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Available with prior consent of the CELT programme for purposes of academic research and teaching only. Text copyright: School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Used by kind permission of the copyright owner. CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts. Text represents odd pages 3–183. Editorial footnotes have been tagged Text has been proof-read twice and parsed using NSGMLS. Radner's chronology refers to the revised dating in the Annals of Ulster. Where her dates are tentative (marked by a ?) they are tagged The electronic text represents the edited text. Direct speech is rendered Soft hyphens are silently removed. Names of persons (given names), and places are not tagged. Terms for
cultural and social roles are not tagged. Dates are tagged. KKKKKKK. I omit these seven years. His sons left him, and he began fervent penance. Then Clann Connla
came, and they killed Feradach, and took the treasures; and Feradach
went to heaven. I omit 32 years. Once, when he Áed,
not yet king, came through Othan Muru, he washed his hands in the river that goes
through the middle of the town.
That was told to Muru, and he thanked God that Aed Alláin had such
faith. Then he summoned Áed Alláin to him (Áed Uaridnach
was another of his names), and Muru said to him: It was not long afterwards that Áed Alláin took the kingship of
Ireland, and he granted fertile lands to Muru of Othan. Moreover, Áed
Alláin won many victories over the Laigin, and over his other enemies. He
was eight years in the kingship of Ireland, and then mortal illness seized
Áed Alláin and he sent for Muru. Muru came, and the king said to
him,
Then the king was anointed, and he received the Body of the Lord, and he died at
once, and went to heaven. I omit seven years. One day, as Fiachna, the father of
that Suibne, was going to inspect his plowing—for he himself was not a
king at all—he brought to his mind how each person succeeded another in
the kingship of Ireland. Pride and great arrogance came over him, and greed to
seize the sovereignty of Ireland, and he came home and told this to his wife,
and this is what his wife said to him: When he rose from the woman, she asked, Now, one day when this Suibne, as a young man, was in his house with his
wife, he said to his wife, His wife replied, with a kind of sarcasm, Consequently he was killed by Rónán. Afterwards Máel
Fathardaig's foster-brothers went to the place where Eochaid Iarlathe was, and
they called him outside away from everyone, and they killed him because of what
his daughter had done. Thus Flaittir sang:
The Battle of Damderg, in which Dícuill son of Eochu
and Congal son of Lóchíne were slain. ?668 Constantinus Augustus
died. Here below are some of the stories of Fínnachta. I This Fínnachta was at first poor and unprosperous. He had a house and a wife, but he had no stock except for a single ox and one cow. On one occasion
the king of Fir Rois happened to be lost and wandering astray in the vicinity of
Fínnachta's cottage. There had never before been a night worse than that
one with storm and snow and darkness, and the king and his wife and attendants
could not get to the house that they wished to reach because of the foul weather
and the darkness, and they were talking about spending the night under the
trees. Fínnachta heard them in that conversation, for they were not far
from his cottage then, and he came to meet them on the road, and this is what he
said to them: that it would be better for them to come to his cottage, such as
it was, than to wander in the dark, stormy night. The king and his attendants said: In the morning the king of Fir Rois said to his wife, II
It was not long afterwards that Fínnachta came with a large
horsetroop to the house of one of his sisters, having been invited by the
sister, and owing her a visit in return. As they were going on the journey, they
met Adamnán, then a young scholar, travelling on the same road, with a
jug full of milk on his back, and as he was running out of the way of the That was done accordingly; they brought the other four clerics, and the
ale-house was arranged, half of the house for clerics and the other half for
laymen. Adamnán's tutor was filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and
the spirit of prophecy, and he said, III
Not long after that Fínnachta and the king of Fir Rois, his friend,
went to visit his father's kinsman, i.e. Cenn Fáelad, to request lands
from him. Cenn Fáelad gave him the high-stewardship over all of Mide from
the Sinann to the sea, that is, over the twenty-four Fínnachta took that advice, and afterwards he challenged his father's
kinsman, i.e. Cenn Fáelad, to battle. When Cenn Fáelad's wife
heard that, she was blaming her husband for giving the stewardship to
Fínnachta.
IV
It was that Fínnachta who remitted the Then Fínnachta understood that MoLing had tricked him, and he said to
his followers, Others say that MoLing brought a poem with him to Fínnachta, namely
What do you want, sons?
asked Feradach. To take the treasures away with us,
answered the youths. You shall not take them,
said Feradach, for they were ill-gotten;
I tormented many in gathering them, and I consent to being tormented
myself by my enemies on their account.
O king,
he said, do not put that water on your face.
Why?
asked the king. I am ashamed to say,
said he.
What shame do you have at telling the truth?
asked the king.
This is it,
he replied; the clergy's privy is over that water.
Is it there,
asked the king, that the cleric himself goes to defecate?
It is indeed,
said the youth.
Not only,
said the king, shall I put it upon my face, but I shall also
put it in my mouth, and I shall drink it (drinking three mouthfuls of
it), for the water into which his faeces go is a sacrament to me.
Dear son,
he said,
as reward for that reverence you have given the church, I promise, in God's witness,
that you will take the kingship of Ireland shortly, and that you will gain
victory and the overthrow of your enemies, and that you will not be taken
by sudden death, and you will receive the Body of the Lord from my
hand, and I shall pray to the Lord on your behalf that it may be old age
that will take you from the world.
Cleric,
he said, you have deceived me, for I have neglected my
penance, because I expected, through your word, that I would be aged in my
lifetime; and it seems to me that death is near me.
True,
said the cleric, death is near you, and your life has been cut
short, and you have incurred the Lord's anger; so explain all that you
have done to offend the Lord.
I shall relate,
said the king, that which I think likely to have
offended the Lord. I attempted,
said he, to gather the men of Ireland to
this mountain to the east, that is, to Carrlóeg, to build it up, and to
construct a huge house on it, and I wished that the fire of that house
might be seen every evening in Britain and Argyle; and I know that that
was great arrogance.
That was evil,
said the cleric, but it is not that which has shortened
your life.
Moreover,
I attempted, said the king, to build a bridge at Cluain
Iraird, and to build it marvellously, so that my name would endure on
it forever.
He related many similar things.
It is none of these things,
said the cleric, that is cutting short
your life.
I have something else, then,
said the king; that is, the hatred I
have for the Laigin; for this is what I desired: to force all their men to
battle, and to slay them all then, and to bring their women and slaves
to serve the Uí Néill; and to bring us of northern Ireland into
Mide, and the men of Mide into Leinster.
Alas, alas!
said the cleric, it is that which has shortened your
life, for that tribe which you hate, that is, the Laigin, have saints
praying on their behalf in the presence of the Lord; Brigit is greater than
I, and her prayers are more powerful than my own. Nevertheless, the
Lord is merciful and forbearing; make offerings yourself to Him on
account of that malice that was in your heart towards the Laigin, so that you
may be in a Kingdom more lasting than the temporal kingdom.
Since you have not attempted that
before now
, she said, I do not see that it is suitable for a man of
your age and antiquity to be fighting at this time for a kingdom. For it is not
Be quiet;
said he, don't get in my way; but have food and drink brought
in,
said he, and let the noblemen be invited out to visit us, and let
them be given their fill.
And he summoned his wife to him then, and he lay
with her, and every plan that had been in his mind before he put away from him
through the act of procreation, and after that it was his wife who possessed the
intentions that he had had, and it was then that this Suibne Menn was conceived
in the womb of his mother.Shall everyone be invited in?
No,
said Fiachna, we will not make ourselves ridiculous—that is,
by fighting for the kingship henceforward.
Now from that it is to be
understood that it is from the pre-existing great ambitions of parents that
children with great ambitions are born.I am amazed,
he said, that so few of the
Cenél Eógain have taken the lordship over all, up to this time.
What's wrong with you, that
you don't use force, and go before them to fight with everyone, and win frequent
victories?
That's the way it will be,
he said. Consequently he came out armed the
following morning, and he met a warrior of the people of the country,
who was armed, and he gave battle to him until the warrior submitted to him at
spear-point; and a huge host submitted to him in that manner, and he took the
kingship of Ireland.my Cummíne was son of a lord;What is that, girl?
asked Rónán.
Your carefree son, Máel Fathardaig,
she said, has violated me,
and forced me, and lain with me.
It is true, it is better,
they said,
and we are indeed glad that you have told us so.
They came then to his
house, and the size of the house was greater than its wealth. Fínnachta
knocked his ox on the head, and he knocked the cow on the head also. The king's
own attendants prepared them swiftly and speedily, by spit and by kettle, and
they ate until they were full. They slept well after that until morning came.Don't you know,
woman, that although this house was poor formerly, it is poorer now, because its
only cow and its only ox have been slaughtered for us?
That is indeed true,
said the woman; now it is proper for us to make
it rich. However much or little you give to the man, I will give its equal to
his wife.
What you say is good,
said the king. Then the king gave Finnachta a huge
herd of cows, and many pigs and sheep, along with their herdsmen. The king's
wife accordingly gave to Fínnachta's wife the same amount. Then they gave
them beautifully decorated clothing and fine horses, and everything that they
needed in the world.That will make you joyful, for I am willing to make good
every injury in my power. You will receive compensation for it from me,
student,
said Fínnachta, so do not be sad.
Adamnán said: Nobleman,
said he, I have reason for grief, for
there are three noble scholars in the same house, and they have us as three
servants, and one of the servants goes out looking for sustenance for the other
five men; and it fell to me to gather things for them today; what I had intended
for them fell to the ground, and there is something more grievous, that is, the
borrowed jug has broken, and I do not have the price of it.
I will pay for the jug,
said Fínnachta, and you bring with you
tonight, to the house where we are going, the five who are without food,
depending on you; and they will receive food and drink from us.
The man who has given this banquet will
be the High King of Ireland, and Adamnán will be the head of piety and
wisdom of Ireland, and he will be Fínnachta's confessor, and
Fínnachta will be in great prosperity until he gives offense to
Adamnán.
