Page:Eriu Vol 2, 3.djvu/191

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Dala[1] and Fidig mac Feicc, of the Gamanraidi, were laying claim (?) to the kingship.

Fidig mac Feicc goes to Tara to assemble the kings for himself, and he asked Meadb of Eochaid Feidleach. Tindi, Conra’s son, got word of this story, and lay in ambush for Fideic. They met over the Shannon streams, and the children of Conra and Monodar, Conra’s son, slew Fidig, and that was the first reason of the war between the children of Conra and the Gamanraidi. Eochaid Feidleach executed a prince’s injustice on Tindi, drove him into the deserts of Connacht, and set Meadb up in the royal seat of Cruachan. It fell out, however, that Tindi was a visitor (?) with Meadb for a long time after that, so that it was in Cruachan with Meadb the fairs of Ireland were wont to be held, and the sons of the kings of Ireland used to be in Cruachan with Meadb at that time to see if they might exchange war with the province of Conchobar. (Amongst these) came Sraibgend mac Niuil[2] of the Erna,[3] and his son, Mata mac Sraibgind, to Meadb to see if they could make war on Conchobar for all the ill-feeling that was between them. The festival of Tara was held by Eochaid Feidleach, with the provinces of Ireland about him (all) except Meadb and Tindi. The men of Ireland bade Eochaid bring Meadb to the gathering. Eochaid sent Searbluath, his female messenger, to Cruachan for Meadb. Meadb goes on the morrow to Tara, and the fair-races were run by them for a fortnight and a month. Thereafter the men of Ireland disperse. Conchobar stayed after the others in the fair, watching Meadb, and, as Meadb happened to go to the Boyne to bathe, Conchobar met

  1. Eochaid Dala and Fidig mac Feicc are unknown to me.
  2. I can find no other mention of this chief. LL. 292 a 36 tells how, in the reign of Conaire Mór, the Cairbres slew Nemedh ,ac Sraibcinn; but it does not seem to be the same name. See also Irische Texte, III. 314.
  3. These Erna were a tribe of Ultonian invaders of the race of Ugaine Mór, who set the Heberian race aside for a while in the ruling of Munster. See Bk. of Lecan, fol. 203 aa and 208 ba 14; see also Topographical Poems (ed. by O'Donovan) IX. and XI., and Four Masters 186.