| The Cycles of the Kings | |
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Bóroma "The Cattle Tribute"
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Summary [Stokes' ed.] After a series of battles against the Aithechthuatha (subject peoples) and their king Ellim mac Conrach, Tuathal Techtmar seizes the kingship of Ireland. Tuathal sets up court at Tara and holds a great feast, to which come all the provincial kings, including Eochu mac Echach Domlén, king of Leinster. At this gathering, Eochu marries Fithir, Tuathal’s elder daughter, and takes her back to Leinster when the festivities come to an end. Back at home, his men remark that Dairine, Fithir’s sister, would have made a better match for him. Eochu comes to agree with them and soon returns to Tuathal to tell him that Fithir has died and that he wants to marry Dairine. Tuathal agrees and Eochu takes his new bride home. However, Fithir catches sight of Dairine one day and dies of shame (de náre) and her sister then dies of grief (de chumaid). When Tuathal learns what happened to his daughters, he becomes enraged and informs the king of Connacht (Conrach mac Deirg), who was Fithir’s foster-father, and the king of Ulster (Fergus Febal), who was Dairine’s foster-father. Together, the three kings invade Leinster and wage a series of battles. Eochu mac Echach Domlén is slain as is Fergus Febal of Ulster. Tuathal goes on to ravage Leinster until the Laigin make peace by paying an éraic for the death of his daughters. This huge tribute, which comes to be known as the Bórama Laigen, is handed over by Erc mac Echach Domlén, the new king of Leinster. It consists of 15,000 cows, pigs, cloaks, silver chains, wethers, and bronze cauldrons; one great bronze cauldron; and thirty white, red-eared cows with their calves. In due course, Tuathal is killed in battle by Mál mac Rochride of Ulster, who subsequently becomes king of Ireland. However, the bórama continues to be levied by each new king in succession—almost always forcibly—during the reigns of Mál, Feidlimid Rechtaid mac Tuathail, Conn Cétchathach, Conaire (son-in-law of Conn), Art mac Cuinn, Cormac mac Airt, and Fergus Dubdétach. Then Coirpre Lifechair, the son of Cormac mac Airt, becomes king of Ireland and attempts to levy the bórama from Bressal Belach mac Fiachach Baiccid. As Coirpre invades Leinster, Bressal enlists the help of Finn mac Cumail and his fianna, who set out to intercept Coipre. They halt en route on a ridge near the River Barrow where they have a vision of angels traveling back and forth from heaven (cf. Jacob’s ladder), and Finn predicts that priests (tálcind) will inhabit that very place in the times to come. They stay there feasting for three days and experiencing other visions as the fianna of Ireland gather around Finn from all over the country. With the fianna assembled, Finn leads the way to Garbthonach, formerly Ráith Immil, where they set up camp. They are joined by the Leinstermen and together they give battle to Coirpre’s forces at Cnámross. The northern forces are routed and three of Cairpre’s sons are killed in the fray. After this encounter, the bórama is not levied again until Dúnlaing mac Énnai Níad of Leinster slaughters the maidens at Tara, after which the tribute is re-imposed (see Comram na Clóenferta). Between this event and the accession of Lóegaire mac Néill to the kingship of Tara, northern kings fight many battles in Leinster in their attempts to levy the bórama. When Lóegaire becomes king, he goes on a hosting into Leinster to levy the bórama from Énna Ceinnselach mac Labrada meic Bresail Belaig. He is defeated, however, at the battle of Áth Dara on the River Barrow and taken prisoner. Before his release, Lóegaire promises never again to levy the bórama and names the elements as his sureties. Nevertheless, two and a half years later, Lóegaire invades Leinster in an attempt to collect it, and he is killed by the elements for violating their guarantee: the earth engulfs him, the sun scorches him, and the wind departs from him. After Lóegaire’s death, many Dál Cuinn rulers from Ailill Molt to Áed mac Ainmerech attempt to levy the bórama but without