Emain Macha

• Whence the name?
  • Macha Redmane (Macha mong-ruadh)
    • daughter of Aed ruad (Aedha rúaidhmeic Badhuirnn)
      • son of Badurn
    • gave the sons of Dithorba the task of trenching the rath
      • when they were outlaws in the wilds of Boirenn
        • she disguised herself as a leper while they were roasting a wild boar in the wood
        • each of them in turn carried her off to mate with her and she tied them up
        • carried the 5 sons to Emain
          • Baeth
          • Brass
          • Betach
          • Uallach
          • Borbchass
      • ordered them to trench the rath
        • preferred to make slaves of them rather than kill them
      • traced the rath around with her brooch-pin
        • Emain
          • from eó-muin
            • brooch at Macha's throat
            • pin at Macha's throat
  • Macha
    • daughter of Sainrith Mac Inboith
    • came to race the two steeds of king Conchobar at the Fair after Crunnchu had declared the his wife was swifter than the kings horses
      • king told Crunnchu that he'd die unless she came to the race
      • she came to save her husband, though pregnat
      • raced to the end of the green and proved swifter
      • delivered a boy and a girl
        • infants screamed
          • sound cast the Ulaid into their sickness tille ach man was no stronger than a woman in childbed
          • sickness clave to them thenceforth
      • from this Macha and from the twins (emon) she bore come the names of Mag Macha and Emain Macha