(Former Month's Feature) - June, 2005
(Former Month's Feature) - June, 2005
Any inquiry into the heritage of Cineal Ua
Dhomhnuil Nan Eilean
probably should begin with The Irish Sagas. Four great collections
of Irish Sagas survive which provide insights in regard to the Gael of
both Ireland and of Scotland. The Mythological Cycle gives an account of
pre-Christian times centered around the “Tuatha Dé Danann”
(Tribes of the Fateful Gods), the aboriginal people whom the Celts
replaced or absorbed in Ireland; the
Ulster Cycle, most informative of the sagas, roughly deals with the
first two centuries AD, with King Conchobar, the
“Craeb Ruadh,” and with the tales of “Cú Chulainn;” the
Fenian Cycle covers the 3rd and subsequent centuries, centered around
the ballads of Ossian, Dierdri and “Finn mac Cumail” (Finn
MacCool - Fair Son Of The Celebration); and the King Cycle contains
stories of the history of Ireland in the first millennium, from c. 300
AD to 800 AD, giving us the best source we have for the history of the
“Dál Cuinn” (Race Of Conn) and the ancestors of Cineal ua
Dhomhnuil.
Both Ireland and Scotland claim to be
sources of the Ossianic ballads, with some rancor, but this may simply
be more evidence of their cultural synergy. A few translated lines by
MacPherson from “Ossian’s Prayer” of an imagined conversation
between blind Ossian and Saint Patrick give us the flavor of these
ballads:
Ossian: O Patrick of the reading,
To me a story tell;
Say, do the Féinn of Erin
In Heaven high now dwell?
Patrick: Let me tell thee truly, Ossian,
To whom fame is given;
That thy father, Gaul and Oscar,
Can not be in Heaven.
Ossian: Sorry be the tale, O Patrick,
Which thou art telling me;
If Erin’s Féinn are not in Heaven
Why should I Christian be?
Patrick: Grievous be thy story, Ossian,
Fierce thy words have grown;
What are all the Féinn of Erin
To one hour with God alone?
A body of poetry in the Fenian Cycle,
attributed to Ossian, describes an order of heroes known as the
Féinne, Fianna, followers of Fingal, or Finn, who are
said to have lived in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and who inhabited
parts of both Ireland and Scotland. According to the bards, Ossian was a
blind poet who told the heroic saga of a warrior named Fingal who is
supposed to have lived in the reign of Cormac mac Airt (c.227-266) and
whose daughter Gráinne he married. Goll mac Morni was a contemporary.
Finn was ostensibly slain in 283 but, according to the bards, he was
alive the next year to pronounce a eulogy on his grandson Oscar, who
fell in the battle of Gabhra. Curiously, in “Gleann á Chomaire”
(lit. Glen of the Confluence - Glencoe), there is a deep vertical
fissure known locally as “Ossian’s Cave.” This folklore is deeply
imbedded in Highland tradition. Although the poetry is unquestionably
fable and may have been written at a much later date by more than one
“Ossian,” it does show the period of Gaelic confrontation with the
Roman Empire when the pagan Druids and Christians first encountered each
other and gives some clues as to their culture, especially the close
relationship between Northern Ireland and Western Scotland.
Who were the Féinne? Like King Arthur, whose history
was embellished to the point of fantasy in the Middle Ages,
the Féinne probably had some historical basis. Their society
was matrilineal so that a king was often succeeded by his
mother’s, sister’s or daughter’s son, rendering dynasties
difficult to identify. The women of the Alban Gael practiced
polyandry, which the Romans hypocritically called
promiscuous. To the bravest warrior went the choice of a
woman and the best of the meat. But commonly, a man was
prohibited from mating with a woman of his own clan. After
the advent of the Christian Era and, as contacts developed
between Irish Dalriada and Alba, heiresses of one attracted
young men of the other, so that there evolved a complex of
intermarriage and mixed blood. This produced a parade of
disputed claims, rivalries and dynastic wars, but also
caused a gradual fusion of Albannaich and Erinnaich Gael
with the “Finnghall” of Scandinavia. Ossian then, has
much the same significance as do the bardic sagas of Cineal
ua Dhomhnuil, of their ancestor Somhairle, and an identical
origin.
The oldest surviving miscellaneous
manuscript in Irish literature is “Leabhar na HÚidhre”
(The Book of the Dun Cow). The original vellum upon which it
was written was supposedly taken from the hide of the famous
cow of Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise. Compiled at the
monastery from older manuscripts and from oral tradition
c.1100, the folio is a collection of factual material and
legends dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, including
perhaps most notably the most famous of the Irish sagas, the
“Táin Bó Cuailnge,” (The Cattle Raid of Cooley - c.
