Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Annála Connacht (Author: [unknown])

Annal 1244

1244.1

1244 First of January on Friday and the seventeenth day of the moon. Fourth year of the Solar Cycle; tenth year of the Decemnovennial Cycle, second year of the Indiction. Common year. CB.

.2

Tadc son of Aed mac Cathail Chrobdeirg was blinded and emasculated by Cu Chonnacht O Raigillig at the feast of St. Berach on Inis na Connire in Loch Allen, after having been in custody since the feast of St. Martin.

1244.3

Ruaidri son of Aed, his brother, was drowned at Curreen by Ballyleague on the ninth day of March, and was buried nobly and honourably in the monastery of Cloontuskert.

1244.4

Conchobar son of Aed mac Cathail Chrobdeirg died at the end of a month of the same Spring.

1244.5

Fedlimid mac Cathail Chrobdeirg made an immense hosting eastwards into Brefne against O Raigillig, to avenge his fosterson and kinsman, Tadc O Conchobair. They encamped for a night at Fenagh. At that time there was no roof on the church of Fenagh, and the coarb was away that night. And as he was not present, the common soldiers of the host burned the huts and tents which were inside the church, without permission of their leaders, and the coarb's foster-child, God's gift, was suffocated. Now learned men relate that the coarb received this foster-child by finding him on a large stone which stood in that place, and [the people] never knew of his having either mother or father; and the coarb loved him and gave him, as it is said, milk from his own breasts. Next day he came to them in anger and indignation at the death of the boy, requiring O Conchobair to pay the blood-fine for his foster-child, and O Conchobair said he could choose what fine he pleased. ‘I choose’ said he ‘the best man among you, as compensation for the child of God whom you have burnt.’ ‘That’ said O Conchobair ‘is Magnus, the son of Muirchertach Muimnech.’ ‘Nay, not so,’ said Magnus ‘but he who is leader of the host.’ ‘I will not go from you so’ said the coarb ‘until I get the fine for my foster-child.’ After this the host departed from that place, and the coarb followed them to Ath na Cuirre on the Yellow River, which was flowing over its banks, so that they could not cross it till they broke up the spital-house of John the Baptist, which stood beside the ford, and used its materials


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to bridge the river for the host to pass across. Magnus son of Muirchertach Muimnech and Conchobar son of Cormac Mac Diarmata went into the house, and Magnus spoke to a man who was above him, at work on the house-breaking; ‘That’ said he, pointing upwards with the chape of his sword, ‘is the nail which keeps the house from falling.’ As he spoke, a rafter(?) fell on his head and smashed it to pieces on the spot. He was buried outside the doorway of the church of Fenagh, and thrice the full of the Bell of the Kings of silver and thirty horses were given as an offering with him. Thus, then, did the coarb of St. Caillin at last recover compensation for his fosterling of God from them. A beautiful monument of carved stone with an excellently wrought stone cross was afterwards made [and set up] over him, but after a while the Ui Ruairc in their enmity demolished it.

1244.6

Donnchad son of Fingen son of Maelsechlainn son of Aed son of Toirrdelbach O Conchobair, bishop of Elphin, died on Inishcloghran a week before the first of May and was buried in the monastery of Boyle.

1244.7

Donnchad Mor O Dalaig, a master of poetry who never has been excelled and never will be, died and was buried in the monastery of Boyle.

1244.8

Tuaim was burned, together with its four churches and all its houses.

1244.9

The Archdeacon of Tuaim was drowned in Glaislinn Cluana.

1244.10

Fergal Mac Thacadan was treacherously killed by Conchobar Mac Tigernain on Inishfree.

1244.11

Great strife and contention arose in the choir of Elphin after Donnchad O Conchobair, Bishop of Sil Murray, died, in the matter of electing [his successor]. For a large section of the clergy elected Tomas O Cuinn, a Friar Minor and a chosen vessel, pure in his dealings; while Clarus Mag Mailin and Johannes, the two Archdeacons of Elphin, and Malachias the Dean and the Sacristan dissented from this choice, wishing to elect one of the choir, as was lawful. Hearing this, the junior Canons elected Comarba Commain O Conchobair, while the senior, namely the aforesaid, chose Johannes the Archdeacon in full synod at Athlone, through the influence of Clarus, Archdeacon of Elphin, who always refused to fall in with the error of others.

1244.12

Cormac son of Tomaltach son of Conchobar Mac Diarmata, king of the whole Clann Mailruanaid, died after being for


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twenty-six years and part of another year at the height of eminence for his bounty and for supporting the province of Connacht against the Galls and the Gaels who opposed him. He died in the robe of a Grey Monk in the monastery of Boyle, after triumphing over the devil and the world.