Doesn't Slige Asail divide Mide in
two? Make one half of Mide faithful and devoted to you, and when that half is
loyal to you, arrange a meeting with the other half, and kill their noblemen,
their pillars of battle; and you will get not only the full kingship of Mide,
but even the kingship of Temair if you wish it.
There closed,
etc., You have granted a stay of it
forever.
And on the previous day MoLing had promised heaven to Fínnachta.Rise up,
he said, after the holy man who has left me,
and tell him that I granted a stay of but one day and one night to him, for it
seems to me that the holy man has deceived me, since there is nothing except day
and night in the whole world.
When MoLing knew that they were coming after
him, he ran swiftly and speedily till he reached his house, and the king's
attendants did not catch up with him at all.
In the fifteenth year from this year Fínnachta remitted the Come and talk to
Adamnán,
said the cleric.
I will not go until this game is over,
answered Fínnachta.
The cleric came to Adamnán, and told him Fínnachta's reply.
Go to him, and tell him: I will sing fifty psalms meanwhile, and there is a
psalm in that fifty in which I shall pray to the Lord that neither son nor
descendant of yours, nor any man of the same name, shall ever take the kingship
of Ireland.
The cleric went and said that to Fínnachta, and Fínnachta paid
no attention to it, but played his Come and talk to Adamnán, Fínnachta,
said the
cleric. I will not go,
said Fínnachta, until this game is finished.
The cleric told that to Adamnán. Tell him,
said Adamnán,
that I shall sing fifty psalms during that time, and there is a special psalm
among that fifty, and in that psalm I shall ask and demand that the Lord shorten
his life.
The cleric told that to Fínnachta, and Fínnachta paid it no
attention, but played his Come and talk to Adamnán,
said the cleric.
I will not go,
said Fínnachta, until this game is over.
The cleric came back, and he told Adamnán Fínnachta's answer.
Go to him,
said Adamnán, and tell him that I will sing the
third fifty, and there is a special psalm in that fifty, and I will pray the
Lord in that psalm that he may not reach the kingdom of heaven.
The cleric returned to Fínnachta, and reported that. When
Fínnachta heard it, he abruptly threw the What has brought you to me now,
asked Adamnán, since you did not come at the other messages?
This is my reason,
answered Fínnachta; the threats that you
made against me before, that is, that neither son nor grandson should succeed
me, and that no man of my name should hold the kingship of Ireland, or that my
life should be shortened—those seemed light to me. But when you promised
to deprive me of heaven, it was on that account that I came immediately to talk
to you, because I cannot bear this.
Is it true,
asked Adamnán, that you have remitted the
It is true,
answered Fínnachta.
You have been deceived,
said Adamnán; that is the same as
remitting it forever.
He was reproaching him like that, and he sang the lay:
St. Aethelthryd, Christ's Queen, daughter of Anna, king of the Angles, was at first given in marriage to another nobleman, and later to Ecgfrith the king; who after she had kept her marriage-bed uncorrupted for twelve years after she had become Queen, took the sacred veil as a holy nun; who sixteen years after her burial was found uncorrupted, along with the shroud in which she had been wrapped.
At them, comrades all!
?695 Justinianus Augustus was driven out.
What will you do tonight, cleric?
Adamnán did not
want to tell him a lie. He would tell him that he would be fasting without sleep
in cold water until morning. Írgalach would do the same, to free himself
from Adamnán's curse. But all the same, Adamnán deceived him:
Adamnán was talking to one of the clerics of his household, saying,
You be here tonight instead of me, with my clothes on you, and when
Írgalach comes to ask you what you will do tonight, say that you will be
feasting and sleeping, so that he will do the same
— for it was easier
for Adamnán that one of his people should lie than he himself.
Then Írgalach came to that cleric, and he thought that it was
Adamnán who was there. Írgalach asked him, What will you do
tonight, cleric?
Feast and sleep,
said the cleric.
So Írgalach feasted and slept that night. Adamnán, on the other
hand, fasted and kept vigil and stayed in the Bóand till morning. While
Írgalach was asleep, he saw Adamnán up to his neck in the water,
and he started violently out of his sleep because of that, and he told it to his
wife. Now his wife was humble and obedient to the Lord and to Adamnán,
because
Írgalach rose early the next morning, and Adamnán came to see
him. Adamnán said to him: Cursed son,
said he, hardest and
worst man of God's making, know that shortly you will be separated from your
sovereignty, and you will go to Hell.
When Írgalach's wife heard that, she came before Adamnán and
lay at his feet, and besought him for God's sake not to curse her child, the
infant that was in her womb. Adamnán said, The infant in your womb
will be king indeed, but one of his eyes is now broken as a result of the
cursing of his father.
And that is how it was. The boy was born immediately
after that, and he was half blind.
Into the lands near you,
it said, and
scorch and burn and plunder them.
And after that he
Connachtmen, defend and protect
your own freedom, for the people who are against you are not nobler or braver
than you, and they have not done any better than you up to now.
And he was talking to them like that, with his voice quavering and his eyes on fire.
The Connachtmen took heed of that, and that shaky king took the lead against
the army of the King of Ireland, and he defeated the King of Ireland, and
Loingsech, the King of Ireland, was slain there with a massacre of his people,
including his three sons, and the two sons of Colcu, and Dub Díberg son
of Dúngal, and Eochu Lemna, and Fergus Forcraid, and Conall Gabra. This
battle, the Battle of Corann, was fought on the fourth of the Ides of July.
It was on account of these quatrains, moreover, that the battle was fought. Conall
Mend sang:
The beginning of the reign of Fogartach.
Kl. Cellach son of Gerthide becomes king of the Laigin.
In this year the men of Ireland accepted a single regulation and rule from
Adamnán, regarding the celebration of Easter on Sunday, the fourteenth of
the moon of April, and regarding the wearing of Peter's tonsure by all the
clergy of Ireland; for there had been great disturbance in Ireland until then,
that is, many of the Irish clergy were celebrating Easter
The Saxons took a great prey from Ireland. Adamnán went to redeem the hostages. And as Bede tells it in Bede's History, most of the bishops of all Europe gathered to condemn Adamnán for celebrating Easter according to Colum Cille, and for wearing the tonsure of Simon Magus (that is, from ear to ear). Bede says that there were many wise men in that synod, and that Adamnán exceeded them all in wisdom and eloquence. Adamnán said that it was not in imitation of Simon Magus that he wore that tonsure, but it was rather in imitation of John the Beloved, pupil of the Savior, and that that was the tonsure he had worn; and that though his Savior was beloved to Peter, John was beloved to the Savior; and that it was on the fourteenth of the moon of April, whatever day of the week it might be, that the apostles celebrated Easter.
Then an old man arose there, and said, Even if it were Colum Cille himself
who was present here, we would not part from him until he were under the same
rule as we. As for you, too, you will not be left alone until you are under the
same rule as we.
Adamnán answered him, and said, I will be under the same rule as
you.
Let yourself be tonsured, then,
said the bishops. It is sufficient,
said Adamnán, that it be done at my own
monastery.
No,
they said, but at once.
Adamnán was tonsured then, and
no greater honor has been given to a man than that which was accorded to
Adamnán then, and that large booty was surrendered to him, and he
proceeded to his own monastery, Í.
His congregation was greatly amazed to see him with that tonsure. He was always urging the congregation to adopt the tonsure, and he could not get their consent. But God permitted the community to sin, that is, to expel that Adamnán who had compassion for Ireland. This is what Bede says; for Bede was with Adamnán while he was in England.
After that Adamnán came to Ireland, and he proclaimed that rule in Ireland, and that single regulation for Easter and the tonsure was not accepted from him until this year.
?715 170 Kl. Anastasius Augustus was driven out.
?716 Kl. Theodosius reigned for one year.
They came one day to visit him at Ailech Frigrenn. Áed, the elder son, a prime, clever, cruel and vigorous warrior, came thus to Ailech: with large, well-armed troops around him. But the younger son came thus: calmly and temperately, peacefully, with few attendants, and this is
what he said, from his own diffidence and to honor his father: It would be
more proper for me,
he said, to lodge outside than to stay as a guest
with you tonight.
What is wrong with you, son,
said the father, that you should say
that, when the boy who is older than you has three times your attendants, and
you do not have the confidence to stay in Ailech tonight as he is staying with
his company?
I would prefer,
said Niall, that he should behave in the same way
towards you.
Do not go tonight at all, son,
said Fergal, and be near your father
and mother.
After that the older son, Áed, was brought into the great palace with
his company. The young son, Niall, however, was brought to a lovely secluded
house. Then they were entertained; and their father wished to test them both, so
he came in the last part of the night to the house in which the elder son was
staying, and he was listening at that house: it was very foul indeed inside that
house. There were buffoons and satirists and horseboys and jugglers and oafs,
roaring and bellowing there. Some were drinking, some sleeping, some vomiting,
some piping, some whistling. Drummers and harpers were playing; a group was
boasting and arguing. Fergal heard them thus. And he came then to visit the
secluded house where the younger son was staying; and he listened at that house,
and he heard nothing there but thanksgiving to God for all that they had
received, and sweet, quiet harp playing, and the singing of praise songs to the
Lord.
Early in the morning he entered the great house where the elder son was staying, and he could scarcely pass through the house on account of the vomiting and filth and stench, and the number of dogs that were eating the vomit. And all inside were snoring as if they were dead, except for the king's son himself, and this is how he was sleeping: in his royal bed, as if he were waiting for battle, with a great shield on his left side, and two huge javelins on his right side, a long gold-hilted inlaid sword on his thigh, taking in and letting out great gasps, such as no one should do, however strong or agile.
