st Battle of Moytura. At her husband's death, she married again Eochaid Garb Mac Dúach, a Danann warrior. Since she was the foster-mother of Lugh, she was held in honour at the Lugnasad by the Tuatha dé Danann.
Not much was known about these people, except with their dealing with other settlers. They did not seem to have any trouble with the Fomorians. The Firbolgs, however did not like the Tuatha Dé Danann, and fought the First Battle of Moytura, before they were defeated. The Firbolgs lost the battle because the Dananns had technological superior weapons.
The Firbolg warrior Fer Díad, was the companion of Cú Chulainn. He was one of Medb's champions who fought against Cú Chulainn in single combat. Fer Díad was killed after three-day fighting.
|Arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann|
The next people to arrive in Erin (Ireland), was the Tuatha Dé Danann or the Children of the goddess Danu. They would later become regarded as Celtic deities by the pagan Irish, and as fairies to the Christians.
Like the Firbolgs, the Tuatha Dé Danann were descedants of Nemedians. The Nemedian survivors who followed Iobath son of Beothach son of Iarbonel to the northern isles became known as the Tuatha Dé Danann. Iarbanel was the son of Nemed and a prophet.
The northern isles have four magical, otherworldly cities, each one ruled by a druid. The cities were called Falias, Gorias, Finias and Murias. The Danann learned all sorts of arts and crafts, philosophy and medicine, music and warfare, science and magic. They were scholars, bards, druids, craftsmen, and warriors. The descendants had gain otherworldly powers.
In each city, there was a treasure, a talisman that the Danann would later bring to Ireland in their war against the Fomorians. More information about magic treasures would be found later.
The Tuatha Dé Danann came to Ireland under the leadership of Nuada, a son of Danu. Among the Dananns were also Dagda, Oghma, Goibhniu and Bres.
They won the First Battle of Moytura against the Firbolgs, because of their technological superior weapons and magic. At first, the Fomorians were the Danann's ally before their arrival in Ireland, but later became their deadly enemy. Under the leadership of Lugh, the Dananns also defeated the Fomorians in the Second Battle of Moytura.
|First Battle of Magh Tuiredh|
The Tuatha Dé Danann were at peace with the Fomorians. An alliance was formed between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians, so the Fomorians had no objection to the Danann settling in Ireland. To seal the alliance, Balor gave his daughter, Ethlinn (Eithne), in marriage to the Danann Cian, the son of Dian Cecht. (There's a different version between the relationship between the Fomorians and Danann.)
The Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in a cloud of mist when the Firbolgs discovered them were in Connacht. According to Cath Maige Tuired, this mist was actually smoke from their burning ships. The Tuatha Dé Danann decided that they would not flee to their ships if they were defeated.
During this time, Eochaid Mac Eirc was king of Ireland, and the leader of the Firbolgs. Eochaid was married to Tailtiu, the Firbolg daughter of the King of the Great Plain (Mag Mor or Magmor).
The two people sent embassies to meet and talk. The two people curiously looked at one another strange clothes and weapons. The Danann spear was superbly crafted, with fine point, whereas the Firbolg spear was blunt. Bres told the Sreng, the Firbolg champion, that they wished to share the land with the Firbolgs. They exchanged weapons before returning to their people.
The Firbolgs decided that they did not want to divide and share the land with Tuatha Dé Danann. They declared war against the Dananns, when the newcomers would not leave. A battle took place in Magh Tuiredh (Moytura).
The Firbolgs lost 100,000 warriors, among those killed was Eochaid Mac Eirc, king of the Firbolgs. The Dananns also lost many people in battle as well. According to Cath Maige Tuired, Edleo Mac Allai, Ernmas, Fiacha and Tuirill Bicreo were killed. The Dananns won a convincing victory, because of their superior weapo