cenéoil (genitive), cenéuil (genitive), ceníuil (genitive)

An Old Irish word usually glossed as ‘race, tribe, nation, or kindred’. It was used to describe an aristocratic descent group in both early Ireland and Gaelic Scotland. Among the best-known groups under this distinction were the Cenél Conaill or Tír Chonaill (Tirconnell or Donegal) and the Cenél Eógain of Tír Eógain (Tirowen or Tyrone). Cf. Welsh cenedl [race, nation]. See DÁL; DERBFHINE. See also T. M. Charles-Edwards, Early Irish and Welsh Kinship (Oxford and New York, 1993).