Áed Bennán mac Crimthainn (died 618) was a possible

King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earli ...

from the Eóganacht Locha Léin branch of the Eoganachta. He was definitely king of West Munster or Iarmuman. He was the great-grandson of Dauí Iarlaithe mac Maithni also a possible king of Munster from this branch His byname ''bennán'' means "horned," so it may refer to a spiked or horned

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...

that he wore. (The association of horns with

cuckold A cuckold is the husband of an adulterous wife (or partner for unmarried companions); the wife of an adulterous husband is a cuckquean. In biology, a cuckold is a male who unwittingly invests parental effort in juveniles who are not geneti ...

ry did not exist until centuries later.) There is some dispute in the sources as to his reign and that of

Fíngen mac Áedo Duib Fíngen mac Áedo Duib (Modern Irish: ''Finghin mac Aodha Dhuibh'', ) (died 618) was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta. He was the great-grandson of Feidlimid mac Óengusa, a previous king. He succeeded Amal ...

(d. 618) of the Chaisil branch. The ''Annals of Tigernach'' call him King of Munster and place him before Fingin. The ''Annals of Ulster'' and ''Annals of Innisfallen'' do not give him a title at his death obit. In the ''Annals of The Four Masters'' he is only king of Iarmuman. In his death obit in the ''Annals of The Four Masters'' this is said of him

"Aedh Beannan, of Eoghanacht Iar-Luachair,—
Woe to the wealth of which he was king!
Happy the land of which he was guardian.
His shield when he would shake,
his foes would be subdued;
Though it were but on his back,
it was shelter to West Munster"

According to the saga ''Mór of Munster and the Violent Death of Cuanu mac Ailchine'' his daughter Mór Muman (d. 636) was married to Fingen and later married his successor Cathal mac Áedo (d. 627), thereby transferring the kingship to him. Another daughter Ruithchern was the cause of a war between the Loch Lein and Glendamnach branches in the next generation. This war may reflect the extent of these branches' power at this time as compared to the Corco Loigde, Corco Duibne, and Ciarraige of Iarmuman; other subject tribes mentioned were the Corco Mruad and Corco Baiscinn of Thomond.Byrne, pg 207 His known sons were Máel Dúin mac Áedo Bennán (d. 661) and Cummíne.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of the Four Masters'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Innisfallen'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, *''The Chronology of the Irish Annals'', Daniel P. McCarthy * Wiley, Dan M.

''Cycles of the Kings''

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aed Bennan mac Crimthainn Kings of Munster Kings of Iarmuman 618 deaths Nobility from County Limerick People from County Kerry People from County Cork 7th-century monarchs in Europe 7th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown

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