Ternóc m. Ciaráin

Introduction

At Kilnasaggart, near Jonesborough in County Armagh, there is a granite pillar stone marked with crosses and an inscription in Irish declaring the dedication of the place, by Ternóc son of Ciarán Beg, to Peter the Apostle: In loc so tanimmairni Ernohc mac Ceran bic er cul Peter apstel, ‘this place thy Ernóc son of Cérán the Little bequeathed it under the protection of Apostle Peter’ (Mart. G, 300). Excavation in the 1960s revealed an Early Christian cemetery near the stone. The site lies on the Slige Midlúachra, a great Early Medieval road which ran from Tara through the Moyry Pass into Ulaid Ternóc m. Ciarán is not visible under this name in the martyrologies, but it is likely that he is the same as Ernán of Midluachair qv who appears on October 26th. The patron of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire was commemorated on the previous day, and it is likely that there is a correspondence (Ó Riain, Dictionary, 453). There is a Moernóc / Érnine noticed in Mart. G on 31 May and in CNE who is located at Crimchaill (Cranfield) in Co. Antrim (CNE 707.782 ). This parish also contains a dedication to Breccán m. Sáráin, who is genealogically connected with Ternóc m. Ciarán (Ó Riain, Dictionary, 571); it is likely that the commemoration at Cranfield is a localisation of the saint of Kilnasaggart.

Gender

Male

Associated places

Kilnasaggart, Forkhill parish, Co. Armagh

Obituary

Annals of the Four Masters 714.3 T'Ernoc mac Ciarain d'ecc.

Genealogies

His genealogy places him among the Cruithin (Rec. Mai 101: Ternoc m. Ciarain m. Sarain m. Coelbad m. Cruind Ba Drui m. Echach m. Lugdach ut supra). In the Rec. Met. he appears under heading Sil Iareil Mic Conuill, with Comgall m. Sétna, Molaisse m. Nadfroích of Daiminis, Mocholmóc m. Conratháin, of Druimm Mór, Catan m. Matáin, and others.

Territory or Ethnicity (broad)

Gaelic

Territory or Ethnicity (refined)

Dál nAraide

Related Saints

Same as Ernán of Midluachair (probable)

Same as Marnock of Kilmarnock (possible)