Urchadh mac Murchadh (also called Archad Dearg) (died 943) was King of

Maigh Seóla Maigh Seóla (), also known as Hy Briuin Seola, was the territory that included land along the east shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway, Ireland. It was bounded to the east by the Uí Maine vassal kingdom of Soghain and extended roughly ...

.A Chorographical Description of West Or H-Iar Connaught: Written A.D. 1684 by Roderic O'Flaherty, page 365, https://archive.org/details/achorographical00oflgoog/page/n385

Biography

Urchadh is one of the earliest attested kings of Uí Briúin Seóla, whose rulers also seem to have exercised some authority over

Iar Connacht West Connacht (; Modern Irish: ''Iar Connacht'') was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Galway, particularly the area known more commonly today as Connemara. The kingdom represented the core homeland o ...

. His dynasty, the

Muintir Murchada Muintir Murchada was the name of an Irish territory which derived its name from the ruling dynasty, who were in turn a branch of the Uí Briúin. The name was derived from Murchadh mac Maenach, King of Uí Briúin Seóla, who died 891. Overview ...

, took their name from his father,

Murchadh mac Maenach Murchadh mac Maenach (died 896) was King of Maigh Seóla. Biography Murchadh is one of the earliest-attested kings of his region. He is noteworthy as the person who gave his name to the Muintir Murchada, a dynasty whose leading family later t ...

. The

Ó Flaithbertaigh Ó, ó ( o- acute) is a letter in the Czech, Dobrujan Tatar, Emilian-Romagnol, Faroese, Hungarian, Icelandic, Kashubian, Polish, Slovak, Karakalpak, and Sorbian languages. The symbol also appears in the Afrikaans, Catalan, Dutch, Irish ...

family would later claim him as an ancestor.

Family

Urchadh had an elder brother called Urumhain or Earca. In addition to his son and successor, Donnchadh, he had three known daughters who achieved notable marriages: *

Bé Binn inion Urchadh Bé Binn iníon Urchadha (or Beibhinn) was a Princess of the Uí Briúin Seóla and Queen of Thomond (fl. early 10th century); she was the mother of Brian Boru. Bé Binn was a daughter of King Urchadh mac Murchadha of Maigh Seóla (reigned 89 ...

, married

Cennétig mac Lorcáin Cennétig mac Lorcáin (died 951), was a prominent king of the Dál gCais (or "Dalcassians") and king of Tuadmumu. He raised the dynasty in power, from regional vassals of the kings of Munster, to challenging for the kingship himself. He was t ...

, king of

Thomond Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the Kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...

. * Creassa inion Urchadh, married

Tadg mac Cathail Tadg mac Cathail (died 956) was King of Connacht. References * ''Leabhar na nGenealach'', Dublin, 2004–2005 * ''Annals of the Four Masters'', ed. John O'Donovan, Dublin, 1856 * ''Annals of Lough Ce'', ed. W.M. Hennessey, London, 1871. * ''Iri ...

, king of

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

. * Caineach inion Urchadh, married a prince of the

Síol Muireadaigh The Síol Muireadaigh or Síol Muireadhaigh (; Anglicized ''Sil Murray'' or ''Silmurray''), was a leading sept of the Connachta group of Gaelic dynasties in medieval Ireland. The name Síol Muireadaigh was also used to refer to the territory occu ...

. Through his daughter Bé Binn, Urchadh was the maternal grandfather of

Brian Boru Brian Boru (; modern ; 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. He ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Vikings, Viking invasio ...

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...

(941-1014).

References

* ''West or H-Iar Connaught''

Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh Roderick O'Flaherty (; 1629–1718 or 1716) was an Irish historian. Biography He was born in County Galway and inherited Moycullen Castle and estate. O'Flaherty was the last ''de jure'' Tigerna, Lord of Iar Connacht, and the last recognised C ...

, 1684 (published 1846, ed.

James Hardiman James Hardiman (February 1782 – 13 November 1855), also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway and an important historian. Hardiman is best remembered for his '' History of the Town and County of Galway'' (1 ...

). * ''Origin of the Surname O'Flaherty'', Anthony Matthews, Dublin, 1968, p. 40. * ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Francis John Byrne (2001), Dublin: Four Courts Press, * ''Annals of Ulster'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
of McCarthy's synchronisms at

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

. * Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, Nobility from County Galway 943 deaths 10th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-bio-stub

Biography

Family

See also

References