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Donn Oc and the battle of Fincharn.
(A
dramatization of a true incident recorded in the Annals of Connacht and the Annals of Loch Ce.)
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Donn
Oc MacAirechtaig, royal chieftain of the Sil Murray awoke from a
deep troubled sleep. He sniffed the smoke of the peat fire still
smoldering in the hearth, and shivered in the cold of the early
dawn. As he surveyed the valley below he thought how precious this
land was to him. He had fought for it before, just five years ago
when he had raised a great rebellion to wrest the kingship of the
province of Connacht from Aed Mac Cathail Chronbdeirg. This he did
to revenge himself and his kin for the confiscation of their land
and patrimony by Aed Mac Cathail. Now he was to fight for it again.
Aed Mac Cathail had sought the protection of the Galls
(Normans), and was returning with a large force under the command of
William Oc de Burgh (Mac William Burke) to reclaim his title
and land.
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Donn
Oc called his men about him and asked for a report from the scouting
party sent out two days ago to observe the progress of
the Galls. They reported that Mac William Burke's force greatly
outnumbered them. They could not hope to defeat them, so Donn Oc
dispatched messengers to his allies for support, and decided to
harry the Galls with his smaller force to buy time while his allies
made ready.
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Donn
Oc chose a position at Fincharn in the valley where there was bog on
one side and deep forest on the other, with a narrow strip
of passable land in the middle. With him were his own kinsmen, the
youth of Sil Murray, his own Galls, (Scottish mercenaries) the
son of Domnall Bregach O Mailsechlainn with his Galls, and Brian son
of Toirrdelbach (O Conchobair) and there they watched the
Galls passing by. Donn Oc sent his troops to harass the Galls while
he observed the battle from the Cairn (low hill). The Sil Murray
played a harrying fight, attacking the larger force in small bands,
then retreating into the dense woods.
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After
a while, the Galls retaliated and sent a large force of foot
soldiers and mounted men to intercept Donn Oc's forces. They passed
the small hill where Donn Oc hid, surrounding it, not realizing that
the enemy they sought was hiding there. But soon, Donn Oc was
spotted and was surrounded by the Galls. There were perhaps six
score of them, and among them were archers who fired volley after
volley of arrows at Donn Oc. He used his shield to protect his body,
but surrounded on all sides as he was, he could not avoid all of
the arrows that fell on him. The first to find its mark lodged
itself in his left shoulder, but he fought on. Another volley
followed, and this
time he took two more arrows, one in his right side and the other in
his thigh. Even then he fought on, hurling abuse at his enemy,
and brandishing his battle axe The archers at his back took aim and
two more arrows found their mark, both lodged in his upper right
back. Still he would not fall.
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Covered
now in blood, Donn Oc stood defiantly as the enemy closed around
him, but none had the courage to engage him in hand to
hand combat. Then through the circle of the enemy surrounding him
there appeared a mounted knight and he bore down on Donn Oc
with his spear, but though Donn Oc had only his battle axe, he kept
the horseman at bay, parrying the spear with his axe.
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At
last, the crowd of soldiers surrounding him gave a mighty roar and
rushed him, and he, now weakened by loss of blood, fell to the
ground. As he looked up into the sky of faces above him, he saw the
glint of light on the steel blades and saw the gushes of his own
blood pulsing above him, and he realized he was dying. Too weak now
to defend himself, he tried to pray, but no words came. Then a
warmth came over Donn Oc and the terrible pain of his slaughter left
him as his brave spirit left his body.
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All
of this happened in the year of our Lord 1230, as documented in
detail in the Annals of Connaght and in other
Irish
Annals.
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Author: Donchad Mag Oireachtaigh
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