The battles of Mag Tuired: Literary and folk traditions in Co. Mayo and Co. Sligo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33353/m5b9ag02Abstract
This study focuses on the renowned stories of the battles of Mag Tuired, specifically the second battle and the confrontation between Lugh and Balor. This story is of particular interest, for it is prominently featured in medieval literature and has been preserved in the folklores of Co. Sligo and Co. Mayo, where the mythical battle is located in literary accounts. This paper analyses the oral narratives recorded in Co. Sligo and Co. Mayo and compares them to the accounts preserved in the medieval and early modern manuscripts. The salient point of this comparative work is the territorial distribution of this material, since the oral stories about Lugh and Balor are relatively abundant in Co. Sligo, while they are limited in Co. Mayo. This disparity can be explained by the evolution of the literary narrative and the innovations it has encountered.
