Laegaire Buadach
Also spelled: Lóegaire Búadach, Laoghaire Buadach, Laegaire the Victorious
Laegaire the Victorious, son of Connad from Impail, one of the Ulster champions, who chants the call to arms before the last battle.
Overview
Laegaire Buadach, the victorious, is one of the Ulster chariot-warriors who practise the apple-feat and the javelin feats on the spearcords at Emain, and his sword is Nithach, the wounder. His grandfather Ilech was left in his care at Ráith Impail, and when the Connacht man Dóchae beheads the old man he brings the head to Laegaire and makes a pact of friendship with him. At Slemain Midi Fergus names him as a warrior who has never shirked the warlike fray. Before the last battle he chants the verse that begins "Rise kings of Macha", and the camp asks who chanted it. A Laegaire is among the Ulstermen in the birds episode, and the text does not say which one.
‘Rise kings of Macha / look to your cattle / guard your plunder / drive Connacht’s force / from Uisnech hill / men’s flanks in danger / sinews on fire / he will fell the world / on the field of Gáirech.’
Connections
Related characters
- Celtchar mac Uthidir (fellow chariot-warrior of Ulster)
- Conall Cernach (fellow chariot-warrior of Ulster)
- Cúchulainn (fellow chariot-warrior of Ulster)
- Dóchae mac Mágach (makes a pact of friendship with him)
- Ilech (grandfather, whom Dóchae beheads and whose head he brings to him)
Places
- Ath Feidli
- Brug
- Emain Macha
- Sliab Fuait
- Smirommair
- Uisnech
- Ráith Impail (his home, where Ilech was left in his care)
Appears in chapters
Appears in
- At nightfall Dóchae mac Mágach cuts off Ilech's head and brings it to Laegaire Buadach. At Ath Feidli. In Chapter XII: Ulster Rises from its Pangs.
- The men of Ulster chase a flock of birds across Sliab Fuait, Edmonn and Breg Plain, and reach Brug on the Boann as night overtakes them. At Brug. In How Cúchulainn was Begotten.
- A flock of birds ruins the plain around Emain and Conchobor, Deichtine and the Ulster warriors chase them away in nine chariots. At Emain Macha. In How Cúchulainn was Begotten.
- The Ulstermen drink from the vat Ol nguala while the chariot-warriors practise on spearcords, and the women's love for Cúchulainn makes them look for him a wife. At Emain Macha. In Cúchulainn's Courtship of Emer, and his Training in Arms.
- Conchobor, Deichtine, Conall, Laegaire and Bricriu chase a flock of enchanted birds across Sliab Fuait, Edmonn and Breg Plain. At Sliab Fuait. In How Cúchulainn was Begotten.
- Ilech sees the mash of marrow, is told it is made of Ulster cows' bones, and makes another beside it out of the bones of Connachtmen; at nightfall Dóchae cuts off his head and takes it to Ilech's grandson Laegaire. At Smirommair. In Chapter XII: Ulster Rises from its Pangs.
- Laegaire Buadach chants a verse telling the kings of Macha to drive Connacht's force from Uisnech hill. At Uisnech. In Chapter XIV: The Last Battle.