ordha, were the remote causes
of the famous battle of Clontarf. The story is told thus: Maelmordha
came to Brian with an offering of three large pine-trees to make masts
for shipping. These were probably a tribute which he was bound to pay to
his liege lord. The trees had been cut in the great forest of Leinster,
called Fidh-Gaibhli.[216] Some other tribes were bringing their
tree-tributes at the same time; and as they all journeyed over the
mountains together, there was a dispute for precedency. Maelmordha
decided the question by assisting to carry the tree of the Ui-Faelain.
He had on a tunic of silk which Brian had given[217] him, with a border
of gold round it and silver buttons. One of the buttons came off as he
lifted the tree. On his arrival at Kincora, he asked his sister,
Gormflaith, to replace it for him; but she at once flung the garment
into the fire, and then bitterly reproached her brother with having
accepted this token of vassalage. The Sagas say she was "grim" against
Brian, which was undoubtedly true. This excited Maelmordha's temper. An
opportunity soon offered for a quarrel. Brian's eldest son,
Murrough,[218] was playing a game of chess with his cousin, Conoing;
Maelmordha was looking on, and suggested a move by which Murrough lost
the game. The young prince exclaimed: "That was like the advice you gave
the Danes, which lost them Glen-Mama." "I will give them advice now, and
they shall not be defeated," replied the other. "Then you had better
remind them to prepare a yew-tree[219] for your reception," answered
Murrough.

Early the next morning Maelmordha left the place, "without permission
and without taking leave." Brian sent a messenger after him to pacify
him, but the angry chief, for all reply, "broke all the bones in his
head." He now proceeded to organize a revolt against Brian, and
succeeded. Several of the Irish princes flocked to his standard. An
encounter took place in Meath, where they slew Malachy's grandson,
Domhnall, who should have been heir if the usual rule of succession had
been observed. Malachy marched to the rescue, and defeated the
assailants with great slaughter, A.D. 1013. Fierce reprisals now took
place on each side. Sanctuary was disregarded, and Malachy called on
Brian to assist him. Brian at once complied. After successfully ravaging
Ossory he marched to Dublin, where he was joined by Murrough, who had
devastated Wicklow, burning, destroying, and carrying off captives,
un