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Article VI

CATHMHAOL OR BATTLE CHAMPION

The Cath Milidh or Cathmhaol, pronounced "cha-vail" (thanks to Declan O'Carroll of National University of Ireland, Galway for Irish pronunciation) and meaning "battle soldier" or "battle champion" is an ancient Celtic tradition dating back well over 2000 years. Another name for the champion was tren-fher, which translates as "trainer" or "strong-man". This was a position of high honor among the ancient Celts, and every King or Chief would not be without his champion. P.W. Joyce, in his "Social History of Ancient Ireland", pp. 61-67, concerning the personal bodyguard of an Irish king : "The king commonly kept in his retinue a tren-fher or cath milidh, his champion or chief fighting man, to answer challenges to single combat." O'Curry states in "Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History", Lecture XVIII, that many of these champions were ollaves (expert teachers) of martial skills and educated the noble sons of Erin. O'Donovan, in his "Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many", gives the Clann Bresail (O'Donnellan chiefs) as hereditary champions and keepers of arms for the kings of Ui Maine (Hy Many), the O'Kellys, up to the 14th century. Apparently, as O'Curry also writes, even "St. Patrick himself had a tren-fer, St. MacCarthen, afterwards first bishop of Clogher, whose peaceful function was to carry the aged saint on his back across fords and other difficult places, on their missionary journeys."

The most famous of cathmhaols in Irish history was Cuchulainn Mac Soaltainn of Emania, cath milid to King Conchobar Mac Nessa of Ulster, and immortalized in the epic poem "Tain Bo Chuailgne", or "The Cattle Raid Of Cooley". King Conchobar's opponents in this story are King Aillill and Queen Maeve of Connacht, whose cath milide was Ferdiaidh, who happened to be Cuchulinn's best friend. The two heroes are forced into single combat, and the result is one of the great tragedies of classic Irish literature.

The duties of a cath milid were solely concerned with the martial arts. His first duty was to answer any challenge put to the king by an outside party. Additional duties might include equipping, training and command of forces during battle. As described above, a challange might involve single combat between the two champions of feuding kings or it could decide the outcome of a battle, by substituting single combat between champions for a pitched battle between two armies. The combatants were always the most skilled warriors, incredibly strong and quick and with great endurance and courage. These single combats were savage affairs, often ending in death for both participants.

In most ancient times they wore little or no armor, often going into battle naked except for a torque, or beautifully worked gold band, around the neck and a shield for protection. A light helmet, tunic, or leg protection might also be worn. The protection of heavy armor was considered unmanly and disgraceful by the ancient Irish. With the coming of the Vikings and especially the Anglo-Normans it was adopted as essential for survival and victory, as both of these invading armies used body armor. The Gaelic tribes usually carried the sciath (skee-a), or shield, usually small and often highly decorated, and made of wicker, yew or bronze. It could be named, such as the shield of King Aed of Oriell (6th century) which was called "Dub-gilla", or "Black-Fellow". About this shield the lines were written: "It was the feeder of ravens, and the Balb (or Morrigan, a war goddess) perched on it's rim during battle and shrieked.", (see Joyce, SHAI, p.266-7).

They were armed with a variety of lethal weapons and were expert in their use. These were often believed to be imbued with magical powers, such as speech and movement. These also would be given a name by their owners, becoming famous in their own right. These include the Lia Lamha Laich or "Champion's Hand Stone" of Ceannmhor the Druid, described in the poem contained in The Book of Leinster and concerning the Siege of Drom Damhghaire. A selection from the poem describes:

" A flat stone, a flat stone;
A stone that will kill as before;
A narrow stone, a thin thick stone;
A choice weapon for success."

.....
A stone to relieve the fears of Munstermen,
A stone ready to fly without command,
A stone of power, a stone of death,
A noisy stone, a silent stone."

Another stone, named the Tathlum or wonderful "Sling-Ball", was used to put out the "Evil Eye" of the Fomorian champion Balor of the Stout Blows by the De Danaan champion Lug during the battle of Magh Tuiredh. And even thought she had become advanced in years, Queen Maeve's life was ended by a sling-fired stone, carefully prepared by the son of a man she had killed. These stones might be concocted from morter mixed with the brains of a dead enemy, the more formidible the enemy, the better.

