The Battle of Mag Mucrama
1.
Ailill Aulom son of Mug Núadat of the race of Eber son of
Mil of Spain was king of Munster, Sadb daughter of Conn
Cétchathach was his wife. She had three sons, Éogan son of
Ailill and Clan son of Aiill and Cormac son of Ailill, from
whom are [descended] the Éoganacht and the Cíannacht and
the Dál Cais.
2. Now Lugaid Mac Con of the Corco Loigde was fostorson to
Ailil and Sadb. He and Eogan son of Ailill were nursed on
the one knee and at the one breast.
3. Ailill went then one Samhain night to attend to his
horses on Áne Chlíach. A bed is made for him on the hill.
That night the hill was stripped bare and it was not known
who had stripped it. So it happened to him twice. He
wondered at it. He sent off messengers to Ferches the poet
son of Commán who was in Mairg of Leinster. He was a seer
and a warrior. He came to speak to him. Both go one Samhain
night to the hill. Ailill remains on the hill. Ferches was
aside from it. Sleep then comes to Ailill while listening
to the grazing of the beasts. They came out of the fairy
mound with Éogabu1 son of Durgabul king of the fairy mound
after them and Ane daughter of Éogabu1 with a bronze timpán
in her hand playing before him.Ferches rises up to meet him
andstruck him. Éogabul ran on into the fairy mound. Ferches
attacks him with a great spear so that his back brokewhen
he reached the fairy mound. Mill had intercourse with the
girl. While he was so engaged the woman sucked his ear so
that she left neither flesh nor skin on it and none ever
grew on it from that time. So that Ailill Bare-ear is his
name since then.
4. ‘You have been wicked to me’, said Áne, ‘[in] violating
me and slaying my father. I will cause great injury to you
for it. I will leave no property in your possession when we
part’.
5. That girl’s name is on the hill, that is, Áne Chlíach.
Now Brug Ríg was the dwelling-place of Ailill near the
Maigue, a great river. Of it the poet said:
‘The
river Maigue as long as it shall be a stream (or as long as
the stream exist?)
may it be [as] a tallow rush-light(?)
without illumination because it passes by
the court of Aedáu the poet son of Mellán’.
6. On
another occasion Éogan son of Ailill and Lugaid Mac Con his
foster-brother went to Art son of Cond, mother’s brother to
Éogan, when he was making a circuit of Connacht, to get
horses and bridles from him. Going past the Maigue they
heard music in a yew-tree that was above the waterfall.
They carry [him] back with them to Ailill, that is, the man
they took out of the tree, for they were disputing about
him, that Ailill might judge between them. [He was] a
little man with three strings in his timpán.
7. ‘What is your name?’ ‘Fer Fí son of Éogabul’. ‘What has
turned you back?’ said Ailill. ‘We are disputing about this
man’. ‘What sort of man is this?’ ‘A good timpán-player.’
‘Let the music be played to us’, said Ailli. ‘It shall be
done’, said he.
8. Then he played them a tearful melody so that they began
to weep and lament and grieve. He was entreated to stop. He
played then a laughter-provoking strain and they began to
laugh so that their lungs were almost visible. Then he
played them a sleepinducing air so that they fell asleep
until the same time next day. He escaped then in the
direction whence he had come and he left trouble brewing
between them as seemed good to him.
9. Afterwards they rise up. ‘Judge between us, Ailil’. ‘It
is of little advantage’, said Ailill, ‘what did you say
when, the man was found?’ ‘I’, said Lugaid, ‘said “the
music is mine’’. ‘I’, said Éogan, ‘said “mine the
musician”’. ‘So it is’, said Aiill, ‘the man is Éogan’s’.
‘It is an unjust judgement’, said Lugaid. ‘[Nay,] it is
just’, said Ailill. ‘It is not just’, said Lugaid, ‘justice
is not usua1 on your lips’. ‘It is not for you to rebuke
him’, said Éogan, 'a vassal like you’. ‘It will be a vassal
like me that will shear that head off you and will trample
on your cheek’. ‘How would you do that?’ said Éogan. ‘On
the field of battle’, said Lugaid. ‘A month from today come
that we may meet on Cend Abrat’.
