The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the High King and his army, and Congal Cáech was killed in the fighting.
It was allegedly the largest battle ever fought on the island of Ireland, and resulted in the death of Congal and the retreat of Domnall Brecc.
[citation needed] Ireland in the period was a patchwork of petty statelets, fused together and driven apart by tribal loyalties, often given to a state of war.
Some primary sources state that Congal had initially become the Ard Rí following his defeat of Suibne Menn.
Domnall pressed this rivalry very quickly, and in 629 the two kings engaged each other at the Battle of Dún Ceithirn in what is now County Londonderry.
On this occasion Congal was defeated and fled to Scotland to seek support, and Domnall was left unchallenged as the High King.
Domnall II had gathered his army at Tara and he marched north to meet the enemy forces.
[2] According to Sir Samuel Ferguson "there appears reason to believe that the fight lasted a week",[3] at the end of which the defeated force fled towards the woods of Killultagh.
As a result of both battles the High King's forces were able to occupy the Dál Riata lands in north Antrim, unprotected as they now were.
In the latter area there was a large stone pillar in a nearby field, which marked the burial site of many of the Scottish princes who were killed in the battle.