1695bc Dinshenchus topographical poems of eireann number probably transcribed in 1160ad by giolla gilla na naomh hua duinn 29 sliabh fuiad fuait fews north of Dundalk
plain for me to see which bright glance from ard asse round about is the grave of nemeds wife valiant in war the balance of the son of balors daughter the port where the lugair brought their ship in descert maige oendruind the strong boars crossing after the hour of tierce it is near the plain to see loch echtra noble lough neagh sliab breg slaib barrche ever white the stone seat of the congal taker of heads the tall stately sliab ullen sliab slangra fair sliab cuilin sliab moduirn in magdorna slaib cairthin by noble aine
smooth sliab fota of the glorious battle the hills of ulad to the northward
in red crich araide spacious slaib miss rude work smooth sliab callan scene of combats
next the hills of Connaught sliab tua slaib cairn slaib betha ever fresh sliab carthind peahed sliab bethech the rugged heights of the hills of galenga cenal eogan the confines of ulaid
the men of brega a goodly native stock
the confines of the three collas no rightful boundary on every side they are plain to see
learn ye from me in clear and stately verse the reason why sliab fuait is so named since it chances that I sojourn here so that ye may know its story
fuat son of bregan brave were his deeds his fame was spread over earths extent
a warrior was he not solitary in his ship a leader of bregans victorious sons
he turned aside all alone on his journey to the land of erin his steps bore him stately and steadfast to the isle of truth he brought with him of the islands soil a sod over the strong maned sea and laid it fair voyage here on the soil of sliab fuait whenever a king was truthful the sod was bright with fair hue but if ever he uttered falsehood it would turn its roots upwards.
it was upon it an unwearied journey that to preserve its truth patricks glorious gelding lay down long after strength was in his gait here he remains a shining treasure the little sod from the land of promise in honoured nemed martial and mighty to yourselves it is clear and plain to see Sliab fuait fuaid version ii learn ye from ne in clear and stately verse the cause why sliab fuait is so named that ye may know its story since I find myself snugly here fuat son of bile brisk was he brought with him from the maidens isle through all roads on his glorious roaming a sod from spain to erin fuat bregons grandson doughty his deeds strong was he beyond earths utmost might his steps bore him without danger of spear heads to the isle of truth he brought with him of the soil of this island a sod over strong sweet waves and planted it fair the voyage here on the soil of sliab fuait if any man were to utter pallid falsehood over the smooth surface of the green trimmed sod it would not endure the lie without turning over the gift was fame for the sod when the king was upright the sod would bear a bright hue but if ever he spake falsehood it would turn its roots upward the sod remains on the north side of the mountains it gained virtues of all kinds on the way a sod that would not endure crooked misdealing a guileless man brought it noble fuat upon it with step unshrinking for guarding of the truth came long after not by wrong the chief apostle Patrick here abides the shining sod the little sod of the promised land in the plain of nar martial his might I will make it clear and plain to see ua duinn of dark speech told the tale of the sod blooming cenn berraide when he finally wove for you for your instruction the true story of slaib fuait and learn ye it sliab fuaid between Armagh and Dundalk usually identified with deadmans hill near newtownhamilton an ancients poets view from sliab fuaid some notes on the topographical details of the dinnshenchus poem in the book of leinster facsimile edition p204?3 by h g tempest with translation and notes by prof e macneill in the journal of the royal society of antiquarians or eire 1927 vol lxvii 2 p 155 prof eoin macneil drew attention to an early gaelic poem in the book of leinster describing the view from sliab fuaid he suggested that the top of carrigatuke hill on the blackbank which stand between Dundalk and Armagh seemed to answer the conditions as far as he had seen able to ascertain 20 years before it is made very clear in the many references in the old tales to the position of sliab fuaid or fuait with its associated finncharn na foraire or white carn of watching that the hill was a very important look out post for the kingdom of uladh and for its capital emain macha navan fort near Armagh for this purpose there must have been sure and quick visual communication between sliab fuaid and the capital sliab fuaid must also have been in such a position that either directly from its own summit or by means of subsidiary outposts it could contain information of happenings in the country lying beyond it on the south and south west with the least possible delay there is a gradual but marked rise in the ground from sea level in county louth to the Armagh border this increases more rapidly through the hilly country of south Armagh through newtownmounthamilton until it culminates 9 miles south of Armagh in the high watershed at the blackbank district there is a steep fall to the plain of ulidia it will be seen therefore that this fertile plain has a high barrier on its southern border rev p muuray suggests two distinct poems the first referring to ard asse alone
the second to slieve fuaid sliab fuait sliabh fuaid slieve fuad slieve fuadh highest point in the fews eire gaelic na feadha the woods mountains near newtownhamilton county Armagh named for the Milesian scotae gaelic invader fuad son of breogan and rich in mythological and legendary associations adjacent to the hill is finnachad reputed residence of aillen mac midgna and lir father of the children of lir conall cearnach defends uladh ulster from this point in the tain bo cuailnge cattle raid of cooley fingein physician of Conchobar mac nessa has a house here Deirdre fionn mac cumhaill and conan mac morna all have adventures here liath macha grey of macha and saingliu cuchulainns horses rose from a lake near the mountain fuad son of breoghan from whom slaibh fuaid is called ….geoffrey keating the history of eire part 31 section 21 p81 there fell from the sons of milidh on the other hand two illustrious chieftains in following up the rout namely fuad at sliabh fuaid and cuailgne ar sliabh cuailgne annals of the four masters part 5 annal m3500 p27 the man baile came from the north to meet her from emain macha across sliabh fuaid over murthemne to traig baili scel baili binnbertaig p224 gaelic text line 10
slighe midluachra pronounced mee loo hra went north from slane past dundalk round the base of the highest of the fews mountains called carrigatuke also known as armaghbrague mountain but formerly known as sliabh fuad near newtown Hamilton in Armagh to the ancient navan fort emain macha and on to dunseverick on the northern coast of antrim all of three thousand seven hundred years ago circa 1700bc
