662 Móenach son of Fíngin, king of Munster, died.

663 Kl. Ségíne, i.e. moccu Cuind, abbot of Bennchor, died.

663 The death of Guaire Aidne, king of Connacht; whence: Carn Conaill: is a great host that is before it; All that he perceives will be dead; alas for Guaire Aidne.

663 The slaying of two sons of Domnall, i.e. Conall and Colcu.

663 Tuathal son of Morggán died.

663 Tu Enóc son of Fintan, abbot of Ferna Mór, died.

664 Báetán, abbot of Cluain Moccu Nóis, ^died.

665 Kl. The death by plague of the son of Áed Sláine, i.e. Blathmac , i.e. in Calatruim. Diarmait died in the same place, standing, stretched against a cross, watching the Laigin army approaching to kill him. His soul departed from him. It is found in some books that these two kings, Blathmac and Diarmait, reigned twelve years. In others, however, ... years, which we follow. These two kings of Ireland, then, Blathmac and Diarmait, died in that plague, i.e. the Buide Conaill.

665 Féchín of Fobar ^died.

665 Ailerán the Wise ^died.

665 Colmán Cas and Oengus of Ulaid ^died.

665 Four abbots of Bennchor ^died, i.e. Berach, Cummíne, Colum, and Áedán.

721 A raid on the Laigin by Fergal son of Máel Dúin. In other books of history I find that it was in the third year before, that is, in the tenth year of the reign of Fergal, that this raid on the Laigin was made, and that it was in revenge for it that Murchad brought the son of Finguine with the men of Munster to raid Mag Breg. Whichever of those years it was, though, Fergal made a great raid on the Laigin, that is to say, he burned and roasted and slew them, and he swore he would not cease until the Bóroma which Fínnachta remitted to MoLing was given to him, and until hostages were given to him in recognition of his lordship and of the tribute. The Laigin gave him hostages, and they promised the tribute.

721 It was at this time that Fergal made a prophecy for his sons, Áed Alláin and Niall Condail, and this is how that happened:

They came one day to visit him at Ailech Frigrenn. Áed, the elder son, a prime, clever, cruel and vigorous warrior, came thus to Ailech: with large, well-armed troops around him. But the younger son came thus: calmly and temperately, peacefully, with few attendants, and this is what he said, from his own diffidence and to honor his father: It would be more proper for me, he said, to lodge outside than to stay as a guest with you tonight. What is wrong with you, son, said the father, that you should say that, when the boy who is older than you has three times your attendants, and you do not have the confidence to stay in Ailech tonight as he is staying with his company? I would prefer, said Niall, that he should behave in the same way towards you. Do not go tonight at all, son, said Fergal, and be near your father and mother.

After that the older son, Áed, was brought into the great palace with his company. The young son, Niall, however, was brought to a lovely secluded house. Then they were entertained; and their father wished to test them both, so he came in the last part of the night to the house in which the elder son was staying, and he was listening at that house: it was very foul indeed inside that house. There were buffoons and satirists and horseboys and jugglers and oafs, roaring and bellowing there. Some were drinking, some sleeping, some vomiting, some piping, some whistling. Drummers and harpers were playing; a group was boasting and arguing. Fergal heard them thus. And he came then to visit the secluded house where the younger son was staying; and he listened at that house, and he heard nothing there but thanksgiving to God for all that they had received, and sweet, quiet harp playing, and the singing of praise songs to the Lord. And the king saw that great fear and love of the Lord were in that house. After that the king came to his own bed, and considered deeply the situation of those two houses.

Early in the morning he entered the great house where the elder son was staying, and he could scarcely pass through the house on account of the vomiting and filth and stench, and the number of dogs that were eating the vomit. And all inside were snoring as if they were dead, except for the king's son himself, and this is how he was sleeping: in his royal bed, as if he were waiting for battle, with a great shield on his left side, and two huge javelins on his right side, a long gold-hilted inlaid sword on his thigh, taking in and letting out great gasps, such as no one should do, however strong or agile.

He was unable to remain inside because of the great foulness of the air in that house, so he came into the house where the younger son was staying, and although he came quietly, the youth saw him, for he was not sleeping, but praying to the Lord. He rose immediately from the royal bed to greet his father, for he was thus: in a silk tunic, with gold and silver borders; and he opened the house for his father, and when his father came inside, he put his arms around his son's neck and gave him a kiss, and they came and sat together on the royal bed; and the son began first to converse with his father. And this is what he said: Father, it seems to us that you have spent this past night sleepless and troubled; you should sleep now in that bed until daybreak.

The father did so, and when daybreak came they rose together, and the son said to his father, Dear father, it would be proper for you to feast with us for a time here, for we still have half of the food and drink that was brought to us from you last night. And he had not finished saying that when servants brought out a huge vessel full of mead, and various foods, and they feasted together silently and peacefully then.

