Seanchus of Celtic Ireland - 13

1896 BC The Tuatha de Danann had landed 37 years after their Scythian Nemedian kinsmen, the Fir Bolg who were now in control in Ireland, and at this particular time there was fog occurring with constant showers that were to last for 3 days and nights and the Tuatha De Danann made their way further inland after destroying all of their ships, as they were determined not to leave Ireland this time. They built temporary forts and then approached the Fir Bolg who by then were aware that they had no ships and could not understand how they could have reached so far inland without their knowledge and the Tuatha De Danann was to inform them that they just "flew in on the wind."

       Eochy the Proud, the Fir Bolg King, had sent an army under his Chief, Sreng, and Nuadha the leader of the Tuatha De Danann had sent his Chief, Breas to speak with him and they soon came to realize that they could converse in the same language and that they were both descended from Nemedh. Although the Tuatha De Danann had the superior weapons they decided to come to an agreement with Sreng and as they were kinsmen they should divide Ireland up between them and work together to keep out any other strangers. Sreng reported these conditions back to Eochy the Fir Bolg King who refused to even consider the idea, as he had come to the conclusion that if he gave them half they would soon take the lot. Instead he prepared his Fir Bolg forces to do battle with the Tuatha De Danann who on seeing the Fir Bolg carrying out battle preparations pulled back to Southern Moytura (The Plain of Nia) situated near Cong on the Co. Mayo and Co. Galway border in South Western Connacht. The Fir Bolg then advanced setting up their camp at the east - end of Moytura and Nuadha the Tuatha De Danann King spread his warriors out in a line at the end of the pass at Belgatan / Benlevi to allow for a retreat if it was needed. He then tried once again to negotiate with Eochy through their Druids, but Eochy once again replied in the negative and instead asked for a truce under Celtic Culture, which then allowed them both to prepare properly for the battle and it was agreed upon and the truce was to last for 105 days.

    Finally both sides came face to face under the Celtic Code of Practise with 27 individual Tuatha De Danann warriors going up against 27 individual Fir Bolg warriors who they were able to defeat and kill so they stopped proceedings and then had another discussion to decide whether they should continue with the battle every day or every second day, and if they should still continue on with equal opportunity although Eochy had the superior numbers on his side. When the battle began once again, with one on one those among them who survived each conflict retired at the end of the day to bathe in medicinal herbs to be ready for their next encounter and it went on like this for 4 days with terrible slaughter taking place between them. This all occurred near Mt. Belgadan at the west - end of Magh Nia (The Plain of Nia) now known as Moytura / Magh Tuireadh, situated in the south of Co. Mayo in the mid - west of the Connacht Province, over an area 6 miles square, where the Tuatha De Danann with their superior weapons eventually won the battle despite the numbers and after much blood had been shed. Sreng the Fir Bolg Champion went up against Nuadha and during the conflict he was to cut off one of Nuadha's hands and half of his shield with just one blow, but Nuadha was to survive the injury and was to later have a silver hand made up and fitted by Diancecht the Tuatha De Danann physician and he was then to become known as Nuadha "Airgead - Lamh" - of the Silver Hand.

    Meanwhile, Eochy the Fir Bolg King realizing that he was now feeling terribly thirsty decided it was best to depart the scene and look for water and he took 100 of his men with him, and 3 of the sons of another of the Tuatha De Danann Chiefs, also known as Nemedh, pursued him with 150 of their warriors to Traigh Eothile near Ballysadare in Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province. Eochy was to be killed there in the ensuing skirmish, and also the 3 sons of Nemedh, and the surviving Tuatha De Danann warriors buried them there at the west end of the strand at Leica mac Nemedh (The Grave Stones of the sons of Nemedh.) Eochy was also buried directly where he fell on the strand, by the Tuatha De Danann who placed a great heap of stones over the site now known as the Carn of Traigh Eothaill. Back at the original battle site the Fir Bolg were by this time down to only 300 men who were still under the command of Sreng and due to what was by now an inequality of numbers he demanded the Celtic right of continuing on with single - combat until one side was totally defeated. The Tuatha De Danann, still under Nuadha, instead offered him peace and 1/ 5^th / Coiced of the Divisions and Sreng agreed and took the territory in the west where the battle had occurred and it became known then as Sreng's Fifth / Cuigead Sreing. It is now known as Connacht (The Land of 80.Conn)as in the 2nd Century AD 80.Conn of the Hundred Battles who was by then to be the Heremonian 110th King of Tara / Ireland was to become the direct ancestor of the Dal Cuinn (People of 80.Conn) there and it was then named after him. (Despite this Sreng's descendants were to still exist there up until 1650 AD.) Still to be seen on the Plain at Southern Moytura are the Pillar Stones and the huge graves called Cromlechs in which all of the deceased from the battle were originally buried.

    Some of the Fir Bolg warriors and their followers were to also retreat to the Aran Islands where they built Dun Oenghus (The Fort of Angus) named after their particular leader on the island of Inish Mor (Big Aran) and Dun Onact / Dun Eoghanachta west of Kilmurry on the island of Inish Mor / Arainn Mhor off the coast of Co. Galway in the south - west of the Connacht Province while others withdrew to many of the other islands around Scotland and Ireland. In the future in 5th Century AD Inish Mor was to be granted to St. Enda by his kinsmen, the King of Munster, to set up a Christian Church and school there and it was to become famous throughout Ireland and all of the descendants of the Fir Bolg peoples who still existed there were to be converted to Christianity.

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