Na Mná / The Women

Ó am go ham, feicimid sna hAnnála tagairt do mhná céile agus d'iníonacha na cléire oidhreachtúla, mar sna samplaí thíos.

From time to time, we see in the Annals mention of the wives and daughters of the hereditary clergy, as in the examples below.

1077 A.D.

Aillbe ingen ind abad bean rig Airther & comarba Mo Ninne … in penitentia mortui sunt.

Ailbe daughter of the abbot, wife of the king of Airthir and coarb (heir/successor) of Moninne … died in penitence.

1078 A.D.

Dub Esa ingen Amhalgadha comarba Patraic ben righ Airther do ecaibh. 

Dub Esa daughter of Amalgaidh, coarb (heir/successor) of Patrick, wife of the king of Airthir, died.

1314 A.D.

Gilla an Comded mac Cinaith h. Gormgaile orchindech Oli Finn & Gormlaith ingen Meic Branan a setid pusta mortui sunt.

Gilla an Choimded son of Cinaeth Ó Gormgaile, erenagh (head/superior) of Elphin, and his wife, Gormlaith daughter of Mac Branain, died.

[Here we see marriage between two hereditary ecclesiastical families – the Ó Gormghaile and the Mac Branáin.]

1347 A.D.

Findguala ingen Eogain Meic Fingin uxur Feargail Mumnig h. Duibgendan airchideochain Chilli Ronan quieuit.

Finnguala, daughter of Eogan Mac Fingín and wife of Fergal Muimnech Ó Duibgennáin, archdeacon of Kilronan, rested.

[The Ó Duibhgeannáin family are one of Ireland’s principal hereditary learned families. Here we see evidence of a branch which entered the church.]

1392 A.D.

Etain ingen Sefraid h. Flannacan uxur Uilliam Meic Branan quieuit im feil Cros.

Étaín daughter of Sefraid Ó Flannacáin, wife of Uilliam Mac Branáin, entered into rest at the Feast of Crosses.

[Here we see that a daughter of the ruling dynasty of the Cenél Cairbre Tuatha Ratha married a member of the Mac Branáin hereditary ecclesiastical family.]

1413 A.D.

Be Bind ingen Mailsechlainn meic Murgiusa Meic Dondchada uxur Maigistir Matha Meic ind Oclaich mortua est.

Bé Binn, daughter of Maelsechlainn son of Muirgius Mac Donnchada and wife of Master Matha Mac in Óclaig, died.

[Here we see that this member of the hereditary ecclesiastical family of Mac in Óglaoich earned the title of ‘Maigistir’. A 'maigister' or 'master' was a title given to medieval scholars, especially those qualified to teach in a university.]

1437 A.D.

Gormlaith ingen Dabid h. Dubgindan uxur Briain Meic Aedacan, & banancuiri fo feoid, quieuit i manistir na Trinoti for Loch Ce.

Gormlaith daughter of Dauid Ó Duibgennáin, wife of Brian Mac Aedacáin, and ultimately an anchorite, entered into rest in the monastery of the Trinity on Loch Key.

[Here, again, we see a member of the learned family of Ó Duibhgeannáin who has developed an intimate relationship with the church.]

1447 A.D.

Sadb ingen Uilliam Meic Branan uxur Mailin h. Mailconaire mortua est iar mbuaid Ó doman & deman.

Sadb daughter of Uilliam Mac Branáin, wife of Mailín Ó Mailchonaire, died after a victory over the world and the Devil.

[The Ó Maolchonaire family were an important hereditary literary family who supplied ollamhain (masters of knowledge) to the Kings of Connacht. Here we see marriage between a member of an hereditary literary family and a member of an hereditary ecclesiastical family.]

1466 A.D.

Manestir na Trinoti for Loch Ce & imagin an Trinoti do loscad la connil bai ac mnai chanonaig ar lasad.

The monastery of Holy Trinity Island in Loch Key and the image of the Trinity were burned by a lighted candle carried by a canon's wife.

[The monastery of the Holy Trinity was a Premonstratensian (reformed Augustinian) monastery founded in 1215 by Clarus Mac Mailin, son of the erenach of Inis Mac Neire (‘Inchmacnerin’ in English) which was originally a Columban monastery founded by St. Colm Cille in the 6th century. The Canons Regular of the monastery of the Holy Trinity (or 'White Canons' as they were called in Ireland because of the color of their habit) were priests living in community under the Rule of St. Augustine. In other words, the person who started the fire was the wife of an Irish Augustinian priest.]

1516 A.D.

Ben hI Trephair .i. Caiterína Iní Crídagán, pen dércach daonachtach, d'fagbail bais.

The wife of Ó Trebair, that is Caiterfína daughter of Ó Cridagain, a charitable and humane woman, died.

[Caiterfína was the wife of The Ó Trebair, the head of the hereditary ecclesiastical family of Ó Trebair.]

1527 A.D.

Domnall mac Fergail h. Bhirnn d'ecc & a bainchele .i. Lasair Fhina inghen hSeain meic an Priora mortua est.

Domnall son of Fergal Ó Birn and his wife, namely Lasairfhina daughter of Sean son of the Prior, died.

[By this point in time, Mac an Phríora or 'Son of the Prior' has become a surname.]

An Taighde / The Research

Dá mba mhaith leat tacaíocht a thabhairt don taighde seo, féach ar: / If you would like to support this research, see:

The Hereditary Ecclesiastical Families of Ireland Research Project at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-hereditary-ecclesiastical-fa... .

Go raibh maith agaibh, agus Nollaig shona dhaoibh! 

Thank you, and merry Christmas!

Read Parts One and Two in This Series:

Part One

Part Two