He was unable to remain inside because of the great foulness of the air in
that house, so he came into the house where the younger son was staying, and
although he came quietly, the youth saw him, for he was not sleeping, but
praying to the Lord. He rose immediately from the royal bed to greet his father,
for he was thus: in a silk tunic, with gold and silver borders; and he opened
the house for his father, and when his father came inside, he put his arms
around his son's neck and gave him a kiss, and they came and sat together on the
royal bed; and the son began first to converse with his father. And this is what
he said: Father, it seems to us that you have spent this past night sleepless
and troubled; you should sleep now in that bed until daybreak.
The father did so, and when daybreak came they rose together, and the son said to his
father, Dear father, it would be proper for you to feast with us for a time
here, for we still have half of the food and drink that was brought to us from
you last night.
And he had not finished saying that when servants brought
out a huge vessel full of mead, and various foods, and they feasted together
silently and peacefully then.
When everyone had risen, the king came out into his own house, and he predicted, in the presence of all, what the fortunes of his two sons yonder would be. He said that the elder son would take the kingship, and that his reign would be strong, heroic, vigorous, terrifying and lustful. The younger son, however, would take the kingship piously and honestly, and his descendants would be famous and royal, and would take the kingship every second time. And that has been fulfilled so far.
Now the daughter of Congal son of Fergus of Fánad was the mother of
the older son (that is, Áed Alláin), and she bore that son
secretly. And this is the reason why Fergal had the girl secretly. Her father,
Congal, dedicated her to the Lord, and she was a nun, and her father had given
her much gold and silver and cattle for protecting her chastity. However,
The man who was messenger between them told that to Congal. Congal was greatly grief-stricken by that news, that is, that his daughter had been seduced, and he said that the bearer of the tale would not live, unless he procured the proof of that story. So the bearer of the tale was waiting until Fergal and Congal's daughter should be together, and when they were together, the tale-bearer sought Congal, and told him that they were together. Congal came to the house where they were, and when Congal's daughter saw him coming to the house with his attendants— for she was clever, crafty, and spiteful, as was her father—she hid Fergal under the bedclothes, and then sat on the bedclothes herself. A big cat that was inside came and found Fergal and bit at his legs, and the cat swallowed big pieces of Fergal's legs. Fergal put his hand out and took the cat by the an neck, and killed it. Congal searched in the house, but he did not find Fergal there. He went to the bearer of the tale and drowned him in a river. Afterwards he came to see his own daughter, and he asked her forgiveness, since she was a virgin, so that his sin against her might not be upon him. It was at that secret tryst that Áed Alláin was conceived.
Now after Áed Alláin was born, his mother turned him over to
two trustworthy women to be drowned, so that her father might not find her out
and be angry with her. Now one of these women was of Cenél Conaill, and
one was of Cenél Eógain. When the woman of Cenél
Eógain took the lovely little baby into her arms, she was filled with
love and tenderness for the infant, and she said to her woman companion: Dear
sister, it is not right to destroy this baby, but rather to keep it
well.
The other answered, He is dearer to you than to his own mother, and it is
she who has commanded us to drown him, for fear of her father's anger.
She
became angry, and she set the child on the ground, and they fought each other,
one for protecting, the other for drowning him. The woman of Cenél
Eógain overcame the other woman, and she clutched her by her Adam's apple
until she agreed to everything—namely, to caring for the child. Thereafter
they brought up the child together.
Once, four years later, the mother of the child happened to come into the
house where he was, without knowing that he was alive. The little boy was
playing there. His mother's mind turned to him, and she asked, How old is
that boy over there?
Everyone said that he was four years old. She called
the trustworthy women over to her, and said to them, The sin I have committed
is great, destroying a boy of that age to escape the anger of my father.
Do not grieve at all,
said the women. That is that boy yonder, and we
have protected him.
Then she gave many gifts to the women, and the boy was
taken secretly from them to his own father, Fergal.
Now the mother of Niall Condail 'Niall the Worthy' was the daughter of the king of Cianachta, and she was the fairest and most beautiful woman in Ireland in her time. However, she was childless for a long time, until she came to the holy nun Luaithrinn to ask her to pray to the Lord on her behalf to aid her. Luaithrinn did that, and Niall was conceived thereafter in the womb of the daughter of the king of Cianachta, and then he was born; and at that time she was Fergal's queen of Ireland.
All of this aside, when he spoke concerning his sons, as we have recounted,
he urged and commanded each and every one of them his men to assemble all
their forces the next year to invade the Laigin, to levy the
The Battle of Almu between the Laigin and Uí Néill. This battle
was fought on the third of the Ides of December. The cause of this battle was
that the
Now that muster of troops took a long time, for every man of Leth Cuinn, when
the order came to him, would say, If Donn Bó comes on the hosting, I
shall come.
Now this Donn Bó was the son of a widow of the Fir Rois,
and he never went away from his mother's house for a day or a night, and there
was no one in all Ireland who was more beloved, or fairer of form or figure or
build than he. There was no one in all Ireland who was more valorous or more
skillful than he, and his were the best amusing poems and royal stories in the
world; it was he who was best at training horses, and setting spears, and
braiding hair; and he was a man with royal nature in his countenance, of whom
was said:
Then Fergal set out on his way. There were guides going before him, but the
guidance they gave him was not good: into the narrow places of each path, and
into the rough places of each path, until they reached Cluain Dóbail
'the Unlucky Meadow in Almu. Áedán, the leper of Cluain
Dóbail, was there before them. The army behaved badly: they slaughtered
his only cow and roasted it on spits in his presence, and they took his house
despite him and burned it; so the leper said that the punishment the Lord would
inflict on the Uí Néill would be eternal. The leper went to
Fergal's tent, and the kings of Leth Cuinn were all before him in the tent at
that time. In their presence the leper complained of his ill-treatment, but the
heart of none was moved for him, except the heart of Cú Bretan son of
Congus, the king of Fir Rois, and Cú Bretan did not regret that, for
except for Cú Bretan son of Congus alone, none of the kings who was in
the tent escaped from the battle. It was on that occasion that Cú Bretan
said:
Entertain us, Donn Bó, for you are
the best musician in Ireland, with flutes and piping, and with harps and poems
No,
said Donn Bó, I cannot amuse you tonight, and I do not
possess one of all those accomplishments to demonstrate tonight; but wherever
you are tomorrow, and wherever I shall be, I will entertain you. Let the royal
fool Úa Maigléine amuse you tonight.
Úa Maigléine was brought to them then. He set about telling the battles and combats of Leth Cuinn and the Laigin, from the destruction of Tuaim Tenbath (that is, Dind Ríg) in which Cobthach Cóel Breg was killed, up until that time; and they did not sleep much that night because of their great fear of the Laigin, and because of the severity of the weather, for it was the eve of the feast of Finnian, in the winter.
As for the Laigin, they went to Cruachan Cloenta, for the Laigin used not to
be defeated if they made their plans there and then proceeded from there to the
battle. Afterwards they went to Dind Canand. The following morning the troops of
both sides met: nine thousand of the Laigin, and twenty-one thousand of Leth
Cuinn. The battle was waged strongly and fiercely on both sides, and everyone
took part in the fighting there. The combats of the Laigin and Leth Cuinn
warriors would be excessive to relate. It is said that Brigit was seen over the
Laigin; Colum Cille, moreover, was seen over the Uí Néill. The
battle was won by Murchad son of Bran, and by Áed son of Donnchad son of
Colcu, king of Laigin Desgabair. Fergal was slain there. Áed Mend and
Dúnchad son of Murchad killed Fergal himself and Bile son of Bain, king
of Alba, from whom Corr Bile in Almu gets its name. Moreover, it was Áed
Mend who slew Donn Bó. However, Fergal did not fall until after Donn
Bó fell. One hundred and sixty mercenaries were slain in that place. The
Laigin killed their own number—that is, nine thousand—of the men of
Leth Cuinn in that battle, and nine of them went mad, and one hundred of the
kings. The Hill of Fergal is there. The Laigin raised shouts of triumph there,
whence was said:
The fool Úa Maigléine was taken captive there, and he was asked
to give a fool's shout, and he did; that shout was loud and melodious, so that
the shout of Úa Maigléine has remained from that time with the
fools of Ireland. Afterwards Fergal's head was cut off, and the fool's head was
also cut off. The echo of the fool's shout was in the air for three days and
three nights. This is the origin of the saying, the shout of Úa
Maigléine pursuing the men in the bog.
Then Áed Laigen son of Fidchellach, king of Úí Maine
Connacht, was defeated and fled, saying to his sons, Do not leave me, sons;
your mother will be better disposed towards you if you take me with you.
They will not take you,
said the Laigin. It was then that Áed
Laigen, king of Úí Maine, was slain.
However, the sons of Áed Laigen, in the company of Áed
Alláin son of Fergal, reached Lilcach, where Modichu son of Amargein and
the pious Foreigner were. It was then that the Úi Néill and
Connachta dug the rampart of the church, and they were in the guise of clergy,
and it was thus that they were saved through a miracle of the saints, so that
the friendship of the Úí Néill and Connachta is in that
church from that time forth; wherefore Áed Ailáin sang:
That day was triumphant for the Laigin. Cú Bretan son of Congus, king
of Fir Rois, was protected, however, on account of the verses he had made the
evening before. The Laigin were in Condail of the Kings that night, drinking
wine and mead cheerfully and happily after winning the battle, with each of them
telling his exploits, and they were exhilarated and gloriously drunk. Murchad
mac Brain said then, I would give a chariot worth four
I will go,
said Báethgalach, a Munster warrior. He put on his gear
for battle and protection, and he went to the place where Fergal's body was, and
he heard something, a proclamation in the air overhead, and it said for all to
hear, It has been commanded to you by the King of seven heavens: make music
for your lord tonight, for Fergal son of Máel Dúin; although all
of your skilled people have fallen here, pipers and trumpeters and harpists, do
not let terror or weakness prevent you from playing tonight for Fergal.
Then
the warrior heard mournful piping and song; and he heard then in the clump of
rushes next to him a war chanting that was sweeter than any music. The youth
went towards it.