Lances and spears were used in battle and Irish warriors were renowned for their skill in using them. The most famous story of the use of the spear was found in the Tain, and occurs during the epic fight between Chuculinn and Ferdiaidh. The two friends are so evenly matched that, after days of fighting and at the brink of defeat, Chuculinn must resort to the use of his magic spear Gea Bulga or "Belly Dart". Only by it's use is he able to defeat his closest comrade and win the day for the army of Ulster, which had been magically bewitched and was unable to fight. He suffered immensly for the loss of his comrade. With his efforts and sacrifice, Chuculinn had bought time for the heroes of Ulster to recover their wits and eventually defeat the forces of Connacht. Of this spear the unknown poet writes:

"Bolg Mac Buain, the renowned,
Many were the hosts that he defeated,
By him was made the wild spear,
From the bones of the kingly (sea) monster (Curruid)
.......
"Cuchulainn brought the Gai Bolg
into Erin, with all its barbs,
By it he slew Conlaech of the Battle Shields,
And Ferdiadh afterwards, without mistake."

The entire poems, probably pre-tenth century in origin, is contained in V.2, p. 311-12, of O'Curry's "Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, (MCAI)".

Of course the most favored and conspicuous weapon of the ancient warrior was the sword. These could be of the utmost beauty and craftsmanship and were often handed down as an heirloom from their fathers or patrons before them. Their shapes, sizes, composition and workmanship varied greatly, and many stories revolved around their sometimes mythical origins and prowess in battle. They too had names that reflected their attributes, such as the two-handed sword of Fergus Mac Rough. It was known as Calad-Bolg, which translates as "Hard-Bulging", and wouldn't Professor Freud have a time with that? As stated by O'Curry, ( MCAI, V.2 p.320) the sword was originally owned by Leite, another famous warrior of Ulster. He obtained it from "some one of the ""fairy mansions"" of Erinn", and "when it was raised for a stroke it expanded to the dimensions of a rainbow in the firmament."!!

The sword of Chuculainn was itself the stuff of legend. It's name was Cruaidin Caidid-Chean or "Hard, Hard-Headed". It is described in the Leabhar na h-UaChongbhala or "The Book of Ballymote"; "Socht had a beautiful sword, with a hilt of gold, pointed with silver, with a golden suspension (belt), and an ornamented scabbard; it had a sharp point which shone in the night like a candle. If it's point were bent back to it's hilt it would become straight again like a dart. It would cut a hair on the water: it would chop off a hair on the head without approaching the skin: it would cleave a man in two, and the two halves of him would not miss the other for some time."

There is even a sword that was famous among the Ciannacht and the O'Carrolls. It was owned by King Cearbhaill Mac Muiregan of the Kingdom of Ossary in Leinster. This is not the Cearbhaill who led the Eilians at Clontarf for King Brian Boru and from whom the O'Carrolls took their name, but was descended from a son of Eile Rig Derg (Eile, the Red King), the fifth century Ciannacht king from whom the territory of Eile got it's name. He was of the race of Conla, son of Teige, son of Cian the Sage, from whom the Clann Cian are descended. Prince Cian was the son of Olliol Ollum, King of Munster in the 3rd century. While I have not yet found a name for the sword, a poem of praise exists from the early tenth century. It was written by Dallan Mac More, chief bard to King Cearbhaill, who reigned from about 885 to 909 A.D. It demonstrates clearly how battle was revered as a way of great honor and how the weapons of renowned warriors were often considered distinct entities with personalities worthy of adulation. The poem then, in it's entirety.

The Song of Carroll's Sword

Hail, sword of Carroll!
Oft has thou been in the great woof of war,
Oft giving battle, beheading high princes.

Oft has thou gone a-raiding in the hands of kings of high judgments'
Oft has thou divided the spoil with a good king worthy of thee.

Oft where men of Leinster were hast thou been in a white hand,
Oft has thou been among kings, oft among great bands.

Many were there kings that wielded thee in fight,
Many a shield hast thou cleft in battle,
many a head and chest, many a fair skin.

Forty years without sorrow Enna of the noble hosts had thee,
Never was thou in a straight, but in the hands of a very fierce king.

Enna gave thee-'twas no niggardly gift- to his own son, to Dunling,
For thirty years in his possession, at last thou broughtest ruin on him.