10. That indeed came to pass. They meet a month from that
day, each with his army so that the two battle-lines were
face to face. There went then into battle on Mac Con’s side
his fosterfather, Lugaid Lága son of Mug Núadat. Mac Con
took counsel with his jester. Do Déra was his name. He was
of the Dáirine. The jester was exactly like Mac Con in form
and appearance.
11. ‘Well’, said Lugaid, ‘Éogan will now challenge me to
single combat and his ardent spirit-[he being] son and heir
of the king and grandson of another-will overthrow me’.
12. ‘[Such words] come ill on your lips’, said the jester,
‘you are utterly doomed. I will go against him’, said the
jester, ‘with your diadem on my head and wearing your
battle-dress so that all will say that it is you that will
fall there. If it happen then that I fall, take yourself
off at once for all will say that it is you who have fallen
there and the battle will be won. Éogan however will ho
looking for you throughout the battle. Then if he sees the
calves of your legs you will be wounded’.
13. That is done. The jester is killed. Éogan however knew
that it was not Lugaid that he had slain. He begins then to
look for him. ‘The battle is over’, said all, ‘Lugaid has
fallen’. So it was. Lugaid is defeated. Then Éogan saw
through [the midst of] the host Lugaid’s two calves like
the snow of one night on account of the radiance of his two
calves. Éogan ran after him and made a cast at him and
struck him in his calf. Thence comes [the name] Bróngairr
(stinking pus) where it (the pus) poured out(?). ‘Has the
cast reached [its mark]?’ said ho.
14. With that the battle is over. Of it has been sung:
‘The
battle of Cend Ebrat was won
over Mac Con with. hundreds of spoils( ?).
After seven years-not precipitate-
he fought the battle of Mucrama’.
So it
came about.
15. After that Lugaid could not remain in Ireland on
account of Éogan and he fled into Alba and it was not known
how far he had gone. Lugaid Lága had also gone with Mac
Con. There were only three times nine of them. They had
gone to the king of Alba. Now Lugaid had urgently
instructed his followers that they might not be off their
guard lest they be recognised and slain by the king of Alba
for the sake of the king of Ireland, Art son of Cond. And
Mac Con told his followers to obey each other as though
each man of them were king over the other, and moreover,
that none of them should address him by his own name.
16. Now the king of Alba bade them welcome. They did not
tell their names and it was not known whence they had come
except that they were of the Gaedil. A pig and an ox [were
brought] to them into a house apart every evening for a
year.
17. Now the king wondered at the excellence of their
appearance and at the preeminence of their prowess both in
the winning of battles and conflicts and combat and in
surpassing all in fair and games and sporting contests and
in the playing of brandub and buanbach and
fidchell
and [he
wondered] that there was no special leader over them.
18. One day, then, Lugaid was playing at
fidchell with the
king and they saw a man in unfamiliar attire [coming] into
the house towards them.
19. ‘Whence is yonder man?’ said the king. ‘Of the Gaedil’,
said ho. ‘What art do you practise?' said the king.
‘Poetry’, said he. ‘Have you news of the men of Ireland?’
said the king. ‘Is Art son of Conn’s rule good?’ ‘It is
good’, said he, ‘there never before came in Ireland a
prince like him’.
20. ‘Who is king of Munstor?’ said the king. ‘Éogan son of
Ailill’, said he, ‘for his father is an old man’. ‘And
Lugaid Mac Con?’ said the king. ‘His adventures since his
banishment by Éogan son of Ailili are not known’. ‘That is
a very grievous thing’, said the king. ‘Alas for Ireland
that has lost him! And Lugaid’s kindred’, said the king,
‘how are they?’ ‘They are in no good case’, said he, ‘but
in bondage and oppression and servitude to Éogan’.
21. When Lugaid heard that’he had taken the king’s gold
pieces. He put his finger on two or three of them so that
he knocked down the row that was in front of him. The king
looks at him. ‘So! a sudden surge of kin-love comes to
you’, said the king. He whose tale had been told goes away.
At that Lugaid went out.
