M'hall (originally known as Michael Connell or Mihall Connell) was the first son of Sean Connell and Sorka Hanrahan and the first Weyrleader of Benden Weyr. He was also called "Mick" by his family.
Biography[]
Born and Early Life[]
Michael was born at Irish Square in Landing but was later moved, until Second Crossing, to the Catherine Caves.
Fort Hold and Fort Weyr[]
Michael was raised with his many siblings, first in Fort Hold, then in Fort Weyr after his grandfather Red Hanrahan founded Ruatha Hold when Michael was nine.
Mihall, as he was known at the time, was crazy about dragons and visited Fort Weyr every chance he got. At the age of 12 he was allowed a chance to impress a dragon, at which time he Impressed bronze Brianth and became a part of Fort Weyr, the only weyr at the time. His parents were careful to avoid any suggestion of nepotism as he slowly worked his way up to Wingleader.
By the twentieth year of the First Pass, the Weyr was becoming overcrowded. Several new Holds had been established along the West Coast, and plans for new Holds in the east were being made. A group of dragonriders, M'hall among them, convinced Sean of the necessity of establishing a new Weyr. Sean surprised them by establishing not one but three new Weyrs, which came to be named Benden Weyr, Ista Weyr and Telgar Weyr.
Benden Weyr[]
Among those assigned to the then-provisionally-named «East Coast Weyr» (later renamed Benden after the recently-deceased Paul Benden) were M'hall Connell and Torene Ostrovsky (also known as 'Rene). Torene was the rider of gold Alaranth, who was at the time the largest queen. It was decided that the rider of the first queen to rise to mate would become the Weyrwoman, and the rider of the bronze who flew (mated) her would be the Weyrleader. Since Alaranth was the first queen to rise, Torene became first Weyrwoman of Benden. And, since Brianth flew her, M'hall became first Weyrleader of Benden.
M'hall and Torene were still ruling Benden Weyr when the First Interval began in Al 58.
Description[]
Michael Connell had red hair that was said to match his temper. He also had blue-green eyes.
Personality[]
Connell was said to be fierce.
Appearances[]
- Dragonsdawn
- The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall - "The Second Weyr"
- Dragonsblood
- Dragonheart (mention)