Tigernach

Tigernach is an Irish given name that appears in medieval Irish sources. The exact meaning of the name is debated, but it is generally treated as a Gaelic personal name associated with early Irish linguistic forms and practices.

The most well-known bearer is Saint Tigernach of Clones, a 6th-century monk linked with Clones Abbey in what is now County Monaghan. He is remembered in hagiography as a local saint and was part of the network of monastic communities active in Ireland during that period. His tradition is reflected in various medieval calendars and liturgical references.

Beyond Saint Tigernach of Clones, other figures named Tigernach appear in Irish annals and genealogies. The evidence for these individuals is often fragmentary, and identifications can be uncertain or reflect later scribal traditions rather than contemporary records. As a result, specific biographies of many Tigernachs are not robustly established.

In later scholarship and manuscript culture, the name persists as part of the broader corpus of Irish saints’ legends and chronicle material. The term Tigernach also shows up in references to medieval Irish chronicles, such as the Annals of Tigernach, illustrating the name’s enduring presence in Irish historical and literary traditions.

Today, Tigernach remains a rare given name in Ireland, encountered primarily among individuals with Gaelic heritage or in historical discussions of early Irish Ireland’s ecclesiastical and royal lineages.