Naoise for eloping with his bride-to-be, Deirdre. While Iollan and Buinne were guarding them in the Red Branch Hostel in Emain Macha, Conchobhar betrayed his promise and ordered them killed. Iollan and Buinne defended them, but Buinne was bribed to stop fighting. Iollan ran out to meet the attackers and wounded Fiachra, son of Conchobhar Mac Nessa, who was leading the attack on the hostel. Fiachra was carrying Conchobhar’s enchanted shield, Ochain (Moaner), which moaned when its bearer was in danger. The hero, Conall Cearnach, hearing its cry, came up and mortally wounded Iollan. Before he died, Iollan told Conall, who had been his friend, of Conchobhar’s treachery. Conall, in rage, then slew Fiachra.

Ioruaidhe

[I] A kingdom whose ruler possessed a hound whelp called Fáil Inis, who was irresistible in battle. Any water it bathed in was turned to wine and it caught every wild beast it encountered. In reparation for killing Cian, Lugh’s father, the sons of Tuireann had to bring it back to Ireland. They fought the king of Ioruaidhe, took him captive, and demanded the hound in return for his life and freedom.

Ir

[I] A son of Milesius. He was killed by a storm conjured by the Dé Danaan to prevent the Milesian landing in Ireland.

Ireland

Éire in Irish. Unlike its neighbouring Celtic island, Britain, it did not become part of the Roman Empire, although the Romans, particularly Agricola, did plan to invade. Converted to Christianity in the fifth century, Ireland also escaped the sweep of the Huns, Goths, Vandals, and other Germanic peoples through Europe, which also destroyed Celtic Britain and established a number of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms there that eventually became England.

While this was known as the Dark Ages in Europe, it was for Ireland a “Golden Age” of learning and literacy. Irish Christian monks left Ireland to establish churches and monasteries as far east as Kiev, in the Ukraine, as far north as Iceland and the Faroes, and as far south as Taranto, in Italy. Ironically, in view of Ireland’s later history, they brought literacy and Christianity to the English kingdoms.

In the eighth century Ireland felt the brunt of attacks from the Vikings, and the Norse made settlements in the coastal regions. During this period, great Irish libraries, the Tech Screpta, were