Fíachu Findoilches, son of
Fínnachta, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ) 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 was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his uncle
Géde Ollgothach, whom, according to some versions, he had killed. His epithet ''findoilches'' means "white or fair hidden one", although some sources call him Fíachu Cendfinnán ("little white/fair head"), perhaps confusing him with the much earlier
Fir Bolg
In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland. They are descended from the Muintir Nemid, an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. ...
king
of that name. It is said that all the cattle, or flowers, of Ireland had white heads in his reign, and that he exacted a tax on white-headed cattle. He founded
Kells, County Meath
Kells (; ) is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, from Navan and from Dublin. Along with other towns in County Meath, it is within the commuter belt for Dublin, and had a population of 6,608 as of the 2022 ce ...
. He is said to have been the first king in Ireland to dig wells, but
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...
did not stay on the stalk in his reign. He ruled for either twenty or thirty years, and was killed by Géde Ollgothach's son
Berngal in revenge for his father. The chronology of
Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating (; – ) was an Irish historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became a Catholic priest and a poet.
Biography
It was generally believed unt ...
's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates his reign to 863–833 BC,
Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating (; – ) was an Irish historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became a Catholic priest and a poet.
Biography
It was generally believed unt ...
, ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'
1.26
/ref> that of the ''Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
'' to 1231–1209 BC.
References
Legendary High Kings of Ireland
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