Do not come to me,
said the head to him.
Who are you?
asked the warrior.
I am the head of Donn Bó,
replied the head, and I was pledged
last night to entertain the king tonight, so do not harm me.
Where is Fergal's body here?
asked the warrior.
It shines out before you, yonder.
Shall I take you with me?
asked the warrior.
I would like you most of all to take me,
said the head, but let Christ
be your surety that if you take me, you bring me back to my body again.
I shall indeed,
said the youth.
And the youth returned to Condail with the head, and he found the Laigin
drinking when he arrived the same night. Have you brought a trophy with you?
asked Murchad.
I have,
said the warrior: the head of Donn Bó.
Put it on that pillar over there,
said Murchad. The whole host recognized
it as the head of Donn Bó, and they all said, Alas for you, Donn
Bó, your form was comely; entertain us tonight as you did your lord this
morning.
His face was turned then, and his sorrowful chant rose on high, so
that all were crying and lamenting. The same warrior brought the head back to
its body, as he had promised, and he placed it on its neck. With that, Donn
Bó returned to his mother's house. For these were the three wonders of
that battle: Donn Bó's returning alive
These are the names of the kings who were killed in this battle. These are
the ones of Sil g-Cuinn.
Those are the kings of the northern Uí Néill.
Now these following are of the southern Uí Néill:
Moreover, 180 died of sickness and cold after the Battle of Almu in which Fergal son of Máel Dúin was slain, etc.
Beginning of the reign of Cináed son of Írgalach, according to some.
Kl. Then Fogartach son of Niall took the name of King of Ireland immediately after Fergal. It was he who was defeated by the Laigin in the battle at Tailtiu. It was one year, or two, according to some, until he was killed by Cináed Lethcháech son of Írgalach.
Then Cináed was King of Ireland for four years after that. It was to him, when he was in his mother's womb, that Adamnán promised that he would take the kingship of Ireland. This Cináed's reign was prosperous. He raided Leinster the first year and defeated Dúnchad son of Murchad, and many noblemen were killed in this war.
?724 There was a battle between Dúnchad son of Murchad and Laidcnén, king of Uí Ceinnselaig, and Laidcnén was defeated in the battle.
The son of Ailerán of Cell Ruaid died.
A battle between Etarscél, king of Brí Cualann, and Fáelán, king of the Laigin, in which Etarscél, king of Brí Cualann, was defeated.
?729 Kl. In this year Oengus, king of Foirtriu, defeated Drust, king of Alba, in three battles.
Leo Augustus died.
?724" In this year Bede composed his great book, that is, in the ninth year of Leo.
?733 Áed Alláin son of Fergal defeated Flaithbertach son of Loingsech, king of Ireland, in battle, so Flaithbertach brought a fleet with him from Foirtriu against Cenél Eógain. However, most of that fleet was drowned. Flaithbertach himself died in that year, and the kingship of Ireland was taken from Cenél Conaill for a long time thereafter.
Then the swift ship of the young man who was mentioned before came alone in
front of the other ships, until the two ships met face to face, and the helmsman
of the Norwegian ship said, You, men,
he said, from what country have
you come onto this sea? Do you come for peace, or for war?
This is the
answer that the Danes gave him: a great shower of arrows upon them. The crews of
those two ships set to at once; the Danish ship overcame the Norwegian, and the
Danes killed the crew of the
Máel Sechlainn and Cináed and Tigernach, king of Brega, met
together in one place. Máel Sechlainn desired that he and the king of
Brega should kill the king of Cianachta. However, Máel Sechlainn did not
do that immediately, because Cináed had an army, and he was afraid that
there would be reciprocal slaughter. What he did was to postpone it until the
morning of the next day. Then Máel Sechlainn devised false reasons for
their coming to the same place the following day, and he ordered the armies to
go away. When Cináed's army had left him, Máel Sechlainn came with
a large host to Cináed, and it was not fully daylight then; and this is
what Máel Sechlainn said in a loud and harsh and hostile voice to
Cináed: Why,
he said, did you burn the oratories of the saints,
and why did you, along with Norwegians, destroy their holy places and the books
of the saints?
Then Cináed knew that fine words would not avail him, and he remained silent. That noble, well-born, strong youth was dragged out after that, and he was drowned in a dirty stream according to Máel Sechlainn's plan; and that was how he died.
The Danes gathered together afterwards, after they had been routed, and they
were dying of famine; and this is what their chieftain, Horm, said to them (and
before then he had been a hard, triumphant man):
Until now,
he said, you have won many victories, although you have
been overcome here by a more numerous army. Listen to the words I will say to
you: every victory and every triumph, and all the glory that you have gained
thereby, that has been destroyed by a small bit of a single day. Look, then, to
the next battle you would fight against the Norwegians, for they have your
women, and all your wealth, and your ships, and they are gloating at having won
victory and spoils from you. What you must do now is to go single-mindedly
against them, as if you did not expect to live, but were not waiting for death
either; and revenge yourselves. And though you may not have a lucky victory
thereby, we will have what our gods and our fate will give to us; if it does not
go well for us then, there will be general slaughter on both sides. Here is another of my counsels to you: this Saint Patrick who is chief bishop and head of the saints of Ireland, against whom our enemies have committed many offenses: let us pray diligently to him, and let us give honorable offerings to him, to bring victory and triumph over those enemies.
All answered him, and this is what they said: Let our protector,
they
said, be this Saint Patrick, and the Lord who is master to him, and let our
spoils and our treasure be given to his church.
After that, they proceeded together single-mindedly, virile and manly, against the Norwegians, and gave battle.
At this time Zain, one of the two kings of the Norwegians, and Matudán, king of Ulaid, came to ravage the Danes on sea and land; although Zain the Norwegian had not known about that before, he came, along with the small number who had accompanied him, to attack the Danes on one side, and Iargna, the other king of the Norwegians, came against the Danes from the other side. Then the battle was fought hard. The shrieking of the javelins, and the crashing blows of swords, and the hammering of shields being struck, and the cries of soldiers being overcome, were loudly audible. Though it lasted a long time, it was the Norwegians who were defeated, and the Danes took victory and spoils, by grace of Patrick, although the Norwegians were three or four times the number of the Danes.
Afterwards the Danes attacked the camp of the Norwegians, and killed some
there, and took others captive, and put others to flight, and seized
Besides the Danes themselves who were killed, five thousand Norwegian men of good families were slain. Moreover, many other soldiers and men of every rank were killed in addition to those numbers.
It was at that time that Máel Sechlainn, king of Temair, sent
messengers to the Danes. When they arrived the Danes were cooking, and the
supports of the cooking-pots were heaps of the bodies of the Norwegians, and
even the spits on which the meat was roasting rested their ends on the bodies
of Norwegians, and the fire was burning the bodies, so that the meat and fat
that they had eaten the night before was bursting out of their bellies. The
messengers of Máel Sechlainn were looking at them thus, and they were
reproaching the Danes for it. This is what the Danes said: They would like to
have us like that.
They had a huge ditch full of gold and silver to give to
Patrick. For the Danes were like that, and they had kinds of piety—that
is, they abstained from meat and from women for a while, for the sake of
piety.
Now this battle gave good spirits to all the Irish because of the destruction it brought upon the Norwegians.
In this year the Norwegian king was invited to Máel Sechlainn to drink, and there was a great feast waiting for him. And the Norwegian king swore to perform everything on his oath. But all the same he did not observe the least thing that he had sworn after he went out of Máel Sechlainn's house, but began immediately to plunder Máel Sechlainn's territories. However, he did not profit by that war.
Almost at this time Rodolb came with his armies to plunder Osraige. Cerball son of Dúnlang assembled an army against them, and gave them battle, and routed the Norwegians. However, a large troop of the defeated people rode their horses up a high hill, and they were looking at the slain around them, and they saw their own people being killed in the manner in which they slaughtered sheep. Great passion seized them, and what they did was to draw their swords and take their arms, and to attack the Osraige so that they killed many of them; nevertheless they were driven back in rout. At Áth Muiceda that defeat was given. Then trouble occurred for Cerball himself there; that is, when the defeat was accomplished, and he was separated from his attendants, a group of the Norwegians came to him and took him captive. But through the Lord's help he was aided: he himself tore his clothes and the fetters that were on him, and he got away from them safely. Great indeed was the massacre that was made of the Norwegians there.
At this time the Danes (i.e. Horm with his people) came to Cerball son of Dúnlang, and Cerball assisted them against the Norwegians, since they were afraid that they would be overcome by the stratagems of the Norwegians. Therefore Cerball took them to him honourably, and they were together with him often gaining victories over foreigners and Irish.
?852 A great slaughter of the Norwegians by the Ciarraige at Belach Conglais, where many were slain by God's will.
?852 A slaughter of the same heathens, moreover, by the Araid Cliach.
In the same year the men of Munster sent messengers to Cerball son of Dúnlang, asking him to come with the Danes and the muster of Osraige to relieve and reinforce them against the Norse who were plundering and destroying them at that time. Now Cerball responded to that, and he commanded all the Danes and the Osraige to go to assist the men of Munster, and he was obeyed. Then Cerball proceeded against the Norwegians with a large army of Danes and Irish.
When the Norwegians saw Cerball with his army, or retinue, they were seized
by terror and great fear. Cerball went to a high place, and he was talking to
his own people at first. This is what he said, looking at the wasted lands
around him: Do you not see,
said he, how the Norwegians have
devastated this territory by taking its cattle and by killing its people? If
they are stronger than we are today, they will do the same in our land. Since we
are a large army today, let us fight hard against them. There is another reason
why we must do hard fighting: that the Danes who are along with us may discover
no cowardice or timidity in us. For it could happen, though they are on our side
today, that they might be against us another day. Another reason is so that the
men of Munster whom we have come to relieve may comprehend our hardiness, for
they are often our enemies.
