queen - Nad Fraoich son of Corc was the one who stayed behind - he was king of Cashel of that queen's family. Cas and MacBroic and MacCiair were the three who went southwest (west Cork). As to the two birds who came from other parts - the one who went westwards was Cairbre Luachra who went west over Luachair Deadhaid (Slieveloughra) and was ancestor of Uí Cairbre Luachra i.e., the Eoghanacht of Loch Lein (Killarney); and the bird who went eastwards was Cairbre Cruithneacain who went east to Scotland. Some say that these two Cairbres were but one and that Cairbre Cruitnechan (i.e., the son of the Pictish woman) was ancestor of the Eoghanacht of Loch Lein (the O'Moriarty sept).
Uí Muircadhaigh and Uí Deaghidh. Trena from whom were the Cuircue,
MacLaire from whom were the Uí MhicLaire.
Feidlimid. Anghnuis daughter of Cairbre Damhairgid (king of Oriell) was
wife of Nad Fraoich and mother of Oilll and from her are named the Cenel
nAonghusa. Faochan, a British lady, daughter of the king of Britain was
mother of Aonghus son of Nad Fraoich. Feidhlimid son of Nad Fraoich had
two sons Baodan and Dunchadh; the latter had one son Eochaid and this
Eochaid had two sons: Bresal from whom was the O'Bressail sept in Aine
and Donnghus from whom was the O'Donoghue sept in Eoghanacht Uí Cathnidh.
Patrick came to Ireland and he gave 12 sons and 12 daughters to God and
St. Patrick. Folowing are the 12 sons who remained in the lay life:
1. Feidhlimid Dub from whom are the Cenél Fuighin (O'Sullivans) and Cenel Failbe Flann (MacCarthy sept).
2. Eochaid from whom is Cenél Fionghuine i.e., Eoghanacht of Glennamhain (the O'Keefes).
3. Breasal from whom was descended Cormac mac Cuillennain Archbishop of Cashel and King of Munster, at the one time (slain 908 A.D.) and the Cenél Neachtain.
4. Seanach - his descendants were servitors to the king in perpetuity.
5. Aodh Caoch from whom were the Cenél Caochain
The following were three sons of Aongus by Eithne Uathach:
6. Mac Carthainn from whom were the Uí Duibhe.
7. Dubh Conaing
8. Dubhh Derainn
9. Aodh Colpa
10. Nad Frithridh from whom were the Uí Chruibhne.
11. Loagann
12. Nadgeid in Tir Duach these are located.
two Criomthanns who were born on the same night, i.e, Crimthann
Feimh (or Sreibh) and Criomthann son of Dearcon (so called from his
mother, Dearcon) - from the latter is the eoghanacht of Airther Cliach.
Criomthann Feimhin, more usually called Crimthann Sreibh and from him is the
Eoghanacht of Glanworth i.e, the Siol bCaoimh (O'Keefes).
1. Cairbre Crom (d. 580), from whom the Cenél Cathail Mac Finnghuine (O'Keefes).
2. Fiacha from whom Cenél Fiacha.
3. Aodh Cron from whom is Cenél Aodha Croin.
4. Fiachra Eidhsceach from whom is Dubh Deo,
5. Fearadach from whom is Cenél Fearadhaig.
(first bishop of diocese of Cloyne, d. 604).
Criomthann Airthir Cliach (mother of Crimthann Sreibh) had two sons:
Munster in the Early Annals of Ireland
Fergus Sgannal from whom is Uí Annluain and this Fergus was king of
Munster (slain 503) and Cormac son of Crimthann from whom was the
Eoghanacht Airther Cliacl and Eoghanacht Leag in Ara cliach. Cormac
had seven sons: Aodh Dubh, Aodh Leccan, Conell, Fergus, Fichua, Garbhan,
Cronmhaol.
Aodh Flann Cathrach, son of Cairbre Crom had three sons:
1. Cathal from whom is the royal dynasty of Fermoy.
2. Cellach
3. Aonghus Liath (d. 645).
Cathal had seven sons:
Cui-gan-Mathair ('motherless hound,' d. 664), Naolochtraigh, Cronmhaol,
Maolanfaidh, Dubhda, Forannan and Aonghus.
Cu-gan-Mathair had two sons:
Finnghuine and Oilill. The latter Oilill had three sons: Fogantach,
Aonghus and Dubhda.
Finnghuine, son of Cu-gan-Mathair had one son:
Cathan mac Finnghuine, from him ar the Uí Chaoimh with their relatives.