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

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:...

, a dynasty who's leading family later took the surname Ó Flaithbertaigh (O'Flaherty

O'Flaherty

Ó Flaithbertaigh, Gaelic-Irish surname, anglicized as O'Flaherty-Overview:This Gaelic-Irish surname is written as "Ua Flaithbertach" or "Ua Flaithbertaig" in Old Irish and Middle Irish texts....

). At this point in time, his people lived east of Lough Corrib

Lough Corrib

Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the second largest lough in Ireland . It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo.The first canal in...

, their territory centered around Lough Cime (Lough Hackett), Tuam

Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...

, County Galway

County Galway

County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

. They would be expelled by the O'Connors in the 1050s.

The genealogies list two sons, Urchadh and Urumhain, with Urchadh listed as having descendants. A Cleirchin mac Murchadh of Uí Briúin Seóla is listed in the Annals of the Four Masters

Annals of the Four Masters

The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...

 under 908

908

Year 908 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Battle of Belach Mugna is fought.* Zhu Wen kills the last Tang Dynasty emperor.- Deaths :* Al-Muktafi, Abbasid caliph...

, though he does not appear in any other source. Urchadh later became the grandfather of Brian Boru

Brian Boru

Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...

.

According to the genealogies, Murchard's great-great-great-greatgrandson was Flaithbheartaigh mac Emhin, who's grandson, Muredach Mór Ua Flaithbheartaigh, apparently became the first to bear the surname. Muredach Mór had three sons - Ruaidri of Lough Cime, Donough Aluinn and Aedh. From Ruaidri are the senior lines of the clan (those of Conmaicne Mara

Conmaicne Mara

The Conmhaícne were an ancient tribal grouping that were divided into a number of distinct branches that were found scattered around Ireland in the early medieval period...

 (latter known as Connemara), Moycullen

Moycullen

Moycullen Moycullen Moycullen (official name: Maigh Cuilinn, Plain of Holly, or Plain of Cullen (a local giant) is a suburban village in County Galway, Ireland, about 10 km (7 mi) north west of Galway city. It is located near Lough Corrib, on the N59 road to Oughterard and Clifden in...

 and Sliocht Diarmaid)