MacNkill — Early Irish Population- Groups. 



87 



Fingen, of whose sou Maenach, king of Munster, the death is recorded at 661 

 (AU). There, as in the genealogies (BB 175), Fingen's pedigree represents 

 him as fourth in descent from Oengus. Cenel Conaill (BB 1 76) from Conall 

 eighth in descent from Oengus ; and Cenel Caellaide (ib.) from Caellaide s. o. 

 Conall. Cenel Cormaic (ib.), eponym fourth from Oengus. Cenel nDallain 

 (177), eponym third from Eochu Liathan. Cenel mBuiric (ib.), from a son of 

 Eoehu. Apparently the eponyms in this group range from the fourth to the 

 eighth century. 



76. The Cenel formula does not seem to have become customary in 

 Dal Niad Corb. Two instances occur in the genealogy, BB 1 26 a, Cenel 

 nAengusa and C. Croichni. Of C. nAengusa we learn only that they belonged 

 to Hui Maenaig. At 127 a 36, it is stated that Cenel Cruaicni (= Croichni) 

 were of the Eoganacht. 



77. Cenel in turn gives way to a niimber of terms, claml, muinter, sil, slicht, 

 teglach, tellach, used contemporaneously. 



78. In AU, the earliest contemporary instance of Claud is CI. Chathail, 

 912. At the obit of Cathal, 734, " a quo Clann Cathail" is of course a late 

 gloss. At 617, muinter (Blatini) and sil (Mescain) are probably common 

 nouns not fixed in the names. The next instances of muinter are M. Gerudain, 

 1159, M.Eolais, 1169. SilDluthaig 633; Sil Cathail, 815. Tellach Dunchadha, 

 1258; T. Echaeh, 1298 (both indexed under Telach = Tulaeh). Dunchad's 

 death, 822 AU. Eochu, his brother (BB91, cols. 1, 2). 



79. Clann and muinntear are still used to form sept-names from surnames 

 e.g. Clann Chon Ceanainn, Muintear Mheachair. 



80. Although, then, there is considerable overlapping in date, there is a 

 quite definite order of succession in the formulae, as exemphfied in the 

 following table : — 



I. Plural names 



(origin prehistoric) 



II. Collective names 



(origin prehistoric) 



III. Sept-names in Ui 



(partly of historical 

 origin) 



IV. Ceuel-names 



(from fifth century 

 mainly) 



V. Cland, Muinter, etc. Clann Maelighra C. Chdrthaigh 

 (from sixth century) 



Lagin (unknown) • 



Ddl Niad Corb Eoganacht 



Ui Cennselaig Ui Liath4in 



Cen61 nAengusa C. nDalldin 



(unk uown) 

 Dal Cuinn 

 Ui N^ill 



C. Conaill 



C. Cholmain 

 (Colmd,nt587) 



