When the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in Ireland, they did not find an uninhabited island. The territory was ruled by the Fir Bolg, a people who, according to tradition, had organized the island into five provinces and established the first great kingdom in Irish mythology. The arrival of the newcomers gave rise to one of the most important events recorded in the Lebor Gabála Érenn: the First Battle of Mag Tuired, recounted in detail in the tale Cath Maige Tuired Cunga and also mentioned in the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the so-called Book of Invasions.
The name Mag Tuired, whose name is often translated as "The Plain of the Towers” or “The Plain of the Pillars.”," although its exact etymology presents some difficulties.
This confrontation would mark the end of Fir Bolg rule and the beginning of the Tuatha Dé Danann's reign.
The Arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann
When the Tuatha Dé Danann landed in Ireland, they asked the Fir Bolg to share the island.
In the account of the battle, Bres, an envoy of the Tuatha Dé Danann, informed the Fir Bolg that they must either accept combat or surrender half of Ireland to them. The Fir Bolg rejected the proposal and decided to fight.
War was inevitable.
The Two Armies
The Fir Bolg were led by their king, Eochaid mac Eirc.
Among their warriors was Sreng mac Sengainn, considered one of their most powerful champions.
Opposing them marched the Tuatha Dé Danann, led by Nuada, accompanied by figures such as Dagda, Ogma, Dian Cécht, and other heroes who would later play prominent roles in numerous tales of Irish tradition.
Before the battle, there was even a meeting between Bres and Sreng. Both discovered that their peoples shared a common origin and went so far as to exchange weapons as a demonstration of their respective skills. However, the attempt to avert the conflict did not succeed.
The Battle
The sources describe a battle that lasted four days. It was an especially fierce struggle, with heavy losses on both sides. y estuvo marcado por duelos, enfrentamientos entre campeones y grandes pérdidas en ambos bandos.
One of the most memorable episodes was the confrontation between Nuada y Sreng. During the combat, Sreng delivered a powerful blow that severed the arm of the king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Although Nuada survived, that wound would have important consequences for the future of Ireland.
Meanwhile, the battle raged on.
King Eochaid mac Eirc, exhausted and overcome by thirst, temporarily left the battlefield in search of water. The Tuatha Dé Danann used their magic to conceal the water sources. Eventually, Eochaid confronted three sons of Nemed on the coast and died alongside one of them.
With the death of their king and after suffering heavy losses, the Fir Bolg were finally defeated.
The Victory of the Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann emerged victorious, but the story does not end with the disappearance of the Fir Bolg.
After the battle, the Tuatha Dé Danann offered Sreng the choice of one of Ireland's provinces for his people. Sreng chose Connacht, and both groups reached a peace agreement.
The Tuatha Dé Danann then assumed control over the rest of Ireland.
Tradition also links the Tuatha Dé Danann to Tara, the site of the Lia Fáil—or Stone of Destiny—one of the four great treasures associated with this people. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the stone was said to cry out in the presence of the rightful king of Ireland.
The Deposition of King Nuada and the Rise of Bres
Although Nuada had been victorious, there was a problem. The king had lost an arm.
In Irish tradition, a sovereign had to be free from certain physical deformities or imperfections to legitimately exercise power. Due to the loss of his arm, Nuada had to abdicate the throne and Bres was chosen as the new king.
But Bres would end up provoking a new conflict that would lead to the Second Battle of Mag Tuired..
The Silver Arm
The story of Nuada's recovery belongs to a broader tradition that connects directly to subsequent events.
According to the Lebor Gabala Érenn, Dian Cécht, physician to the Tuatha Dé Danann, fashioned a silver arm for Nuada capable of moving like a natural one, with the help of the craftsman Credne.
In other accounts, Miach, the son of Dian Cécht, later succeeded in restoring Nuada's arm through medical and magical knowledge. The account of this healing is associated with the tradition of the Second Battle of Mag Tuired.
Thanks to this restoration, Nuada was later able to regain the throne and became forever associated with the name of Nuada Airgetlám, "Nuada of the Silver Arm".
A Before and After
The First Battle of Mag Tuired was not simply a war between two peoples. It represented the transition between two generations of mythic rulers.
The Fir Bolg ceased to rule Ireland, while the Tuatha Dé Danann began a new era that would give rise to some of the most famous stories in Celtic tradition.
Without this battle, there would be no stories of Bres, the Dagda, Lugh, and the Fomorians, culminating in the Second Battle of Mag Tuired.
Follow the Footprints
Visit It Today...
The First Battle of Mag Tuired is linked by tradition with Moytura, near Cong, in County Mayo, in the area known as Southern Moytura. The landscape preserves numerous stone monuments, burial mounds, and stone circles that have fueled the site's association with the battle for centuries.
Moytura and the surroundings of Cong
Local tradition identifies the plain located between Cong and The Neale with the scene of the battle.
The area contains numerous prehistoric monuments. Landscape studies show that the structures were erected during widely different periods, ranging from prehistory to later times.
That very concentration of ancient monuments is one of the reasons why the landscape became associated with the legendary history of Mag Tuired.
Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib is part of the landscape of the Moytura region and lies next to the area traditionally linked to the battle.
According to medieval texts, the plain of Moytura It is the setting for the four days of combat between the Fir Bolg and the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Hill of Tara
Tara, in County Meath, is one of Ireland's great ceremonial and royal landscapes.
Medieval tradition transformed it into one of the great centers of power in legendary Ireland and linked it with kings and with the Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny. Today, one can still visit the archaeological complex and view the stone atop the monument known as Forradh.
Among the main monuments that can be viewed are:
- Forradh or Royal Enclosure, where the Lia Fáil stands.
- Ráth na Ríogh,enclosure of the Kings.
- Teach Chormaic, Cormac's House
- The Mound of the Hostages, an ancient burial mound dating back thousands of years.
National Museum of Ireland
In Dublin, the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology houses one of the most important archaeological collections dedicated to the history of Ireland and Irish mythology.