The Men of Medb

This is the story of the Men of Medb, of the red branch of the mythology Irish.

The Men of Medb

A king took the kingship over Ireland in one go, ie Eochaid Feidlech, son of Finn, son of Rogen Ruad, son of Easamain Eammab of the line of Rifad Scot of the tower of Nimrod; for it is from the race of Rifad Scot that proceed all the invasions of Ireland except only that of Cessair. This is why he was called Eochaid Feidlech, it is because he was 'feidil' towards all, that is to say that this king was 'just' towards all.

He had four sons, namely, the three Findeamnad ('eamain' meaning 'a thing that cannot be divided'), and they were born at the same time, Breas, Nár, and Lothar were their names; it was they who conceived Lugaid Riab nDerg (Lugaid-aux-Trois-Ries-Rouge) with their own sister the night before the Battle of Druicriad against their father. All three died at the hand of Eochaid Feidlech; and it was Eoched Feidlech who made the salutary request that no son should ever reign over Ireland after his father, and this was confirmed. And [his other son was] Conall Anglonach, son of Eochaid Feidlech, from whom the Conailli descend into the land of the men of Breagh.

This king, Eochaid Feidlech, also had many daughters, namely: Ele, daughter of Eochy, wife of Fergal mac Mágach, it is from her that Bri Eili in Leinster takes her name; after Fergal she was the wife of Sraibgend mac Niuil des Erna, and bore him a son, Mata the son of Sraibgend, the father of Ailill mac Mata;
and Mumain Etanchaithrech, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, wife of Conchobar mac Fachtna Fathach, mother of Glaisne, son of Conchobar;
and Eithne, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, another wife of the same Conchobar, mother of Furbaide, son of Conchobar; (this is why he was called 'Furbaide', it is because he was taken out by 'urbad' or 'cesarean' from his mother's womb after she had been drowned in the waves of Bearramain, which we call Eithne now, and it is from her that the river takes its name, namely Eithne. ”And Diarmaid was the (first) name of Furbaide;
and Clothra, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, mother of Cormac Conlongas, son of Conchobar (or Nessa, daughter of Eochaid Sulbaide was mother of Cormac Conlongas);
and Derbriu, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, of whom were (named) the pigs of Derbriu;
and Medb de Cruachan, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, another of the wives of Conchobar, mother of Amalgad, son of Conchobar, so that Conchobar was Medb's first husband, and Medb forsook Conchobar out of pride, and she came at tara, where the High King of Ireland was.

The reason why the High King of Ireland gave his daughters to Conchobar is that it was through him, Eochaid Feidlech, that Fachtna Fatnach had fallen in the battle of Lettir Ruad in Corann, so it was like 'eric '[blood cost] that they returned to Conchobar, as well as the royalty of Ulster which he took by force from the Clan of Rudraidhe: and the first cause of the effervescence of the Razzia of the cows of Cooley was that Medb left Conchobar against his will.
Tindi, the son of Conrachch Cas, of Fir Domnain, was king of Connaught at this time, and Eochaid Dala and Fidig mac Feicc, of Gamanrad, claimed their rights to kingship.

Fidig mac Feicc went to Tara to win the kings to his cause, and he asked Medb for his support. Tindi, son of Conrachch, got wind of this affair and waited for Fideic in ambush. They met on the course of the Shannon, and the children of Conrachch and Monodar, son of Conrachch, killed Fidig, this was the first cause of the war between the children of Conrach and the Gamanrad. Eochaid Feidlech did an injustice against Tindi, he drove him to the solitudes of Connaught, and he placed Medb on the throne of Cruachan. It happened, however, that Tindi was a guest (?) Of Medb for a long time after that, so that it was in Cruachan, near Medb, that the festivals of Ireland were held, and the sons of the kings of Ireland. Ireland were with Medb to see if they could go to war with the province of Conchobar. (Among them) came Sraibgend mac Niuil des Erna, and his son, Mata mac Sraibgend, to see if they could wage war against Conchobar because of the grudge that was between them.

The Tara festivities were held by Eochaid Feidlech, with the provinces of Ireland around him except Medb and Tindi. The men of Ireland begged Eochaid to bring Medb to the assembly. Eochaid sent Searbluath, his messenger, to Cruachan to (invite) Medb. Medb went the next day to Tara, and the (horse) races took place for a month and a fortnight. After that, the men of Ireland dispersed.