When everyone had risen, the king came out into his own house, and he predicted, in the presence of all, what the fortunes of his two sons yonder would be. He said that the elder son would take the kingship, and that his reign would be strong, heroic, vigorous, terrifying and lustful. The younger son, however, would take the kingship piously and honestly, and his descendants would be famous and royal, and would take the kingship every second time. And that has been fulfilled so far.

Now the daughter of Congal son of Fergus of Fánad was the mother of the older son (that is, Áed Alláin), and she bore that son secretly. And this is the reason why Fergal had the girl secretly. Her father, Congal, dedicated her to the Lord, and she was a nun, and her father had given her much gold and silver and cattle for protecting her chastity. However, the universal enemy of the human race (that is, the Devil) deceived her; she gave her love to Fergal son of Máel Dúin, and Fergal loved her. Fergal and the daughter of Congal Cennmagar slept together. Fergal was rígdomna of Ireland at that time. Congal was King of Ireland.

The man who was ^messenger between them told that to Congal. Congal was greatly grief-stricken by that news, that is, that his daughter had been seduced, and he said that the bearer of the tale would not live, unless he procured the proof of that story. So the bearer of the tale was waiting until Fergal and Congal's daughter should be together, and when they were together, the tale-bearer sought Congal, and told him that they were together. Congal came to the house where they were, and when Congal's daughter saw him coming to the house with his attendants— for she was clever, crafty, and spiteful, as was her father—she hid Fergal under the bedclothes, and then sat on the bedclothes herself. A big cat that was inside came and found Fergal and bit at his legs, and the cat swallowed big pieces of Fergal's legs. Fergal put his hand out and took the cat by the an neck, and killed it. Congal searched in the house, but he did not find Fergal there. He went to the bearer of the tale and drowned him in a river. Afterwards he came to see his own daughter, and he asked her forgiveness, since she was a virgin, so that his sin against her might not be upon him. It was at that secret tryst that Áed Alláin was conceived.

Now after Áed Alláin was born, his mother turned him over to two trustworthy women to be drowned, so that her father might not find her out and be angry with her. Now one of these women was of Cenél Conaill, and one was of Cenél Eógain. When the woman of Cenél Eógain took the lovely little baby into her arms, she was filled with love and tenderness for the infant, and she said to her woman companion: Dear sister, it is not right to destroy this baby, but rather to keep it well. The other answered, He is dearer to you than to his own mother, and it is she who has commanded us to drown him, for fear of her father's anger. She became angry, and she set the child on the ground, and they fought each other, one for protecting, the other for drowning him. The woman of Cenél Eógain overcame the other woman, and she clutched her by her Adam's apple until she agreed to everything—namely, to caring for the child. Thereafter they brought up the child together.

Once, four years later, the mother of the child happened to come into the house where he was, without knowing that he was alive. The little boy was playing there. His mother's mind turned to him, and she asked, How old is that boy over there? Everyone said that he was four years old. She called the trustworthy women over to her, and said to them, The sin I have committed is great, destroying a boy of that age to escape the anger of my father.

722 Kl. From the beginning of the world 5924 years. From the Incarnation of the Lord 722 years.

The Battle of Almu between the Laigin and Uí Néill. This battle was fought on the third of the Ides of December. The cause of this battle was that the Bóroma, which Fínnachta remitted to MoLing, was levied by Fergal, and the Laigin would not tolerate that. The Laigin did not pay it to Loingsech son of Oengus, and they did not pay it to Congal Cennmagar, although they had suffered great harrassment from Congal; nor did they have any greater wish to pay it to Fergal, since they trusted in the words of MoLing, who had promised that the Bóroma would never again be levied from the Laigin. That perturbed Fergal—that is, that the Laigin would not keep their pledges to him—so he commanded a vast, irresistible hosting from Leth Cuinn, that is, from Connachta, and Cenél Conaill, and Airgialla, and Mide, in the fourteenth year of his own reign, or in the thirteenth year, as some will have it, to levy the Bóroma.

Now that muster of troops took a long time, for every man of Leth Cuinn, when the order came to him, would say, If Donn Bó comes on the hosting, I shall come. Now this Donn Bó was the son of a widow of the Fir Rois, and he never went away from his mother's house for a day or a night, and there was no one in all Ireland who was more beloved, or fairer of form or figure or build than he. There was no one in all Ireland who was more valorous or more skillful than he, and his were the best amusing poems and royal stories in the world; it was he who was best at training horses, and setting spears, and braiding hair; and he was a man with royal nature in his countenance, of whom was said: More lovely than all boys is dear Donn Bó; more sweet his song than all utterances of the mouth; more glorious than all the warriors of Inis Fáil; ... But his mother would not let Donn Bó go with Fergal until Máel son of Failbe son of Erannán son of Crimthann, successor of Colum Cille, was pledged for his return alive, and until he pledged Colum Cille on his behalf, moreover, that Donn Bó would return safe to his own house from the territory of the Laigin.

