Tigernmas, son of Follach, son of Ethriel, a descendant of

Érimón Érimón, (modern spelling: Éiremhón), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who ...

, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical traditions, an early High King of Ireland. According to the ''

Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...

'' he became king when he overthrew his predecessor Conmáel in the Battle of Óenach Macha, and within a year of his accession had won twenty-seven battles against the descendants of

Eber Finn Éber Finn (modern spelling: Éibhear Fionn), son of Míl Espáine, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland and one of the founders of the Milesian lineage, to which medieval genealogists traced ...

, almost completely destroying Eber's line. It is said that during his reign gold was first smelted in Ireland, by the wright Iuchadán. Tigernmas was the first king to give drinking-horns to his followers, and the first to have clothes dyed purple, blue and green and decorated with brooches, fringes and ornaments. Seven lakes and three rivers burst from the ground during his reign. After reigning for seventy-seven years (or 100 years according to the Book of Fenagh, P 23), he and three-quarters of the men of Ireland died on

Magh Slécht Magh Slécht (sometimes Anglicised as Moyslaught) is the name of a historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles (8 km2) situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony of Tullyhaw, in ...

while worshipping

Crom Cruach Crom Cruach ( sga, Cromm Crúaich ) was a pagan god of pre-Christian Ireland. According to Christian writers, he was propitiated with human sacrifice and his worship was ended by Saint Patrick. He is also referred to as ''Crom Cróich'', '' ...

, a cruel deity propitiated with human sacrifice.R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), ''Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V'', Irish Texts Society, 1956, pp. 198-209 According to the ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...

'', Ireland was without a High King for seven years after his death, before

Eochaid Étgudach Eochaid or Eochu Étgudach ("possessing clothes") or Etgedach ("negligent"?), son of Dáire Doimthech, son of Conghal, son of Eadaman, son of Mal, son of Lugaid, son of Íth, son of Breogán, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historica ...

took the kingship.John O'Donovan (ed. & trans.), ''Annala Rioghachta Éireann: Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, Dublin,'' 1848-1851
Vol. 1 p. 39
/ref> The ''Lebor Gabála'' synchronises his reign with the deaths of Thineas and Decylas, kings of

Assyria Assyria (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the As ...

, and the reigns of

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

and Solomon in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

; the ''Laud Synchronisms'' with the

Judea Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous Latin, and the modern-day name of the mountainous south ...

n kings Asa and

Jehoshaphat Jehoshaphat (; alternatively spelled Jehosaphat, Josaphat, or Yehoshafat; ; el, Ἰωσαφάτ, Iosafát; la, Josaphat), according to 1 Kings 22:41, was the son of Asa, and the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah, in succession to his fathe ...

and the Assyrian king Pertiades (Pyriatides) 985 B.C. The ''

'' dates his reign to 1621–1544 BC;

Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and ...

to 1209–1159 BC.D. Comyn & P. S. Dinneen (ed .& trans.), ''The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating,'' Irish Texts Society, 1902-1914
Book 1 Chapter 25
/ref>

References

Legendary High Kings of Ireland {{Celt-myth-stub