# Cairenn

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**Cairenn Chasdub**; Caireann ("curly-black (hair)") was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, the daughter of Sachell Balb, king of the [Saxons](/source/Anglo-Saxons), the second wife of the Irish [High King](/source/High_King_of_Ireland) [Eochaid Mugmedón](/source/Eochaid_Mugmed%C3%B3n), and the mother of [Niall of the Nine Hostages](/source/Niall_of_the_Nine_Hostages).

When she was pregnant with Niall, Eochaid's first wife [Mongfind](/source/Mongfind) was jealous and made her do heavy labour, hoping to make her [miscarry](/source/Miscarriage). She gave birth beside a well as she was drawing water, and, out of fear of Mongfind, left the baby exposed to the birds. But the child was rescued and brought up by a poet called [Torna](/source/Torna_%C3%89ices). When the child, Niall, grew up he returned to [Tara](/source/Hill_of_Tara) and relieved his mother of her labour, and went on to become High King himself.[1][2]

Given Niall's dates (he is traditionally supposed to have died around the turn of the 5th century, although modern historians place him half a century later),[3] it is anachronistic for his mother to have been a Saxon, but O'Rahilly argues that the name *Cairenn* is derived from the Latin name [Carina](/source/Carina_(disambiguation)), and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton.[4] Indeed, [Geoffrey Keating](/source/Geoffrey_Keating) describes her not as a Saxon but as the "daughter of the king of Britain".[5]

## References

1. [Tom Peete Cross](/source/Tom_Peete_Cross) & Clark Harris Slover (eds.), ["The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon"](http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/eochaid.html), *Ancient Irish Tales*, 1936, pp. 508-513

1. Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (eds.), ["The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages"](http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/niall.html), *Ancient Irish Tales*, 1936, pp. 514-517

1. [Francis J. Byrne](/source/Francis_John_Byrne), *Irish Kings and High-Kings*, Second Edition, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001, Chapter 5

1. [T. F. O'Rahilly](/source/T._F._O'Rahilly), *Early Irish History and Mythology*, 1946, Chapter 12

1. [Geoffrey Keating](/source/Geoffrey_Keating), *Foras Feasa ar Éirinn* [1.48](http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text058.html)

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