First High King of the Fir Bolg
Slainge mac Dela was the eldest of the five sons of Dela and the first of the Fir Bolg to set foot in Ireland when they returned from their bondage in Greece. As the eldest, the kingship came to him first. He was the first High King of the Fir Bolg.
His reign lasted one year before his death. He was the beginning of the Fir Bolg age, not its greatest expression — that role belongs to the last king, Eochaid mac Eirc. But every sequence has to start somewhere, and Slainge opened it.
His provincial share in the five-son division of Ireland was Leinster — the eastern province. The River Slaney in County Wexford takes its name from him, one of the most direct river-namings in Irish myth, and his most enduring presence in the landscape.
Key facts about Slainge mac Dela
- Names: Slainge mac Dela
- Rules over: Leinster; High King of the Fir Bolg (first)
- Weapons: Not recorded
- Animals: Not recorded
- Other Symbols: The River Slaney, Co. Wexford
- Parents: Dela (father)
- Siblings: Gann, Genann, Rudraige, Sengann
- Spouse: Not recorded
- Children: Not recorded
- Greek equivalent: Not recorded
Link/cite this page
If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content.
Link will appear as Slainge mac Dela: https://irishgodsandgoddesses.net - Irish Gods & Goddesses, March 22, 2026