The army of the men of Ireland resumed their march in the morning. They were heading for the fords on the Shannon at Termonbarry. The names of the places they passed tells us it was a very wet place, the Marshy Lakebed, the PeatRidge. It is difficult country. #CattleRaid
They were following the route of one of the four great roads of Ireland - Sligh Asail. The word Sligh means trackway, the word Asail means Donkey (it probably doesn’t of course but sounds too much like the Irish word for Donkey for us not to use it) The Donkey Track #CattleRaid
If the army looked back West from Slieve Ban (if they had a drone) they would be able to see the place from which they came [Slieve Ban to Rathcroghan Image 1] #CattleRaid 
And if they looked east they would be able to see towards the Shannon and beyond [Image 2 Slieve Ban looking east] #CattleRaid
And the army struggled its way across the bog towards the Shannon fords at Termonbarry and without mishap crossed into Leinster and through the wonderfully named place Glune Gabair - the Goat’s Knee (Cloondara, Co. Longford) #CattleRaid
East of the river Shannon lay the mysterious Magh Trego - the Plain of Spears (now Longford town). The army spent their second night on the plain. “What is that shocking and frightening screaming noise” wondered the army #CattleRaid
Their resident Druid Dubhtach, entertained them with horror stories about the future of the army. “I know you are a Druid but Is it really necessary to give the army so graphic a description of their destruction” asks Meave #CattleRaid
They had hardly recovered from the horror story when the army was attacked by the war goddess Nemain - her name means ‘Frenzy’ “Yikes!” Said the army. No one got much sleep that night. In the morning they headed off towards Granard. #CattleRaid
Leaving Granard the army was marching in a north-easterly direction, making a straigh line towards Ulster. Suddenly, Fergus instructed the army to turn south. Dark mutterings of treason and cowardice were heard in the ranks #CattleRaid
If you want to follow the route of the Tain on the map. Start 5km west of Tulsk at Rathcroghan - Tulsk - Strokestown- Termonbarry- Cloondara- Longford - Granard - Finea - Castlepollard - Fore - Kilskyre - - Kells #CattleRaid
“Why are we heading away from the north?” asks Meave “are you having second thoughts about your old friends?” “No, Meave” he replies sombrely “I want to keep the army out of reach of Cuchulainn for as long as we can - we will have plenty of killing soon” #CattleRaid
Somewhere to the east the Hound waited. At night he saw the army’s campfires. He watched as the men of Ireland made their way through the midlands. Soon... #CattleRaid
@threadreaderapp unroll