Afterwards he spoke to the Danes, and this is what he said to them: Act
valiantly today, for the Norwegians are your hereditary enemies, and have
battled among you and made great massacres previously. You are fortunate that we
are with you today against them. And one thing more: it will not be worth your
while for us to see weakness or cowardice in you.
The Danes and the Irish all answered him that neither cowardice nor weakness would be seen in them. Then they rose up as one man to attack the Norwegians. Now the Norwegians, when they saw that, did not think of giving battle, but fled to the woods, abandoning their spoils. The woods were surrounded on all sides against them, and a bloody slaughter was made of the Norwegians. Until that time the Norwegians had not suffered the like anywhere in Ireland. This defeat occurred at Cruachan in Eóganacht. Cerball came back home with victory and spoils.
Horm and his people were escorted by Cerball to the king of Temair after that. The king of Temair welcomed him and gave him great honour. Then he went to sea. That Horm was killed later by Rhodri, king of the Britons.
Máel Sechlainn and his army then came to Gabrán, and it was at the edge of Gabrán that the other troops were. Although Máel Sechlainn's forces were more numerous, he did not attack them; instead they took a route other than that which was expected, till they reached Carn Lugdach, and there Máel Sechlainn was armed and equipped against all. When the men of Munster saw that, they left their camp and divided their army in two, and the king of Munster, Máel Guala, came against Máel Sechlainn with many horsemen. Cerball and his Danes—those left of Horm's followers who remained with Cerball—had their encampment in a brambly, dense, entangled wood, and Cerball had a great muster there about him. The learned related that Cerball had great difficulty there because Tairceltach mac na Certa practised magic upon him, so that it might be less likely that he should go to the battle; so Cerball said that he would go to sleep then, and would not go to the battle.
The troop which included the king of Munster overcame Máel Sechlainn's men at first. Then his foot-soldiers came up to relieve him (i.e. to relieve Máel Sechlainn and his followers), and they routed the men of Munster and massacred them. Many of their freemen were slain there. The learned relate that the number of the defeated army was twenty thousand.
When Cerball heard of that, he decided that hostages should be given to Máel Sechlainn so that his territory would not be devastated; and Máel Sechlainn accepted hostages from him. For Land, daughter of Dúnlang, sister of Cerball, was the wife of Máel Sechlainn.
Máel Sechlainn went to Munster, and he was at Imlech for a month,
raiding Munster, so that he took the hostages of Munster from Comar Trí
n-Uisce to Inis Tarbna in the west of Ireland. That was the battle of Carn
Lugdach. In that battle Máel Cróin son of Muiredach, one of the
two kings of the Déissi, was killed. Although Máel Sechlainn did
not make this expedition to take the kingship of Munster for himself, it was
worth coming in order to kill those
Alas, indeed, as we say often: it is a pity for the Irish
that they have
What the
Norwegians are doing now, that is, destroying the whole country, is no reason
for a man in Osraige to be drunk. But may God protect you all the same, and may
you win victory and triumph over your enemies as you often have done, and as you
still shall. Shake off your drunkenness now, for drunkenness is the enemy of
valor.
When Cerball heard that, his drunkenness left him and he seized his arms. A third of the night had passed at that time. This is how Cerball came out of his chamber: with a huge royal candle before him, and the light of that candle shone far in every direction. Great terror seized the Norwegians, and they fled to the nearby mountains and to the woods. Those who stayed behind out of valor, moreover, were all killed.
When daybreak came the next morning, Cerball attacked all of them with his troops, and he did not give up after they had been slaughtered until they had been routed, and they had scattered in all directions. Cerball himself fought hard in this battle, and the amount he had drunk the night before hampered him greatly, and he vomited much, and that gave him immense strength; and he urged his people loudly and harshly against the Norwegians, and more than half of the army was killed there, and those who escaped fled to their ships. This defeat took place at Achad mic Erclaige. Cerball turned back afterwards with triumph and great spoils.
At that time came Hona and Tomrir Torra, two noble chieftains, and this
Hona was a druid; and they were brave, hard men of great renown among their own people;
moreover they were of fully noble stock of the great race of Norway. That pair then proceeded
with their troops to Luimnech, and from Luimnech to Port Láirge. Nevertheless they
relied more on their own strength than on the troops. The Eóganachta and
Araid Cliach mustered against them, and they met face to face, and there was
hard fighting between them, with the result that they drove the Norwegians into
a small place with strong fortification around it. Then the druid, Hona, who was
the elder of them, went up onto the rampart with his mouth open, praying to his
gods and doing his druidry, and urging his people to worship the gods. One of
the Munster men came up to him and gave him a blow across the jaw with a large
stone, and knocked all of his teeth out of his head. He turned then to face his own
I shall die of this,
he said; and he fell backwards and his life went out
of him. They were attacked with stones after that, until they could not stand
it, but left that place, and went into the nearest marsh, and the other
chieftain was killed there; and that was how they slew the two chieftains, Hona
of Luimnech and Tomrir Torra. Only two of their noblemen escaped, and a small
number with them; and thus the men of Munster won victory and triumph.
This is what Máel Sechlainn did: he stationed around his tent the Laigin and the Munstermen and the Connachtmen and the Ulaid and the men of Brega, with their weapons naked in their hands. The king himself, i.e. Máel Sechlainn, stayed watchful and wary and sleepless for fear of Áed, although he had given an oath in the presence of the successor of Patrick. Nevertheless Áed came with his forces to attack Máel Sechlainn's encampment, and they did not find it as they had expected it, for Máel Sechlainn's army had all their weapons in their hands, and they rose up together against the people who had come to attack them, so that they routed them after slaughtering them.
Then madness seized a certain band of them, and they came to Máel Sechlainn's tents, thinking that they were those of their own people. They were there until they were all killed—and it was on account of the false oath they had taken that God did that. Máel Sechlainn returned home after that victory. Moreover, Amlaib was along with Áed in this defeat.
A massacre of Rodolb's followers by Cerball son of Dúnlang at Sliab Mairge, and they were all killed except for a few of them who escaped in the woods. They had plundered Lethglenn, and they had its hostages after killing a great number of the community of Lethglenn.
The abbacy of Tír-dá-Glas was taken by Máel Pettair in this year.
The capture of Diarmait by the heathens.
A slaughter of the Norwegians by Flann son of Conaing, king of Cianachta.
Then their arrogance and their youthfulness incited them to voyage across the
Cantabrian Ocean (i.e. the sea that is between Ireland and Spain) and they
reached Spain, and they did many evil things in Spain, both destroying and
plundering. After that they proceeded across the Gaditanean Straits (i.e. the
place where the Irish Sea sic goes into the surrounding
Brother,
he
said, we are very foolish and mad to be killing ourselves going from country
to country throughout the world, and not to be defending our own patrimony, and
doing the will of our father, for he is alone now, sad and discouraged in a land
not his own, since the other son whom we left along with him has been slain, as
has been revealed to me.
It would seem that that was revealed to him in a
dream vision; and his Ragnall's other son was slain in battle; and moreover,
the father himself barely escaped from that battle—which dream proved to
be true.
While he was saying that, they saw the Mauritanian forces coming towards them, and when the son who spoke the above words saw that, he leaped suddenly into the battle, and attacked the king of the Mauritanians, and gave bim a blow with a great sword and cut off his hand. There was hard fighting on both sides in this battle, and neither of them won the victory from the other in that battle. But all returned to camp, after many among them had been slain. However, they challenged each other to come to battle the next day.
The king of the Mauritanians escaped from the camp and fled in the night
after his hand had been cut off. When the morning came, the Norwegians seized
their weapons and readied themselves firmly and bravely for the battle. The
Mauritanians, however, when they noticed that their king had departed, fled
after they had been terribly slain. Thereupon the Norwegians swept across the
country, and they devastated and burned the whole land. Then they brought a
great host of them captive with them to Ireland, i.e. those are the black men.
For
?866 In that year the Norwegian kings went into Munster with huge armies, and they plundered Munster severely; all the same, they were badly defeated there. For Cennétig son of Gáethíne, king of Loíches, came. (He was a son of Land, daughter of Dúnlang, who was also the mother of Flann son of Máel Sechlainn, and she was then the wife of Áed son of Niall, king of Temair.) This son of Gáethíne was the most savage and triumphant man against the foreigners in Ireland at this time. This Cennétig came, then, with the Loíchsi and many of the Osraige along with him, to the encampment of the Norwegians, and they slaughtered their noblemen in the middle of the camp. It was then that Cennétig saw one of his own people, with two Norwegians trying to cut off his head, and he came quickly to save him, and he beheaded those two men and saved his own attendant. Cennétig proceeded with victory and triumph.
Then the raiding party of Norwegians, which had great spoils, attacked
Cennétig. When they had heard those noblemen being slain, they had left
their raid and their booty, and had come hard and actively against Cennétig.
Foreign, barbarous cries were raised there, and the noise of
many war trumpets, and a crowd were saying Núi, nú!
Then
many arrows were loosed between them, and short spears, and finally they took to
their heavy and hard-smiting swords. Nevertheless, God was helping the son of
Gáethíne and his troops; the Norwegians were overcome, and left
the place of battle; they went in rout after their bloody defeat.
A certain group did not flee far away because of their weakness—having
suffered great famine—or because they were ashamed to run away. When they
saw the army of the son of Gáethíne gathering up the riches that
they had abandoned, they came after them. When the son of Gáethíne
Then these people, the son of Gáethíne and his party, made a great slaughter of the noblemen of the Norwegian king in another place in Munster—that is, of the horsetroops of the Norwegian king. In revenge the Norwegians killed a great host of clerics who were ... themselves, but this was after unction and penance.
At that time Máel Ciaráin gained great fame among the Irish from his frequent victories over the Norwegians.
