Fergus lived in the late fifth century AD. He was known as Cennfhota (long-head). His descendants became known as the Ui Chennfhota, with the kingdom of Tir Cennfhota receiving its first mention in the Annals in 1349.

Chieftains of Tirkennedy at the beginning of the Maguire's reign over Fermanagh in the late 1200s were the Magunshinan, originally Mac Uinsionnain but anglicised to Nugent. The Devine sept were cited as Lords of Tirkennedy, and were a leading Fermanagh sept up to and including the fifteenth century, when the O'Neills broke