Then Fergal set out on his way. There were guides going before him, but the guidance they gave him was not good: into the narrow places of each path, and into the rough places of each path, until they reached Cluain Dóbail ^{'the Unlucky Meadow} in Almu. Áedán, the leper of Cluain Dóbail, was there before them. The army behaved badly: they slaughtered his only cow and roasted it on spits in his presence, and they took his house despite him and burned it; so the leper said that the punishment the Lord would inflict on the Uí Néill would be eternal. The leper went to Fergal's tent, and the kings of Leth Cuinn were all before him in the tent at that time. In their presence the leper complained of his ill-treatment, but the heart of none was moved for him, except the heart of Cú Bretan son of Congus, the king of Fir Rois, and Cú Bretan did not regret that, for except for Cú Bretan son of Congus alone, none of the kings who was in the tent escaped from the battle. It was on that occasion that Cú Bretan said: I fear a crimson, bloody battle, oh Fergal's man, whom I seek out; sorrowful are the servants of Mary's Son after the house has been taken in spite of them. The leper's cow has been slaughtered after his ox; woe to the hand that pierced their cloak ^skin?, for the son of Bran did not restrain it, etc. Then Fergal said to Donn Bó, Entertain us, Donn Bó, for you are the best musician in Ireland, with flutes and piping, and with harps and poems and talk and royal stories of Ireland, and tomorrow morning we give battle to the Laigin. No, said Donn Bó, I cannot amuse you tonight, and I do not possess one of all those accomplishments to demonstrate tonight; but wherever you are tomorrow, and wherever I shall be, I will entertain you. Let the royal fool Úa Maigléine amuse you tonight.

Úa Maigléine was brought to them then. He set about telling the battles and combats of Leth Cuinn and the Laigin, from the destruction of Tuaim Tenbath (that is, Dind Ríg) in which Cobthach Cóel Breg was killed, up until that time; and they did not sleep much that night because of their great fear of the Laigin, and because of the severity of the weather, for it was the eve of the feast of Finnian, in the winter.

As for the Laigin, they went to Cruachan Cloenta, for the Laigin used not to be defeated if they made their plans there and then proceeded from there to the battle. Afterwards they went to Dind Canand. The following morning the troops of both sides met: nine thousand of the Laigin, and twenty-one thousand of Leth Cuinn. The battle was waged strongly and fiercely on both sides, and everyone took part in the fighting there. The combats of the Laigin and Leth Cuinn warriors would be excessive to relate. It is said that Brigit was seen over the Laigin; Colum Cille, moreover, was seen over the Uí Néill. The battle was won by Murchad son of Bran, and by Áed son of Donnchad son of Colcu, king of Laigin Desgabair. Fergal was slain there. Áed Mend and Dúnchad son of Murchad killed Fergal himself and Bile son of Bain, king of Alba, from whom Corr Bile in Almu gets its name. Moreover, it was Áed Mend who slew Donn Bó. However, Fergal did not fall until after Donn Bó fell. One hundred and sixty mercenaries were slain in that place. The Laigin killed their own number—that is, nine thousand—of the men of Leth Cuinn in that battle, and nine of them went mad, and one hundred of the kings. The Hill of Fergal is there. The Laigin raised shouts of triumph there, whence was said: At the end of the day at Almu, after fighting for the cattle of Brega, the red-mouthed, sharp-tongued scald-crow cried triumph around the head of Fergal. Murchad parted from a coward. He advanced champions on the earth; he turned an edge against Fergal, with an immense band of warriors to the south of Almu. One hundred prosperous kings died (there), hard, firm, brawny, along with nine madmen without gentleness, along with nine thousand armed men. Four hundred steady men at Cruachan with the mercenaries, wounded in the fight, with three hundred brave men of Cenél Conaill, and six

The fool Úa Maigléine was taken captive there, and he was asked to give a fool's shout, and he did; that shout was loud and melodious, so that the shout of Úa Maigléine has remained from that time with the fools of Ireland. Afterwards Fergal's head was cut off, and the fool's head was also cut off. The echo of the fool's shout was in the air for three days and three nights. This is the origin of the saying, the shout of Úa Maigléine pursuing the men in the bog.

Then Áed Laigen son of Fidchellach, king of Úí Maine Connacht, was defeated and fled, saying to his sons, Do not leave me, sons; your mother will be better disposed towards you if you take me with you. They will not take you, said the Laigin. It was then that Áed Laigen, king of Úí Maine, was slain.

However, the sons of Áed Laigen, in the company of Áed Alláin son of Fergal, reached Lilcach, where Modichu son of Amargein and the pious Foreigner were. It was then that the Úi Néill and Connachta dug the rampart of the church, and they were in the guise of clergy, and it was thus that they were saved through a miracle of the saints, so that the friendship of the Úí Néill and Connachta is in that church from that time forth; wherefore Áed Ailáin sang: We did not find on earth ^{a place} which would be as smooth as Almu; after the battle we did not reach ^{a place} which would be as bright as Lilcach.

