The Cong Battle of Moytura

Moytura Conga is a mythological site near Cong. Moytura Conga just east of the village of Cong is an unusual complex of puzzling stone circles and cairns. Edward Lhuyd (Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary) made drawings of some of these stones as early as 1699.

The plain bounded on the west and south by Lough Corrib stretches twelve miles eastwards to Cnoch Meadh, the "fairy hill" near Tuam. It is called southern Moytura (The Plain of the Battalions).

According to mythology this area of stone cairns was the site of a great battle, three thousand years ago. The battle took place between the Fir Bolgs and the Tuatha De Danann.

The story tells us that the Tuatha De Danann, the people of goddess Danu, arrived in Ireland and demanded half of the country from the ruling Fir Bolgs. The Fir Bolgs refused and a fierce battle ensued, lasting four days. The very ancient chronicler reported the battle commenced on the 11th of June, in the year of the world 3303.

In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland.

They are descended from the Muintir Nemid , an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. Those who went to Greece become the Fir Bolg and eventually return to the now-uninhabited Ireland.

After ruling it for some time, they are overthrown by the invading Tuatha Dé Danann. They were descendants of the surviving Nemedians who fled from Ireland to Greece.

The Firbolgs arrived in Ireland 230 years after Starn departed from Ireland. Seimon, the son of Erglan and great grandson of Starn (son of Nemed), was the leader who brought them to Greece. The Firbolgs didn't migrate to Ireland until eleven generations after Seimon.

Below is the family tree of the Firbolgs, during the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the First Battle of Moytura.

Eochaid Mac Ercwas the last Firbolg king in Ireland , and he died in battle. Eochaid was married to Tailtiu, daughter of the King of Spain, who was sometimes known as Magmor (though this could be the name of place). Tailtiu was also the foster-mother of the Danann hero, Lugh Lamfada. One of the great fairs in Ireland was named after her. Lugh held a feast and funeral games after her death.

The Tuatha Dé Danann usually translated as "people's tribe of the goddess Dana or Danu", also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé "tribe of the gods", were a supernatural race in Irish mythology. They were thought to represent the main deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland.

The Tuatha Dé Danann constituted a pantheon whose attributes appeared in a number of forms all across the Celtic world. The Tuath Dé dwelled in the Otherworld but interacted with humans and the human world.

Their traditional rivals were the Fomoire (or Fomorii), who seemed to represent the harmful or destructive powers of nature. Each member of the Tuath Dé was associated with a particular feature of life or nature, but many appeared to have more than one association. Many also had bynames, some representing different aspects of the deity and others being regional names or epithets.

The first genealogy show that most of the Tuatha Dé Danann come from the mother goddess, Danu . Danu, or Anu in Irish myth may have played a more important role in early Irish myth.

The alternative genealogy show that some of the Tuatha Dé Danann are more closely related to the Fomorians. Example of this, is that the Dagda and Ogma were seen as the son of Elatha, king of the Fomorians, and of Ethlinn, the daughter of Balor of the Evil Eye (a Fomorian leader).

Note that all the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians, shown below, are descendants of Alldui, a shadowy figure. Alldui was the grandfather of Neit and the great, great grandson of Nuada Airgetlám (Nuada of the Silver Hand).

Below, is another alternative genealogy, which show that the seven Danann champions or chieftain happened to be the seven sons of Ethliu.

The earliest account of a single Battle of Moytura may be found in tenth century texts . Revised texts of the eleventh century describe two battles. Sir William Wilde was convinced that local archaeological sites could be matched directly to place names in the account of the battle.

He was the husband of the writer Lady Speranza and father of the famous Irish writer Oscar Wilde . He was a surgeon, antiquarian and noted amateur archaeologist. He built Moytura House at Cong and was reported to say:

He thought also that “the legendary lore and traditional accounts respecting the battlefields and events have now ceased to exist”.

The Battle as described by Sir William Wilde:

“Eochy, Son of Erc, King of Eire, advanced to the hill of Cnoc Meadha with all his forces from Tara, in Meath, then the seat of Government, to attack the Tuatha Dé Danann.

