Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem/story 73

MAG DUMACH

  1. The land of Ui Failge, the warriors' soil, the highway once trodden by an illustrious concourse, a region of brave men, makers of songs, home of one of the two peoples of populous Leinster,
  2. Life, Lege, prosperous Lechet, Reire, Rechet, level Ross Mor, Geisille, known for brightness of sore battle-fields, and level Mur Da Maige,
  3. Plain and moorland, moorland and wood, wood and moorland, moorland and plain: fork and blue spear swift-wounding: blue swift-wounding spear and shining fork.
  4. Eremon and proud Eber were stirred by hasty valour, ready in arms, concerning the division the kings had made: it endures with their children after them.
  5. They essayed together the division of Erin, by measure of spear-shafts, including three ridges, shining treasures, with a cantred to each of the three:
  6. Druim Cresaig, the fief of mighty Maine; Druim Bethach, dowered with excellence; Druim Fingin in great Munster, root-cause of sorrow for that reason:
  7. Because it was not just, said Eber,—he deemed it too little to have but one of the hills, with all their rash resplendent exploits, while two went with the northern land.
  8. Said Eremon, undaunted, in the midst of his trusty Gaels, that, as it was no case of an inferior line, he would never yield a new division.

    9. p.263

  9. Said Eber, for he was not backward: ‘I will brook no denial, for I am no craven: unless division be made to my advantage, battle shall be waged instead.’
  10. ‘Battle shalt thou have within a month from now,’ quoth Eremon, ‘by tax of blood, as far as Tochar eter Dá Mag, and the skirts of Bri Dam—no idle errand.’
  11. Eber mustered his men from the south, with his force of fighters at his back, with the hosts of the fierce southern land, from Ath Cliath to Loch Lein.
  12. Eremon arose in his wrath in the midst of the shining Gaels, from Srub Brain to Bri Molt, right early, from Cruach Aigle to Loch Cuan.
  13. So the two kings met in the land where the hosts assembled: the battle was broken southward, for the northern force was stronger.
  14. The great Causeway between Two Plains, with its dyke east of the road, did Eber son of Mil betray: of his grave the tale is told.
  15. The crowded highway of King Lugaid, Mag Dumach of the bands that own it by right: after slaughter of armies, many are the stony grave-mounds therein, now turned to ramparts.
  16. The spot where the noble king was slain, before it was known as stony Mag Dumach, bore the name Mag Tendais, place of groans, with much noise of voices and shouting.

    17. p.265

  17. In the strife fell Palap son of Eremon, the noble in all lands, by the hand of Conmael son of mighty Eber, after coming from water to land.