"mac creiche" may be translated "son of plunder". he traveled in a chariot with his companion mainchín, defeated the enemies of the corcu modruad and the cíarraige, and fought a monster. this all suggests that the "betha mac creiche" was originally the saga of a pagan tribal hero, son of a god and a mortal woman. stories similar to that of mac creiche's fetter and key are told of other figures. saint patrick is said to have commanded a wicked tyrant called macuil moccu greccae to fasten his feet with a fetter, throw the key into the sea, and let a coracle carry him away to a new land, where he should live a good life. macuil moccu greccae was so evil he was called cyclops. from this it appears that macuil is the old irish god mac cuill. mac creiche may well be the same person, his name a corruption of "moccu greccae".