The wily Dé Dananns had the fastnesses of Joyce Country and Conamara to fall back on in case of defeat. King Eochaí , with his Fir Bolg host, descended into the plain of Moytura , and passing westwards, was met by the heralds and ambassadors of Nuadu, on that portion of it subsequently called Conmaicne Cúile Toladh, extending from the present village of Cross to the neck of land that divides Lochs Measca and Corrib.

They then, as was not uncommon with nations in kindred states of civilization, agreed upon a trial of skill and manly prowess; and twenty-seven youths from each army engaged in a game of hurling, in a valley denominated in the tale: The Plain of the Hurlers.

This warlike pastime ended in the defeat and death of the thrice nine youths of the Dananns, over whom was erected the great Carn an chluiche, or the "monument of the game".

Next day, supposed to be the 11th of June , in the year of the world 3303, the battle commenced; it lasted four days, and it is said one hundred thousand men were engaged in it.

Each army sank a royal rath or fortress; that of the Fir Bolg called Rath Crófearta, and that of the Dananns, Rath Fearainn; both parties were armed with swords, spears, darts, and shields so it must have been a hand-to-hand fight. They did not, however, forget the wounded; for each sank a "sanative pool" or medicated bath in the rear of their lines, in which the wounded bathed.

Forward marched the Fir Bolg host, headed by the Fathach, or Druid poet - commonly known as the Fathach Ruadh, or red giant.

The Dagda Moacuter , afterwards a king, surpassing valour, until withstood by the hero Cerb, of the Fir Bolg. Adleo, another of the Dananns, was slain by Nearchu, and a pillarstone called Cairthi Adleo, was erected where he fell-probably the "long stone of Cong”.

The only other pillar stones in the district are, one on the east shore of Holly Island, in Loch Corrib , and the "long stone of the Neale", at the junction of the roads passing northwards from Cross and Cong, where it is said by tradition the king stood at one period of the battle.

The Fir Bolg, although not absolutely victorious, had rather the best of the first day's fighting, having driven their enemies back to their encampment, which probably extended from the site of this pillar of Adleo to the western end of the Plain of the Hurlers, along by Nymphsfield to the cross roads leading to Lough Mask, and from thence through Craobhach, in which still stand the remains of carns.

Each Fear Bolg having carried with him a stone and the head of a Danann to their king, he erected "a great carn to commemorate the event". Taking into consideration the line of the two armies, this must be Baile Magibbon Cairn, which stands near the road passing from Cong to Cross.

It is one hundred and twenty-nine yards in circumference, and about sixty feet high; and its original base may still be traced by a number of upright stones. Within it there is a large cave, but it is not at present accessible.

The next morning, before the second day's fight was commenced, the following incident occurred: King Eochal , unattended, went down into a certain well to perform his ablutions, and while there observed three of the enemy "overhead", about to seek his life. A colloquy ensued, but the Dananns would give no quarter.

He was saved, however, by one of his own band, who slew the three, but died immediately from his wounds on an adjoining hillock. The Fir Bolg, coming up to look after their king, there and then interred the hero who so bravely defended him; and, each taking a stone in his hand, erected over him a monumental cairn.

The little hill on which the conflict took place is called Tulach an trír, "The Hill of the Three," and the monument erected there on Carn an éinfhir, "The Carn of the One Man".

The second day's contest raged with great fury, where a Danann chief named Nemhid, son of Badhri, was slain by Slainge, and “his grave was dug, and his pillar-stone was raised; which is from that day to this called Lia Nemhidh."

It would now appear that the battle surged northwards; the lines extending towards the western shores of Loch Measca, where Slainge Finn, the king's son, pursuing the two sons of Caelchu and their followers, who had fled from the left wing of the Danann army to the margin of the lake, killed them there, and "seventeen flagstones were stuck in the ground in commemoration of their death".

There was great slaughter on both sides during this day's fighting, and the Norwegian general was nearly overpowered in a personal conflict by the Red son of Mogharn, one of the Fir Bolg; but at nightfall the Fir Bolg gave way. They carried home, however, into the presence of their king, the heads of the slain Dananns.