Many a king upon a noble steed possessed
thee unto Dermot the kingly, the fierce:
Sixteen years was the time Dermot had thee.

At the feast of Alenn, Dermot the hardy-born bestowed thee,
Dermot, the noble king, gave thee to the man of Mairg, to Murigan.

Forty years stoutly thou wast in the hand of Alenn's high-king
With Murigan of mighty deeds thou never was a year without battle.

In Wexford Murigan, the king of Vikings, gave thee to Carroll:
While he was upon the yellow earth, Carroll gave thee to none.

Thy bright point was a crimson point in the battle of Odva of the foreigners,
When thou leftest Aed Finnlaith on his back in the battle of Odva of the noble routs.

Crimson was thy edge, it was seen at Belach Moon thou wast proved,
In the valorous battle of Alvy's plain throughout which the fighting raged.

Before thee the goodly host broke on a Thursday at Doon Ochtair,
When Aed the fierce and brilliant fell upon the hillside above Leafin.

Before thee the host broke on the day when Cealleadh was slain,
Flannagan's son, with numbers of troops, in high lofty great Tara.

Before thee they ebbed southward
in the battle of the Boyne of the rough feats,
When Cnogva fell, that lance of valor, at seeing thee, for dread of thee.

Thou wast furious, thou wast not weak, heroic was thy swift force,
When Aillil Frosach of Fal fell in front of the onset.

Thou never had a day of defeat with Carroll
of the beautiful garths (cattle enclosures),
He swore no lying oath, he went not against his word.

Thou never hadst a day of sorrow, many a night thou hadst abroad;
Thou hadst awaiting thee many a king with many a battle.

O sword of the kings of mighty fires, do not fear to be astray!
Thou shalt find thy man of craft, a lord worthy of thee.

Who shall henceforth possess thee, or to whom wilt thou deal ruin?
From the day that Carroll departed, with whom wilt thou be bedded?

Thou shalt not be neglected until thou come to the house of glorious Naas:
Where Fionn (mac Cumhaill) of the feasts is, they will hail thee with 'welcome'."

The above poem was translated by Kuno Meyer and can be found in "1000 Years of Irish Poetry", ed. by Kathleen Hoagland.

The battle axe was also used by the ancient Irish, although it was the Vikings that had perfected their use. However, once the Vikings had begun their extended visit to Erinn, the Irish lost no time in learning their new ways with the axe, as the Viking battle-axe, called the Lochlann (foreign) axe and made of iron, was a fearsome weapon. The earlier Irish axes, called "celts", were constructed of stone, bronze and copper. Of course our hero Chuculainn was well versed in their use and one poem has him, when preparing for a fight, calling to his caddie "Take out the axes, quickly!", (See Joyce, SHAI, p.118-120). Giraldus Cambrensus, (or Gerald of Wales or Gerald de Barry) 1146-1223, a Geraldine and the historian of the Anglo-Norman invasion during the time of Henry II, who was so often critical of the Irish, says that the Irish were well skilled in the use of the axe. Joyce quotes Cambrensis , "They make use of but one hand to the axe when they strike and extend one thumb along the handle to guide the blow: from which neither the crested helmet can defend the head, nor the iron folds of the armor the rest of the body. From whence it has happened even in our times, that the whole thigh of a soldier, though cased in well-tempered armor, hath been lopped off by a single blow of the axe, the whole limb falling on one side of the horse, and the expiring body on the other." He goes on to say that "In Giraldus's time, almost everyone carried an axe in his hand...instead of a walking stick.quot; Kind of like the old west in America, where every man carried a gun, but without all the noise.

This is an incomplete description of the cathmhaol and his tools of the trade. There is so much information available that this article could be easily be much longer. As I come across more information that is specific to this subject, I'll continue to add to it. It's a work in progress, so check back for future additions and other articles concerned with the lives of the ancient Irish.

We welcome constructive comment and encourage people to contribute well researched essays to be included in our "articles" page. The purpose of the site is to educate and inspire interest in our heritage and history, and to be as accurate as possible in the telling of it. We have much to be proud of, and this knowledge will only enrich our lives and the lives of our descendants.

Seabhach Abu!!

Sean Carroll, Clan Cian History

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