At this time the Ciarraige besieged the followers of that Tomrar, and since they had prayed to Brénaind at the edge of the sea, the Lord was helping the Irish: for the sea was drowning the Norwegians, and the Ciarraige were slaying them. Old Congal, king of the Ciarraige, took the victory in this conflict. A few of the Norwegians escaped, naked and wounded; great quantities of gold and silver and beautiful women were left behind.
In this year, moreover, Norwegian forces came from the port of Corcach to plunder Fir Maige Féine, but God did not allow them to do that. For at that time, the Déissi came raiding into the same territory, by God's providence, since the Déissi and the Fir Maige were bitter enemies before then. When the Déissi saw the Norwegians plundering and devastating the land, they came to the Fir Maige, and they made a firm and lasting peace, and together they attacked the Norwegians fiercely and actively and pugnaciously, and there was hard and vigorous fighting between them on both sides. Nevertheless the Norwegians were defeated, by a miracle of the Lord, and they were slaughtered.
However, their leader, whose name was Gním Cinnsiolaigh, fled until he reached a strong castle that was near them, and he attempted to take it, but in vain, since he could not stand the number of javelins and stones that were being cast at him. What he did was to summon Cenn Fáelad to him, because he thought that he was an ally, and he promised him many presents in exchange for protecting him; but this availed him nothing, for he was dragged out, at the entreaty of the multitude who had served him before, and he was miserably killed, and all his followers were slain. Shortly after that, moreover, people came to the castle in which he had passed his life lustfully, and it was totally demolished. Thus it pleased God.
?867 In this year, the sixth year of the reign of Áed son of Niall, there was a defeat of the Uí Néill by the Laigin, in which Máel Muad son of Dúnchad and Máel Murthemne son of Máel Brigte fell.
When Amlaib learned that the party of the brother he hated had arrived, what
he did was to send trusted messengers for the strongest and most vigorous
horsemen he had, that they might be in the house to meet Óisle. Then
Óisle came, the handsomest and bravest man in the world at that time; now
he came into his brother's house with few attendants, for he did not expect what
he found there (i.e. to be killed). What he sought there, moreover, was
something that he did not expect to get. First he asked that liberty of speech
be given him. That was granted. This is what he said: Brother,
he said,
if your wife, i.e. the daughter of Cináed, does not love you, why not
give her to me, and whatever you have lost by her, I shall give to you.
When Amlaib heard that, he was seized with great jealousy, and he drew his sword, and struck it into the head of Óisle, his brother, so that he killed him. After that all rose up to fight each other (i.e. the followers of the king, Amlaib, and the followers of the brother who had been killed there); then there were trumpets and battle-cries on both sides. After that the camp of the slain brother was attacked, his followers having been slaughtered. There were many spoils in that camp.
In this year, moreover, Earl Bárith and Háimar, two men of a noble family of the Norwegians, came through the center of Connacht towards Luimnech, as if they would do nothing to the Connachtmen. Nevertheless, that was not how it happened, for they trusted not in numbers, but rather in their own strength. The Connachtmen proceeded to overcome them by ambush; for at that time there happened to be a certain Munster man among them strong and hard and clever in the use of weapons, and that Munster man, moreover, was clever at making plans. The Connachtmen asked him to go to the Norwegians, as if he were going to guide them, and to kill Bárith.
When he came to the place where Háimar was, he stabbed Háimar forcefully with a javelin, and he killed him. But a Connacht soldier who accompanied him in order to kill Bárith did not happen to do as he desired, for he was wounded in his thigh, and he barely escaped afterwards. Then the Connachtmen attacked the Norwegians and slaughtered the Norwegians, but it would not have been thus if the woods and the night had not been near. They returned afterwards to the place from which they had come, and did not go to Luimnech.
Dúnchad son of Dúngal died.
In this year, the seventh year of Áed's reign, the Laigin challenged Cerball son of Dúnlang to battle. Then Cerball prepared for that fight. Two mounted troops met and joined battle, and many among them were slain. However, when the fighting had hardly begun on either side, there came Sluagadach úa Raithnén, successor of MoLaisse of Lethglenn (a deacon at that time, though he was later a bishop and successor of Ciarán of Saigir afterwards); he came with his wise ... and a sincere peace was made between them.
Consequently, Áed sent his army through Cianachta, and they plundered
and burned, and killed people with much slaughter. Flann did not come
immediately to attack them, however, for there was a great fleet at the mouth of
the Bóand at that time, and he sent to them to request that they come to
help him, and they came accordingly, and then the Laigin came to help Flann.
They all pursued the King of Ireland, with his booty ahead of him. Áed
climbed a height and surveyed the great host that was following him ... he and
his advisers said, It is not by the number of warriors that a battle is
won, but by the help of God and by the righteousness of a sovereign. Arrogance
and excessive size of an army, moreover, are not what God values, but rather
humble bearing and firmness of heart. Now these people have a multitude, and
they advance arrogantly. All of you assemble around me now, and do not think of
flight, for you are far from your own homes, and it will not be friends who will
pursue you, and it will not be protection or mercy that you will receive. Do now
as your fathers and grandfathers did: endure volleys discharged at you, in the
name of the Trinity. When you see me rising, rise, all of you, together against
them, as God will guide you.
Monday was the day of the week.
Now, this is what Flann son of Conaing on the other side said to his
The people yonder are few in number, and we are many, so
harden your steps against them.
And he made them into three divisions, he himself in front, and the Laigin
next, and the Norwegians last; and he was telling them all, Those people
yonder will fall by you,
he said, and you will have victory and triumph
over them, for they will not think it proper to flee before you, and you are the
greater number; for I am not in this battle for any other reason than to seize
the kingship of Temair, or to be killed in fighting for it.
Those three
divisions were indeed most lovely; there were many beautiful multi-colored
banners there, and shields of all colors. Then they came in that manner to
attack the King of Ireland.
The king of Ireland, however, was preparing for them, and he had six banners,
the Lord's cross, and the staff of Jesus. Now when the enemy troops came near
Áed, he placed and he arranged around him the king of Ulaid on one side,
and the king of Mide on the other side, and he said to them: Do not think of
flight, but trust in the Lord who gives victory to the Christians; let your
thoughts be not womanish, but manly, and rout your enemies at once so that your
fame may last forever.
They all replied that they would do so.
The King of Ireland had not finished saying the last of those words when their enemies came near, and first they loosed vast showers of arrows and afterwards showers of spears, and the third shower was of javelins, so that the King rose against them with his followers, and they fought bravely against them. (Unfortunately I do not find in the old book that is broken all of the exploits that everyone performed in this battle of Cell úa n-Daigre, nor the fine words that the King of Ireland spoke throughout to direct his own people; though I have the fact that the King defeated his enemies.)
And then the King said (when his troops had accomplished the defeat): Beloved people, spare the Christians, and attack the idolators, since they are fleeing before you. It was not futile for him to say that, for they did attack them, so that not more than a quarter of them escaped unhurt. All of the Laigin escaped to their own homeland, for they had formed themselves into a firm battle-line, shoulder to shoulder, on the advice of their prudent leader, Máel Ciaráin son of Rónán. Flann son of Conaing fled with his troops, however, and the King's people caught up with him and beheaded him, and brought his head to the King's assembly place. And the King lamented over it then, although everyone was telling him that it was not right to mourn it simply because of the nearness of their kinship, and for other reasons which I cannot get out of the old book, etc.
?869 Kl. In this year, the eighth year of the reign of Áed Findliath, the Laigin drove away one of their chieftains, because they hated him—that is, they were jealous of him on account of the victories he had won over the Norwegians—or because they regarded him as an interloper, for he was of the stock of the Ciarraige Luachra; or else they hated him because of his arrogance. Because he could not be at the head of the noblemen of the Laigin, and king of the Laigin, he came with his followers to the King of Ireland, after he had been banished, and on account of his renowned valor the King received him with honor and gave his daughter, Eithne, to him as wife.
So great, moreover, was the power and the strength that he exercised over the
Norwegians that they did not dare do any servile work on Sundays. It would be an
impressive story to relate all the tributes that they used to pay to him
... It was from envy and jealousy that the Laigin drove him away from themselves,
and moreover, because he was of the men of Munster. Afterwards he came with
troops to the Laigin, and he
Then the Laigin mustered about their king, that is, about Muiredach son of Bróen, and he was a harsh, triumphant, clever king, for he had been for a long time in exile in Alba, and he was by nature hard and brave; and they decided that they should attack the Loíchsi and Osraige who were in Dún m-Bolg, rather than the king of Ireland who was at Belach Gabráin, and that they should attack the encampment at night. Thus the Laigin went, with their king along with them, hardily and bravely in their battle ranks to Dún m-Bolg, where their enemies were. Rough was their strength; the human condition is strange, for the Laigin trusted in St. Brigit that they would have victory and triumph over the Osraige and Loíchsi. However, the Osraige trusted in St. Ciarán of Saigir to bring them victory and triumph over the Laigin. The Laigin were praying fervently to St. Brigit that they might kill their enemies ...
Then the Laigin came to the side of the encampment where the son of
Gáethíne was. The son of Gáethíne did not evade
them, but attacked them harshly and fiercely, as was his custom. Then there was
hard and bloody fighting on both sides. For a long time there were heard the
cries of men driving each other to distress, and the clamour of the war
trumpets; and the earth began to shake so that their horses and pack animals ran
mad, and that was a great impediment to the actions of the warriors.
Nevertheless, those of the army who were in the clefts of the rocks went after
the pack animals and stopped many of them. That tumult was great, and great also
was the noise in the air above them. While they were about that, Cerball was
instructing his people, for it was the beginning of night,
No matter from what direction the enemies approach you, let none
of you move from his battle position; and maintain yourselves firmly against the
enemies.
