Sárán mac Cóelbad
Sárán mac Cóelbad (flourished circa third quarter of 5th century) was a Dal nAraide king in the time of Saint Patrick. He was the son of Cáelbad mac Cruind Ba Druí, a high king of Ireland and King of Ulster.[1]
He is listed in king lists such as in the Book of Leinster and Laud Synchronisms but is not mentioned in the Irish annals. Genealogies such as Laud Genealogies and Rawlinson Genealogies give him a reign of 26 years. Another mention of Sárán is in the Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii. According to this, Sárán had made a raid on the Irish portion of Dál Riata and took away some captives. The local bishop Olcán triedto get him to release the hostages but Sárán refused unless he was granted access to heaven. Olcán did not want to go against the wishes of Saint Patrick and refused but, when Sárán threatened to kill the captives on the spot, Olcán granted his request. Patrick later cursed Sárán and his descendants for this.[2]
The descendants of Sárán were excluded from the kingship which descended through his brother Condlae mac Cóelbad. The Mac Artán of Kinelarty, County Down were said to be descended from him according to the Keating Genealogies.
Notes
References
- Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
- Gearoid Mac Niocaill (1972), Ireland before the Vikings, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan
- Keating Genealogies