7th Century) providing more data about Druid religion and
folklore than any other source, as well as a poem ascribed
to Finn MacCool, Ossian’s hero.
Another work of the same period is “Lebar na
Núachongbhála” (The Book of Glendalough or Book of
Leinster). Written from many sources by Aed ua Crimthainn,
Abbot of Tir dá Glas, Co. Tipperary c.1160, it
contains the oldest version of the legend of Deirdri. When
first seen by "Giraldus Cambrensis" (Gerald of Wales
- Gerald de Barry, a cousin of Strongbow who accompanied him
in his 12th Century invasion of Ireland), the illuminations
in this book were so beautiful that he said they "were
the work of Angels!"
The Norse Ballads of the wars
between the “Féinn” (Gael) and the “Lachlannaich”
(Vikings) also provide some clues, as do The Icelandic
Sagas. Coincidentally, the Norse were later known in
Gaelic as the “Finnghall,” or fair-haired foreigners,
phonetically very close to Ossian’s heros.
Cú Chulainn (The hound of
Culann) was the subject of the “Táin Bó Cuailnge.”
The legendary 1st Century king, “Conchobar mac Nessa,”
also a prominent character in the Deirdri Ballads, was said
to be surrounded by a band of great warriors known as the
“Craeb Ruaidh” (Red Branch). Prominent among them was
“Cú Chulainn,” recalled in Irish folklore as divine and
endowed with superhuman qualities. His birth is couched in
mystery and one version asserts he was the son of Lug,
(an important deity of the druidic pantheon) while another
credits him with being born three times. He is said to have
been named at the age of seven when he killed the watch-dog
of Ulaidh, property of Culann, the divine smith, and
thenceforward undertook to protect the kingdom of Ulaidh and
its people himself. Coincidentally, according to the sagas,
as a child, Cú Chulainn went to “Alba” to learn the
use of arms from a female warrior, rendering him invincible.
Scottish synergy with the Irish is recalled in
the folklore of the Isle of Skye in the legend
of “Dun Sgáthaich” (Fort of Shadows),
located on Loch Fishort on the west coast of the
Sleate Peninsula of the island, which had been
occupied by a succession of fortifications since
early times. According to the legend, the
warrior queen “Sgáthaich” trained men
here in the art of fighting. It was to this
famous school that “Cú Chulainn” came
from Ireland to learn the art of war. His
journey was long and fraught with dangers, but
each was overcome in turn. Finally, the young
Irish hero reached the castle, separated from
the main body of rock by a yawning chasm and
linked only by a perilous bridge which threw off
all who failed to cross in two strides. Twice
Cú Chulainn attempted the crossing without
success, but the third time he prevailed. After
knocking on the door so hard that his spear
shaft pierced the timbers, he was finally
admitted by “Uathach” (Spectre), the
daughter of Sgáthaich. His training was
long and difficult and while there he had many
adventures. Conflict arose between Sgáthaich
and a neighboring princess, “Aife”
(Reflection). To insure Cú Chulainn’s
safety during the hostilities, Sgáthaich
gave him a sleeping potion which was assured to
last for 24 hours. However, Cú Chulainn
awoke after only an hour and appeared on the
battlefield to champion the queen against Aife.
After fierce combat, Cú Chulainn’s sword
was splintered by a heavy blow and it seemed he
was lost. But he caused a distraction by
shouting that Aife’s horses and chariot were in
danger. While Aife was thus diverted, Cú
Chulainn was able to sling the queen over his
shoulder and carry her from the field. In
addition to extracting a promise from Aife
that she would never again fight with Queen
Sgáthaich, the warrior princess bore Cú
Chulainn a son, Conlai who, in the
fullness of time, journeyed to Ireland to see
his father.
One of many versions of the “Táin,”
with classic Irish embellishment rich in
druid symbolism, relates that Queen “Medb”
(Maeve) of Connacht, in bed one night with
her husband (sic), King Ailill, argued
with him as to whom had more wealth. The king
won the contest because Maeve had nothing to
compare with his great white bull. Subsequently,
Maeve learned of a great brown bull of Cooley in
Co. Louth, ownership of which would tilt the
balance of possessions in her favor. But the
chieftain, Cooley, refused to give up his bull,
so she resolved to get it by force. Secretly,
she promised her beautiful daughter in marriage
to every captain in Ireland, thus acquiring the
help of all the warriors of Erin, outside Ulaidh.
