Brandub mac Echach

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Brandub mac Echach was an Irish king of the the Uí Cheinnselaig of Leinster who died around 605 to 608. According to the Book of Leinster, Brandub succeeded Colman Már of the Uí Dúnlainge as king of Leinster, although the date of Colman's death is uncertain.

In the Rawlinson B 502 manuscript, dated to c. 1130, is the poem Gein Branduib maic Echach ocus Aedáin maic Gabráin (The Birth of Brandub son of Eochu and of Aedán son of Gabrán). This tells how Áedán mac Gabráin of Dál Riata was Brandub's twin brother, exchanged at birth for one of the twin daughters of Gabrán, born the very same night, so that each family might have a son. Whether the tale is entirely fabricated, or whether it echoes a foster-relationship between Brandub and Áedán, can only be surmise.

Brandub defeated the Uí Néill High King Áed mac Ainmuirech at Dún Bolg, stopping the southward expansion of the Uí Néill. The Borúma Laigin (Cattle Tribute of Leinster) records that the war was caused by Brandub's killing of Áed's son Cummascach. According to later poems in the Book of Leinster, which record his "seven blows against Brega" (later ruled by the Síl nÁedo Sláine), he may also have reconquered lands lost to the Uí Néill in the midlands of Ireland. Later Uí Cheinnselaig kings, such as Diarmait mac Mail na mBo and his grandson Diarmait mac Murchada, although descended from a different line, associated Brandub's successes with their branch of the clan.

The kindred of the Fir Thulach (in modern County Westmeath), subject to the Clann Cholmáin in later times, traced their ancestry from Brandub, as did the Uí Felmeda (of modern County Carlow).

[edit] References

Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings. Batsford, London, 1973. ISBN 0-7134-5882-8

[edit] External link

CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork includes: Gein Branduib (original & translation), Annals of Ulster, Annals of Tigernach, Annals of Innisfallen and others.