And Nuada, king of the Men of Dea, sent his poets to make the same offer he made before, to be content with the half of the country if it was given up to him.  King Eochaid bade the poets to ask an answer of his chief men that were gathered there; and when they heard the offer they would not consent.  So the messengers asked them when would they begin the battle.  “We must have a delay,” they said; “for we want time to put our spears and our armour in order, and to brighten our helmets and to sharpen our swords, and to have spears made like the ones you have.  And as to yourselves,” they said, “you will be wanting to have spears like our Craisechs made for you.”  So they agreed then to make a delay of a quarter of a year for preparation.

It was on a Midsummer day they began the battle.  Three times nine hurlers of the Tuatha de Danaan went out against three times nine hurlers of the Firbolgs, and they were beaten, and every one of them was killed.  And the king, Eochaid, sent a messenger to ask would they have the battle every day or every second day.  And it is what Nuada answered that they would have it every day, but there should be just the same number of men fighting on each side.  Eochaid agreed to that, but he was not well pleased, for there were more men of the Firbolgs than of the Men of Dea.

So the battle went on for four days, and there were great feats done on each side, and a great many champions came to their death.  But for those that were alive at evening, the physicians on each side used to make a bath of healing, with every sort of healing plant or herb in it, the way they would be strong and sound for the next day’s fight.

And on the fourth day the Men of Dea got the upper hand, and the Firbolgs were driven back.  And a great thirst came on Eochaid, their king, in the battle, and he went off the field looking for a drink, and three fifties of his men protecting him; but three fifties of the Tuatha de Danaan followed after them till they came to the strand that is called Traigh Eothaile, and they had a fierce fight there, and at the last King Eochaid fell, and they buried him there, and they raised a great heap of stones over his grave.

And when there were but three hundred men left of the eleven battalions of the Firbolgs, and Sreng at the head of them, Nuada offered them peace, and their choice among the five provinces of Ireland.  And Sreng said they would take Connacht; and he and his people lived there and their children after them.  It is of them Ferdiad came afterwards that made such a good fight against Cuchulain, and Erc, son of Cairbre, that gave him his death.  And that battle, that was the first fought in Ireland by the Men of Dea, was called by some the first battle of Magh Tuireadh.