With Maeve at their head, they crossed the
Shannon at Athlone and marched to Kells, on the
border of Ulaidh, where they made their camp. A
mysterious sickness seized the entire army of
Ulaidh. Only seventeen year old Cú Chulainn
was not incapacitated. Cú Chulainn,
always staying out of sight, then began to harry
these enemies, slaying a hundred of them each
night with his sling. Seeing her army being
reduced, Maeve sought a parlay with the
Ulaidhian hero. She was amazed to find him a
mere boy, but nevertheless offered him great
rewards if he would desist. Cú Chulainn
refused the blandishments of the evil queen, but
did agree to fight one of her heroes each day at
the ford of the River Dee which separated them.
He not only slew all the men who came against
him, but found time amidst the swordplay to
overcome Morrigan, the water goddess, as well,
while he dispatched Maeve’s hero, Loich, at the
same time. In the end, Cú Chulainn, after
mortally wounding his foster-brother, Ferdia,
from Connacht, mounted his war chariot and
hurled himself against the men of Erin. In one
wrenching turn, its wheels are said to have
thrown up “The Dorsey,” which remains to
this day. Unfortunately his heroism was for
naught. The brown bull of Cooley went insane and
died in his tracks when his heart burst. The
oldest reference to the hero of the “Táin”
I have found is from the 8th Century:
Welcome, oh
victorious, warlike Cú Chulainn,
At the Raid of the Cattle of Breg,
Thou wilt be a chariot-chief in single
combat.
Great perils await thee,
Alone against a vast herd.
The warriors of Cruachan, thou wilt
scatter them.
Thy name shall reach the men of Scotland.
Thirty years I reckon the strength of thy
valor;
Further than this I do not add.
Prophesy by Queen Sgáthaich from
“The Wooing of Emer” of the Ulster
Cycle of sagas, c. 8th Century
The sagas claim the mysterious illness which afflicted Conchobar’s army was the result of a curse placed upon them by a woman named Macha. She was said to be such a great runner that her husband (sic) boasted that she could even outrun the horses of King Conchobar. The king was incensed and, even though she was pregnant, Macha was forced to run against his chariot. Although she won the race, she then gave premature birth to a boy and a girl before dying on the spot. But before she expired she placed a curse on the warriors of Ulaidh that they should be rendered weak and powerless for nine days whenever threatened by an enemy.
Loch
Etive, Glen Etive, Appin
Looking northeast toward
Lochaber.
Picture courtesy
of Martin Junius © Copyright
1994-2002
www.m-j-s.net/photo/
The Ulster Cycle includes
“Oidheadh Chloinne
Uisneach” (The Fate
of the Sons of Usnech),
known as the Deirdri
Ballads. They also tell a
story of Irish King
Conchobar mac Nessa,
whose reign is placed in the
1st Century. There are
several versions of these
ballads, the oldest Scottish
manuscript of which is dated
1208 and was written at
Glenmason in Cowal, less
than half a century after
the oldest Irish version.
They assert that King
Conchobar was preparing to
marry the beautiful Deirdri,
princess in some versions
and daughter of his harper
in others, when she ran away
to Scotland with Nóisiu,
the son of Conchobar’s
sister, and Nóisiu’s two
brothers, Ainle and
Ardan. Highland
tradition claims that they
built their first home in
Glen Etive (usually
translated as “Gleann
Éite - Glen of Quartz,
but possibly originally
“Gleann É Tigh - Glen of
his house) in Appin, where,
ostensibly, there are the
ruins of the vitrified fort
known in Gaelic as “Dun
mac Uianich” (Fort of
the sons of Uisneach),
although this writer was
unable to locate them after
extensive efforts. Glen
Etive was probably included
in the lands given to
Cineal Cholla by the
Cineal Loarn.
According to the ballads, they lived
there idyllically until they
were lured back to Ireland
by the treachery of
Conchobar. The scorned king,
determined to possess the
maiden of his desire, sent a
friend to persuade the
couple to return to Ireland.
Deirdri begged Nóisiu not to
go, but to no avail. As they
set sail for Ulaidh, Deirdri
sang her “Farewell,” a
lament still sung in Glen
Etive today. In Ulaidh, the
three brothers were put to
death and Deirdri, in her
sorrow, committed suicide.
