Fáelán mac Murchada, king of Leinster

King of Leinster (from 728 to 738).

Fáelán was ancestor of the Uí Fáeláin branch of Uí Dúnlainge. (Baldwin LaI)

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: 738.

This date is given by Baldwin (LaI), by Jaski (p. 117), by Byrne (p. 289), and by Ó Corráin (p. 186). The death appears in The Annals of Ulster (U738.1): “Faelán grandson of Bran, king of Laigin, died unexpectedly at an unripe age.” It also appears in the Annals of Tigernach (T738.1): “Faelan son of Bron, king of Leinster, died at an unripe and unexpected age,” and in the Annals of Inisfallen (AI738.1).

Relationships

Father: Murchad mac Brain Muit (died 727).

This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI), by Laski (p. 117), and by Ó Corráin (p. 186). It is recorded in Genealogies from Rawlinson B502 (¶18).

Mother: unknown.

Spouse: unknown.

Children:

Ruaidrí mac Fáeláin (died 785).

References

Annals of Inisfallen (Seán Mac Airt ed.). (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2002/2008).

Annals of Tigernach (Donnchadh Ó Corráin, compiler). (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 1996).

The Annals of Ulster (Pádraig Bambury, Stephen Beechinor, compilers) (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2000).

Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 23 May 2014).

Byrne, Francis J. Irish Kings and High-Kings. (Four Courts Press, 2001).

Jaski, Bart. “The traditional rule of succession in early Ireland” (Ph.D. thesis, Trinity College Dublin, 1994). Appendix 2, Genealogical tables of medieval Irish royal dynasties. Online PDF:

https://www.academia.edu/4144299/Genealogical_tables_of_medieval_Irish_royal_dynasties

O’Brien, Michael (ed.) Genealogies from Rawlinson B502. Electronic edition compiled by Donnchadh Ó Corráin. (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 1997/2010)

Ó Corráin, Donncha. Ireland before Normans (Volume 2 of The Gill History of Ireland) (Dublin: Gill and MacMillan, 1972).

Abstracts and Transcriptions

From The Annals of Ulster

727. The battle of Bairenn or Inis Bregainn, in which Eterscél son of Cellach of Cualu, and Congal son of Bran fell. Faelán was victor.

728. The battle of Ailenn between two brothers, the sons of Murchad son of Bran; and Dúnchad the elder having been killed, Faelán, the younger, reigns.

735. A battle between Mumu and Laigin, in which many of the Laigin and well nigh countless Munstermen perished; Cellach son of Faelchar, king of Osraige, fell therein, but Cathal son of Finnguine, king of Mumu, escaped.

From the Annals of Tigernach

728. The battle of Aillenn between two sons of Murchadh son of Broin i.e. Dunchadh and Faelan; and Dunchadh the elder was slain and Faelán took the kingship after him.

735. The battle of Belach Éle between Munster and Leinster where many Leinstermen and an almost countless number of Munstermen perished, wherein Cellach son of Faelchar king of Ossory fell and two sons of Cormac Rossa king of the Déise. Cathal son of Findguine, king of Munster, escaped.

From the Annals of Inisfallen

735. The battle of Féil between Cathal, son of Finnguine, and Faelán, king of Laigin, in which Faelchar, king of Osraige, fell, and Cathal was victor.