Sárán mac Cóelbad

Sárán mac Cóelbad was second son of Cáelbad and was King of Ulster for 26 years before he was ousted (c. 357) by the three brothers known as the Three Collas.^[2] According to folklore, the Three Collas conquered Ulster, burnt and destroyed Eamhain Mhacha, and transplanted the natives to Dál nAraidi and Iveagh.^{[citation needed]}

Sárán mac Cóelbad, as the last king of Ulster of the Irian line, was removed to the Barony of Iveagh, where he became a Cruithin political figure and patriarch of the MacAonghusa (McGuinness) family.^[2]

Sárán was chief of the Dál nAraidi during the time of Saint Patrick. He was seemingly known as a blood thirsty warrior who killed and enslaved many people and criticised Saint Patrick.^{[citation needed]} Olcán, an Irish saint with a monastery at Armoy, reputedly agreed to baptise Sárán to save lives.^{[citation needed]} This infuriated Saint Patrick, who prophesied that Olcan's monastery would be destroyed three times. Accordingly, some of the Irish historical annals record that Olcan's monastery was raided by a king of Dál Riata, later by Cucuaran, and finally by Eochaid, who destroyed all but the stump of its round tower.^[2]