The Book of Invasions

The First Battle of Magh Tuireadh

Eochaid Son of Erc King of the Fir Bolg

Eochaid, son of Erc, was king of the Fir Bolg at that time, and messengers came to him at Teamhair, and told him there was a new race of people come into Inis Fail. It was not known how they had come for none had seen ships upon the sea. The Fir Bolg wondered in awe how this could be. Had they come from beneath the earth or had they come through the air, or had they come on the wind? They knew not. But the Fir Bolg knew that they had settled themselves at Magh Rein.

His people thought that Eochaid would be astonished when he heard that news; but they beheld no wonder on him. For he had dreamed in the night, and when he asked his Druids the meaning of the dream, they forcast, that soon a strong enemy would rise up against him.

So King Eochaid sent emissaries to Balor king of the Fomorians and asked for his aid to oust these new interlopers. But a message came back that the island of Inis Fail had been given to the Fir Bolg and if they wished to hold it they should do so by themselves. However, even as the blood of the Fir Blog had strengthened the Fomorians the blood of the Fomorians had strengthened the Fir Bolg for many of the hybrids, the Fir Domnann considered themselves to be Fir Bolg and they came to King Eochaid’s aid.

Sreng the Mightiest of the Fir Domnann or Mixed Bloods

King Eochaid took counsel with his chief advisers, and they agreed to send a good champion of their own to behold the strangers and to speak with them. They chose Sreng, their greatest fighting man who they held to be mightiest in all Inis Fail, even among Fir Domnann and Fomorians. He was about a quarter Fomorian and with massive bulk that moved a quick as lightning. He rose up and took his strong red-brown shield, and his two thick-handled spears, and his sword, and his head-covering, and his thick iron club, and he set out from Teamhair, and went towards the place the strangers were, at Magh Rein.

Before he reached it, the watchers of the Tuatha de Danaan beheld him coming, and they sent one of their own champions to meet him. Bres, came forth with his shield and his sword and his two spears, to meet and speak and test the other.

The two champions warily approached one towards the other slowly, and they each kept a careful watch on the other and also wondered at one an other's arms. Soon they stopped, for they each judged that they had ventured close enough enough to hear the other clearly. Each put his shield before his body and struck it hard into the ground, and they regarded one another over the rim. Bres spoke first and when Sreng heard him he realized it was the language of his forefathers. At this Sreng became less uneasy. As they spoke they drew nearer, and asked questions as to one an other's family and race till both were convinced they were the same people.

After a while they put their shields away, and it was Sreng that said, “I raised my shield in dread of the thin, sharp spears you have in your hand.” Bres said “I too raised my shield in dread of the thick-handled spears I beheld in your hand.” “Are all the arms of the Fir Bolg of the same sort?” he asked. Sreng took off the tyings of his spears to show them better, and Bres wondered at them, being so strong and so heavy. They were so sharp at the sides though they had no points. Sreng told him the name of those spears was Craisech, and that they would break through shields and crush flesh and bones, so that their thrust was death or wounds that never healed. Then he looked at the sharp, thin, hard-pointed spears that were with Bres. In the end they made an exchange of spears, in this way the fighters on each side would know the weapons the others were used to. The message Bres sent to the Fir Bolg was, that if they would give up one half of Ireland, his people would be content to take it in peace. However, if they would not give up that much, there should be a battle. He and Sreng felt they had made a connection and were departing as friends. They swore to one another that whatever might happen in the future, they themselves would be friends.

Sreng and Bres Both Advised a Peaceful Settlement

Sreng went back then to Teamhair and gave the message and showed the spear; and he advised his people, to share the country and not to go into battle with a people that had weapons so much better than their own. However, Eochaid and his chief men consulted together, and they said in the end: "We will not give up the half of the country to these strangers; for if we do," they said, "they will soon take the whole of it."

As to the Tuatha de Danaan, when Bres went back to them, and showed them the heavy spear, and told them of the strong, fierce man he had got it from, and how sturdy he was and well-armed, he too counseled them to settle peacefully. They, however, thought it likely that the offer had been made falsely and there would soon be a battle for which they began to prepare. They went back from where they were to a better place, farther west in Connacht, and there they settled themselves, and made walls and ditches on the plain of Magh Nia. where they had the great mountain, Belgata, in their rear. When finished they moved there people there with magic.