According to the legend,
their spirits became swans
which returned to Glen Etive,
explaining the large colony
of swans there. The names of
places in the ballads
indicate that they did go to
Argyll and may be a
reference to the earliest
settlement of the Scots of
Dalriada. There are also
other interesting
coincidences with the bardic
traditions of Cineal ua
Dhomhnuil, in their
claims to be of the “Race
of Conn,” in the stories
that Cineal Cholla was also
founded by three brothers
who came from Ireland, in
their common general time
frame and in their common
destination in Argyll.
Similar to Irish early works,
“The Cochulin Ballads”
portray another hero of the
1st Century, who appears to
have lived in the inner
Hebrides, but they also have
roots in Ireland. These
ballads were composed by
more than one author between
the beginning of the
Christian era and the 13th
Century, some early and
others late in that time
frame. Sir James MacGregor,
Dean of Lismore, copied them
between 1512 and 1526 and
regarded them then as very
ancient. Another Scottish
source of importance to
MacDonalds was "Leabhar
Dearg Nam Clanranald"
(The Red (Blood) Book Of
Clanranald), a history of
that branch of Clan Donald
written and compiled by
MhicMhurich, Seannache of
Clanranald, about 1660. It
is the primary surviving
source of the history of
Clan Donald, upon which all
subsequent histories of the
Clan are based.
“The Book of Ballymote,” was
a large manuscript of
genealogical, legal,
historical and literary
material compiled from 11th
and 12th century manuscripts
c.1383-87 by Maghnus
ÓDuibhgeannáin, a
seannache of his clan of
Leitrum and Roscommon.
“The Great Book Of Lecan,”
was compiled between
1390 and 1418 by Giolla
Iosa Mhór Mac Firbhisigh
for his own use. He headed a
school for seannachaidh at
Sligo. It contained
genealogies of the Irish
nobility. Several pre-Norman
historical tracts are also
important sources. Almost
every monastery and some
clan seannachaidh kept
annals of local history,
some more reliable than
others and known
collectively as “The
Irish Annals.” Many
survive.
An important source for MacDonnells is “Annála Ríoghachta Éireann” (Annals of the Kingdom Of Ireland, popularly known as The Annals Of The Four Masters), compiled from earlier annals between 1632 and 1636 at Donegal Monastery by a Franciscan monk from the College of St. Anthony at Louvain, Br. Michael ÓCléirigh. He was assisted by three collaborators, Br. Fearfeassa ÓMulchonaire, Br. Cuchoighriche (Peregrine) ÓCléirigh and Br. Cuchoighriche ÓDuignan. A contemporary at Louvain, Fr. Colgan, called them the "Quator Magistni" (The Four Masters). Michael's cousin, Father Hugh Ward, Superior of The Irish College at Louvain and Chaplain of Captain Sorley MacDonnell’s Company of the Antrim Regiment in Flanders, commissioned Friar Michael to go to Ireland in the 1620s and find material for a history of Irish Christianity. Sponsored by Lord Brien Roe Maguire, Lord Enniskillen; by Fergal ÓGara, M.P. for Sligo and Lord of Moy, Gara and Coolavin; by Captain MacDonnell; and possibly by others as well; the monks crisscrossed Ireland collecting material, even visiting the library of the Protestant Primate, Archbishop Ussher, in Dublin, and this compilation of the manuscripts they found is the result. A huge collection, it spanned some 3,000 years, from the invasion of Ireland by the Gael, until 1616. A complete translation is available on line - See our links page.
Collectively, these sources provide a unique opportunity to recall many elements of one of the oldest cultures in Europe. For the original manuscripts, we are deeply indebted to the zealous monks of the early Christian monasteries of Ireland. These early Christians preserved, not only the early culture of Ireland, but much of the learning of Europe, during the Dark Ages. But if not for the efforts of these later scholars, all would still have been lost during the pillaging of the monasteries by the English during the Cromwell era.
Donegal
Abbey
Where
The
Annals
Of The
Four
Masters
were
compiled.
(Please use your back button to return to the menu of prior features)
Great Book Of
Lecan MacDonald Page
Dublin,
Royal Irish Academy,
MS 23, P 2, f. 81r
Picture courtesy of
John McLaughlin
Dun Sgáthaich (Fort
Of Shadows), Isle of Skye
Looking northwest across Loch Fishort to the Cuillin
Hills
Bidean Nam Bian (Mount Of The
Hide), Glencoe
Showing the fissure known locally as Ossian's Cave
Picture courtesy of Martin Junius © Copyright
1994-2002
www.m-j-s.net/photo/