The Fir Bolg, says the narrator, “rose out early the next morning, and made a beautiful scell of their shields over their heads, and placed their battle spears like trees of equal thickness, and thus marched forward in Tuireadhs (columns or battalions) of battle.

The Tuatha De Danann, seeing the Fir Bolg marching in thus wise from the eastern head of the plain observed: "How pompously these Tuireadh of battle march towards us across the plain!" and hence the plain was called Maigh Tuireadh, or "Plain of the Tuireadhs".

On this third day of the battle, the Dananns were commanded by the Dagda; for, said he, “I am your Dagh-Dia" (god of hope, or confidence, deliverer) Sreng, the son of Sengan, led the Fir Bolg.

Several personal conflicts between the most renowned warriors are said to have taken place, the details of which it is said the helmets were crushed, the metalbound shields were battered, the long-handled spears were shivered, and the "green-edged (bronze) swords were dyed with blood.

The Dagda slew Corb, one of the most famous Fir Bolg heroes, and the Fir Bolg were driven back to their camp; but they were still able to carry each a stone and the head of a foe, and also that of Corb, which they buried within their lines, and placed over it a carn called Carn cinn Coirb, or the "monument of the head of Corb."

The Fir Bolg were reinforced by the aged Fintan, and an additional Leinster army. Both the kings commanded in person. Nuadu, in a fierce encounter with Sreng, one of the Belgian heroes, lost his arm, but was rescued by Aengubha, his Norwegian ally.

Dianceacht, his surgeon, dressed the wound, and Credne Cerd, the artificer, afterwards made for him a silver hand; so that from henceforth he was known as Nuadu Airgead Lamh, or "Nuadu of the silver hand."

A monument was erected over the king's hand where the blood dropped from it upon Cro Ghaile, "the enclosure of valour," and which monument may, for aught we know, still exist. It is also stated that the Dananns reared up Cairtheda, or pillar-stones, to protect their men, and also to prevent their retreat.

Before proceeding with the narrative, we must here conduct our readers to the existing Danann monuments that accumulate in the fields opposite the glebe of Nymphsfield.

At the south-west corner of the same field, opposite the glebe there is another circle, of which the subjoined is a graphic representation. It consists of a series of standing stones, and is one hundred and fifty-two feet in diameter.

Within and around this and the adjoining fields, to the south and east, several perfect circles still exist, and the sites of others can still be traced within the confines of Cath Na bPunnan; so that here was evidently the stronghold of one of the contending armies.

After the Danann king was wounded, Breas, his grandson, charged the Fir Bolg with great fury, but was cut down by the hand of Eochai but not killed. Then the Dagda, Ogma, Allad, and Delmag rushed on King Eochai, but were repulsed for a while by his four grandsons, the sons of Slainge, all of whom, however, fell in the engagement; and the place where they were interred is called "Leaca Mhac Slainge, the flags of the sons of Slainge."

On the other side, the four sons of Gann charged down the Danann lines, but they also were killed by Gobniu (the smith), Lucrai (the carpenter) Dianceacht (the surgeon) and Aengubha; and their monument was called Dumha Mac Gainn, " the mound of the sons of Gann."

Then the three sons of Orddan, the Fir Bolg Druid, next essayed to break the Danann columns, but were slain by the sons of Cainte; and “the place where they were buried is called Dumha na nDruadh," or "the Druids' mound".

Afterwards, the cohorts of the invaders, along with Iuchar and Iucharba, advanced, and charged the Fir Bolg, but were withstood by Carbre, the son of Den and the sons of Buan, whom however they slew; and, says the MS., "the leachts at which they were interred are called Leaca Mac Buain, and the grave of Cairbre lies outside their leachts or monuments".

The Fir Bolg columns were evidently driven back, and the battle passed, as on the occasion of the second day's fighting, to the north-east. The sons of the two kings, Lugh the strong, son of Nuadu, and Slainge, the fair, son of Eochaí, after a fierce encounter slew each other.

The grave where the Danann hero was buried is called Lia Lugha, and is in all likelihood the “long stone of The Neale “already referred to. It is a very notable object at the fork of the road, to the south of the village, and is now four and a half feet over ground. Following the track of the Dananns during this third day's engagement, we approach The Neale.