Cerball went with a troop to his sister's son, Cennétig, who was in
great difficulty among his enemies, and he raised his harsh voice on high and
was encouraging his people against the Laigin (and the Laigin heard that), and
then his people were supporting him. He Cerball appointed two of his men to
guard and protect him. The king of Laigin cast a javelin at them and killed one
of those two men, Folachtach, the
Cerball and Cennétig came in tight, orderly battalions through the midst of their enemies to Gabrán, to the King of Ireland, Áed Findliath (whose wife was Cerball's sister, and mother of Cennétig), and they told the King of Ireland what had happened with them, that is, that their camp had been taken, etc. They had a friendly conversation, and they parted after that.
The king of the Laigin gave no good response to the King of Ireland, but he reminded him of what had been done to him, and he gave neither tribute nor hostages.
Amlaib went from Ireland to Norway to fight the Norwegians and help his father, Gofraid, for the Norwegians were warring against him, his father having sent for him. Since it would be lengthy to tell the cause of their war, and since it has so little relevance to us, although we have knowledge of it, we forego writing it, for our task is to write about whatever concerns Ireland, and not even all of that; for the Irish suffer evils not only from the Norwegians, but they also suffer many evils from themselves.
?871-872 In this year, i.e. the tenth year of the reign of Áed Findliath, Imar son of Gothfraid son of Ragnall son of Gothfraid Conung son of Gofraid and the son of the man who left Ireland, i.e. Amlaib, plundered from west to east, and from south to north.
?872 In this year, i.e. in the eleventh year of Áed's reign, Bárith came (now he was the fosterfather of the king's son) and brought many ships with him from the sea westward to Loch Rí, and from them he plundered the islands of Loch Rí, and the neighboring territories, and Mag Luirg. It was then that God rescued the successor of Colum from the hands of the Norwegians, and when he escaped from them, they thought that he was a pillar stone.
The harassing of Britain in this year.
Lacuna from c. 871 to 900
Then noble messengers came from the Laigin, from Cerball son of
Muirecán, to Cormac first, and they delivered a message of peace on
behalf of those of the Laigin who appeared to him (?): i.e., that there would be
one peace in all of Ireland until the next Béltaine (for it was a
fortnight into autumn at that time), and hostages would be given into the
keeping
The peace offered him was most welcome to Cormac, and he came to tell
Flaithbertach about it, and he told it to him as it had been brought him from
the Laigin. When Flaithbertach heard that, he was greatly horrified, and he
said, This demonstrates,
he said, your lack of spirit and the meanness
of your descent, for you are the son of an outsider
—and he said many
bitter and insulting words that it would be tedious to relate.
This is the reply that Cormac gave him: I am certain,
said Cormac,
of what will result from that—that is, from giving battle—holy
man,
said he. Cormac will be cursed for it, and it is likely that you
will die.
And when he had said that, he came to his own tent, tired and
sorrowful, and when he had seated himself, he took a bucket of apples that was
brought to him, and he was distributing them to his followers and he said,
Beloved people,
said he, I shall never bestow apples upon you from
this time forward.
Is it so, dear earthly lord?
asked his people.
Why have you made us sad and sorrowful? You have often made evil prophecies for us.
He said then, Indeed, beloved people, what sorrowful thing have I said?
For it is small wonder that I should not give you apples from my own hand, since
there will be some one among you after me who will distribute apples to you.
Afterwards he ordered a watch. There was summoned to him then the wise, pious man, the exalted successor of Comgall, and he made his confession and his will in his presence, and he received the Body of Christ from his hand, and he renounced life in the presence of this Móenach, for he knew that he would be killed in the battle, but he did not wish many to know this about him. He asked that his body be brought to Cluain Uama, if possible, but if it was not, that it be brought to the burial ground of Diarmait grandson of Áed Rón, where he had studied for a long time. He greatly desired, however, to be buried at Cluain Uama of the son of Léníne. Móenach, however, preferred to bury him at Dísert Diarmata, for Dísert Diarmata was one of Comgall's places, and Móenach was successor of Comgall. Móenach son of Siadal was the wisest man in his time, and he worked hard then to make peace between the Laigin and the men of Munster, if possible. Many of the army of Munster deserted without leave.
Now there was great clamor and commotion in the encampment of the men of
Munster at that time, for they heard that Flann son of Máel Sechlainn was
in the Laigin camp with a huge army of foot and horse. Then Móenach said,
Nobles of Munster,
said he, it would be right
All the men of Munster were
saying that it was Flaithbertach son of Inmainén alone who compelled them
to go into Leinster.
After the great complaint that they made, they came across Slíab Mairge from the west to Droichet Lethglinne. However, Tipraite, successor of Ailbe, and many clerics along with him stayed at Lethglenn, and also the servants of the army and their pack horses.
Then the men of Munster sounded trumpets and battlecries, and proceeded to Mag Ailbe. They were waiting for their enemies with their backs to a dense wood. The men of Munster formed themselves into three equally large, equally extensive battalions: Flaithbertach son of Inmainén and Cellach son of Cerball, king of Osraige, leading the first battalion; Cormac son of Cuilennán, the king of Munster, leading the middle Munster battalion; Cormac son of Mothla, king of the Déissi, and the king of Ciarraige, and kings of many other tribes of West Munster in the third battalion. Then they proceeded like that over Mag Ailbe. They were complaining about the number of their enemies and the smallness of their own forces. This is what the wise men (i.e., the people who were among them) reported: that the Laigin with their allies were three or four times the number of the men of Munster, or more.
Now the men of Munster came to the battle weak and in disorder. The noise in
this battle was grievous, as the learned tell (i.e., the people who were in the
battle), that is, the noise of the one army being slain, and the noise of the
other army exulting in that slaughter. Now there were two causes that made the
men of Munster suffer sudden defeat: first, that Célechair, kinsman of
Cenn Gécáin, leaped suddenly onto his horse, and as he leaped onto
his horse, he said: Nobles of Munster,
he said, flee at once from this
horrible battle, and leave it to the clergy themselves, who have given no other
counsel but to do battle.
And he fled immediately after that, and a great
troop along with him. And then the other cause of the defeat: Cellach son of
Cerball, when he saw the troop that included the King of Ireland's noble
followers slaughtering his own troop, leaped upon his horse, and said to his own
people, Get up on your horses, and drive away the people who are before
you!
And although he said that, it was not really for fighting that he said
it, but rather in order to flee. What resulted from those causes, then, was the
unanimous flight of the Munster battalions.
Alas, grievous and great was the slaughter throughout Mag Ailbe after
that. Clergy were spared no more than laymen there; they were equally
killed and beheaded. Whenever laymen or cleric was spared there, it was
Now Cormac the king escaped in the lead of the first troop. But his horse
jumped into a ditch, and he fell from the horse; when a group of his people saw
that as they were fleeing, they came to the king and put him back on his horse.
Then he saw one of his own fostersons, named Áed, of the noblemen of the
Eóganachta, learned in wisdom and jurisprudence and historical traditions
and Latin, and the king said to him Beloved son,
said he, do not stay
with me, but get away as best you can. I have told you already that I would be
killed in this battle.
A few stayed with Cormac, and he proceeded along the way on horseback, and
there was much blood from men and horses along that road. Then the hind legs of
his horse slipped on the slick road, in the path of that blood; the horse fell
backwards, and the king fell backwards, and his back and his neck were broken in
two, and he said as he was falling,
And his spirit departed, and the accursed impious sons went and
stabbed spears into his body, and hacked his head from his body.
Although many were the slain on Mag Ailbe east of the Berba, the cruelty of the Laigin was not satisfied with that, so they pursued the retreat westward across Slíab Mairge, and they killed many noblemen in that pursuit.
At the very beginning of the battle Cellach son of Cerball, king of Osraige, and his son had immediately been killed. Both laymen and clergy were killed severally from then on: many noble clergy were killed in this battle, and many kings and chieftains. Fogartach son of Suibne, the sage in philosophy and theology, king of Ciarraige, was slain, and Ailill son of Eógan, the distinguished young scholar and nobleman, and Colmán, abbot of Cenn Éitig, distinguished master of jurisprudence in Ireland, and many others, whom it would be a long task to write down.
The laymen, moreover, were Cormac, king of the Déissi; Dubucán, king of Fir Maige; Cenn Fáelad, king of Uí Conaill; Connadar and Aineslis of the Uí Thairdelbaig; and Éiden, king of Aidne, who was in exile in Munster; Máel Muad; Matudán; Dub dá Bairenn; Congal; Catharnach; Feradach; Áed, king of Uí Liathain; and Domnall, king of Dún Cermna.
These are the men who won the battle: Flann son of Máel Sechlainn,
King of Ireland; and Cerball son of Muirecán, king of Laigin; and Tadc
son of Fáelán, king of Uí Ceinnselaig; Temenán, king
of Uí Dega; Cellach and Lorccán, two kings of Fir Cualann;
Indeirge son of Dub Gilla, king of Uí Dróna; Follaman son of
Ailill, king of Fotharta Fea; Tuathal son of Augaire, king of Uí
Muiredaig; Augrán son of Cennétig,
Flann, King of Ireland, came after that with a large troop of royal horsemen, and installed Diarmait son of Cerball in the kingship of Osraige.
Then a group came before Flann, and they had the head of Cormac the king;
they said to Flann, Life and health, triumphant powerful king: we have the
head of Cormac for you; and as is the custom with kings, raise your thigh, and
put this head under it, and crush it with your thigh.
That is indeed evil,
said Flann to them, and it was not thanks that he
gave them. It was an evil deed,
he said, to cut off the holy bishop's
head; I shall honour it, and not crush it.
Flann took the head in his hands,
and kissed it, and he carried the consecrated head and the true martyr around
him three times. After that the head was honourably brought from him to the
body, in the place where Móenach son of Siadal, successor of Comgall,
was, and he took Cormac's body to Dísert Diarmata, and it was greatly
honoured there, where it produces omens and miracles.
Why, then, should the heart not be moved and mourn this awful deed, that is, the killing and hacking up (with abominable weapons) of the holy person who was the most skilled that ever was or will be of the men of Ireland? A scholar in Irish and in Latin, the wholly pious and pure chief bishop, miraculous in chastity and in prayer, a sage in government, in all wisdom, knowledge and science, a sage of poetry and learning, chief of charity and every virtue; a wise man in teaching, high king of the two provinces of all Munster in his time. ...