The Morrigna Unleashed War by Smiting Teamhair

While this happened the three dark queens of the Tuatha de Danaan, Badb, Macha and Nemain, flew to Teamhair where the Fir Bolg were making their plans. By the power of their enchantments they brought mists and clouds of darkness over Teamhair, and they sent showers of fire and of blood over the people. The doom they wove was such that the people could not recognize or speak with one another for the length of three days. However, despite the confusion the three great Druids of the Fir Bolg, Cesarn and Gnathach and Ingnathach, managed to find each other and work their own magic to break the enchantment.

The Fir Bolg gathered their men together then, and they came with their eleven battalions and took their stand at the eastern end of the plain of Magh Nia.

King Nuada, of the Tuatha de Danaan, sent his messengers to make the same offer he had made before, that he would be content with the half of the country if it was given up to him. King Eochaid bade the messengers to ask an answer of his chief men that were gathered there; and when they heard the offer they would not consent. So the messengers asked them “when would you begin the battle?” “We must have a delay,” they said “for we want time to put our spears and our armor in order, and to brighten our helmets and to sharpen our swords, and to have spears made like the ones you have. As to yourselves,” they said, “you shall surely want to have spears like our Craisechs made for you.” So it was they agreed then to make a delay of a quarter of a year for preparation. The truth was that the Tuatha de Danaan did not want to battle the Fir Bolg for they had realized that they were all descended from Nemed. However, they felt so superior to them with their new knowledge that they thought they would beat them easily despite their own smaller numbers.

The Warriors Meet in Battle

It was on a midsummer’s day they began the battle. Three times nine hurlers of the Tuatha de Danaan went out against three times nine hurlers of the Fir Bolg. The Fir Bolg were beaten, and every one of them was killed and only a few of the Tuatha de Danaan were even injured. It was a show of strength on the part of the Tuatha de Danaan. King Eochaid, sent a messenger to ask would they have the battle every day or every second day. Nuada answered “We shall have it every day, but there should be just the same number of men fighting on each side.” Eochaid agreed reluctantly, for there were more men of the Fir Bolg than of the Tuatha de Danaan. Thus the Tuatha de Danaan was beating them and out thinking them at every turn.

The battle continued for four days, and there were great feats done on each side. A great many champions came to their death for the Tuatha de Danaan had under-estimated the strength of the Fir Bolg. King Nuada encountered Mighty Sreng on the battle field and in his hand he held the Sword of Light (Claiomh Solais) sometimes called Fragarach. Nuada also underestimated Sreng and thought himself invincible with the sword of kings in his hand and indeed at first it seemed it might be so. For the sword parried Srengs attacks almost effortlessly. Still Nuada was a little shaken for the blows of Sreng were strong, far beyond the strength of mortal men which he was thought to be, and extremely skilful too. Then Nuada made a mistake allowing Sreng to twist as he parried and brought his sword down between Nuada’s body and his shield, and behold, he severed Nuada’s right arm. Unbeknown to any, the arm of the king fell to the ground onto a poison dart that was there and became poisoned. Immediately Ogma came at Sreng, and while he harried him, others came with Dagda and they carried King Nuada from the field.

For those that were still alive at evening, the physicians on each side made a bath of healing. The baths had every sort of healing plant or herb in them, and in this way the men would become strong and sound for the next day's fight. However, while Cú, Cethen and Cian the healers of the Tuatha de Danaan could heal the king, they could not rejoin his arm, not even their father the miracle working Dian Cecht could do so.

Despite the disheartening injury to Nuada, on the fourth day the Tuatha de Danaan got the upper hand, and the Fir Bolg were driven back. The Tuatha de Danaan then had a stroke of good luck.  A great thirst came on Eochaid, the Fir Bolg king, in midst of the battle. He went off the field looking for a drink, with three fifths of his men protecting him. However, three fifths of the Tuatha de Danaan followed after them till they came to the strand that is called Traigh Eothaile. There they fought fiercely, and at last King Eochaid fell, and they buried him there, and they raised a great heap of stones over his grave.

When there were but three hundred men left of the eleven battalions of the Fir Bolg, with Sreng at the head of them, Nuada offered them peace. He offered them their choice among the five provinces of Ireland. Sreng said they would take Connacht; and he and his people lived there and their children after them. This battle, was the first fought in Ireland by the Tuatha de Danaan and was called the first battle of Magh Tuireadh.