22. 'Well, warriors’, said the king, ‘that is Lugaid who is
going out. I see it in his behaviour’.
23. On the following day another man is summoned to him and
the same story is told him. He behaved in the same way.
24. ‘So it is’, said the king, ‘this is Lugaid and it is
for fear of me that they do not tell their names. Let a
trick be played on them then so that we may find out. Let a
pig and an ox on the hoof be given them and tell them that
their own people are to prepare them for them. Then they
will cast lots. Lugaid will be left out of it. The steward
will keep watch’.
25. However, he (Lugaid) took part in the lot-casting about
the preparation.
26. ‘Well’, said the king to the steward, ‘find out who
presides over the serving . ‘There was no one there, that
is to say, only the steward’. ‘So’, said the king, ‘kill me
a batch of mice’.
27. Then a mouse, raw and with its pelt still on, is placed
on each man’s portion and it is put before them. And they
were told they would be killed if they did not eat the
mice. They reddened. After that they became very pale.
Never before had there been presented to them a more
grievous dilemma.
28. ‘How are they?’ said the king. ‘They are troubled, with
their dishes before them’. ‘That is Munster’s
dissatisfaction in spite of [full] dishes’, said the king.
‘Tell them they will be slain if they do not eat’.
29. ‘No Luck to him by whom the command was given’, said
Lugaid, putting the mouse into his mouth, the king watching
him [the while].
30. With that all the men put them [in]. There was one
wretched man of them who used to vomit while bringing the
mouse’s tail to his lips. ‘A sword across your throat!’
said Lugaid. ‘A mouse must be eaten [even down] to the
tail’. Then he swallows the mouse’s tail.
31. ‘They obey you’, said the king from the doorway. ‘I
obey them too’, said Lugaid. ‘Are you Lugaid?’ said the
king. ‘That is my name’, said Lugaid. ‘Well, you are
welcome’, said the king. ‘Why did you hide yourself from
me?’ ‘For fear of you’, said Lugaid. ‘I would have avenged
your wrong before now had I known you. ‘Help might avail me
even today’, said Lugaid. ‘You will get help then’, said
the king. ‘I am the king of Alba. My mother is the daughter
of the king of the Britons. My wife is the daughter of the
king of the Saxons. You will take them all with you to
avenge your wrong’. ‘I am satisfied with that’, said
Lugaid.
32. So the one man took all these peopie on a single
warlike expedition. All the ships and galleys and boats
that were on the coast of the Saxons and the Britons were
assembled and they were in Port Ríg in Alba and a great
concourse of curachs with them. They say that there was one
bridge of curachs between Ireland and Alba.
33. Lugaid came then with that army and with that great and
mighty host to avenge his wrong on the men of Ireland. He
who brought them was no dutiful son. They invaded Ireland
and many submitted to him. And they encountered no
opposition until they reached Mag Mucrima in Crich Óc
mhBethrae to the north of Aidne, northwards from Áth
Clíath.
34. Now Mag Mucrima [was so called from] magic pigs that
had come out of the cave of Crúachain. That is Ireland’s
gate to Hell. Out of it too came the swarm of three-headed
creatures that laid Ireland waste until Amairgene father of
Conall Cernach, fighting alone (?), destroyed it in the
presence of all the Ulaid.
35. Out of it also had come the saffron-coloured(?)
bird-flock and they withered up everything in Ireland that
their breath touched until the Ulaid killed them with their
slings.
36. Out of it then had come these pigs. Whatever [land]
they traversed no corn or grass or leaf grew on it until
the end of seven years. Wherever they were being counted
they would not stay there but would go into another
territory. If the attempt to count them succeeded the
counts did not agree, for example: ‘There are three of
them’, said one man. ‘There are more, seven of them’, said
another. ‘There are nine of them’, said another. ‘Eleven
pigs’, ‘thirteen pigs’. Thus it was impossible to count
them. Nor were they able to slay them for when cast at they
disappeared.
37. On one occasion Medb of Crúachu and Ailill went to Mag
Mucrima to reckon them. They were counted by them then.
Medb was in her chariot. One of the pigs jumped across the
chariot. ‘That pig is an extra one, Medb’, said everyone.
