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Fled Dúin na nGéd "The Feast of Dún na Géd" Editions
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Summary After Domnall mac Áedo becomes king of Ireland, he builds a great royal fort—Dún na nGéd—on the brink of the Boyne, where he plans to hold his inauguration feast. He wants every kind of food to be served at this feast, including goose eggs, which are very difficult to obtain. The king sends men all over Ireland to gather up every goose egg they can find. His men chance upon some eggs at the oratory of the ascetic bishop Earc Sláine, but are told by a servant woman not to take them, for they will make the king’s feast unlucky (níba sonas don fhleidh dochum a mbérthar an mbecc mbídh sin). Nevertheless, Domnall’s men take the eggs and head back to Dún na nGéd. When the bishop returns and finds his food missing, he curses the feast and anyone who would taste them. When all the food has been gathered, Domnall summons all the kings and nobles of Ireland to come and enjoy his feast at Dún na nGéd. As his guests arrive, Domnall invites his foster-son, Congal Cláen mac Scannláin of the Ulaid, to look over the food before the feast begins. Congal marvels at all the food that has been prepared and takes a bite of a goose egg and washes it down with a drink. Meanwhile, Domnall is informed of the bishop’s curse and soon learns that Congal has tasted one of the eggs. The king warns the others not to eat any of the food until the twelve apostles of Ireland can come and remove the curse. Although these clerics do their best, they are unable to remove the curse because Congal tasted an egg before they had blessed it. When the feast finally begins, Domnall is served goose eggs on a silver plate while Congal is served chicken eggs on a wooden plate. The Ulaid take note of this and come to believe that their lord is being slighted. When this discrepancy is pointed out to Congal, he takes umbrage and storms toward Domnall. A man intercepts him, but Congal cuts him down. With everyone stunned, Congal proclaims his grievances before the king and promises him battle. As Congal leaves, Domnall sends clerics and other messengers after him in hopes of effecting a reconciliation, but the Ulsterman refuses all offers. Congal proceeds to the house of his paternal uncle, a man named Cellach mac Fíachna Fhinn, who tells him to go to his kin in Scotland and solicit troops. This Congal does and soon returns with a host of Scotsmen and Britons. He then musters the Ulaid and marches against Domnall. The two meet at what comes to be known as the Battle of Mag Roth. It is a fierce conflict. Congal and all but two of his foreign mercenaries are slain. Suibne mac Colmáin, one of Congal’s allies, goes mad and takes flight (see Buile Shuibhne). Domnall, however, survives the battle, although a large number of his soldiers are killed. One might assume that it was the violation of the saint and his curse that caused these evils to befall Domhnall and Conghal (as inmhesta gurab é sárughad an naoimh 7 a mhallughadh fhéin foran ffleid fodera na huilc móra sin do theacht idir rí Érenn 7 a dhalta). Additional Material from the Later Recension: One night at Dún na nGédh, Domhnall has a dream. A puppy (cuilén con) he raised takes off and gathers a pack of dogs from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England and wages seven battles against him and the men of Ireland. The slaughter is great, but Domhnall prevails on the seventh day, when his puppy is killed. Domhnall is startled awake and leaps out of bed, but his wife comforts him, telling him not to pay any attention to his dream or the phantoms of the night (do shíabraidh oidhche). She asks him what he dreamed, but Domhnall says he will tell no one of his vision till he sees his brother Maol Cabha, a cleric who is the best interpreter of dreams (breithemh aislingthe) in Ireland. The cleric lives at his hermitage at Druim an Iolair along with ten cooking women and a hundred clerics. There Domhnall goes and stays for seven days. He relates his vision to his brother, and Maol Cabha tells him that in dreams a dog’s puppy symbolizes the son of a king. Domhnall, Maol Cabha continues, has two foster-sons who are sons of kings--Conghal Claon and Cobhthach Caom. One of the two, his brother says, will rebel against him. With foreign allies, that person will wage seven battles against the king but will perish in the seventh with Domhnall victorious. Maol Cabha advises Domhnall to hold a big feast and to take hostages from the men of Ireland and to take his two foster-sons prisoner for the period of one year, after which time he should release them and give them handsome gifts. Domhnall cannot believe either of his foster-sons would betray him and so ignores Maol Cabha’s advice. However, the events related already confirm the veracity of the cleric’s prophecy. Helping Domhnall in the battle of Magh Roth is his brother’s son, Ceallach mac Maoil Chabha. Ceallach and his brother Conall Caol held the kingship of Ireland for thirteen years, and their father Maol Cabha was king for four years.
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| Copyright 2004 Dan M. Wiley. Last updated 08/12/05 | |