success. During the reign of Áed mac Ainmerech, Cummascach, his son, decides to go on a ‘free circuit of youth throughout Ireland’ (sáerchuairt maccáemnachta hÉrenn), in which he will have sex with the wife of each king he visits. With four battalions, he goes into Leinster, but its king, Brandub mac Echach, comes up with a plan to thwart him. Brandub orchestrates the murder of three of Cummascach’s battalions, while he himself hosts a feast for Cummascach and his remaining battalion at Belach Dubthaire (later known as Belach Conglais). When Cummascach and his men are comfortably inside the house at Belach Dubthaire, Brandub has the doors locked and the house burned down around them. Cummascach, however, escapes dressed as his satirist Glasdám. He flees to Cell Rannairech, where he is finally beheaded by Lochine Lond, an ancestor of the Uí Lonáin. After Cummascach’s death, Áedán, the bishop of Gendalough and the uterine brother of Áed mac Ainmerech, visits Brandub in Leinster and expresses his displeasure over what has happened. Vengeance, the bishop says, will fall on the head of the high-king, presumably because he was complacent in his son’s misdeeds. On the bishop’s advice, messengers are sent to Ailech to inform Áed of his son’s demise. Furious, Áed mac Ainmerech with the forces of Leth Cuinn invades Leinster to avenge his son and to levy the bórama. They march as far as Baeth Eba where they set up an encampment. When Brandub learns of this, he sends the bishop to the king of Tara to ask for a temporary truce till he can gather his army. Áed tells the bishop that he will not grant the request unless his puts(?) his hand ‘on the three members by which [he] begets children’ (coro-benta do láim dona trí ballaib filet acut dá ndéine do chlaind). The cleric, however, is incensed and prophecies that a she-wolf will soon carry off Áed’s privates. This in turn enrages the king, who gathers his forces and sets off. En route to Cell Bélat, Áedán prophecies disaster for his brother and his host before he returns to Brandub. Back at the Leinster camp, Bishop Áedán suggests a ruse whereby Brandub can invade the enemy encampment, the gist of which is that Brandub is to conceal soldiers in baskets of food and send them into the camp. As these preparations are underway, Brandub and Áedán spy on Áed’s camp. Then the bishop departs for his own church. Back at his own camp, Brandub sees a host of young men advancing towards him. They turn out to be the youth of the Ulaid under the leadership of Diarmait mac Áedo Róin, who were thought to be fighting for the northerners. The Ulaid are quickly taken prisoner, but soon enter into blood-pact (cró cotaig 7 óentad) with the Leinstermen, a treaty foretold long before in a vision given to Conchobar mac Nessa. After this, Brandub advises the Ulaid to separate themselves from the host of Dál Cuinn. This separation is not effected without a fight, and some two hundred of the Ulaid are slain before they withdraw to Inis Ulad. When the commotion subsides, Brandub presents himself before the hosts of Leth Cuinn and challenges their champion to single combat. A warrior named Blátach accepts the challenge, but he is slain and beheaded by Brandub, who then returns to his own encampment. Back among his men, Brandub asks for someone to sneak into the northerners’ camp. Rón Cerr mac Dubanaig, the son of the king of Uí Maíl, volunteers. He disguises himself as a leper and gains entrance to the camp. When Áed learns of the leper, he asks if he knows what is happening in the Leinster camp. Rón Cerr says that they are preparing food for the hosts of Leth Cuinn. Not surprisingly, Áed immediately suspects a trick and sends Dub Dúin, king of Airgialla, with his troops southward to Bun Aífe to keep an eye on their enemies. Then, Áed asks for the cowl (cocholl) that was given him by St. Columba to be brought to him, for the saint had promised that he would not be slain while he was wearing it. Unfortunately for the king, it is soon discovered that the cowl was accidentally left behind at Ailech. (At this point, there is a flashback dealing with a meeting between Áed and St. Columba, in which