The Taking of Teamhair

The Tuatha de Danaan took possession of Teamhair, that was sometimes called Druim Cain, the Beautiful Ridge, and Liathdruim, the Grey Ridge, and Druim na Descan, the Ridge of the Outlook. All those names were given to Teamhair. From that time it was above all other places, as its king was the High King over all Ireland. The king's rath lay to the north, and the Hill of the Hostages to the north-east of the High Seat, and the Green of Teamhair to the west of the Hill of the Hostages. To the north-east, in the Hill of the Sidhe, was a well called Nemnach. Out of it there flowed a stream called Nith, and on that stream the first mill was built in Ireland.

To the north of the Hill of the Hostages the Tuatha de Danaan took the stone, the Lia Fail, and they set it there. So from that time all the high kings of Inis Fail could be crowned there. The Wall of the Three Whispers was near the House of the Women that had seven doors to the east, and seven doors to the west. It is in that house the feasts of Teamhair were held. There was the Great House of a Thousand Soldiers, and near it, to the south, the little Hill of the Woman Soldiers.

The Making of the Silver Arm and Hand

Even though Nuada had won the battle, he lost his own arm in it, and by that loss there came troubles and vexation on his people. For it was a law with the Tuatha de Danaan that no man that was not perfect in shape should be king. After Nuada had lost his arm he was forced to abdicate the kingship on that account.

Now as to Nuada: after his arm being struck off, he was sick for a while until through the ministrations of the sons of Dian Cecht he was restored to full health. Dian Cecht, the healer, then came to him with Creidhne the Precious Metals Smith and they showed to him plans to make an arm of silver to replace the one he had lost. “You can truly make this thing?” asked Nuada. “Yes my lord,” answered Creidhne, “and I shall build it out of a mix of metals with a base of silver that are far stronger and more durable than flesh and bone.” “And I,” said Dian Cecht “shall join it to what is left of your arm and make it so that it responds to your will even as your arm of flesh and bone does.”

Creidhne went forth and made his metal and poured it into many tiny molds to make the pieces of many tiny machines. When the pieces were ground and polished into shape he assembled them and the result was a stunning work of art, immaculate and awesome to behold. For it was truly an arm like a man’s that moved and articulated just as an arm of flesh though it was an arm of silver. Not only that, but the silver had been polished so bright that it reflected like a mirror.

This he brought unto Nuada. Nuada picked it up and marveled at its design. Dian Cecht came also and explained how it would be attached. Now Nuada’s arm had been severed about half way between his elbow and his shoulder. “This top part of the arm,” said Dian Cecht “is like a cup into which your stump shall be inserted. However, I shall also have to screw this nail into the bone that goes up to your shoulder.” “Do it then,” said Nuada. Dian Cecht placed some ointment on the end of the stump so Nuada would feel no pain and he screwed the nail into the bone right up to his shoulder joint. “This shall allow the silver arm to be held fast in place,” said Dian Cecht “but it may not at first connect perfectly to your will. You may have to learn to use the arm again.” “I cannot feel anything,” said Nuada. “You may not be able to feel anything there for a little while,” said Dian Cecht “as I numbed the area, and in any case, I have yet to join everything up.” Then Dian Cecht chanted a spell and the flesh of Nuada’s stump was joined with the silver arm.

Sometime later when the numbness had dissipated Nuada tried to move his new arm. Indeed it moved but not exactly how he wished. So he tried simpler movements like opening and closing the hand and it worked. So he tried moving or articulating one finger at a time and this he was also able to do. A smile broke out on Nuada lips as he said “it seems to work. You both have my thanks and gratitude for this miracle.”

The Council of the Gods

One month later Nuada stood before the council of the gods and he demonstrated that his new arm was as good as or better than his old one. He showed them that Creidhne and Dian Cecht had made him a mechanical arm and hand of silver, so skillfully that it moved in all its joints, and was as strong and supple as a one of flesh. He showed them that he could pick up heavier weights than before. He showed them that his articulate motion was quicker and more accurate than before and that he could fight far better than before. However, the gods all agreed that he was still imperfect and could not lead them as king. “We have made our choice,” they said. Click here to continue.

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