Hence is the town of that place
called to this day in Gaelic the City of the Hurdle Ford.
On the next day Conor and the Ulstermen met him, but a great force of
the men of Leinster was also marching from Naas to the border, to
recover their womenfolk, even as Atharna had expected. The Leinstermen
then broke the battle on the company from Ulster, and defeated them,
driving them with the cows of Atharna on to the sea cape of Ben Edar
(Howth), but they recovered the women. On Ben Edar did King Conor with
the remnant of his troop then fortify themselves, making a great fosse
across the neck of land by which Ben Edar is joined to the mainland,
and here they were besieged, with hard fighting by day and night,
expecting that help should come to them from Ulster, whither they had
sent messengers to tell of their distress.
Now Conall of the Victories was left behind to rule in Emania when
Conor set forth to Leinster, and he now, on hearing how the King was
beset, assembled a great host and marched down to Ben Edar. Here he
attacked the host of Leinster, and a great battle was fought, many
being slain on both sides, and the King of Leinster, Mesgedra, lost
his left hand in the fight. In the end the men of Leinster were
routed, and fled, and Mesgedra drove in his chariot past the City of
the Hurdle Ford and Naas to the fords of Liffey at Clane.
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