Eochaid Airem

Also known as: Eochaid the High King · Family: The High King's household · Role: king · First appears: The Gods · The Ever-living Living Ones · Midhir and Etain · Part 2

Eochaid paid Etain Echraide’s bride-price and brought her to Teamhair as his wife. At the end of the year, he visited his sick brother Ailell and sent his physician Fachtna to discover the cause. Before travelling through the provinces under his kingship, he asked Etain to care for Ailell; on his return, he thanked her for her kindness to his brother.

After Midhir came to Teamhair and challenged him to chess, Eochaid taught his people to yoke oxen by the neck and shoulder, and was given the name Eochaid Airem, “of the Plough.” When Midhir fled with Etain, Eochaid searched Ireland for them. He then besieged Midhir at Bri Leith for nine years, and brought Etain home to Teamhair after she revealed herself among the women Midhir had made to look like her. Eochaid gave his daughter Esa her choice of a place, where she made Rath Esa. Conaire, Eochaid’s grandson through Etain, was later brought to his death at Da Derga’s Inn in revenge for the attack on Midhir’s hill.