Ollom Fotla

Who is Ollom Fotla?

Ollom Fotla, son of Fíachu Fínscothach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His given name was Eochaid. He took power after killing his predecessor, Faildergdóit, whose father, Muinemón, had killed his father. He is said to have instituted the Feis Temrach or Assembly of Tara. Keating describes the Feis Temrach as an assembly like a parliament, at which the nobles, scholars and military commanders of Ireland gathered on Samhain every three years to pass and renew laws and approve annals and records. The Assembly was preceded and followed by three days of feasting. He also built a structure at Tara called the Múr nOlloman or Scholar's Rampart. He ruled for forty years, and died of natural causes at Tara, succeeded by an unbroken sequence of six descendants, beginning with his son Fínnachta, followed by two more sons, Slánoll and Géde Ollgothach. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with those of Arbaces and Sosarmus of the Medes. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 943–913 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1318–1278 BC.