Madudan mac Gadhra Mór (died 1008) was the

namesake A namesake is a person, place, or thing bearing the name of another. Most commonly, it refers to an individual who is purposely named after another (e.g. John F. Kennedy Jr would be the namesake of John F. Kennedy). In common parlance, it may ...

and ancestor of the Ó Madden family. Madudan was the son of Gadhra Mór mac Dundach who fought at the

Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf () took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse- Irish alliance comprising the forces of Sigtrygg Silkbea ...

in 1014. The

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

describe him as Chief of

Síol Anmchadha Síol Anmchadha () was a sub-kingdom or lordship of Uí Maine, and ruled by an offshoot of the Uí Maine called the Síol Anmchadha (''"the seed of Anmchadh"''), from whom the territory took its name. It was located in Connacht, Ireland. Hist ...

on the occasion of his death - killed by his brother, Cú Connacht mac Gadhra Mór (died ca. 1045) - in 1008. Gerard Madden expresses some doubt about his description as chief, as his father became lord in the same year, and also about his parentage. Madudan's only known issue was

Diarmaid mac Madudan Diarmaid mac Madudan was Chief of Síol Anmchadha from 1032–1069. Biography Described as ''a rod who ruled each road'', Diarmaid was the son of Madudan mac Gadhra Mór. He led the Madden clan in a plundering raid on Clonmacnoise Clonm ...

(chief 1032–1069) whose son, Madudan Reamhar Ua Madadhan (chief 1069–1096) was the first of the

to bear the surname Ó Madadhan. In his edition of the ''Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many'', John O'Donovan quotes a prose tract written during the lifetime of

Eoghan Ó Madadhan Eoghan Ó Madadhan () was Chief of Síol Anmchadha. Early life Eoghan was one of the four sons of Murchad of Magh Bealaigh, who was Chief from 1286 to 1327. Murchad married Marcella, daughter of Eoghan Ó Cellaigh. In 1327 ''He resigned his chi ...

(died 1347) which calls Diarmaid ''son of the affluent Madudan, son of the fettering Gadhra.''

References

* '' O'Madáin: History of the O'Maddens of Hy-Many'', Gerard Madden, 2004. . Nobility from County Galway 10th-century Irish people 11th-century Irish monarchs 1008 deaths Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-bio-stub