Beginning of the reign of Cináed son of Írgalach, according to some.

Kl. Then Fogartach son of Niall took the name of King of Ireland immediately after Fergal. It was he who was defeated by the Laigin in the battle at Tailtiu. It was one year, or two, according to some, until he was killed by Cináed Lethcháech son of Írgalach.

Then Cináed was King of Ireland for four years after that. It was to him, when he was in his mother's womb, that Adamnán promised that he would take the kingship of Ireland. This Cináed's reign was prosperous. He raided Leinster the first year and defeated Dúnchad son of Murchad, and many noblemen were killed in this war.

723 Indrechtach son of Muiredach, king of Connacht, dies.

^?724 There was a battle between Dúnchad son of Murchad and Laidcnén, king of Uí Ceinnselaig, and Laidcnén was defeated in the battle.

724 Kl. The battle of Cenn Delgthen, in which Fogartach grandson of Cernach fell. Cináed son of Írgalach was the winner. Ruman sang of that: The battle of Cenn Delgthen was won by a valorous king; company overwhelmed company: the ... battle of red-faced Domnall(?). It was after Fogartach was killed that Cináed took the kingship, according to some.

In the same year the men of Munster sent messengers to Cerball son of Dúnlang, asking him to come with the Danes and the muster of Osraige to relieve and reinforce them against the Norse who were plundering and destroying them at that time. Now Cerball responded to that, and he commanded all the Danes and the Osraige to go to assist the men of Munster, and he was obeyed. Then Cerball proceeded against the Norwegians with a large army of Danes and Irish.

When the Norwegians saw Cerball with his army, or retinue, they were seized by terror and great fear. Cerball went to a high place, and he was talking to his own people at first. This is what he said, looking at the wasted lands around him: Do you not see, said he, how the Norwegians have devastated this territory by taking its cattle and by killing its people? If they are stronger than we are today, they will do the same in our land. Since we are a large army today, let us fight hard against them. There is another reason why we must do hard fighting: that the Danes who are along with us may discover no cowardice or timidity in us. For it could happen, though they are on our side today, that they might be against us another day. Another reason is so that the men of Munster whom we have come to relieve may comprehend our hardiness, for they are often our enemies.

Afterwards he spoke to the Danes, and this is what he said to them: Act valiantly today, for the Norwegians are your hereditary enemies, and have battled among you and made great massacres previously. You are fortunate that we are with you today against them. And one thing more: it will not be worth your while for us to see weakness or cowardice in you.

The Danes and the Irish all answered him that neither cowardice nor weakness would be seen in them. Then they rose up as one man to attack the Norwegians. Now the Norwegians, when they saw that, did not think of giving battle, but fled to the woods, abandoning their spoils. The woods were surrounded on all sides against them, and a bloody slaughter was made of the Norwegians. Until that time the Norwegians had not suffered the like anywhere in Ireland. This defeat occurred at Cruachan in Eóganacht. Cerball came back home with victory and spoils.

Horm and his people were escorted by Cerball to the king of Temair after that. The king of Temair welcomed him and gave him great honour. Then he went to sea. That Horm was killed later by Rhodri, king of the Britons.

860 In this year Mac Giallain died after fasting for thirty years.

906 The death of Glaisine son of Uisíne, king of Uí Meic-Caille.

906 And it was for the deaths of Éicnechán, Indrechtach, Flann, and Ciarmaccán, that it was said: Death that is hideous has left behind the hosts who seek after treasure; a vigorous king has changed color; great sorrow that Éicnech lies dead. Éicnech was hard for warriors to deal with, the king of hundredfold Cenél Conaill; alas that a face that bad color shrivels is under the earth's surface after death. Indrechtach of Bennchor of the troops, Ciarmac of Gabair, powerful name, Flann of Febal, noble against difficulty, Éicnech of contentious Síl Conaill.

908 This is the thirtieth year of the reign of Flann son of Máel Sechlainn.

908 Anno Domini 900. A great army of the men of Munster was gathered by the same two men, that is, by Flaithbertach and Cormac, to demand the hostages of the Laigin and Osraige, and the men of Munster were all in the same camp. Flaithbertach happened to ride along a street of the camp on his horse; his horse fell into a deep ditch under him, and that was an evil omen for him. There were many of his own people, and of the whole army, who did not wish to go on the expedition after that, for it seemed to all of them that this fall of the holy man was a calamitous omen.

Then noble messengers came from the Laigin, from Cerball son of Muirecán, to Cormac first, and they delivered a message of peace on behalf of those of the Laigin who appeared to him (?): i.e., that there would be one peace in all of Ireland until the next Béltaine (for it was a fortnight into autumn at that time), and hostages would be given into the keeping of Móenach, the holy, wise and pious man, and other pious people; many goods and treasures would be given to Flaithbertach and to Cormac.