In the village, there is a flat mass of gritstone placed in the orchard wall, and now nearly obscured with ivy. It measures nearly fifteen inches each way, and bears the inscription, in sunken letters, faithfully represented by the accompanying illustration, taken from a carefully made rubbing. On a stone built into the wall, beneath this monument, can be read the following inscription: "The above stone was found at Brefy, in the Co. of Mayo, A.D. 1732, in a coffin, inscribed in Irish characters, the coffin of Genan, which contained a skeleton, 12.5 feet long. Genan was King of Ireland, A.M. 3352, P.D. 7024, A.C. 1781 and this monument is erected to show the antiquity of the Irish character and the size of menkind in those early ages, A.D. I756". The foregoing speaks for itself!

On a stone built into the wall, beneath this monument, can be read the following inscription: "The above stone was found at Brefy, in the Co. of Mayo, A.D. 1732, in a coffin, inscribed in Irish characters, the coffin of Genan, which contained a skeleton, 12.5 feet long. Genan was King of Ireland, A.M. 3352, P.D. 7024, A.C. 1781' and this monument is erected to show the antiquity of the Irish character and the size of menkind in those early ages, A.D. I756." The foregoing speaks for itself!

The fourth day's battle drew to a close; the flower of the Fir Bolg army was cut off: and its king, greatly fatigued, committed the command to Sreng, and fled with a chosen band across the plain, from near The Neale in a north-western direction towards Loch Measca.

The Danann Druids, hearing of the extremity in which Eochai was placed magically concealed all the wells, rivers and fountains - probably a mist surrounded them. The king and his attendants were pursued by the three sons of Nemhed Mac Badhrai, and one hundred and fifty followers; and after a fierce conflict on the lake shore, which is described with great spirit, and in which the king slew his three youthful assailants, he himself expired.

“Thus fell the mighty Eochai. A lofty carn was raised over his body called Carn Eochaigh from his name; and at the western extremity of that strand still exist the monuments of his slayers, called Leaca Mac Nemhidh, "the flags of the sons of Nemhed".

“On the great grassy hill of Cill Odhar, or Carn, from which the townland takes its name - overlooking Loch Measca, from which it is about a mile distant, and commanding a view of the entire country, stands to this hour the most extensive and remarkable carn in the West of Ireland - that figured below, which, we entertain but little doubt, was erected to commemorate the fate of Eochal son of Erc, the last of the Fir Bolg kings of Éire.

The view from the top is very grand; on the extreme west we have Binn Shléibhe and the Partraí range of mountains rising from the lake, with the Reek of St. Padraic peeping over them; more to the north is Néifin, the hill of Coillte Mách, Balla, and the country about Claremorris, and so all around the distant eastern end of the plain to Cnoc Meadha, whence the eye again turns westwards to the shores of Loch Corrib.

Our account of the battle and battle-field of Magh Tuire here closes; both parties withdrew after the fourth day's fighting - the dispirited Fir Bolg to their camp along Coirrib shore, and the Dananns to their mountain fortress.

Both parties interred their dead; and it is said the former "raised Dumha (or tumuli) over their nobles; raised Leaca (or flag-stones) over their heroes; Fearta (graves) over the soldiers; and Cnoca (or hillocks) over the champions".

Sreng and the other remaining descendants of Gann held a war council; and, having but three thousand men remaining, they discussed the question of leaving the country in the possession of the invaders, dividing the kingdom, or risking another battle; and, as they were inferior in numbers, they demanded single combat, and challenged the Dananns to fight man to man.

This was refused; but a peace was ratified, by which Sreng and the Fir Bolg, or Belgae, retained the province of Connacht, to which those of that nation then resorted from all quarters, and where there is no doubt some remnant of that race still remains.

A portion of the Fir Bolg, possibly the warriors and soldiers, fled across Loch Coirib to the islands of Aran; where, perhaps dreading another invasion, they raised those stupendous barbaric monuments that still exist there, the wonder and admiration of antiquaries and historians, as they are undoubtedly the most extensive, as well as the oldest, structures of their kind in Europe.

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