Fiacha Finnolaidh whose son
again was Tuathal Teachtmhar. This Tuathal had a son Felimidh Reachtmhar
who had in turn three sons--Conn Ceadcathach, Eochaidh Finn, and Fiacha
Suighde. Conn was king of Ireland for twenty years and the
productiveness of crops and soil and of dairies in the time of Conn are
worthy of commemoration and of fame to the end of time. Conn was killed
in Magh Cobha by the Ulstermen, scil.:--by Tiopruid Tireach and it is
principally his seed which has held the kingship of Ireland ever since.
Eochaidh Finn was second son to Felimidh Reachtmhar and he migrated to
the latter's province of Leinster, and it is in that province his race
and progeny have remained since then. They are called Leinstermen, and
there are many chieftains and powerful persons of them in Leinster.
Fiacha Suighde moreover, although he died before he succeeded to the
chief sovereignty, possessed land around Tara. He left three sons--Ross,
Oengus, and Eoghan who were renowned for martial deeds--valiant and
heroic in battle and in conflict. Of the three, Oengus excelled in all
gallant deeds so that he came to be styled Oengus of the poisonous
javelin. Cormac Mac Art Mac Conn it was who reigned in Ireland at this
time. Cormac had a son named Ceallach who took by force the daughter of
Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde to dwell with him, i.e. Credhe the daughter of
Eoghan. When Oengus Gaebuaibhtheach ("of the poisonous javelin") heard
this, viz., that the daughter of his brother had been abducted by
Ceallach he was roused to fury and he followed Ceallach to Tara taking
with him his foster child, scil.:--Corc Duibhne, the son of Cairbre, son
of Conaire, son of Mogha Lamha whom Cormac held as a hostage from the
Munstermen, and whom he had given for safe custody to Oengus. When
Oengus reached Tara he beheld Ceallach sitting behind Cormac. He thrust
his spear at Ceallach and pierced him through from front to back.
However as he was withdrawing the spear the handle struck Cormac's eye
and knocked it out and then, striking the steward, killed him. He
himself (Oengus) with his foster child escaped safely. After a time
Cormac, grieving for the loss of his son, his eye and his steward at the
hands of Oengus of the poisonous javelin and of his kinsmen, ordered
their expulsion from their tribal territory, i.e. from the Decies of
Tara, and not alone from these, but from whole northern half of Ireland.
However, seven battles were fought in which