champion's portion

The choicest portion [Old Irish curadmír] of the meat, beef, or pork was given to the hero of the hour, as described in several early Irish narratives. The antiquity of this tradition is attested by Posidonius (1st cent. BC), who said that in earlier times the bravest hero at a feast was given the thigh; if another diner claimed the same piece of meat, the two men immediately arose and engaged in a single combat to the death. Also known as the hero's portion. Modern Irish curadhmhír. See FLED BRICRENN [Briccriu's Feast]; SCÉLA MUCCE MEIC DA THÓ [The Story of Mac Da Thó's Pig].