Elim, son of Conrai, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...

. The '' Lebor Gabála Érenn'' says he overthrew the previous High King

Fíachu Finnolach Fiacha Finnolach, son of Feradach Finnfechtnach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Fíatach Finn. He ruled for fifteen, seventeen, or twenty-se ...

in an uprising of ''aithech-tuatha'' or "subject peoples". The nobility of Ireland were massacred, with only three pregnant women escaping: Fíachu's wife Eithne Imgel, daughter of the king of Alba; Gruibne, daughter of the king of Britain and wife of the king of

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

; and Aine, daughter of the king of the Saxons, and wife of the king of Ulster. Gruibe was the mother of Corb Olom, ancestor of the Eóganachta of Munster; Aine's son Tibraide Tírech was the ancestor of the Dál nAraidi of Ulster; Eithne fled to Alba where she gave birth to Fíachu's son Tuathal Techtmar. Elim ruled for twenty years, at the end of which Tuathal landed at Inber Domnainn and was proclaimed king. He then marched on Tara and defeated and killed Elim in battle on the nearby hill of

Achall Achall, daughter of Cairbre Nia Fer, king of Tara, and his wife Fedelm Noíchrothach, is a minor character from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. After her brother Erc was killed by Conall Cernach, she died of grief on a hill near Tara, which ...

. The '' Annals of the Four Masters'' broadly agree with the ''Lebor Gabála'', adding only that the revolt of the ''aithech-tuatha'' was led by the provincial kings, Elim being the king of Ulster, and that during his reign Ireland was without corn, fruit, milk or fish, as God punished the ''aithech-tuatha'' for their evil. Geoffrey Keating tells a slightly different story, ascribing the revolt to

Cairbre Cinnchait Cairbre Cinnchait or Caitchenn ("cat-head" or "hard head") was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. There is considerable differences in the sources over his ancestry and his place in the traditio ...

, with Elim as his successor. Geoffrey Keating, ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'
1.38
/ref> The ''Lebor Gabála'' synchronises Elim's reign with that of the Roman emperor

Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...

(AD 117–138). The chronology of Keating's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates his reign to AD 60–80, that of the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' to AD 56–76.

References

Legendary High Kings of Ireland {{ireland-stub