MacKenna ~ Mac Cionaoith

The Story of the MacKenna Name

MacKenna is the anglicized form of the Irish Mac Cionaoith, meaning “son of Cionaoith.” The personal name Cionaoith is an ancient Gaelic name, and the Mac Cionaoith family became particularly prominent in County Monaghan, where they were one of the principal Gaelic families of the ancient kingdom of Oriel.

The MacKennas were traditionally associated with Truagh in County Monaghan, where they held lands for centuries. Their territory lay in the northern part of the county, close to the borders of Tyrone and Armagh. The family became one of the leading septs of the region and maintained close connections with the powerful MacMahons, the ruling dynasty of Monaghan.

The family produced several notable poets and learned men, reflecting the importance of scholarship within Gaelic society. Members of the MacKenna family served as poets and historians to Gaelic chiefs, helping preserve the genealogies, traditions, and stories of the region. Their literary tradition continued even as the political power of the Gaelic aristocracy declined.

The surname appears in several forms, including MacKenna, McKenna, MacKenney, and Kenna. The spelling McKenna became particularly common in English records, while Mac Cionaoith preserves the original Irish form. The name spread from Monaghan into neighboring counties and later throughout the Irish diaspora.

Behind the familiar name MacKenna lies the story of an ancient Gaelic family rooted in the borderlands of Ulster. From the territory of Truagh and the old kingdom of Oriel, Mac Cionaoith became MacKenna, carrying forward the memory of a family whose history was intertwined with the chiefs, poets, and traditions of County Monaghan.