Further Partition of Ireland
Eochaidh Feidlioch reigned twelve years. He divided Ireland into provinces, and instituted provincials. Connacht he divided into five parts, Munster into two, leaving Ulster and Leinster intact. He is reputed to have been always sighing for having killed his three sons, the three Fineamhna. He gave his daughter Meadhbh in marriage to Tinne, and Tinne fell at Tara by Monuidhir. Druim na nDruadh, called Cruachan after Meadhbh’s mother, he had built by the Gamhanraidhe of Iorrus Domhnann.
Cruachan is described in " the Feast of Bricriu " as having seven circles, and seven compartments from fire to partition, with bronze frontings and carvings of red yew. Three stripes of bronze in the arching of the house, which was of oak, with a covering of shingles. It had twelve windows, with glass in the openings. The dais of Ailill and of Meadhbh in the centre of the house, with silver frontings and stripes oi bronze round it, and, by the fronting facing Ailill, a silver wand that would reach the mid " hips " of the house so as to check the inmates unceasingly. The Ulster heroes, on a visit there, went round from one door of the palace to the other, and the musicians played while the guests were being prepared for. Such was the spaciousness of the house that it had room for the hosts of valiant heroes of the whole province in the suite of Conchubhar."
Meadhbh, after the death of Tinne, ruled for ten years— behaving much as did Elizabeth of England at a later day— until she married Oileall Mor. At this time there were three orders of champions in Ireland, the biggest, bravest, most ‘ntrepid and most skilled of all the race of Mileadh. They vere the Clanna Deaghaidh of West Munster under Curoi i?ac ; arre w’hose royal seat was Cathair Chonroi in Kerry ; e Canihanraighe of Iorrus Domhnann, just referred to, under Oileall Fionn, and the Craobh Ruadh or Red Branch Knights under Conchubhar mac Neasa whose headquarters were at Eamhain Macha or Emania near the city of Armagh.