‘It won’t be this one’, said Medb, seizing the pig’s shank
so that its skin split on its forehead and it left the skin
in her hand along with the shank and it is not known where
they went from that time onwards. It is from that Mag
Mucrima is [named].
38. Mac Con, then, was allowed to overrun Ireland until he
reached Mag Mucrima in the west of Connacht. ‘It is time’,
said Art son of Cond ‘[to do] battle with the foreigners’.
‘It is, indeed’, said Éogan son of Ailill.
39. Now Éogan went the day before the battle to Díl maccu
Chrecga of the Ossairge. He was in Druim Díl. He was a
druid and was blind. ‘Come with me’, said Éogan, ‘to
satirize the men and to cast a spell on them’. ‘Very well’,
said he. ‘I’ll go with you, dear father’, said his
daughter. She was an unmarried woman, Moncha, daughter of
Díl. His daughter was charioteer to him.
40. As they reached Mag Cliach the druid recognised from
Éogan’s speech that he was doomed. ‘Well, Éogan’, said the
druid, ‘do you leave any offspring?’. ‘Not so many’, said
Éogan. ‘Well, then, daughter’, said Díl, ‘sleep with Éogan
and perhaps the kings of Munster for ever will descend from
me’.
41. A bed is prepared for the couple. Good the child that
was conceived there, that is, Fiacha Mullethan son of
Éogan. Fiacha Fer-dá-líach was another name for him, for
his father was killed on the day after he was conceived,
and his mother died the day he was born. Each of those then
was a sorrow, and that is why he is called Fer-dá-líach
(Man of two sorrows).
42. Now it is from this that Fiacha Mullethan was named:
the pains of childbirth seized Moncha daughter of Díl at
Áth Nemthend on the Suir. ‘It is unfortunate that it is not
tomorrow morning that you are brought to bed’, said her
father. ‘If it were then’, said the druid, ‘the child would
take precedence in Ireland for ever’. ‘So [it shall be]
then’, said she, ‘unless ho come through my sides he shall
come no other way’.
43. She goes from them into the river. She lets herself
down about a stone that is in the middle of the ford. ‘It
holds me back’, she said. She was in that fixed position
until the hour of tierce on the following day. ‘It is time
now’, said her father. She coilapses. She dies. Now the
head of the infant had widened out against the stone whence
he was called Fiacha Mullethan (Broad-crown), ancestor of
all the Éoganacht.
44. Art son of Cond, then, went westwards across the
Shannon accompanied by great hosts of the men of Ireland.
The night before the battle Olc Acha, a smith of the
Connachtmen, gave him hospitality. This then is what he
(Olc Acha) said: ‘This is a mighty host that Mac Con has
brought against you. Fiercely will this herd of the men of
Britain and Alba bellow against you. Their mind is not on
fleeing for far would be their flight, as far as the Alps
[for] some of them. Moreover the man with whom you are
going to battle (i.e. Éogan) has behaved badly. On this
occasion Lugaid is entitled to dues from him. How many
children have you left, Art?’ said he.
45. ‘One son’, said Art. ‘Too little, indeed’, said he.
‘Sleep with my daughter tonight, Art. It is prophesied for
me that a great dignity will spring from me.'
46. That was so. Great was the dignity, Cormac son of Art
son of Cond.
47. He sleeps with her that night. It was then that Cormac
was conceived. He (Art) told her she would bear a son and
that that son would be king of Ireland. Then he told her of
every hoard he had hidden for the benefit of that son. And
he said that he would be killed the following day and he
takes leave of her. He told her to bring her son for
fostering to his friend among the Connachtmen. And on the
following day he went to the battle.
48. Now Lugaid had his plans ready: half the troop had gone
from him into the ground; that is to say holes used to be
made below the top sod with hurdles across them, a spear
broken across the middle(?) and its point [thrust] through
the hurdle, where the finest of the men of Ireland were.
Moreover the leg of an Irishman used to be tied to the leg
of an Albanach so that the Irishman might not take to
flight and two Britons were placed one on each side of an
Irishman.
