Kane — Additional Researches on Black Pigh Dyke. 561 



which is Da Choca belongs to Ailill and Medb." Da Choca has been identified 

 as Breenmore, some six miles N.E. of Athlone. The district in question 

 must, therefore, have lain along the north-east shore of Lough Ree, at the 

 extremity of the confines of the Ulster hinterland, and may be cited as 

 evidence that at the date of the Tainquest, portions of the outlying Ulster 

 territory had been already definitely alienated. Before we leave this south- 

 western portion of Westmeath, I should wish to call attention to some 

 topographical details referred to in the Tain with its iisual precision. In 

 connexion with the final struggle between the armies of Medb, and the levies 

 from Connacht and the southern provinces, we are told that Conor with the 

 Ultonians pursuing the retreating forces of Medb had ari'ived at " Slemain 

 Midhe." The two little conical hills of Slane Beg and Slane Mor are situated 

 about two miles south-west of Portloman at the southern end of Lough Owel. 

 From the latter we have indicated the line of entrenchments of No. 1 frontier 

 to Slane Mor, and onward to the country near Moate, and towards Athlone. 

 Along its northern side the battlefield of Garech and Ilgareeh (names now 

 obsolete) stretched for nine or ten miles west from Slane to a place named 

 Clara or Clare, not far from Ballymore. Here we read in the translation of 

 the "Tain" by O'Looney (preserved in the Eoyal Irish Academy), that the 

 retreating hosts of Medb halted and encamped. " It was then that the four 

 great provinces of Erin established a dun and an encampment at Olathra 

 that night." The hill of Uisnech is about three miles east in the plain from 

 thence. 



In the Yellow Book of Lecau it is stated that at Fedain Collna (which is 

 thought to have been probably a district not far from Ballymore village), 

 Ouchulain lay wounded,' and fastened to the ground by " bent willow wands 

 which held his bratt above him so that it may not touch his skin." At a 

 crisis in the battle Fergus MacEoy engages in single combat with Conor. 

 Not knowing who his antagonist was, he presses his foe so furiously that the 

 king's magical shield roars as was its wont when the King of Uladh was in 

 serious danger. Fergus thereupon retires, not wishing to slay the king. But 

 the roaring of the shield is heard by Cuchulain, who bursts the bonds which 

 fasten him to his sick bed, and rising shouts his battle-cry. The following is 

 from the Book of Leinster : — Mac Both, the chief messenger of all Eria who 

 is in attendance on Ailill and Medb says to them : " I heard a great cry 

 there, to east of the battle and to west of the battle." (Perhaps referring to 

 the sound from the shield, and to the response from Ouchulain on the hither 

 side of the conflict). Ailill then asks: "What kind of a cry is that over 



'50 a 28. 



