Sírna Sáeglach

Sírna Sáeglach ("the long-lived"), ["Dictionary of the Irish Language" (DIL), Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, p. 515] son of Dian, son of Demal, son of Rothechtaid mac Main, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He separated the province of Ulster from the authority of the High King, and is said to have made war against the Ulaid, who had killed his great grandfather, for a hundred years according to the "Lebor Gabála Érenn", [R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), "Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V", Irish Texts Society, 1956, pp. 241-245, 459-461] 150 years according to the "Annals of the Four Masters", ["Annals of the Four Masters" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text010.html M4019] - [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text011.html 4169] ] but Geoffrey Keating, citing an ancient poem, gives him only only twenty-one years. [Geoffrey Keating, "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text036.html 1.26] ] According to one version of the "Lebor Gabála", the Ulaid united with the Fomorians and gave him battle at Móin Trógaide in County Meath, but a plague fell on then and the leaders of both sides died. According to another version, agreed by Keating and the Four Masters, Sírna was killed by Rothechtaid Rotha at Alind. The "Lebor Gabála" synchronises the start of his reign with the reign of Deioces of the Medes (694-665 BC), and his death with his successor Phraortes (665-633 BC). The chronology of Keating's "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" dates his reign to 814-794 BC, that of the "Annals of the Four Masters" to 1181-1031 BC.

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