Murchad mac Brain Muit, king of Leinster

King of Leinster

Murchad was of the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. (Baldwin LaI)

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: 727.

This date is given by Baldwin (LaI). The death appears in The Annals of Ulster (U727.7). It also appears in the Annals of Tigernach (T727.5) and the Annals of Inisfallen (727.1).

Relationships

Father: Bran Mut mac Conaill (died 693).

This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI), by Jaski (p. 117), by Byrne (p. 289), and by A New History of Ireland (9:134). It is recorded in The Annals of Ulster (U727.7), in the Annals of Tigernach (T727.5), in the Annals of Inisfallen (727.1), and in Genealogies from Rawlinson B502 (¶18).

Mother: Almaith ingen Blathmaic.

This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI).

Spouse: Conchenn ingen Cellaig Cualain (died 743).

This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI). Murchad had other wives as well.

Children:

(Complete source citations for the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Baldwin gives Conchenn as the mother of Muiredach. Some sources state that Conchenn was also the mother of Fáelán, but Baldwin states that his mother is unknown. The mothers of the other children are unknown.)

Muiredach (died 760).

Fáelán (died 738).

Dúnchad (died 728).

Brann Brecc (died 738).

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

A New History of Ireland. Moody, T.W., F.X.Martin, and F.J. Byrne (eds.). Volume 9 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984).

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).

Abstracts and Transcriptions

From The Annals of Ulster

715. The hosting by Murchad son of Bran to Cashel.

721. The wasting of Mag Breg by Cathal son of Finnguine, and by Murchad son of Bran.

722. The battle of Almain on the third of the Ides 11th of December, the sixth feria, in which fell Fergal son of Mael Dúin, son of Mael Fithrich son of Aed Uairidnach, i.e. by Murchadh son of Bran; and Conall Menn king of Cenél Cairpri; Clothgna son of Colgu; Dub dá Crích; Flann son of Rogallach; Aed Laigen son of Fithchellach, king of Uí Maine; the sons of Muirgius; Nuada son of Dúnchad; Éicnech son of Colgu, king of Airthir; Fergal grandson of Aithechda.

From the Annals of Tigernach

715. The hosting of Murchadh son of Bran do Cashel.

721. The laying waste of Magh Breg by Cathal son of Finnguine and by Murchadh son of Bron.

722. The battle of Almuin between Murchadh son of Bran, king of Leinster and Fergal son of Mael Dúin, king of Ireland on the 3rd of the ides of December, on a Friday. The number of Leinstermen in fact was 9000. These are king of Geniris Cuinn