e fleet lay, with the king and young prince
on board. Sitric, unable to withstand the opposing army on shore,
ordered his troops to embark, and resolved to avoid the encounter
through means of his ships. While the baffled Irish army were chafing at
this unexpected delay to their hoped for vengeance, they espied, from
the shore of Dundalk, where they encamped, a sail of ships, in regular
order, steering with a favourable gale towards the Danish fleet moored
in Dundalk bay. Joy instantly filled their hearts; for they recognized
the fleet of Munster, with the admiral's vessel in the van, and the rest
ranged in line of battle. The Danes were taken by surprise; they beheld
an enemy approach from a side where they rather expected the raven flag
of their country floating on the ships. The Munster admiral gave them no
time to form. He steered straight to Sitric's vessel, and, with his
hardy crew, sprang on board. Here a sight met his gaze which filled his
heart with rage; he saw his beloved monarch, Callaghan, and the young
prince, tied with cords to the main-mast. Having, with his men, fought
through the Danish troops to the side of the king and prince, he cut the
cords and set them free. He then put a sword into the hands of the
rescued king, and they fought side by side: Meanwhile Sitric, and his
brothers, Tor and Magnus, did all they could to retrieve the fortunes of
the day. At the head of a chosen band they attacked the Irish admiral,
and he fell, covered with wounds. His head, exposed by Sitric on a pole,
fired the Danes with hope--the Irish with tenfold rage. Fingal, next in
rank to Failbhe Fion, took the command, and determined to avenge his
admiral. Meeting the Danish ruler in the combat, he seized Sitric round
the neck, and flung himself with his foe into the sea, where both
perished. Seagdor and Connall, two captains of Irish ships, imitated
this example--threw themselves upon Tor and Magnus, Sitric's brothers,
and jumped with them overboard, when all were drowned. These desperate
deeds paralysed the energy of the Danes, and the Irish gained a complete
victory in Dundalk bay.

"The Irish fleet having thus expelled the pirates from their coast, came
into harbour, where they were received with acclamations of joy by all
who witnessed their bravery. Such is a summary of Keating's poetic
account of this day's achievements; and there are extant fuller accounts
in various pieces of native poetry, especially one entitled 'T