Amlaíb Cenncairech
Encyclopedia
Amlaíb Cenncairech was a Norse
ruler and presumably King of Limerick
notable for his military activities in Ireland in the 930s, especially in the province of Connacht
and apparently even in Ulster
and Leinster
. This period, the 920s and 930s, is commonly regarded as the very height of Norse power in Ireland, and was when Limerick
essentially equaled Dublin in power.
His epithet Cennc(h)airech is commonly translated into the unflattering "Scabby-Head" but this may be inaccurate. The adjective cairech actually means, according to the Dictionary of the Irish Language
, "criminal; guilty; sinful", and thus Cennc(h)airech may be translated "Sinful Head".
and Annals of Clonmacnoise
. The dating in both cases is regarded to be off, and in general the sources for western Ireland are not great. The Chronicon Scotorum
records several of the same and related events but does not mention Amlaíb by name.
. This would turn out to be the famous Battle of Brunanburh
.
More recently historians have tended to interpret this as the culmination of an extended conflict between the Norse of Dublin and Limerick, dating from the arrival of Tomrair mac Ailchi
in 922. They assume that the two Amlaíbs actually engaged in a battle and that mac Gofraid won a "decisive victory" over Cenncairech, effectively ending Limerick as a major player in Ireland for the next two or three decades.
Again the expedition to England follows, but here no mention is made of any conflict with Dublin.
, who is killed by Cellachán Caisil
himself. Alexander Bugge
takes no position regarding his historicity, but offers Amlaíb Cenncairech as his primary example of an historical Amlaíb associated with Limerick. Donnchadh Ó Corráin
allows that "The Amlaíb of the text may be a vague memory of Amlaíb Cennchairech but it must be remembered that Amlaíb is one of the commonest Viking names in Ireland."
Bugge does believe that this Amlaíb of Limerick can be identified as the father of the Amlaíb mac Amlaíb mentioned in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib as an ally of Ivar of Limerick
. According to this saga and propaganda tract (dated near contemporary with the Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil), Amlaíb mac Amlaíb was banished along with Ivar following the Norse loss at the Battle of Sulcoit
against the Dál gCais
led by Mathgamain mac Cennétig
in 967. The two are said to have "attempted the conquest of Britain" together, apparently without success, as Amlaíb "was killed by the king of Britain" and Ivar soon after reestablished himself in Limerick.
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
ruler and presumably King of Limerick
History of Limerick
The history of Limerick , stretches back to its establishment by the Vikings as a walled city on King's Island in 812, and its charter in 1197....
notable for his military activities in Ireland in the 930s, especially in the province of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and apparently even in Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
and Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
. This period, the 920s and 930s, is commonly regarded as the very height of Norse power in Ireland, and was when Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
essentially equaled Dublin in power.
His epithet Cennc(h)airech is commonly translated into the unflattering "Scabby-Head" but this may be inaccurate. The adjective cairech actually means, according to the Dictionary of the Irish Language
Dictionary of the Irish Language
Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials , published by the Royal Irish Academy, is the definitive dictionary of the origins of the Irish language, specifically the Old Irish and Middle Irish stages; the modern language is not included...
, "criminal; guilty; sinful", and thus Cennc(h)airech may be translated "Sinful Head".
Career
Amlaíb is mentioned by name only in the Annals of the Four MastersAnnals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
and Annals of Clonmacnoise
Annals of Clonmacnoise
The Annals of Clonmacnoise are an early 17th-century Early Modern English translation of a lost Irish chronicle, which covered events in Ireland from pre-history to A.D. 1408...
. The dating in both cases is regarded to be off, and in general the sources for western Ireland are not great. The Chronicon Scotorum
Chronicon Scotorum
Chronicon Scotorum is a medieval Irish chronicle.According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is "a collection of annals belonging to the 'Clonmacnoise group', covering the period from prehistoric times to 1150 but with some gaps, closely related to the 'Annals of Tigernach'...
records several of the same and related events but does not mention Amlaíb by name.
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Four Masters are generally off by two years.Capture or recruitment?
The traditional interpretation of these notices, the second immediately following the first in the manuscripts, is that what Amlaíb mac Gofraid was actually doing was compelling or recruiting Amlaíb Cenncairech for his upcoming battle with Athelstan of EnglandAthelstan of England
Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, grandson of Alfred the Great and nephew of Æthelflæd of Mercia...
