The historic market town of Ardee in Co Louth, once the setting for the mortal combat between friends turned enemies, was the setting for a lavish programme of baroque music over the weekend.
As recorded in the 8th century Irish epic, The Táin, Cú Chulainn and Ferdia had an heroic fight at the ford of the River Dee which ended in Ferdia's death.
But musicians, not warriors, gathered in Ardee over the weekend for a baroque music spectacle performed in the town's Norman castle and St Mary's medieval church.
On Friday night in the upper hall of Ardee Castle, the Irish Baroque Orchestra, led by guest director, Lucy Van Dael, the Baroque violinist, performed a diverse, colourful programme.
This included a suite from Purcell's King Arthur; Corelli's Concerto grosso op 6 no 7; a suite from Charpentier's delightful Circe, Muffat's Armonico tributo V and Vivaldi's bassoon concerto in E minor with soloist Peter Whelan.
This was followed by an informative and informal lecture by Dr Barra Boydell, whose "Rough Guide to Baroque Music" traced the development of this instrumentally-based music which was born in the late 16th century in Italy and spread throughout Europe during the next 100 years.
Festival founder and organiser, Mr Brian Harten, arts officer for Louth County Council, is a baroque music fan who believes Ardee, with its history, atmospheric, intimate setting and impressive period buildings, is the ideal place for such an event.
"I wanted to spread the word and bring this fantastic music to the community, and the way to do this seemed obvious, bring the musicians to Ardee. And we did."
In addition to the always excellent Irish Baroque Orchestra - founded in 1996 by Mark Duley and Therese Timoney as Christ Church Baroque - the festival also featured one of Ireland's finest international musicians, harpsichordist and Bach specialist, Malcolm Proud.
Yesterday he performed Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue BWV 903 in the courtroom at Ardee Castle.
His Saturday recital, with violinist Claire Duff, at the same venue, had an unexpected element of drama. As Proud and Duff prepared to begin their programme, gardaí marched in, accompanying a handcuffed prisoner who was to be charged.
The judge arrived, the prisoner was dealt with, and the musicians, who remained unperturbed, gave their performances which included Byrd's Battell, a battle march.
War was the theme of Opus Anglicanum's "Borders and Battles" on Saturday evening in St Mary's Church.
The group, five English male voices, performed a song series of mixed pieces, often creating a medieval sound, although the highlight of the performance was the rendition of Gluck's Che faro senza Euridice?
The singing was unfortunately interspersed with readings, read in an overly sonorous voice that all too often replicated the tone of heavy-handed sermonising.
Last night this innovative new festival concluded with the Irish Baroque Orchestra again in Ardee Castle, performing Biber, Vivaldi, Locke, Charpentier and a suite from Purcell's The Fairy Queen.