49. Then the two battle-lines were drawn up on either side.
The kings were in the forefront of the battle, Lugaid Mac
Con and Lugaid Lágae and Béinne Britt in the forefront of
one battalion, Art son of Cond and Éogan son of Ailill and
Corbb Cacht son of Ailill in the forefront of the other
battalion.
50. Lugaid then challenged Éogan to single combat. Éogan
said he would not go to meet him on that occasion for his
(Éogan’s) conduct towards Mac Con had been bad. Moreover,
Lugaid said that his place would not be taken by a jester
this time even though be should fall, for he would rather
be devoured by the wolves of Ireland than remain any longer
away from his country.
51. Meanwhile, however, the air above them was black with
demons waiting to drag the wretched souls to hell. There
were only two angels there. These, however, were above Art
wherever he went throughout the’ host because of his being
the rightful prince.
52. Then each of the two battle lines rushed towards the
other. Terrible then was the attack they launched against
each other. Terrible the sights that were there, namely,
the white cloud of the chalk and lime [rising] towards the
clouds from the shields and bucklers being struck by the
sword-edges and by the double-edged blades of the spears
and javelins well warded off by the warriors; the crashing
and shattering of the shields struck by the swords and
stones; the piercing hail of the flights of weapons; the
gushing and dripping of the blood from the limbs of the
fighting-men and through the sides of the warriors.
53. Now the two Lugaids went through the battle like bears
among swine cutting down each man in turn. Each of them
wore a crested helmet and an iron corselet and carried a
groat sword in his hand. They plied them upon the hosts and
laid low many hundreds of them.
54. Éogan son of Aiill and Corbb Cacht son of Ailill were
similarly [engaged] on the other side.
55. Eager and stern was this encounter in which the men of
Ireland and Alba came together; each almost trod on the
other’s feet while they were belabouring each other. Now,
when they were at grips, from out of the ground a man would
be wounded in the back of his head and overthrown. The men
of Alba rose up against them (i.e. the men of Ireland) from
out of the ground and closed in around them.
56. Then Art son of Coud and the men of Ireland were
defeated and slain. Southwards the rout fled to Áth Clíath
in Crich Óac mhBethrae. The grave of the seven sons of
Ailill Ulom is to the north
the ford. Taurloch Airt, however, is far away from it
northards at Áth Senbó to the northeast1, where ugaid Lágae
son of Mug Núadat struck off his head on the stone iat is
in Taurloch. When Bóinne Britt was striking off the head
Éogan son of Ailill Lugaid Lagae came upon him. Then he
said--for a surge of kin-love had seized him-(Béirme had
struck him (Éogan) above his two shoulders):
Low
the blow that Béinne strikes,
high the blow that Béinne strikes;
at the blow that Béinne Britt
strikes my fury exceeds its limits.
57. With
that he struck Béinne across his neck so that his head was
on Éogan’s breast. While he was so engaged Mac Con came up
with him. ‘That is bad treatment for allies, Lugaid’, said
he. It doesn’t matter to you’, said Lugaid, ‘I shall give
you the head of the king of Ireland presently instead of
it’.
58. He (Lugaid Lágae) went back after the rout northwards
until he met Art and slew him and struck off his head.
Whence is [named] Turloch Airt in Crich Óc mhBethrae.
59. After that Lugaid Mac Con seized the kingship of
Ireland by force and was in Tara seven full years. And he
took Cormac son of Art into fosterage.
60. Ailill Ólom, however, was still alive. And this was his
refrain:
Today
my feet are worn out,
neither sons nor grandsons watch over them.
This is my just bequest-
I pronounce affliction on Mac Con.
61. This
was Mac Con’s refrain after [the death of] his
jester:
No
laugh escapes [me] since Da Déra died
because I have reasons for grief
at the loss of the little jester of the Dáirine.
62. This
was the refrain of Sadb daughter of Conn Cétchathach:
Alas
for me! alas for Clíu!
when Fer Fith was found in his yew-tree.
Because of it fell Art son of Cond
and the seven sons of Moaulum.
Alas for me! alas for Clíu!
when Fer Fith was found in his yew-tree.
It brought about an unequal combat for Art,
a grave fell to the lot of Corb Cacht.
