According to the Irish Annals of Tigernach, the plague was preceded by a solar eclipse on 1 May 664 (a total eclipse indeed did occur on 1 May 664 over North America in the vicinity of Long Island, and a partial eclipse possibly would have been visible from Ireland). Bede also mentioned the eclipse but wrongly placed it on 3 May. The Irish sources claimed that there was also an earthquake in Britain and that the plague reached Ireland first at Mag Nitha, among the Fothairt in Leinster.