Fiacha Sraibhtine, son of Cairbre Lifechair, 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 ...

. On his father's death,

Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech Fothad Cairpthech ("chariot-fighter"), and Fothad Airgthech ("pertaining to silver"), sons of Lugaid mac Con and Fuinche, daughter of Nár, were, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, joint High Kings of Ireland. According ...

, sons of

Lugaid mac Con Lugaid Mac Con, often known simply as Mac Con, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Corcu Loígde, and thus to the Dáirine. His father was Macnia mac Lugdach, and his mothe ...

, had taken the throne jointly, but within the year Fothad Airgthech killed his brother. Fíacha and the ''

fianna ''Fianna'' ( , ; singular ''Fian''; gd, Fèinne ) were small warrior-hunter bands in Gaelic Ireland during the Iron Age and early Middle Ages. A ''fian'' was made up of freeborn young males, often aristocrats, "who had left fosterage but had n ...

'' then defeated and killed Fothad in the Battle of Ollarba. Fíacha's son,

Muiredach Tirech Muiredach Tirech son of Fiacha Sraibhtine, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland of the fourth century. He gained power by exiling the three Collas, who had killed his father. The Collas later returned and tried to provoke him into trying to ...

, commanded his armies, as the king himself was not allowed to go into battle. Once, Muiredach led a victorious expedition to Munster.

The Three Collas The Three Collas (Modern Irish: Trí Cholla) were, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, the fourth-century sons of Eochaid Doimlén, son of Cairbre Lifechair. Their names were: Cairell Colla Uais; Muiredach Colla Fo Chrí ( ...

—Colla Uais, Colla Fo Chri and Colla Menn, sons of Fíacha's brother Eochaid Doimlén—gave battle to Fíacha while Muiredach and his army were still in Munster. Fíacha's

druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

, Dubchomar, prophesied that if Fíacha was to defeat the Collas, none of his descendants would ever rule Ireland, and likewise, if the Collas won, none of their descendants would be king after them. Fíacha was defeated and killed in what became known as the Battle of Dubchomar. Fíacha had ruled for 31, 33, 36 or 37 years. The chronology of

Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and a ...

's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates his reign to 273–306, the ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,24 ...

'' to 285–322.''

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Family tree

References

Legendary High Kings of Ireland {{Ireland-royal-stub