The peace offered him was most welcome to Cormac, and he came to tell Flaithbertach about it, and he told it to him as it had been brought him from the Laigin. When Flaithbertach heard that, he was greatly horrified, and he said, This demonstrates, he said, your lack of spirit and the meanness of your descent, for you are the son of an outsider—and he said many bitter and insulting words that it would be tedious to relate.

This is the reply that Cormac gave him: I am certain, said Cormac, of what will result from that—that is, from giving battle—holy man, said he. Cormac will be cursed for it, and it is likely that you will die. And when he had said that, he came to his own tent, tired and sorrowful, and when he had seated himself, he took a bucket of apples that was brought to him, and he was distributing them to his followers and he said, Beloved people, said he, I shall never bestow apples upon you from this time forward. Is it so, dear earthly lord? asked his people. Why have you made us sad and sorrowful? You have often made evil prophecies for us. He said then, Indeed, beloved people, what sorrowful thing have I said? For it is small wonder that I should not give you apples from my own hand, since there will be some one among you after me who will distribute apples to you.

Afterwards he ordered a watch. There was summoned to him then the wise, pious man, the exalted successor of Comgall, and he made his confession and his will in his presence, and he received the Body of Christ from his hand, and he renounced life in the presence of this Móenach, for he knew that he would be killed in the battle, but he did not wish many to know this about him. He asked that his body be brought to Cluain Uama, if possible, but if it was not, that it be brought to the burial ground of Diarmait grandson of Áed Rón, where he had studied for a long time. He greatly desired, however, to be buried at Cluain Uama of the son of Léníne. Móenach, however, preferred to bury him at Dísert Diarmata, for Dísert Diarmata was one of Comgall's places, and Móenach was successor of Comgall. Móenach son of Siadal was the wisest man in his time, and he worked hard then to make peace between the Laigin and the men of Munster, if possible. Many of the army of Munster deserted without leave.

Now there was great clamor and commotion in the encampment of the men of Munster at that time, for they heard that Flann son of Máel Sechlainn was in the Laigin camp with a huge army of foot and horse. Then Móenach said, Nobles of Munster, said he, it would be right for you to give the well-born hostages that I have brought you into the keeping of pious men until Béltaine, i.e. the son of Cerball, king of the Laigin, and the son of the king of Osraige. All the men of Munster were saying that it was Flaithbertach son of Inmainén alone who compelled them to go into Leinster.

After the great complaint that they made, they came across Slíab Mairge from the west to Droichet Lethglinne. However, Tipraite, successor of Ailbe, and many clerics along with him stayed at Lethglenn, and also the servants of the army and their pack horses.

Then the men of Munster sounded trumpets and battlecries, and proceeded to Mag Ailbe. They were waiting for their enemies with their backs to a dense wood. The men of Munster formed themselves into three equally large, equally extensive battalions: Flaithbertach son of Inmainén and Cellach son of Cerball, king of Osraige, leading the first battalion; Cormac son of Cuilennán, the king of Munster, leading the middle Munster battalion; Cormac son of Mothla, king of the Déissi, and the king of Ciarraige, and kings of many other tribes of West Munster in the third battalion. Then they proceeded like that over Mag Ailbe. They were complaining about the number of their enemies and the smallness of their own forces. This is what the wise men (i.e., the people who were among them) reported: that the Laigin with their allies were three or four times the number of the men of Munster, or more.

Now the men of Munster came to the battle weak and in disorder. The noise in this battle was grievous, as the learned tell (i.e., the people who were in the battle), that is, the noise of the one army being slain, and the noise of the other army exulting in that slaughter. Now there were two causes that made the men of Munster suffer sudden defeat: first, that Célechair, kinsman of Cenn Gécáin, leaped suddenly onto his horse, and as he leaped onto his horse, he said: Nobles of Munster, he said, flee at once from this horrible battle, and leave it to the clergy themselves, who have given no other counsel but to do battle. And he fled immediately after that, and a great troop along with him. And then the other cause of the defeat: Cellach son of Cerball, when he saw the troop that included the King of Ireland's noble followers slaughtering his own troop, leaped upon his horse, and said to his own people, Get up on your horses, and drive away the people who are before you! And although he said that, it was not really for fighting that he said it, but rather in order to flee. What resulted from those causes, then, was the unanimous flight of the Munster battalions.

Alas, grievous and great was the slaughter throughout Mag Ailbe after that. Clergy were spared no more than laymen there; they were equally killed and beheaded. Whenever laymen or cleric was spared there, it was not done from mercy, but rather from desire to get ransom for them, or to keep them as servants.

