Biography

Donn mac Cumasgach may be the earliest recorded ruler of Maigh Seóla

Maigh Seola

Maigh Seola was a term used to describe the land along the east shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway, Ireland. It was bounded by the Uí Maine vassal kingdom of Soghain. Its rulers up to the 1220s were the Muintir Murchada, who took the surname O'Flaherty...

, referred to as the southern Ui Briuin in his annalistic obituary.

However, Francis John Byrne

Francis John Byrne

Francis John Byrne is an Irish historian.Born in Shanghai where his father, a Dundalk man, captained a ship on the Yellow River, Byrne was evacuated with his mother to Australia on the outbreak of World War II...

 casts down on the relationship between the Uí Briúin

Uí Briúin

The Uí Briúin were an Irish kin-group. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brion, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the Uí Fiachrach and Uí Ailello, putative descendants of Eochaid Mugmedon's...

 and the dynasty of Maigh Seóla, believing it to be one of political alliance, and dating from the 10th century at that. By then, the rulers of Maigh Seóla had acquired the name Muintir Murchada

Muintir Murchada

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

.

Not till 848

848

Year 848 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Saracens destroy Leontini.* Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothar meet in Koblenz....

 would another king of the region, Maelan mac Cathmogha

Maelan mac Cathmogha

-Origins:Maelan appears to be one of the earliest recorded kings of the territory of Maigh Seola, later known as Uí Briúin Seóla. He is not recorded in the genealogies, of which Francis John Byrne has this to say:...

, be named. Donn does not seem to appear in any of the extant genealogies, nor does anything else seem to be known of him.