Ailill Aulomm
Ailill Aulomm was the son of Eógan Mór and brother of Lugaid Lága. Ailill also had seven other brothers.
Ailill Aulomm was best known for his involvement with the goddess Aíne, daughter of Eógabal, who was the foster son of Manannán Mac Lir.
Ferches, Ailill's poet-warrior, killed Eógabal at Áne Chlíach on Samhain night because the king's horse always disappeared on this hill at the same time of the year. Finding Aíne at the mound where Ferches had killed her father, Ailill ravished the goddess. While he was raping her, she sucked and swallowed one of his ears, which was how he got the nickname Aulomm, "bare-ear". This was in revenge for killing her father and violating her. Aíne gave him a son named Eógan.
Ailill was married to Sadb, daughter of Conn Cétchathach, and he had other children. Three sons - Cian, Cormac Cas and Dichorb, and a daughter, Aife. Ailill was also the foster father of Lugaid Mac Con.
A war between his son and foster son, Eógan and Lugaid, resulted in the death his son and Ailill's seven brothers at the Battle of Maige Mucrama. Lugaid Mac Con won the war and became the high king of Ireland, but he lost it seven years later because of his poor judgement.
When Lugaid returned to him, Lugaid thought his foster father had forgiven him when he received a kiss on a cheek. Having one ear was not the only oddity of Ailill's features. One of his teeth was venomous. The kiss from Ailill caused half of Lugaid's face to shrivel up. After days of agony, Lugaid asked one of his followers to kill him. This was Ailill's revenge for the death of his son and his seven brothers in the Battle of Maige Mucrama.
Related Information
Name
Ailill Aulomm – Ailill "bare-ear".
Period/Cycle
Fenian Cycle.
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By Jimmy Joe