BEN IN DAGDA, THE DAGDA’S WOMAN: The Dagda and the Mór Rígain in Cath Maige Tuired from Harp, Club and Cauldron, Eel and Otter Press, 2018; pp 139-163 by Isolde ÓBrolcháin Carmody and Chris Thompson, Then the Mór Rígain said ... So it came to battle at the last. It came, at last, to red and slaughterous battle as it always has, and it always will. It came, at the last, to the calling of kings To the feats of feasting, The feasts of poetic words, the talking and taking of honours, The honour of battle lines. Host-lines drawn, And battalions broken, On the blood-zealous battlefield. It came at last to the rigours of battle And a hundred cuts blossomed As screams were heard; Screams of fractured metal, The slicing scream of flesh, And the breaking of bones. I saw all who were born to bravery On the rage raven- blade-scabbard battlefield. And it came at last to Recording of bodies, Reciting of honours, The poet recognition of valour, As the Story is told and retold And The Dagda replied..... But was there not more to the story, more to the battle, than the wild wielding of blades? Was there not the weaving of words and quick-silver wits? Were there not boys, born in beauty to golden fathers, winning wives in secret places. Was it not a time when the world turned over,