Fiacha Sraibhtine, son of Cairbre Lifechair

Cairbre Lifechair

Cairbre Lifechair , son of Cormac mac Airt, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat...

, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland

High King of Ireland

The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...

. On his father's death, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con

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 mother was Sadb ingen Chuinn, daughter of the former High...

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

Fianna

Fianna were small, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill....

then defeated and killed Fothad in the Battle of Ollarba.

Fíacha's son, Muiredach Tirech

Muiredach Tirech

Muiredach Tirech, son of Fiacha Sraibhtine, was a 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 kill them. When he didn't, they entered his service and...

, 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 — Colla Uais

Colla Uais

Colla Uais , son of Eochaid Doimlén, son of Cairbre Lifechair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His given name was Cairell...

, 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

Druid

A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....

, 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

Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...

's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 273–306, the Annals of the Four Masters

Annals of the Four Masters

The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...

to 285-322.

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