Thursday, July 6, 2023
Monday, May 1, 2023
Maol Seachlainn O'Ceallaigh
He took over a kingdom that was on the rise and although never gaining the importance of his father he was still an intergral part of the political history of Eire, playing a leading role in the permanent split of the Ui Conchobhair.
In 1395 Maol Seachlainn was convinced by his uncle Muirchertach, Archbishop of Taum to submit to the rule of Elizabeth I. It was for Muirchertach that the Book of Ui Mhaine was compiled starting in 1392 when he was still Bishop of Clonfert.
A praise poem Fa urraidh labhras leac Theamhrach (Found in The Book of O'Conor Don) presents him as a national figure who should be King of Tara, is hospitable, a patron of poets and more.
Maol Seachlainn died in 1401.
Mail Seachlainn Ó Cellaigh, high-king of Ui Mhaine, ie from Cara to Grian, the most outstanding man of Western Europe, defensive tower of the Irish, the best man of his time for hospitality, alertness, and wisdom, for defending churches, for supporting foreigners, the feeble, and the exiled, a sage both faithful and reverential to the Church and to confessors, and a very charitable man to the weaklings of the Creator --- this excellent man died at the height of his rule and of his powers, after the tribulation of Penance. He had been brought before death to the monastery of Cnoc Muaidehe [Knockmoy], and he was buried there in his own stone tomb, having left his family to succeed him. [The Four Masters]
The Ó Cellaigh tomb is located in the north wall of the chancel at Abbeyknocmoy. a Cistern Abbey founded in 1190. Unfortunately it was partially dismantled for the Great Exhibition of 1851 and is not in good repair. The inscription reads: DO MULEACHLAIND O KEALLAID DO RI O MANI AGUS D'INDBUALAIND INGE(N) I CHONCHUR DORINE MATHA O COGLI IN LEABAIG SEA
[For Mael-Sechalind Ó Cellaigh king o Ui Maine, and for Fionnguala, daughter of O Conchobair, Matha O Cogli made this bed]
The illustration here depicts the tomb before it was dismantled.
Fionnguala died in 1403
Ulliam (Buide) Ó Ceallaigh
Uilliam's father died in 1307 His half brother Aodh took over the kingship in 1326-1332. By 1340 a puppet-king, Tadhg Og was installed by the king of Connacht in Tir Mhaine. This is noted in the Annals as a civil war in Tir Mhaine. Uilliam refused to accept Tadhg who in turn attempted to banish Uilliam from Tir Mhaine. Uilliam, however wounded and captured Tadhg, who later died of his injuries. It wasn't until 1349 that Uilliam gained complete lordship over the Ui Cheallaigh.
Of note during his reign the black death came to Ireland in 1349. The enmity between the King of Connacht and Uilliam continued until 1356 when his wife the daughter of Seoinin a Burc was kidnapped by Aodh Ó Conchobhair who was subsequently slain. This resulted in Aodh (son of Feilim) Ó Conchobhair an ally of Uilliams assuming the kingship of Connact.
Uilliam had Kilconnell Friary built for the Franciscan's in 1353. About this time the Catholic Church was trying to crush the influence of the Irish Bardic tales. The Irish nobles in turn took to supporting the Poets and artisans. William's 1351 Christmas Feast was perhaps the best known example but there are other notations that show he was not the only patron of the time
The Book of Ui Mhaine provides the following biography of Uilliam:
Uilliam s[on of] Donnchadh M[uimhneach], the youngest of the family, took the kingship of Ui Mhaine from Caire to Grian in defiance of his enemies, and he made the noblest Christmas feast ever heard of for the poets and chief-poets of Ireland and for all the artistic and mendicant folk of every Irish population, and he distributed food [read 'steeds'] and silver and many treasures such as had never been given before, and he was thirty-five years in full kingship of Ui Mhaine. [ Ó Muraile]
The poem Tath aoinfhir ar iath Maineach in the Book of Ui Mhaine gives a detailed account of the rule, nobility and integrity of Uilliam.
Uilliam died in 1381 in Galey Castle, Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon, Ireland. Uilliam was buried in 1381 at Kilconnell Abbey.
William, the son of Donough Muimhneach O'Kelly, Lord of Hy-Many, a man of greatest character, worth, and renown, of his own tribe; the man who had given a general invitation of hospitality to the schools of Ireland, and had given them all their own demands, died a very old man, after the victory of penance; and his son Melaghlin assumed his place. [Annals of the Four Masters 1381]
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