Suibhne mac Duinnshléibhe

Suibhne
Castle Sween, traditionally said to have been built by Suibhne
Known for	Eponymous ancestor of Clann Suibhne; supposed builder of Castle Sween.
Children	Dubhghall (son); Maol Mhuire an Sparáin (son); unnamed daughter
Parent(s)	Donnshléibhe (father)
Notes
Suibhne's father, and daughter, are only known from later tradition; sons Dubhghall and Maol Mhuire appear in contemporary records.

Suibhne mac Duinnshléibhe was a late 12th-century, and early 13th-century, lord in Argyll. He does not appear in contemporary records, although his name appears in the patronymic names of two of his sons. Suibhne appears in the 16th century Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne, which documents the early history of Clann Suibhne. This account claims that he is the ancestor of Irish clan, and that he was the builder of Castle Sween in Knapdale, Argyll. Suibhne is said to be identical to the "Swineruo", or Suibhne Ruadh ("Suibhne the Red"), recorded in the Ane Accompt of the Genealogie of the Campbells, a 17th-century Clan Campbell genealogy.

Suibhne is thought to have flourished in the late 12th century, and early 13th century. He does not appear in any contemporary records, but the records of patronymic names of his sons and descendants prove his existence. His name, Suibhne, has been stated by some commentators to be Gaelic in origin, and by others to be Norse in origin. The name itself is Gaelic, meaning "pleasant". The name was sometimes used as a Gaelic form of the Old Norse Sveinn, meaning "boy", "servant". He is stated to have been Thane of Glassrie (Glassary) and Knapdale.

The Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne is a traditional account of Clan Sweeney. It was written in Ireland, starting in about 1513. The Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne states that Suibhne was the son of Donnshléibhe, son of Aodh Aluinn, son of Anradhán. The account claims that Anradhan was the younger son of Aodh Athlamhan. When his brother succeeded their father, the two brothers quarrelled with each other, and Anradhán sailed to Scotland. There he conquered half of the country before making peace with the King of Scots, by marrying his daughter. Suibhne is credited within the account to have built Castle Sween. His son is named as Maolmhuire an Sparáin ('Maolmhuire of the Purse').

Sellar noted that Suibhne's supposed ancestor in the Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne, Aodh Athlamhan, appears in contemporary (and independent) records, such as the Annals of Ulster. Aodh Athlamhan was King of Aileach, and succeeded his father Flaithbhertach. The Annals of Ulster record that Aodh Athlamhan's died in the year 1033. However, Suibhne's supposed ancestors Anrothan, Aodh Alainn and Donnshléibhe, do not appear in any contemporary sources. Sellar noted that Anradhán's supposed elder brother, Domhnall an tOgdhamh ('Domhnall the Young Ox'), is an ancestor of the O'Neills. According to W.D.H. Sellar, there is no reason to doubt the Leabhar Chlainne Suibhne's claim that Suibhne was the eponymous ancestor of the Sweeneys, or the builder of Castle Sween. Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk proposed that Anradhán married a daughter of either a King of Argyll, or a sub-King of Cowal, rather than a King of Scots.