Sárán mac Cóelbad was a Dal nAraide king in the time of Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....

. He was the son of Cáelbad

Cáelbad

Cáelbad , a descendant of the legendary hero Conall Cernach, was a king of Ulster who became High King of Ireland in the 4th century. He gained the High Kingship by overthrowing Muiredach Tirech, but only lasted a year before he was overthrown by Muiredach's son Eochaid Mugmedon. He married Céindi...

 mac Cruind Ba Druí , a high king of Ireland and King of Ulster.

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

Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii

The Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii is a bilingual Life of Patrick, written partly in Irish and in parts in Latin from the late 9th century. It is the earliest example of a saint's Life written in the Irish language and it was meant to be read in three parts over the three days of the saint's...

. According to this, Sárán had made a raid on the Irish portion of Dál Riata

Dál Riata

Dál Riata was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western coast of Scotland with some territory on the northeast coast of Ireland...

 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.

The descendants of Sárán were excluded from the kingship which descended through his brother Condlae mac Cóelbad

Condlae mac Cóelbad

Condlae mac Cóelbad 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 and brother of the previous Dal nAraide king Sárán mac Cóelbad....

. The Mac Artán of Kinelarty, County Down were said to be descended from him according to the Keating Genealogies.