Marked on the Ordinance Map as "Queen Buan's Grave", Mainham Moat is not unlike a Norman moat. An ancient manuscript, "An Forbais Eadir" or "The Siege of Howth", mentions moats in Clane and in nearby Mainham. According to a translation by O'Curry, his "Loca Patriciana", the manuscript contains the following passages:
"The Ford of Clane (across the river Liffey) was in the first century the scene of the tragical death of Mesgegra, King of Leinster, who fell here in single combat with Conall Cearnach, the champion of Ulster, who had pursued him hither whilst flying from the siege of Howth. Aithirné, the Ultonian poet, surnamed Ailghesach, or the Importunate, - so called from the fact that he never asked for a gift or preferred a request but such as it was especially difficult to give or dishonourable to grant, - had been sent to the court of the King of Leinster at Naas, for the purpose of picking a quarrel with the people of the province."
"He had been hospitably received by King Mesgegra and had many gifts bestowed on him; but this only made him more importunate, and at last he insisted on getting 700 white cows with red ears, a countless number of sheep, and 150 of the wives and daughters of the Leinster nobles to be carried in bondage into Ulster. To these tyrannical demands the Leinster men apparently submitted; but having pursued Aithirne to Howth, they rescued their women. The Ulster men, however, having been reinforced, the Leinster forces were routed."
"Conall Cearnach, the most distinguished of the heroes of the North, pursued Mesgegra to take vengeance for the death of his two brothers who had been slain at Howth. He overtook him at the Ford of Clane, where a combat ensued between them in which Mesgegra was slain and beheaded. Conall placed Mesgegra's head in his own chariot and ordering the charioteers to mount the royal chariot, they set out northwards. They had not, however, gone far, when they met the Queen of Leinster, attended by 50 ladies of honour, returning from a visit to Meath.
'Who are thou, O, woman?' said Conall.
'I am Mesgegra's wife', said she.
'Thou art commanded to come with me', said Conall.
'Who has commanded me?' said the Queen.
'Mesgegra has', said Conall.
'Hast thou brought me my token?' said the Queen.
'I have brought his chariot and horses', said Conall.
'He makes many presents', said the Queen.
'His head is here too', said Conall.
'Then I am disengaged', said she.
'Come into my chariot', said Conall.
'Grant me the liberty to lament for my husband', said the queen.
And she shrieked aloud her grief and sorrow with such intensity that her heart burst, and she fell dead from her chariot. The fierce Conall and his servant made there a grave and mound on the spot, in which they buried her, together with her husband's head, from which, however, he extracted the brain."
"This Queen's name was Buan, or the Good (woman); after some time, according to a very poetical tradition, a beautiful hazel tree sprang up from her grave, which was for ages called Coll Buana, or Buan's hazel."
The Tumulus beside the river at Clane is supposed to mark the grave of King Mesgegra and his queen.
Reproduced from "Le Chéile" by kind permission