He must have been born, and lived his childhood, in the kingdom of Conmaicne Magh Réin, which corresponds to present day south county Leitrim.

[5] Odhran was born into the Túath called Conmaicne Réin, present day south county Leitrim,[6] sometime in the first half of the 10th century.

[3][7][8][9] Odhran belonged to the scholarly hierarchy of the church, otherwise called "Irish: gráda ecnai", implying he was not in orders but rather trained in Christian learning.

There was an alleged controversy between Fearghal Ua Ruairc, King of Connaught (died A.D. 964 [8]), and Brian mag Raghnaill, a successor of Eolais mac Biobhsach.

[1][12][13] It is tempting to suppose the appearance of Odhran Ua hEolais, an outsider, at Clonmacnoise is related to such matters if true, but O'Donovan raises doubts about this O'Rourke connection.