Feradach Finnfechtnach

Feradach Finnfechtnach ("fair-blessed"), ["Dictionary of the Irish Language", Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, pp. 296, 307] son of Crimthann Nia Náir, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. There is some disagreement in the sources over his position in the traditional sequence of High Kings.

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, p. 305] and the "Annals of the Four Masters" ["Annals of the Four Masters" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text025.html M14-36] ] agree that he came to power after the death of Cairbre Cinnchait. The "Annals" say that when Cairbre overthrew his father, his mother, Baine, daughter of the king of Alba, was pregnant with him, but this would make him less than five years old when he came to the throne: it is likely this is a doublet of a similar story told of the later High King Tuathal Techtmar. [T. F. O'Rahilly, "Early Irish History and Mythology", Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1946, pp 159-161] The "Annals" also add that Ireland was fertile during his reign, contrasting it with the barren reign of the usurper Cairbre. Geoffrey Keating [Geoffrey Keating, "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text048.html 1.38] ] has Feradach succeed his father Crimthann, placing Cairbre's reign later. Keating relates that the judge Morann mac Máin (who in the "Lebor Gabála" and the "Annals" is the son of Cairbre and his wife Mani) lived in Feradach's time. Morann owned the "id Morainn" (Morann's collar or torc) ["Dictionary of the Irish Language", Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, pp. 379] which would contract around the neck of a judge who made an unjust judgement until he made a just one, or of a witness who made a false testimony until he told the truth.

Feradach ruled for twenty years according to the "Lebor Gabála" and Keating, twenty-two according to the "Annals", before dying a natural death at Tara. In all sources he was succeeded by Fíatach Finn. The "Lebor Gabála" synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) and the death of Pope Clement I (AD 99). The chronology of Keating's "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" dates his reign to AD 5-25, that of the "Annals of the Four Masters" to AD 14-36.

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