Eoganacht

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Eóganacht is the name given to a loose confederation of peoples claiming descent from a common ancestor, Eógan Mór, which provided kings of Munster from the beginnings of recorded history to the time of their overthrow by the Dál Cais in the mid‐10th century. Though the number of affiliated dynasties did not remain constant, at the height of its power the Eóganacht comprised six main groups scattered strategically throughout Munster. In the very west of the province, the Eóganacht Locha Léin were dominant, controlling a large tract of land around Killarney. Their nearest Eóganacht neighbours were the Eóganacht Raithlind who settled along the Lee valley, and further north the Eóganacht Glennamnach had their headquarters at Glanworth near Fermoy. It was over the rich, fertile lands of the Golden Vale that the remaining groups reigned supreme. The Eóganacht Airthir Chliach held sway over an area in East Limerick and Tipperary, while the Eóganacht Áine were centred near Knockainey, Co. Limerick. Finally, the Eóganacht Caisil, as the name suggests, ruled an expansive territory around Cashel which had been accorded the status of the capital of the kingdom of Munster from the early historic period.

Control of Cashel, however, alternated between the various subgroups, including, until the 8th century, the Eóganacht Áine and the Eóganacht Airthir Chliach. Subsequently, in the person of Cathal mac Finguine, the Eóganacht Glennamnach gained the kingship only to be usurped at a later date by the Eóganacht Caisil. Kings such as Fedelmid mac Crimthainn, Cormac mac Cuillenáin, and Cellachán of Cashel ensured that the Eóganacht Caisil remained dominant for much of the 9th and 10th centuries.

Ultimately, however, it was the failure of one particular subgroup to gain absolute control of the kingship of Cashel which led to the downfall of the Eóganacht as a whole. In the absence of a dominant controlling power centre, the Vikings succeeded in causing maximum disruption and indeed the Uí Néill sought to interfere in Munster affairs on a number of occasions. Moreover, inherent Eóganacht disunity enabled a new force, Dál Cais, to move to the centre of Munster's political arena on the accession of Mathgamain mac Cennétig to the kingship in 964. It was to be more than a century until an Eóganacht king, Cormac Mac Carthaig, was to rise to prominence again in Munster.

Bibliography

Ó Corráin, Donncha , Ireland before the Normans (1972)

Máire Ní Mhaonaigh

Eóganacht, Eoghanacht, Owenacht [Ir., people of Eógan, born of the yew]. Great historical dynasty, or federation of dynastic groups, that dominated southern Ireland from the 5th to the 12th centuries. Although it claimed Eógan Mór (also Mug Nuadat) as an ancestor, the family takes its name from Eógan Mór's grandson Eógan (ʒ), whose son Fiachu Muillethan became its first king. Some recent historians do not dismiss the family legend that it was established by Christianized Irishmen returning from Britain. The legendary founder of the dynasty is Corc mac Luigthig, who had a vision of a yew bush growing over a stone, leading him to the natural fortress of Cashel, Co. Tipperary. While the Eóganacht's political power was centred at Cashel, its influence extended all over the province of Munster, to the west as far as the Aran Islands and the Burren of Co. Clare and as far east as what is today Kilkenny. Cnoc Áine[Knockainy], Co. Limerick, was also important to them, but their church was at Imblech Ibair[Emly], Co. Tipperary. They formed alliances with the Ciarraige[Kerry] on the west and the Osraige[Ossory] and Múscraige[Muskerry] to the east. Together they may have beaten the invading Érainn, as represented in the legendary Battle of Cenn Abrat. At the beginning of the 12th century the fortress of Cashel was given to the Church in a stroke of political expediency.