Pictish Mystic · Lore · Red Branch
The Battle of Airtech
After the destruction of Cormac at Da Choca's Hostel, the Ulstermen held an assembly and offered the kingship to Conall Cernach. "Nay indeed," said Conall, "I will not take it, but give it to my fosterling": Cuscraid the Stammerer of Macha, son of Conchobar, for the kingship had surpassed his own vigour and skill of hand. So Cuscraid was proclaimed king, and Conall lamented Conchobar: "Great sorrow has consumed me, a mist of heavy grief wastes me away for the loss of my mighty sovran." Then he gave the young king his counsel: "Be just and righteous in judgment," and "Be not brutish in the mead court."
Cuscraid shared out the land among his brothers, the sons of Conchobar, and their kin: from the strand of Inber Colpa to Coba for Conall Cernach, the two Teffas for Furbaide Fer Bend, Loch Erne for Maine. Ulster was being raided and slain on every side, so the nobles wanted Fergus mac Róich home, and Fergus made peace with Cuscraid and came east with his wife Flidais, though Medb offered him payment for his slain sons to keep him in Connacht. Then a quarrel broke out over Crích Maland, given to Conchobar for the men slain around him on the Táin. Medb said she had given her land to none but Conchobar alone. The Ulstermen said they would not yield it unless it was won from them on the field of battle.
The Ulstermen harried Connacht until they came to the land of Airtech Broad-breast of the Fir Domnann. The three Connachts gathered against them, with Cet mac Mágach and Mac Cecht among their war lords, but they would not let Ailill or Medb go into the battle. The old text tells of "the whiz and whirr of the spears and arrows" and "the quaking of the earth under the feet of the strongmen". Conall Cernach slew Ailill Ardagach and Scannal, sons of Mágach. Cuscraid slew Aengus king of the Fir Bolg and Fer Teiched son of Fer Diad. Ulster lost many too, and Benna son of Conchobar and Cet son of Ailill and Medb fell by each other's hands. At last the battle went against Connacht, and they raised "a red wall" against the Ulstermen, "for the Ulid never followed up a slaughter if only a wall were set up against them." In that battle the Fir Domnann were finally destroyed, and the Ulstermen went home bearing great spoil.
These are legends from medieval manuscripts, not recorded history.
Source: "The Battle of Airtech", translated by R. I. Best (Ériu), on Mary Jones's Celtic Literature Collective.
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