Second Battle of Moytura. King Nuada, who led the Dedannans in the first battle of Moytura, had his arm cut off by Sreng, one of the Firbolg champions. He was under cure for seven years; during which time Bres, the son of Elatha, who was a Fomorian by his father and a Dedannan by his mother, ruled Ireland as regent. But at the end of the seven years, Bres had to retire in favour of Nuada. Whereupon he repaired in anger to his father in Lochlann; and at his instigation an army of Fomorians was raised, after some years, for the invasion of Ireland, and placed under the command of Balor of the Mighty Blows.
Luga of the Long Arms seems to have foreseen this invasion. He knew that Bres would have to abdicate whenever Nuada's arm came to be healed, and he conjectured truly that he would not resign the sovereignty without a struggle. But the old tales would lead to the inference that Luga had some preternatural foreknowledge of the battle. Anyhow, the legend says that for many years he made preparations for the coming struggle; and it was with this intention that he imposed the celebrated eric-fine on the sons of Turenn.
The Fomorians landed, and were met by the Dedannan army at the Northern Moytura, or, as it is often called, Moytura of the Fomorians, situated in the parish of Kilmactranny, barony of Tirerrill, county Sligo. The battle was fought on the eve of Samin, i.e. on the last day of October, a.m. 3330; and the Fomorians were defeated with the slaughter of their principal men and the best part of their army. In the course of the battle, Nuada of the Silver Hand, the Dedannan king, was slain by Balor; but soon after, Balor himself was killed by his grandson, Luga. Luga, we are told, flung a stone at him from a crann-tavall or sling ([see note, page 240]), and struck him in the evil eye with so much force that the stone went clean through his head and out at the back.
The site of this battle, like that of the Southern Moytura, abounds to this day in sepulchral monuments.
These two battles of Moytura form the subjects of two historic tales, which are still in existence, though they have never been published.
[Note 12.] —Gesa.
"Gesa" (pronounced gessa, the g hard, as in get) is plural: singular geis, plural geasa or gesa. Gesa means solemn vows, conjurations, injunctions, prohibitions. "I put you under gesa" means, I adjure you solemnly, so solemnly that you dare not disobey. It would appear that individuals were often under gesa or solemn vows to observe, or to refrain from, certain lines of conduct—the vows being either taken on themselves voluntarily, or imposed on them, with their consent, by others. Thus Dermat O'Dyna was under gesa never to pass through a wicket gate when entering or leaving a palace ([page 282]); Finn was under gesa not to sleep at Allen more than nine nights in succession [(page 337]); Dermat put Oisin under gesa not to loose any one whom he bound ([page 312]). It would appear, also, that if one person went through the form of putting another under gesa to grant any reasonable request, the abjured person could not refuse without loss of honour and reputation. Thus Midac places Finn under gesa to come to the banquet in the Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees ([page 189]); and the witch-lady places gesa on Finn to search for the ring in the lake ([page 354]). And sometimes, on very solemn or urgent occasions, the gesa seem to have been imposed with spells, so as to draw down ill luck as well as loss of honour on the person who disregarded the injunction ([page 281]).
Geis or gesa also means a charm or spell.
[Note 13.] —Tir-fa-tonn.
The Gaelic tales abound in allusions to a beautiful country situated under the sea—an enchanted land sunk at some remote time, and still held under spell. In some romantic writings it is called Tir-fa-tonn, the land beneath the wave; and occasionally one or more of the heroes find their way to it, and meet with many strange adventures ([page 253]). Sometimes it is O'Brasil, that dim land which appears over the water once every seven years—"on the verge of the azure sea"—and which would be freed from the spell, and would remain permanently over water, if any one could succeed in throwing fire on it. (See Gerald Griffin's beautiful ballad, "O'Brasil, the Isle of the Blest.") The Island of Fincara ([page 87]), and the beautiful country seen beneath the waves by Maildun ([page 147]), are remnants of the same superstition.