Máel Sechlain Mac Áeda was the Archbishop of Tuam 1312 – 10 August 1348.
Contents
Background
Máel Seachlainn Mac Áeda was a member of a Connacht family associated with the Kings of Connacht. They were natives of Maigh Seóla, near Tuam, and originally of the Muintir Murchada.
The surname is nowadays rendered McHugh, or more rarely, McCoy.
Episcopal career
Mac Áeda was elected archbishop of Tuam about March 1312, but not translated from Elphin until 19 December 1312, and did not receive possession of the temporalities until 1 April 1313. Also known as Malachais Tuamensis or Malachi MacHugh, he died in 1348.
Leabhair Mac Áeda
He wrote what was described by O'Reilly as "a large volume of miscellaneous matter in Irish, containing, amongst other things, a catalogue of Irish kings from Niall Naoighiallach (Niall Noígíallach) to Roderick O'Conor (Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair). Sir James Ware, in his account of Irish writers, says, it was extant in his time, and called the Book of Mac Aodha. We can not say where it is to be found at present."
Death
His death does not seem to be recorded in any of the extant Irish annals. The cause of his death is unknown, but it may be related to The Black Death which was prevalent in Ireland at the time. The Annals of Connacht state that "A great plague raged in Ireland ... by which great numbers were carried off."
Genealogy
From Leabhar na nGenealach, 201.6, pp. 442–43, volume I.