This is the best preserved Brandub board known. It was found in 1932 during the excavation of an ancient crannog, or floating island in County West Meath, Ireland.
It dates from about a thousand years ago but you can plainly see its influence on the modern Magpie board that leprechauns use. This shows what long memories they have. What to us seems an age is to leprechauns but the blink of an eye.
Brandub is related to the Tafl games of Scandinavia, but was played in Ireland long before the Vikings came to Dublin. As the name Black Raven suggests, it is a war game. A King and his four Knights start by standing back to back in the centre. They represent the High King of Ireland and the rulers of the four provinces. They are surrounded by eight enemies, and either the King escapes the board or they catch him.
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