The first great battle between the invading
Dananns and the defending Fir Bolgs was fought near Cong.
The Danann army was lead by King Nauda of the Silver Hand
(for it was at this battle that Sreng cut off his arm). This
battle is also known as the Battle of the Southern Moytura.
The battle lasted four slaughter filled days.
The final out-come was that the King of the Fir Bolg was slain.
The great Fir Bolg army had suffered great losses. The Dananns
took over the whole Island in the aftermath. They did however
leave Connaught for the remnants of the Fir Bolgs. Tara became
their new seat of government.
The Second Battle of Moytura, also known as the Battle of
the Northern Moytura, was the direct result of the First Battle
of Moytura. In the first battle, King Nuada had his arm removed
by Sreng the Fir Bolg champion. Because of his wound, he had
to resign as King and Balor's son Bres reigned in his stead.
When Nuada's arm was replaced as new by Midac, he took back
the throne and Bres left Ireland and returned in wrath to
his father in Lochlann.
Bres and Balor raised an invasion army and assailed
the Tuatha de Dananns. The two armies gave battle to each
other on the eve of Samin (October 31st a.m. 3330). The Danann
force prevailed and the Formorians suffered terrible losses
(including the death of their King Balor). Balor before his
own demise killed King Nuada of the silver hand by decapitating
him. Balor's own grandson Luga of the long arms took revenge
(on Balor's attempt on his life after his birth) by killing
him with a sling or 'crann-tavall'. The stone that Luga fired,
hit Balor in his evil eye at such a pace that carried it through
his skull and out the back of his head. This fulfilled the
prophesy that Balor would be killed by his grandson. The Formorian's
lost the main part of their army and most of their champions.
