- Elim mac Conrach
Elim, son of Conrai, was, according to
medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, aHigh King of Ireland .The "
Lebor Gabála Érenn " says he overthrew the previous High KingFíachu Finnolach in an uprising of "aithech-tuatha" or "subject peoples". The nobility of Ireland were massacred, with only three pregnant women escaping: Fíachu's wifeEithne Imgel , daughter of the king ofAlba ; Gruibne, daughter of the king of Britain and wife of the king ofMunster ; and Aine, daughter of the king of the Saxons, and wife of the king of Ulster. Gruibe was the mother of Corb Olom, ancestor of theEóganachta of Munster; Aine's sonTibraide Tírech was the ancestor of theDál nAraidi of Ulster; Eithne fled to Alba where she gave birth to Fíachu's sonTuathal Techtmar . Elim ruled for twenty years, at the end of which Tuathal landed at Inber Domnainn and was proclaimed king. He then marched on Tara and defeated and killed Elim in battle on the nearby hill ofAchall . [R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), "Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V", Irish Texts Society, 1956, p. 307-311]The "
Annals of the Four Masters " broadly agree with the "Lebor Gabála", adding only that the revolt of the "aithech-tuatha" was led by the provincial kings, Elim being the king of Ulster, and that during his reign Ireland was without corn, fruit, milk or fish, as God punished the "aithech-tuatha" for their evil. ["Annals of the Four Masters " [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text026.html M56-76] ]Geoffrey Keating tells a slightly different story, ascribing the revolt toCairbre Cinnchait , with Elim as his successor. [Geoffrey Keating , "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text048.html 1.38] ]The "Lebor Gabála" synchronises Elim's reign with that of the
Roman emperor Hadrian (AD 117-138). The chronology of Keating's "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" dates his reign to AD 60-80, that of the "Annals of the Four Masters" to AD 56-76.References
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