ghan Coir, Dubchonall, Ailill of the rough face.
The sons of Amhalghaidh were disputing about the sovereignty: twenty-four
tribes (_i.e._, old tribes) that were in the country; and they objected
that they would not admit any man asking over them with an additional
[nick] name. Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers.
This Aengus was the proudest of Amhalghaidh's sons. Laeghaire, son of
Niall, son of Eochaidh, King of Tara, and his brother Eoghan, son of
Niall, decided the dispute. The sons of Amhalghaidh went to Tara in
twelve chariots, sicut in libris Patricii inventus, quod exirent in
judicium tamen vii fratres de eis. They were welcomed by the king at
Tara. Aengus was foster-son to Laeghaire. He got a special welcome
there. Aengus prayed the door-keepers that they would not admit Conall,
the son of his brother--_i.e._, the son of Enna Crom--into the fort; for
Aengus feared his wisdom in arguing his right. Aengus obtained this
request from the door-keepers. As Conall was outside the _lis_, he heard
the sound of Patrick's bell from Tobar-Patrick at the fort. Conall went
to him and saluted him. "O cleric!" said he, "do you know this
expression which I have in commemoration--_i.e._, 'Hibernenses omnes
clamant ad te pueri,' etc.--which two girls uttered in their mother's
womb in our country?" "I am he whom that refers to," said Patrick; "and
I heard it when I was in the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea, et nescivi
utrum in meam vel extra locuta sunt verba, et ibo tecum in regionem tuam
baptizare, docere, evangelizare." Interrogat autem Patricius qua causa
venit Conall, and Conall related the reason to Patrick, and he said that
he was not allowed to enter Tara; to whom Patrick said: "Go in now, as
the doors are open; and go to my faithful friend, Eoghan Mac Neill, who
will assist you, if you lay hold, secretly, of the finger next his little
finger, which is always a sign between us." And so it was done.

"Welcome," said Eoghan. "What is Patrick's wish?" Conall said: "That
you assist me." Conall afterwards observed: "If it is according to youth
precedence in a king's house or land is to be given, I am the youngest;
if according to mother's age, Enna Cromm is the oldest." To which
Laeghaire replied: "Honor to the senior, truly," said he, "and converse
with the learned; but if jewels and treasures are given to any one,
however, I will not deprive him of them." They came away, and Patrick
with them,