Now Cormac the king escaped in the lead of the first troop. But his horse jumped into a ditch, and he fell from the horse; when a group of his people saw that as they were fleeing, they came to the king and put him back on his horse. Then he saw one of his own fostersons, named Áed, of the noblemen of the Eóganachta, learned in wisdom and jurisprudence and historical traditions and Latin, and the king said to him Beloved son, said he, do not stay with me, but get away as best you can. I have told you already that I would be killed in this battle.

A few stayed with Cormac, and he proceeded along the way on horseback, and there was much blood from men and horses along that road. Then the hind legs of his horse slipped on the slick road, in the path of that blood; the horse fell backwards, and the king fell backwards, and his back and his neck were broken in two, and he said as he was falling, In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum. And his spirit departed, and the accursed impious sons went and stabbed spears into his body, and hacked his head from his body.

Although many were the slain on Mag Ailbe east of the Berba, the cruelty of the Laigin was not satisfied with that, so they pursued the retreat westward across Slíab Mairge, and they killed many noblemen in that pursuit.

At the very beginning of the battle Cellach son of Cerball, king of Osraige, and his son had immediately been killed. Both laymen and clergy were killed severally from then on: many noble clergy were killed in this battle, and many kings and chieftains. Fogartach son of Suibne, the sage in philosophy and theology, king of Ciarraige, was slain, and Ailill son of Eógan, the distinguished young scholar and nobleman, and Colmán, abbot of Cenn Éitig, distinguished master of jurisprudence in Ireland, and many others, whom it would be a long task to write down.

The laymen, moreover, were Cormac, king of the Déissi; Dubucán, king of Fir Maige; Cenn Fáelad, king of Uí Conaill; Connadar and Aineslis of the Uí Thairdelbaig; and Éiden, king of Aidne, who was in exile in Munster; Máel Muad; Matudán; Dub dá Bairenn; Congal; Catharnach; Feradach; Áed, king of Uí Liathain; and Domnall, king of Dún Cermna.

These are the men who won the battle: Flann son of Máel Sechlainn, King of Ireland; and Cerball son of Muirecán, king of Laigin; and Tadc son of Fáelán, king of Uí Ceinnselaig; Temenán, king of Uí Dega; Cellach and Lorccán, two kings of Fir Cualann; Indeirge son of Dub Gilla, king of Uí Dróna; Follaman son of Ailill, king of Fotharta Fea; Tuathal son of Augaire, king of Uí Muiredaig; Augrán son of Cennétig, king of Loíches; Máel Calland son of Fergal, king of the Fortuatha; Cléirchen, king of Uí Bairrchi.

Flann, King of Ireland, came after that with a large troop of royal horsemen, and installed Diarmait son of Cerball in the kingship of Osraige.

Then a group came before Flann, and they had the head of Cormac the king; they said to Flann, Life and health, triumphant powerful king: we have the head of Cormac for you; and as is the custom with kings, raise your thigh, and put this head under it, and crush it with your thigh. That is indeed evil, said Flann to them, and it was not thanks that he gave them. It was an evil deed, he said, to cut off the holy bishop's head; I shall honour it, and not crush it. Flann took the head in his hands, and kissed it, and he carried the consecrated head and the true martyr around him three times. After that the head was honourably brought from him to the body, in the place where Móenach son of Siadal, successor of Comgall, was, and he took Cormac's body to Dísert Diarmata, and it was greatly honoured there, where it produces omens and miracles.

Why, then, should the heart not be moved and mourn this awful deed, that is, the killing and hacking up (with abominable weapons) of the holy person who was the most skilled that ever was or will be of the men of Ireland? A scholar in Irish and in Latin, the wholly pious and pure chief bishop, miraculous in chastity and in prayer, a sage in government, in all wisdom, knowledge and science, a sage of poetry and learning, chief of charity and every virtue; a wise man in teaching, high king of the two provinces of all Munster in his time. ...

Flann, the King of Ireland, returned then, after leaving Diarmait in the kingship of Osraige and making a peace in partnership between him and his kinsmen. The Laigin returned also with triumph and spoils. Cerball son of Muirecán, king of the Laigin proceeded to Cell Dara with great troops of captives, and Flaithbertach son of Inmainén among those. The evil things that certain scholars of Leinster said about Flaithbertach are shameful to tell, and improper to write.

Flaithbertach was brought to Cell Dara then, and the clergy of Leinster reproached him severely, for they knew that it had been he alone who had urged the hosting and the battle, and that Cormac had come against his will. However, after the death of Cerball, king of the Laigin, Flaithbertach was released, which was at the end of that year, according to some. Muirenn, successor of Brigit, along with a large group of clergy and many relics, escorted him to Mag n-Airb, and when he arrived in Munster he made peace there. Afterwards he went to his monastery on Inis Cathaig, and he spent a while there piously, until he came out again to take the kingship of Cashel, and he was king of Munster for thirty-two years.