Flann, the King of Ireland, returned then, after leaving Diarmait in the kingship of Osraige and making a peace in partnership between him and his kinsmen. The Laigin returned also with triumph and spoils. Cerball son of Muirecán, king of the Laigin proceeded to Cell Dara with great troops of captives, and Flaithbertach son of Inmainén among those. The evil things that certain scholars of Leinster said about Flaithbertach are shameful to tell, and improper to write.
Flaithbertach was brought to Cell Dara then, and the clergy of Leinster reproached him severely, for they knew that it had been he alone who had urged the hosting and the battle, and that Cormac had come against his will. However, after the death of Cerball, king of the Laigin, Flaithbertach was released, which was at the end of that year, according to some. Muirenn, successor of Brigit, along with a large group of clergy and many relics, escorted him to Mag n-Airb, and when he arrived in Munster he made peace there. Afterwards he went to his monastery on Inis Cathaig, and he spent a while there piously, until he came out again to take the kingship of Cashel, and he was king of Munster for thirty-two years.
It was of this battle that Dallán son of Moire, master-poet of Cerball,
king of the Laigin, sang:
Some say that this was how Cerball was killed: he was going into Cell Dara
eastward along the street of the stone steps, with a proud horse under him, when
he came opposite a comb-maker's workshop; at that moment the comb-maker set out
his antlers, when the horse was opposite him outside, and the proud horse shied
backwards, and he Cerball struck his own spear, in the hands of his own
servant, who was behind him (and Uille was the name of that boy, or the name of
the comb-maker). Cerball died of that wound at the end of a year, and he was
buried among his forefathers in the graveyard of Nás. Whence was said:
?907 We have related above, that
is, in the fourth year previously, that the Norwegian armies were driven out of
Ireland, thanks to the fasting
Now the Norwegians left Ireland, as we said, and their leader was Ingimund, and they went then to the island of Britain. The son of Cadell son of Rhodri was king of the Britons at that time. The Britons assembled against them, and gave them hard and strong battle, and they were driven by force out of British territory.
After that Ingimund with his troops came to Aethelflaed, Queen of the Saxons; for her husband, Aethelred, was sick at that time. (Let no one reproach me, though I have related the death of Aethelred above, because this was prior to Aethelred's death and it was of this very sickness that Aethelred died, but I did not wish to leave unwritten what the Norwegians did after leaving Ireland.) Now Ingimund was asking the Queen for lands in which he would settle, and on which he would build barns and dwellings, for he was tired of war at that time. Aethelflaed gave him lands near Chester, and he stayed there for a time.
What resulted was that when he saw the wealthy city, and the choice lands
around it, he yearned to possess them. Ingimund came then to the chieftains of
the Norwegians and Danes; he was complaining bitterly before them, and said that
they were not well off unless they had good lands, and that they all ought to go
and seize Chester and possess it with its wealth and lands. From that there
resulted many great battles and wars. What he said was, Let us entreat and
implore them ourselves first, and if we do not get them good lands willingly
like that, let us fight for them by force.
All the chieftains of the
Norwegians and Danes consented to that.
Ingimund returned home after that, having arranged for a hosting to follow him. Although they held that council secretly, the Queen learned of it. The Queen then gathered a large army about her from the adjoining regions, and filled the city of Chester with her troops.
?918 Almost at the same time the men of Foirtriu and the Norwegians fought a battle. The men of Alba fought this battle steadfastly, moreover, because Colum
Cille was assisting them, for they had prayed fervently to him, since
The armies of the Danes and the Norwegians mustered to attack Chester, and since they did not get their terms accepted through request or entreaty, they proclaimed battle on a certain day. They came to attack the city on that day, and there was a great army with many freemen in the city to meet them. When the troops who were in the city saw, from the city wall, the many hosts of the Danes and Norwegians coming to attack them, they sent messengers to the King of the Saxons, who was sick and on the verge of death at that time, to ask his advice and the advice of the Queen. What he advised was that they do battle outside, near the city, with the gate of the city open, and that they choose a troop of horsemen to be concealed on the inside; and those of the people of the city who would be strongest in battle should flee back into the city as if defeated, and when most of the army of the Norwegians had come in through the gate of the city, the troop that was in hiding beyond should close the gate after that horde, and without pretending any more they should attack the throng that had come into the city and kill them all.
Everything was done accordingly, and the Danes and Norwegians were frightfully slaughtered in that way. Great as that massacre was, however, the Norwegians did not abandon the city, for they were hard and savage; but they all said that they would make many hurdles, and place props under them, and that they would make a hole in the wall underneath them. This was not delayed; the hurdles were made, and the hosts were under them making a hole in the wall, because they wanted to take the city, and avenge their people.
It was then that the King (who was on the verge of death) and the Queen
Life and health to you from the
King of the Saxons, who is ill, and from the Queen, who holds all authority over
the Saxons, and they are certain that you are true and trustworthy friends to
them. Therefore you should take their side: for they have given no greater honour to any Saxon warrior or cleric than they have given to each warrior or cleric who has come to them from Ireland, for this inimical race of pagans is equally hostile to you also. You must, then, since
you are faithful friends, help them on this occasion.
This was the same as
saying to them, Since we have come from faithful friends of yours to converse
with you, you should ask the Danes what gifts in lands and property they would
give to the people who would betray the city to them. If they will make terms
for that, bring them to swear an oath in a place where it would be convenient to
kill them, and when they are taking the oath on their swords and their shields,
as is their custom, they will put aside all their good shooting weapons.
All was done accordingly, and they set aside their arms. And the reason why those Irish acted against the Danes was because they were less friends to them than the Norwegians. Then many of them were killed in that way, for huge rocks and beams were hurled onto their heads. Another great number were killed by spears and by arrows, and by every means of killing men.
However, the other army, the Norwegians, was under the hurdles, making a hole in the wall. What the Saxons and the Irish who were among them did was to hurl down huge boulders, so that they crushed the hurdles on their heads. What they did to prevent that was to put great columns under the hurdles. What the Saxons did was to put the ale and water they found in the town into the towns cauldrons, and to boil it and throw it over the people who were under the hurdles, so that their skin peeled off them. The Norwegians response to that was to spread hides on top of the hurdles. The Saxons then scattered all the beehives there were in the town on top of the besiegers, which prevented them from moving their feet and hands because of the number of bees stinging them. After that they gave up the city, and left it. Not long afterwards there was fighting again ...
It is the end of time,
said he,
when peasants like these dare to rise against freemen.
The King of
Ireland and his sons immediately gathered an
?910 Kl. Diarmait, king of Osraige,
and Áed son of Dub Gilla, king of Uí Dróna, devastated the
south of Mag Raigne, and they destroyed
?910 Uallachán son of Cathal, eligible to be king of Uí Failge, died.
Augaire son of Ailill was made king over the Laigin.
?910 Buadach son of Mothla, eligible to be king of the Déissi, died.
911
?911 Máel Mórdai, abbot of Tír dá Glas, died.
?912 Gáethíne son of Augrán, eligible to be king of Loíches, dies.
?912 Buadach son of Gossán, eligible to be king of Uí Bairrche, died.
?912 Dianim, daughter of Dub Gilla,
wife of Dúnlang, died, whence is said:
A raid on Osraige by Cormac, king of the Déissi, and many churches and many monastic buildings were destroyed. The Osraige killed the brother of this Cormac, i.e. Cuilennán. When Cormac was plundering Osraige, Máel Ruanaid son of Niall, the son of the king who had previously ruled the Déissi, came after Cormac with a group of Osraige to this Cormacs stronghold, and the aforementioned Cuilennán came to oppose them, and gave them battle, and Cuilennán was killed in that encounter. When Cormac returned he heard that story, and he himself saw the clothes of his brother in the hands of the people who had killed him, and Cormac was then grieved and sorrowful.
In this year Domnall son of Bráenán son of Cerball
was killed miserably in the middle of his own stronghold, and though Diarmait had
?913
?913 Cormac, bishop of Saigir, died.
?913 Kl. Máel Máedoc, abbot of Druim Mór, died.
?913 Tipraite, bishop of Cluain Eidnech, died.
?913 Líthach, abbot of Cluain Eidnech, died.
Lachtnán son of Cernach, king of Dún Nar in Loíches, died.
?913 Máel Patraic son of Flaithróe, king of Ráith Domnaig, died.
?913
In that year great armies of Dark Foreigners and Fair Foreigners Danish and Norwegian Vikings came again to attack the Saxons, after the installation of Sitric grandson of Imar as king. They challenged the Saxons to battle, and the Saxons did not delay, but came at once to attack the pagans. A hard and ferocious battle was fought between them, and there was great energy and heat and contention on both sides. Much noble blood was spilled in this battle; nevertheless, it was the Saxons who won victory and spoils after massacring the pagans. For the king of the pagans was taken ill, and he was carried out of the battle to a forest nearby, and he died there.
Now Oittir, the most greatly esteemed earl in this battle, when he saw the Saxons slaughtering his people, fled into a dense wood near him, along with those of his people who survived. A huge throng of Saxons came after him, and they surrounded the wood. The Queen commanded them to hack down all of the forest with their swords and battleaxes, and they did so. First they felled the trees, and then all the pagans who were in the wood were killed. The pagans were slaughtered by the Queen like that, so that her fame spread in all directions.
Aethelflaed, through her own cleverness, made peace with the men of Alba and with the Britons, so that whenever the same race should come to attack her, they would rise to help her. If it were against them that they came, she would take arms with them. While this continued, the men of Alba and Britain overcame the settlements of the Norwegians and destroyed and sacked them.
The king of the Norwegians came after that and sacked Srath Cluada, and plundered the land. But the enemy was ineffectual against Srath Cluada.