Máel Fithrich mac Áedo

Máel Fithrich mac Áedo (died 630) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of the high king of Ireland Áed Uaridnach (died 612).^[1] He ruled in Ailech from 628 to 630.^[2]

The branch of the Cenél nEógain that he belonged to was called the Cenél maic Ercae and they had dominated the kingship of Ailech until the reign of his predecessor Suibne Menn (died 628) of the Cenél Feradaig branch. In 630 these two branches of the family clashed at the Battle of Leitheirbe and Máel Fithrich was slain fighting against Suibne's brother Ernaine mac Fiachnai (died 638).^[3] The Cenél Feradaig branch then dominated the kingship for most of the 7th century.

His son Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681) was also a King of Ailech.

Notes

1. T.M. Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, Appendix V
2. the Laud Synchronisms give him a reign of two years
3. Annals of Ulster, AU 630.1

References

• Annals of Ulster at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
• Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0

External links

• CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork