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visiting the house of Niall's poet laureat, Laidginn, the son of 

 Barcead, to refresh himself, but on arriving there he was re- 

 fused entertainment. He proceeded home then, but soon re- 

 turned with some followers to the poet's house, burned it, and 

 killed his only son. The poet for a full year after that con- 

 tinued to satirize the Leinstermen, and to bring fatalities upon 

 them, so that neither corn, grass, nor foliage grew unto them 

 during the whole year. In the meantime the poet so worked 

 up the feelings of the monarch Niall, that he vowed to march 

 with his army into Leinster and lay it waste, unless the young 

 prince Eochaidh was delivered up to him again, to be dealt 

 with as he should deem fit, in expiation of the double insult 

 and violation which had been offered to the sacred persons of 

 himself and his poet. This vow he immediately carried into 

 effect, and the King of Leinster, being unable to offer any ef- 

 fectual resistance, was compelled to deliver up his son as he was 

 commanded. The young prince was conveyed to Niall's camp, 

 at Ath Fadat (now Ahade), on the river Slaney (about three 

 miles below Tulla), where he was left with an iron chain round 

 his neck, and the end of the chain passed through a hole in a 

 large upright stone, and fastened at the other side. Shortly 

 after, there came to him nine champions of Niall's soldiers, for 

 the purpose of killing him. This is bad indeed (said he) at the 

 same time giving a sudden jerk, by which he broke the chain. 

 He then took up the iron bar which passed through the chain 

 at the other side of the stone, and faced the nine men, and so 

 well did he ply the iron bar against them, that he killed them 

 all. The Leinstermen, who were in large numbers in the 

 neighbourhood, seeing their prince at liberty by his own va- 

 lour, rushed in, led by him, upon their enemies, and a great 

 battle ensued, in which the monarch was routed, and forced 

 to retreat to Tulla, and ultimately out of Leinster, closely pur- 

 sued, with great slaughter, by the Leinstermen." 



Although this story is doubtless exaggerated, and has 

 the appearance of a legend, it is, nevertheless, in all probabi- 



