his father had treacherously slain his nephew, suibne mac colmáin (died 600) of the clann cholmáin and was then himself slain in battle by suibne's son conall guthbinn setting off a feud among the southern ui neill. the date of congal's accession to brega is not stated in the annals. his brother conall laeg breg was slain in the battle of odba by óengus mac colmáin bec (died 621) in 612.