. This would turn out to be the famous Battle of Brunanburh
Battle of Brunanburh
The Battle of Brunanburh was an English victory in 937 by the army of Æthelstan, King of England, and his brother Edmund over the combined armies of Olaf III Guthfrithson, the Norse-Gael King of Dublin, Constantine II, King of Scots, and Owen I, King of Strathclyde...
.
More recently historians have tended to interpret this as the culmination of an extended conflict between the Norse of Dublin and Limerick, dating from the arrival of Tomrair mac Ailchi
Tomrair mac Ailchi
Tomrair mac Ailchi, or Thormod/Thorir Helgason, was the Viking jarl and prince who reestablished the preexisting small Norse base or settlement at Limerick as a powerful kingdom in 922, and overnight, when he is recorded arriving there with a huge fleet from an unknown place of departure...
in 922. They assume that the two Amlaíbs actually engaged in a battle and that mac Gofraid won a "decisive victory" over Cenncairech, effectively ending Limerick as a major player in Ireland for the next two or three decades.
Annals of Clonmacnoise
It is uncertain but likely that Cenncairech soon succeeded Colla ua Bairid, who died in 932, as King of the Limerick Norse, and thus it is likely he was involved in the events of 933.Again the expedition to England follows, but here no mention is made of any conflict with Dublin.
Chronicon Scotorum
Again here no mention is made of any conflict with Dublin.Irish saga
A certain Amlaíb of Limerick features as a character in the 12th century saga and propaganda tract Caithréim Chellacháin ChaisilCaithréim Chellacháin Chaisil
Caithréim Chellacháin ChaisilDonnchadh Ó Corráin writes that this title "was first given it by Eugene O'Curry in his transcript of the text. It has no title in the earliest copy, that in the Book of Lismore...
, who is killed by Cellachán Caisil
Cellachán Caisil
Cellachán mac Buadacháin , called Cellachán Caisil, was King of Munster.The son of Buadachán mac Lachtnai, he belonged to the Cashel branch of the Eóganachta kindred, the Eóganacht Chaisil. The last of his cognatic ancestors to have held the kingship of Munster was Colgú mac Faílbe Flaind Cellachán...
himself. Alexander Bugge
Alexander Bugge
Alexander Bugge was a Norwegian historian. He was professor at the Royal Frederick University from 1903–1912, and his main fields of interest were culture and society in the Viking era and the development of trade and cities in Norway in mediaeval times.-Personal life:Alexander Bugge was son...
takes no position regarding his historicity, but offers Amlaíb Cenncairech as his primary example of an historical Amlaíb associated with Limerick. Donnchadh Ó Corráin
Donnchadh Ó Corráin
Donnchadh Ó Corráin is an Irish historian and Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at University College Cork. He is an early Irish and mediaeval historian and has published on the Viking Wars, Ireland in the pre-Hiberno-Norman period and the origin of Irish language names.-Works:Ó Corráin's...
allows that "The Amlaíb of the text may be a vague memory of Amlaíb Cennchairech but it must be remembered that Amlaíb is one of the commonest Viking names in Ireland."
Bugge does believe that this Amlaíb of Limerick can be identified as the father of the Amlaíb mac Amlaíb mentioned in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib as an ally of Ivar of Limerick
Ivar of Limerick
Ivar of Limerick , died 977, was the last Norse king of the city-state of Limerick, and penultimate King of the Foreigners of Munster, reigning during the rise to power of the Dál gCais and the fall of the Eóganachta...
. According to this saga and propaganda tract (dated near contemporary with the Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil), Amlaíb mac Amlaíb was banished along with Ivar following the Norse loss at the Battle of Sulcoit
Battle of Sulcoit
The Battle of Sulcoit was an important victory for the rising Dál gCais against their enemies, the Norse of Limerick under Ivar of Limerick. The Dál gCais army was led by Mathgamain mac Cennétig with the possible assistance of his younger brother Brian Bóruma....
against the Dál gCais
Dál gCais
The Dál gCais were a dynastic group of related septs located in north Munster who rose to political prominence in the 10th century AD in Ireland. They claimed descent from Cormac Cas, or Cas mac Conall Echlúath, hence the term "Dál", meaning "portion" or "share" of Cas...
led by Mathgamain mac Cennétig
Mathgamain mac Cennétig
Mathgamain mac Cennétig was King of Munster from around 970 to his death in 976. He is the elder brother of Brian Bóruma and the ancestor of the McMahon family of County Clare in Western Ireland ....
in 967. The two are said to have "attempted the conquest of Britain" together, apparently without success, as Amlaíb "was killed by the king of Britain" and Ivar soon after reestablished himself in Limerick.