Sírlám

Sírlám, son of Finn mac Blatha, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Lugaid Íardonn, in Ráth Clochair. His name means "long hand" or "long arm", ["Dictionary of the Irish Language", Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, pp. 419-420, 545] and it is said his arms reached the ground when was standing up (compare the Irish god Lug, whose epithet "lámfada" also means "long arm"). He ruled for thirteen 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, p. 255] or sixteen according to Geoffrey Keating [Geoffrey Keating, "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text037.html 1.27] ] and the Four Masters. ["Annals of the Four Masters" [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text013.html M4328-4344] ] He drove Lugaid's son Eochu Uairches into exile, but after twelve years overseas Eochu returned and killed him with an arrow. The "Lebor Gabála" synchronises his reign with that of Artaxerxes I of Persia (465-424 BC). The chronology of Keating's "Foras Feasa ar Éirinn" dates his reign to 649-633 BC, that of the "Annals of the Four Masters" to 872-856 BC.

References