Conchobar stayed behind the others at the party, watching over Medb, and one day when Medb went to the Boyne to bathe, Conchobar met her, overpowered her, and raped her.

When the story was reported to Tara, the kings of Ireland took up arms and left Tara, Tindi mac Conrachch and Eochaid Dala (were) with them. Another version says that Eochaid Dala had been killed by Tindi before that (during an argument) for royalty, but this is not the truth.

The banners of the King of Ireland were raised to attack the King of Ulster, and Tindi, Conrach's son, challenged Conchobar to battle. Conchobar accepted it; and Monodar Mòr, son of Conla and brother of Tindi, who was at that time with Conchobar, was called as a witness for Tindi. He said he would. It was a fight between champions; Tindi fell in the fight, and all say "Happy is the fact"; and the Druid says "Mac Ceacht will be his name from now on"; that is why it is called "Mac Eacht".

Conchobar won the Battle of the Boyne against Eochaid Feidlech; and Sraibgend mac Niuil and his son fell there in the battle. Eochaid Dala led the army through Meath, across the green waters of the Shannon, and led Medb and those of the Connaught to safety by force of battle, so that he was not confronted, from the Boyne to the Shannon. .

The Fir Domnain, the Dal n-Druithni and the Firchraibi, from which Eochaid Dala was descended, came to Cruachan after the murder of Tindi, the son of Conrach Cas, for although they were three tribes by their divisions, they originally formed only one, namely the children of Genand; son of Dil (?), son of Loch, and they were of the race of the Firbolg.

Their advice was to attribute the kingship of Connaught to Eochaid Dala with the consent of Medb. Medb consented on the condition that he marry her, and that he never show jealousy, fear or greed, for it was a geis for her to marry a man with these three faults. Eochaid Dala was then crowned, and resided for a while in Cruachan, as Medb's husband.

It was then that Ailill, the son of Mata, son of Sraibgend des Erna, came to Cruachan. Ailill was then a child, and the other children of Sraibgend were with him to be brought up by Medb, for Medb was of their family, indeed, Ele, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech was their grandmother.

Ailill was raised in Cruachan until he was a great and fearless warrior in wars and battles, and a supporting tower in the fight against Conchobar, defending the province of Medb, so much so that he became the chief of Medb's custody after that.

Medb loved her for his qualities and he united with her, and he became her lover instead of Eochaid Dala. Eochaid Dala was jealous of him, and all the Fir Domnains shared his jealousy out of friendship, so much so that they considered banishing Ailill, and all the Ernas who were with him, out of Connaught. But Medb wouldn't allow that to happen because she loved Ailill more than Eochaid.

When Eochaid saw Medb's preference, he challenged Ailill to fight for the kingdom and for his wife. They fought fiercely, and Eochaid Dala was killed by Ailill mac Mata due to Medb's tricks (?).

Ailill assumed the kingship of Connaught from that point on, with Medb's consent, and it was he who was King of Connaught at the time of Conaire Mòr's coronation, and at the beginning of the Razzia against the Ulates.

It was from Ailill that Medb conceived the Maines, and Maine was not their first name, but thus:
Feidlimid, i.e. Maine Aithreamail,
Cairpri, Maine Maithreamail,
and Eochaid, Maine Andoe,
and Fergus, Maine tai,
and Ceat, Maine (M) or (g) or,
and Sin, Maine Milscothach,
and Daire, Maine Mo-epert.

Why were they called the Maines. It's not difficult. One day when Medb was at the assembly of Cluitheamnach preparing for the battle of Findchorad against Conchobar, she spoke to her druid, "By which of my children will Conchobar be slain?" " she says. "You have not given birth to them yet, unless they are renamed," said the druid. "In any case, it is by Maine that he will fall. "

And it was for this reason that she called each of her sons Maine, in the hope that he would come to kill Conchobar, and these nicknames replaced their real names. Medb thought the druid was talking about Conchobar, son of Fachtna Fathach. It was not him, in fact, but Conchobar, son of Arthur, son of Bruide, son of Dongal, the son of the King of Scotland, across the sea. It was he who was killed by Maine Andai , son of Ailill and Medb.