909 Kl. Cerball son of Muirecán, king of the Laigin, died, whence Dallán sang: Great grief that Life of fierce battles lacks righteous Cerball of many clients, a man modest, firm and prosperous, whom ready Ériu served. I grieve for Cnoc Almaine and Aillenn without warriors; I grieve for Carman, I will not conceal it, with grass over its roads. His life was not long after Cormac was destroyed: a day and a half, no miscalculation, and one year, and no more. Ruler of a brilliant kingdom, King of Leinster with many champions, alas that the lofty rock of Almu has gone on a bitter and melancholy path. Sparkling treasures—distinguished the remnant— mourn a magnanimous king of Nás, who has shaken dense hordes; this is the greatest of griefs. Gormfhlaith, daughter of Flann, sang: Cerball was always in control; his manner was vigorous till death. Those of his claims that were unpaid he carried off by his strength to Nás. Evil for me was the favour of two Foreigners: they killed Niall and Cerball: Cerball by Ulb—famous deed— and Niall Glúndub by Amlaide.

909 Bécc úa Lethlabair, king of Dál Araide, died, whence was said: Great news: shattered is the ship of the sea, since it has come upon great sorrow that the beloved, wise, golden youth no longer lives, the famous king of Tuag Inbir.

909 Cadell son of Rhodri, king of Britain, ^died.

909 Caíróc son of Dunóc, king of Uí Fergusa, ^died.

909 Mugrón son of Sochlachán, king of Uí Maine, died.

^?907 We have related above, that is, in the fourth year previously, that the Norwegian armies were driven out of Ireland, thanks to the fasting and prayers of the holy man, Céle Dabaill, for he was a saintly and pious man, and he had great zeal for the Christians; and besides inciting the warriors of Ireland against the pagans, he laboured himself through fasting and prayer, and he strove for freedom for the churches of Ireland, and he strengthened the men of Ireland by his laborious service to the Lord; and he removed the anger of the Lord from them. For it was on account of the Lord's anger against them that the foreigners were brought to destroy them (i.e., the Norwegians and Danes), to plunder Ireland, both church and tribe.

Now the Norwegians left Ireland, as we said, and their leader was Ingimund, and they went then to the island of Britain. The son of Cadell son of Rhodri was king of the Britons at that time. The Britons assembled against them, and gave them hard and strong battle, and they were driven by force out of British territory.

After that Ingimund with his troops came to Aethelflaed, Queen of the Saxons; for her husband, Aethelred, was sick at that time. (Let no one reproach me, though I have related the death of Aethelred above, because this was prior to Aethelred's death and it was of this very sickness that Aethelred died, but I did not wish to leave unwritten what the Norwegians did after leaving Ireland.) Now Ingimund was asking the Queen for lands in which he would settle, and on which he would build barns and dwellings, for he was tired of war at that time. Aethelflaed gave him lands near Chester, and he stayed there for a time.

What resulted was that when he saw the wealthy city, and the choice lands around it, he yearned to possess them. Ingimund came then to the chieftains of the Norwegians and Danes; he was complaining bitterly before them, and said that they were not well off unless they had good lands, and that they all ought to go and seize Chester and possess it with its wealth and lands. From that there resulted many great battles and wars. What he said was, Let us entreat and implore them ourselves first, and if we do not get them ^{good lands} willingly like that, let us fight for them by force. All the chieftains of the Norwegians and Danes consented to that.

Ingimund returned home after that, having arranged for a hosting to follow him. Although they held that council secretly, the Queen learned of it. The Queen then gathered a large army about her from the adjoining regions, and filled the city of Chester with her troops.

^?918 Almost at the same time the men of Foirtriu and the Norwegians fought a battle. The men of Alba fought this battle steadfastly, moreover, because Colum Cille was assisting them, for they had prayed fervently to him, since he was their apostle, and it was through him that they received faith. For on another occasion, when Imar Conung was a young lad and he came to plunder Alba with three large troops, the men of Alba, lay and clergy alike, fasted and prayed to God and Colum Cille until morning, and beseeched the Lord, and gave profuse alms of food and clothing to the churches and to the poor, and received the Body of the Lord from the hands of their priests, and promised to do every good thing as their clergy would best urge them, and that their battle-standard in the van of every battle would be the Crozier of Colum Cille—and it is on that account that it is called the Cathbuaid ^{'Battle-Triumph'} from then onwards; and the name is fitting, for they have often won victory in battle with it, as they did at that time, relying on Colum Cille. They acted the same way on this occasion. Then this battle was fought hard and fiercely; the men of Alba won victory and triumph, and many of the Norwegians were killed after their defeat, and their king was killed there, namely Oittir son of Iarngna. For a long time after that neither the Danes nor the Norwegians attacked them, and they enjoyed peace and tranquillity. But let us turn to the story that we began.