the saint tells him about three kings who are going to heaven: Daimín Damaigait, king of Airgialla; Ailill Inbanna, king of Connacht, and Feradach Find mac Duach of the Corco Loígde, king of Osraige. The episode ends with Áed asking St. Columba if he too should obtain the Lord’s mercy. Columba says no, but gives him the protective cowl as consolation.) That night, Brandub marches towards the northerners’ encampment, but he is intercepted by the forces of Airgialla. Lying, Brandub tells them that he and his men are the servants of the Laigin and that they are brining food to the camp of Áed mac Ainmerech. Whether or not they suspect a trap, the Airgialla escort Brandub and his men into the northerners’ camp. However, once inside, the Leinster soldiers spring from their hiding places in the baskets of food and attack the hosts of Leth Cuinn. In the chaos that ensues, the men of Cenél nÉogain and Cenél Conaill attempt to protect Áed but to no avail. Áed mac Ainmerech is attacked and beheaded by Rón Cerr. The forces of Leth Cuinn are soon routed, and the conflict comes to be known as Cath Belaig Dúin Bolg. Although Brandub wins a great victory, subsequent northern kings from Colmán Rímid to Sechnasach mac Bláthmaic continue their attempts to levy the bórama from the Laigin. Sechnasach himself heads a massive army of northern kingdoms but is routed by Fáelán mac Colmáin, king of Leinster. After Sechnasach’s death, Cennfaelad mac Crundmaíl rules for four years before being killed by Fínnachta Fledach mac Dúnchada. As king, Fínnachta levies the Bórama twice without resistance, but on his third attempt, the Laigin rebell, and Fínnachta is forced to invade. Bran mac Conaill, king of Leinster, assembles his forces at Allen. He then sends St. Molling to Fínnachta to ask for the remission of the tribute because of a prophecy he knew that promised that the saint would get it remitted once and for all. Taking along the poet Tollchenn so that he can recite a praise poem to Fínnachta, a poem the saint himself composed, Molling overnights at the house of one Cobthach mac Colmáin in the lands of the Uí Fáeláin. While there, Tollchenn is invited to another feast at the house of Fínnachta, where he recites the praise poem to the king, but claims it as his own. The next morning, Molling continues his journey, but en route he is accosted by the youth of Ireland (maccaíme Éirenn) under the leadership of Fínnachta’s son, Dondgilla. Evading them, Molling reaches Fínnachta’s house, where he is shown great disrespect by everyone save Colgu mac Máenaig and Diarmait mac Colmáin, both of whom the saint blesses. Meanwhile, the youths are hunting a stag. A spear is miscast and Dondgilla is killed. Molling then tells the king that the boy was slain because he violated his honor. Distressed, Fínnachta asks Molling to revivify his boy, and the saint agrees provided the Fínnachta remit the bórama till Monday (co lluan), or at least that is what Fínnachta understands. In his grief over the loss of his son, Fínnachta fails to realize the double meaning inherent in the saint’s words, as Luan, the word for ‘Monday’, also means ‘Doomsday’ because tradition had it that the end of the world would begin on a Monday. True to his word, Molling raises Dondgilla from the dead and then takes off before Fínnachta realizes his mistake. When Adomnán hears of this, he sends a messenger to fetch Fínnachta. Despite two curses, Fínnachta refuses the summons until the saint threatens to deprive him of heaven. At this, the king hastens to meet Adomnán, who explains how he was duped by Molling into remitting the bórama in perpetuity. Adomnán goes on to say that he must get their pact annulled before nightfall. Otherwise, it becomes binding. The two then go in pursuit of Molling. However, just as they are about to catch him, Mo Thairean prays to the Lord to send a mist to conceal Molling. His prayers are answered and Molling is able to escape. Some time later, Fínnachta is slain in the battle of Grellach Dollaid by Áed mac Ailello meic Áedo Sláine.
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| Copyright 2004-5 Dan M. Wiley. Last updated 06/30/06 | |