Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Irish ordeals, Cormac's adventure in the Land of Promise, and the decision as to Cormac's sword (Author: Unknown)
section 55
Now rules and laws and duties were ordained at that meeting, and the men of Erin's councils were determined. Three preeminent assemblies used to be held at that time, namely,
p.217
the Feast of Tara on Allhallowtide — for that was the Easter of the heathen, and all the men of Erin were at that meeting, helping the king of Erin to hold it — and the Fair of Tailtiu11 at Lammas, and the Great Meeting of Uisnech12 on Mayday. Seven years lasted the preparation for the Feast of Tara, and still at the end of seven years then used to be a convention of all the men of Erin at the Feast of Tara, and there they would determine a jubilee, namely, the Rule of Seven Years from one Feast of Tara to another. And he who broke those rules was a mortal enemy and was banished from Ireland, with this exception that manslayings were permissible in these [eight] places, to wit, Slige Midluachra13, the Ford of Fer-Diad, Áth cliath, Belach Gabráin, Áth n-Ó, Cnám-choill, Conachlaid and the Two Paps of Ánu. If it were in one of these places that any man avenged his wrong no retaliation was made upon him.