Slemain Midi

Overview

Slemain Midi is a hill and a smooth plain, and Kinsella lists it as Slanemore. It is where the men of Ulster come together after their pangs, and the army sees it all through Mac Roth's eyes.

Mac Roth is sent to see how the men of Ulster are coming, and goes up to their encampment on the smooth plain of Slemain Midi. He comes back to Ailill and Medb and Fergus with the news, and the news is companies. Each one comes to the hill, and he describes the leader down to the brooch. Ailill asks the same question each time, and Fergus gives the name.

The first is a full troop of three thousand. They tear their clothes off straight away and dig a mound of sods where their leader is to sit. He is fair and graceful and tall, with a purple pleated tunic and a forked and wreathed gold beard. Fergus says that is Conchobor, king of a province of Ireland, with Sencha the most eloquent man in Ulster facing him and Cúscraid the stammerer at his father's hand. The spear in Cúscraid's hand plays like that just before a victory. Medb says they'll find what they want here. Fergus swears the army was not raised in Ireland that can resist the men of Ulster when they are provoked.

The rest follow in the same way. There is Eogan mac Durthacht of Fernmag, whom Fergus calls the beginner of battle, a man created for war. There is a burly, thick-thighed hero whose legs and arms were each as thick as a man, scarred and fiery and horrible and grim, whom Fergus names as his foster-brother Fergus mac Léte, king of Líne. There are three princes of Roth, all of an age, with three gold-hilted swords and three grey spears, who are Fiachna's three sons come from Cuib and Midluachair to recover the bull. Then there is a freckled boy at the head of a great angry company who knows no fear. Fergus says he doesn't know anyone like that in Ulster, unless the men of Temair have gathered round Erc, son of Coirpre Niafer and Conchobor's daughter, who may have come to help his grandfather without asking his father's leave. He says the army will lose the battle on account of this boy, because the Ulstermen will hack through the fray to save the little calf of their hearts, and Conchobor will throw up three mounds of men around the battlefield looking for his grandson.

Mac Roth says he is tired of describing. There is more, he says. Conall Cernach and his great company have not come. Conchobor's three sons and their troops have not come. Cúchulainn, wounded in the unequal struggle, has not come. More companies were on their way as he left.