called the three Finneavna;
there reigned one hundred and seven kings of their race and
kindred before and after them, i.e. of the race of Eremon, king of
Ireland,--before the introduction of Christianity and since. These three
youths lay one day with their own sister Clothra, daughter of the
same father, and she conceived of them. The son she brought forth as a
consequence of that intercourse was marked by three red wavy lines which
indicated his descent from the three youths aforesaid. He was named
Lugaidh Sriabhdearg from the three lines [sriabaib] in question, and he
was beautiful to behold and of greater bodily strength in infancy than
is usual with children of his age. He commenced his reign as king of
Ireland the year in which Caius Caesar [Caligula] died and he reigned
for twenty-six years. His son was named Criomthan Nianair who reigned
but sixteen years. Criomthan's son was named Fearadach Finnfechtnach
whose son was Fiacha Finnolaidh whose son again was Tuathal Teachtmhar.
This Tuathal had a son Felimidh Reachtmhar who had in turn three
sons--Conn Ceadcathach, Eochaidh Finn, and Fiacha Suighde. Conn was king
of Ireland for twenty years and the productiveness of crops and soil and
of dairies in the time of Conn are worthy of commemoration and of fame
to the end of time. Conn was killed in Magh Cobha by the Ulstermen,
scil.:--by Tiopruid Tireach and it is principally his seed which has
held the kingship of Ireland ever since. Eochaidh Finn was second son
to Felimidh Reachtmhar and he migrated to the latter's province of
Leinster, and it is in that province his race and progeny have remained
since then. They are called Leinstermen, and there are many chieftains
and powerful persons of them in Leinster. Fiacha Suighde moreover,
although he died before he succeeded to the chief sovereignty, possessed
land around Tara. He left three sons--Ross, Oengus, and Eoghan who
were renowned for martial deeds--valiant and heroic in battle and in
conflict. Of the three, Oengus excelled in all gallant deeds so that he
came to be styled Oengus of the poisonous javelin. Cormac Mac Art Mac
Conn it was who reigned in Ireland at this time. Cormac had a son named
Ceallach who took by force the daughter of Eoghan Mac Fiacha Suighde
to dwell with him, i.e. Credhe the daughter of Eoghan. When Oengus
Gaebuaibhtheach ("of the poisonous javelin") heard this, viz., that the
daughter of his brother had been abducted by Ceallach he was roused