Nisi Mac Niata

Nisi Mac Niata

one man killing another with his axe
Family Conmaícne Rein tribe
Father Niata
Died South Leitrim, Ireland
Religion Celtic Christian
Memorials Moynish (plain of Nisi)

Nisi Mac Niata (or Nissi Mac Niatach, fl. 560 AD) lived in 6th century Gaelic Ireland. Scant details of his life are known, but his death and legacy are described in the Book of Fenagh.[1][2][3]

His killing left a legacy for a millennium. Namely, the Túath where he died was named the plain of Nisi in his honour, the burial place of the Irish: Conmhaícne "Conmaicne" nobility was established at his grave site, and Saint Caillín, his next of kin, obtained a substantial honour price in compensation under Brehon Law, helping sustain a famous monastic center at Fenagh, Leitrim, Ireland.

Life and Death

Nisi (prounced Nishy) was born in 6th century Gaelic Ireland, the son of 'Niata and brother of Saint Caillín, patron saint of Fenagh.[1] He belonged to the tribe of Irish: Conmhaícne-Maighe-Rein "Conmaicne-Rein", a people who lived in present day South Leitrim and West Longford. He was probably a close associate of Caillin, as they were siblings in the same Túath, and travelling companions when Nisi died.[1] His life and deeds are unknown, but his legacy suggests a person of high standing.

Nisi and Caillin journeyed from Ard-Carna Monastery in Roscommon eastwards towards Irish: Cora Droma Rúisc (present day Carrick on Shannon[1]), crossing the river shannon into the region called Magh-Cellachain ("the plain of Cellachan"). Here, they stopped in the "Bennachan[n 1]", resting at the residence of Cellachan, who was probably not of the Conmaicne.[5]

Next morning, Caillin set out for a place called Tulach-na-crot ("the hill of the harps"), somewhere on the road to Fenagh, County Leitrim. The "slumbering" Nisi, who had been left behind, was killed by Cellachan,[1][6] though the circumstances surrounding his death are unknown.

Nisi was buried at Fenagh and "Then it was that Caillin established the burial place of the Irish: Conmaicni, to wit, Irish: Fidnacha[1]".

Legacy

Afterwards, the Túath where Nisi died was popularly called the plain of Nisi (Irish: Magh-Nisi "Moynish"[7]) in his honour, and Saint Caillin was granted a perpetual right to profit from Moynish lands as Irish: Log nEnech "honour price" for the death of Nisi.[1] This patronage would help the viability of "a famous monastic settlement at Fenagh".[8] Ó Donnabháin (1828) translated the original prose as follows:

The legacy of Nisi ended when Gaelic Ireland collapsed in the 17th century. Most native nobles of Moynish had their lands confiscated for plantations, severing their patronage of Fenagh Abbey: "the nobility of the Irish line, who would encourage and support their posterity, lost all their estates too, so that the antiquaryes posterity were forced to follow husbandry, etc., to get their bread, for want of patrons to support them. Honos alit artes[9]".

The English incorporated Moynish into the barony of Leitrim, and in 1652, Cromwellian forces plundered the region (and Fenagh Abbey too: "At the time of Cromwell, Fenagh was persecuted .. terrible things happened to Fenagh[10]").

Legend

The primary source for Nisi is the Book of Fenagh,[1] but Hynes (1931) doubts the veracity of the work- "Though the explanations given are interesting, they must be regarded as legendary".[11] Nonetheless, the English Fiants, Annals of the Four Masters, ed. & tr. John O'Donovan (1856), and Onomasticon Goedelicum,[7] a survey of Irish Annals, confirm the plain of Nisi was a Túath[n 2] of medieval Leitrim, and Gaelic Ireland[n 3].

Pedigree

The mythical pedigree of Nisi Mac Niata is as follows:[13]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ The place name of Bennachan is obsolete,[4] though the townland of Irish: Caonachán "Keenaghan", near Carrick on Shannon, has similar grammatical and phonetical form to "Bennachan".
  2. ↑ "Moynish was sometimes called "Upper Irish: Muintir Eolais" from the High Middle Ages onwards[7][12]"
  3. ↑ "Moynish was variously written as Irish: m. Nisi, M. Nisse, m. neisi, Magh-Nisi, mMuig Nise, Moigi Nise, Magh-Nise, and Magh-Nissi, English: Moy-Nissi, Mag Nise, Moynishy, and Moynishe

Citations

Primary sources

Secondary sources

External links

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