63. Now
on one occasion sheep ate the glassen
of
Lugaid’s queen. The matter was brought to Mac Con for
decision. ‘I pronounce’, said Mac Con, ‘that the sheep [be
forfeited] for it’. Cormac, a little boy, was on the couch
beside him. ‘No, foster-father’, said he, ‘the shearing of
the sheep for the cropping of the glassen
would be
more just, for the glassen
will
grow [and] the wool will grow on the sheep’.
64. ‘That is the true judgement’, said all. ‘Moreover, it
is the son of the true prince who has given it’.
65. With that one side of the house falls down the cliff,
namely the side in which the false judgement was, given. It
will remain for ever like that, the Clóenferta (crooked
mound) of Tara. Of that has been sung:
The
valiant champion, Lugaid, bemused,
as it seems to me, gave a false judgement.
From then for all time there remains [as a result]
of it that the ráth is crooked on this side.
66.
After that he was a year in the kingship of Tara and no
grass came through the earth, nor leaf on tree, nor grain
in corn. So the men of Ireland expelled him from his
kingship for he was an ulawful ruler.
67. Then he went westwards to his country with a great
migrating company. Lugaid Lágae however did not go with
him. ‘To the place’, said he, ‘where I joined issue with my
brother because of you and where I slew my kin, I shall not
come again. I shall give myself up in requital to the son
of the king whom I slew’.
68. Three times then Mac Con commended him (Lugaid Lagae)
to Cormac and [each time] he used to turn to him again.
Then he bade him farewell. Westwards he went to Ailill to
undertake his support. He went into the court to him. Sadb
puts her two arms about his neck. ‘Do not go, little son’,
she said, ‘the man to whom you are going is wicked; he is
not forgiving’.
69. ‘You are welcome’, said Ailill, ‘come to me that we may
come to an agreement, that you may make me [your] father
and that I may make you [my] son for I have no Sons with me
to maintain me.
70. Then he puts his cheek to his cheek. He (Ailill)
touched him with a poisonous tooth that was in his head.
‘So it has struck home', he said, ‘and you will lament
awhile’. With that he went out from him. Then he met Sadb.
‘Alas!’ she said, looking at him,
This
is the thrust by which a king falls,
a poisonous tooth has wounded you.
Lassitude has begun to transform you.
Alas the final leave-taking!
71. That
came true. Afterwards then Ferches son of Commán came to
Ailill. ‘Away( ? ), Ferchess’, said Ailill, ‘off with you
after Lugaid’. Within three days Lugaid’s cheek had melted
away.
72. Ferches went after him. He (Lugaid) had reached his
[own] country at that time. Ho put his back against a
pillar-stone in the midst of the host. They saw Ferchess.
‘Do not let him [come] hither’, said Lugaid. The men form a
barrier of shields between them. He (Ferchoss) casts it
(the spear) towards him across the host so that it pierced
his forehead and the pillar-stone behind him resounded and
he withered away lifeless.
73. Now Ferchess went [fleeing] before the host into the
rapids that he might cast the shavings of his spear[-shaft]
for them on the water. From this comes [the name] Ess
Ferchiss. It is of that Sadb daughter of Cond used to say:
Alas
for me! alas today!
when Fer Fith was found in his yew-tree.
This it is that will bring me to the grave-
Forchess’s cast at Mac Con.
74. Then
said Ailill:
For
thirty years up to now
I have been a worn-out old man
until the cast of Commán’s son, the poet,
aroused me from my lethargy.
75.
After that Ailill held the kingship of Munster for seven
years.
76. That is the battle of Mag Mucrima in which fell Art son
of Cond and Ailill’s seven sons and a slaughter of the men
of Ireland along with them, of which has been said:
The
battle of Mag Mucrima
in which many kings will fall,
alas for Art son of Cond!
he is the outstanding one who dies by reason of the
slaughter(?).
77.
Others however say that Lugaid Mac Con was thirty years in
the kingship of Ireland. Unde dicitur:
Mac
Con seized the land of Banba
on every side as far as the bright, clear sea.
For thirty years, splendid the dignity (?),
he was in the kingship of Ireland.