Bres was made king of Ireland, ruling the Tuatha Dé Danann. Bres was the son of Eriu (Eri), though his father was of unknown origin. Bres was described as an imposing and beautiful young man, but had no gift of kingship. We learned that he lacked one thing of being a good king, Bres lacked generosity and hospitality.

The two champions of the first battle, Dagda and Ogma were forced to work in humiliating manual labours. The Tuatha Dé Danann's foremost warrior, Ogma, had to find firewood.

Dagda had to built rath (fort) or digging ditches around the rath at Rath Bresse. Dagda was forced to share his food with an idle blind man named Cridenbel. When Cridenbel complained to the king that his share in the food was small, compared to Dagda, the king forced Dagda to give a large share of food while he had the smaller ration. Being a large man, Dagda's health deteriorated due to insufficient food.

One day, Mac Oc (Angus Óg) found Dagda digging trench while suffering from failing health. Mac Oc advised Dagda to put three gold coins into Cridenbel's share of the meal. As a result, the blind man died, and Dagda was arrested for poisoning Cridenbel.

Dagda told Bres that he was innocent, that he had only given the blind man some coins. Bres warned Dagda that he would die if no coins were found in Cridenbel's stomach. Cridenbel's belly was cut open and three gold coins were found. Dagda was acquitted of charge of murder.

His rule became more tyranny and oppressive that the people wanted Nuada to rule instead, despite the mutilation of his hand. Dian Cécht (Dian Cecht), who was the physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann, took a miraculous approach of replacing Nuada's missing hand. Nuada's right hand was kept in jar with preservative liquid. Goibhniu fashioned a hand made of silver, while Dian Cécht planted the silver hand to Nuada's arm, with a combination of surgery and magic.

With a new hand, the people demanded that Bres should step down. Without the support of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Bres had no choice, but to face expulsion. Nuada was crowned king and named Nuada Airgedlámh – "Nuada of the Silver Hand".

Bres returned to his mother and asked her, whose his real father was. Eriu revealed that he was the son of Fomorian king named Elatha. She told her son, to seek out his father and gave Bres the signet ring of his father.

Bres went to the Fomorian tower on Tory Island, and sought audience with the king. Bres told Elatha that he was his son and revealed the ring. Elatha acknowledged his son, and promised military supports, to restore Bres to the throne in Ireland.

The Tuatha Dé Danann was powerless against the Fomorians. The Fomorians put Bres on the throne and the Dananns suffered from the oppressive rule of the Fomorians, who became the overlord of Ireland. Not only the Tuatha Dé Danann were forced to pay tributes to the Fomorians, but also scholars, bards and druid were banned from teaching.

A commander named Balor led the Fomorians in battle. Balor was a giant, with a single eye. Balor's eye was an extremely powerful weapon; bolt of fire would hurl from his eye, destroying his enemy. However, Balor was getting older and had troubles opening his eye-lid. We are told that rope and pulley were required to open his eye-lid.

Balor's Welsh counterpart seemed to be Ysbaddaden Pencawr (Pencawr or Bencawr means "King of Giants"), who was the father of Olwen. Ysbaddaden was giant, who also needed forks to prop up his heavy eyelids. See Culhwch and Olwen