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| Battle of Belach Lechta | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
Forces of South Munster Possible Norse allies | Dalcassians and allies | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Molloy MacBrien † | Brian Boru | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Belach Lechta or Bealach Leachta was a major battle fought in Munster in 978 between Máel Muad mac Brain, King of Munster, and Brian Bóruma. In the battle, the king was killed and Bóruma took over the role as the de facto King of Munster. Bóruma was the younger brother of Mathgamain mac Cennétig and in line to be the next High King of Ireland.
AI978.2: The battle of Belach Lechta, in which Mael Muad son of Brain, king of Caisel, and many others, fell. Brian, son of Cennétig, was victor.
- ^ O'Donovan, pp. 704–5