The armies of the Danes and the Norwegians mustered to attack Chester, and since they did not get their terms accepted through request or entreaty, they proclaimed battle on a certain day. They came to attack the city on that day, and there was a great army with many freemen in the city to meet them. When the troops who were in the city saw, from the city wall, the many hosts of the Danes and Norwegians coming to attack them, they sent messengers to the King of the Saxons, who was sick and on the verge of death at that time, to ask his advice and the advice of the Queen. What he advised was that they do battle outside, near the city, with the gate of the city open, and that they choose a troop of horsemen to be concealed on the inside; and those of the people of the city who would be strongest in battle should flee back into the city as if defeated, and when most of the army of the Norwegians had come in through the gate of the city, the troop that was in hiding beyond should close the gate after that horde, and without pretending any more they should attack the throng that had come into the city and kill them all.

Everything was done accordingly, and the Danes and Norwegians were frightfully slaughtered in that way. Great as that massacre was, however, the Norwegians did not abandon the city, for they were hard and savage; but they all said that they would make many hurdles, and place props under them, and that they would make a hole in the wall underneath them. This was not delayed; the hurdles were made, and the hosts were under them making a hole in the wall, because they wanted to take the city, and avenge their people.

It was then that the King (who was on the verge of death) and the Queen sent messengers to the Irish who were among the pagans (for the pagans had many Irish fosterlings), to say to the Irishmen, Life and health to you from the King of the Saxons, who is ill, and from the Queen, who holds all authority over the Saxons, and they are certain that you are true and trustworthy friends to them. Therefore you should take their side: for they have given no greater honour to any Saxon warrior or cleric than they have given to each warrior or cleric who has come to them from Ireland, for this inimical race of pagans is equally hostile to you also. You must, then, since you are faithful friends, help them on this occasion. This was the same as saying to them, Since we have come from faithful friends of yours to converse with you, you should ask the Danes what gifts in lands and property they would give to the people who would betray the city to them. If they will make terms for that, bring them to swear an oath in a place where it would be convenient to kill them, and when they are taking the oath on their swords and their shields, as is their custom, they will put aside all their good shooting weapons.

All was done accordingly, and they set aside their arms. And the reason why those Irish acted against the Danes was because they were less friends to them than the Norwegians. Then many of them were killed in that way, for huge rocks and beams were hurled onto their heads. Another great number were killed by spears and by arrows, and by every means of killing men.

However, the other army, the Norwegians, was under the hurdles, making a hole in the wall. What the Saxons and the Irish who were among them did was to hurl down huge boulders, so that they crushed the hurdles on their heads. What they did to prevent that was to put great columns under the hurdles. What the Saxons did was to put the ale and water they found in the town into the towns cauldrons, and to boil it and throw it over the people who were under the hurdles, so that their skin peeled off them. The Norwegians response to that was to spread hides on top of the hurdles. The Saxons then scattered all the beehives there were in the town on top of the besiegers, which prevented them from moving their feet and hands because of the number of bees stinging them. After that they gave up the city, and left it. Not long afterwards there was fighting again ...

910 In this year a great force from Bréifne came raiding. This was told to the King of Ireland and to his sons. Then the King of Ireland said, It is the end of time, said he, when peasants like these dare to rise against freemen. The King of Ireland and his sons immediately gathered an irresistible force, and they proceeded to Druim Criaich, and they were looking at the troops of the Bréifne men there. An army of peasants had never before been seen. They fought together after that, and although there was no king leading them, they fought firmly against the King of Ireland. The sons of the King of Ireland saw a company some ways out from the rest; they approached and fought against it. The sons of the King defeated that troop, and the other troops were immediately defeated and slaughtered, and many of them were taken prisoner, and they were ransomed in return for treasures. The King returned with glory and spoils from the peasants, after killing the king of Bréifne, Flann son of Tigernán.

^?910 Kl. Diarmait, king of Osraige, and Áed son of Dub Gilla, king of Uí Dróna, devastated the south of Mag Raigne, and they destroyed Cell na g-Caillech ^{'the Church of the Nuns'}, i.e., of Sinche and Rechtín, and Áed's people killed the priest of the community, and God avenged that on Áed son of Dub Gilla, for some peasants of Osraige killed him as he was returning home. That Áed was king of Uí Dróna and the Trí Maige, and was eligible to be king of Uí Ceinnselaig. Whence was said: O youths of splendid Ailbe, mourn the king of noble Sláine; carry Áed of the hosts of Berba as far as the sod of level Ferna. Ferna Mór with thousands of noble graces, there has not reached it, as far as is remembered, a dead man whose fame was more glorious since Brandub of the hosts was slain. My defense, my shelter has gone; may the King of Kings make smooth the roads; it is clear in Ráith Étain that Áed is dead, o youths.

^?910 Uallachán son of Cathal, eligible to be king of Uí Failge, died.

Augaire son of Ailill was made king over the Laigin.