"Westeopp — Eai-thworlcs and Ring-walls in County Limerick. 481 



King of Tara, Art Aeinfir, who had done nothing so far, joined Eoghan and 

 marched after the enemy. They, too, reached Magh Mucramha, where 

 Medbh, two centuries before, had tried to reckon the fairy swine from the 

 sidh of Croghan.' The royal armies were in high spirits in their march from 

 the Shannon. Each side brought its druids, to use their heaviest artillery of 

 magic. The blind druid, Dil, from Ossory, son of Creaga (or Treith, son of 

 Daerega, at Carn Feradaich),- was with King Eoghan, and gave that prince 

 his daughter and chariot-driver, Monclia, the day before the battle ; she 

 became mother of the future King Fiacha Muillethan.^ So also Art left his 

 wife, mother of the great King Cormac. In vain Dil, like Balaam, was bi'ought 

 to curse the foe. Mac Con gained an overwhelming victory, and among 

 the countless slain were the two Kings* and the younger sons of OilioU 

 01am — Ferfi was avenged. 



Lughaidh seized the throne of Tara ; he eventually most humanely adopted 

 Art's posthumous son Cormac, and reigned thirty years till he, too. was driven 

 from the throne. In his distress he turned to his aged step-father, Oilioll, 

 at Dun Claire, where he still dragged on life, mourning for his dead 

 sons. Lughaidh overestimated his claim : his offence was beyond atonement ; 

 he attempted to embrace Oilioll, who bit him on the cheek, and called on 

 Ferchis to slay him. Mac Con set his back against a pillar; his few retainers 



^ The ancient poem on the cemetery " by Torna Eigeas " is edited in Revue Celtique, 

 vol.xvii, p. 28; see also the ancient Tract on the Cemeteries; see Petrie's "Round Towers" 

 (ed. ii), pp. 100, 107. The host of slaughterers from Croghan were pursued by Nera into 

 it (Echtra Nerai). 



The mound was a receptacle of strange beasts — Wer-wolves (three daughters of 

 Airitech) who came to Bricriu Cairn and were slain (Irische Texte, iv. 1, p. 264) ; the 

 King Cat who gave oracles out of the mound at Cruachan (as another keeps his court in 

 the cave at Cnogba) until the mission of St. Patrick ; the three-headed bird and the 

 fiery birds which waste Ireland (Revue Celtique, vol. xiii, p. 449. Feis tighe chonain, 

 pp. 35-6), and the famous swine (Dindsenchas, Revue Celtique, vol. xvi, pp. 470-472). 



This was true of similar mounds. Three hares, the sons of Conchobar mac Nessa, 

 came out of the sidh of Bman Macha (Eriu, vol. vii, p. 243, from MS. T.C.D. H 4. 22, 

 p. 45). Elf kings in the form of stags issue from a mound (Dinds., Rev. Celt., vol. xv, 

 p. 273), and a dragon, a disguised woman (p. 44). 



The lovely fairy prophetess Feithlinn is mentioned by Lady Wilde as appearing to 

 Medbh out of the same mound (Ancient Legends, &c., ed. 1902, p. 137). The remains 

 are described by Mr. Hubert T. Knox (Journal R.S.A.L, vol. xli, p. 93). 



^ Revue Celtique, vol. xi, p. 41, from Book of Lecan, p. 377. 



'Legend tells of her iron will in postponing the birth of her son to a propitious day 

 (Rev. Celt., vol. xiii, p. 453). For the eric for Art's death, claimed by Cormac (aided by 

 Oilioll Olom, Cormac Cass, and Fiacha Muiilethan) — the head of Lughaidh Lagha — see 

 " Battle of Crinna" (Silv. Gadel., vol. ii, p. 361 sqq.). 



* Art was buried in the dumha at Trevet, his head being cut ofl" (Senchas na relec). 

 His son Cormac claimed Lughaidh Lagha's head as an eric for the deed in later years 

 (Battle of Crinna). Art, like his son, was a reputed Christian. 



