Mesca Ulad
Background information
References in the Annals of the Four Masters
M3371.1 The first year of the reign of Eochaidh Ollathair, who was named the Daghda, over Ireland.
M3450.1 After the completion of the last year of the eighty years which Eochaidh Ollathar passed in the monarchy of Ireland, he died at Brugh, of the venom of the wound which Cethlenn inflicted upon him in the first battle of Magh Tuireadh.
M5057.1 Fachtna Fathach, son of Rossa, son of Rudhraighe, after having been sixteen years in the sovereignty of Ireland, was slain by Eochaidh Feidhleach.
M5069.1 Eochaidh Feidhleach, son of Finn, son of Finnlogha, after having been twelve years in the sovereignty of Ireland, died at Teamhair [Tara].
Lebor Gabála Érenn (Macalister), Volume 4
p. 181 Eochaid Ollathair, the Great Dagda, son of Elada, was eighty years in the kingship of Ireland. He had three sons, Oengus, Aed and Cermat the fair. Upon these four did the men of Ireland make the Mound of the Brug.
p. 191 Dagda and Ogma and Alloth and Bres and Delbaeth, the five sons of Eladan. … Oengus mac in nOg and Aed Caem and Cermat Milbel, the three sons of the Dagda, son of Elada.
p. 195 Boind daughter of Delbaeth son of Elada.
Lebor Gabála Érenn (Macalister), Volume 5
p. 299 Fachtna Fathach took [the kingship of Ireland] for a space of sixteen years. … Fachtna Fathach fell at the hands of Eochu Feidlech. … Eochu Feidlech took the kingship of Ireland for a space of twelve years … till he fell in Temair.
The History of Ireland (Geoffrey Keating), Volume 1
p. 217 Aonghus, Aodh, Cearmadh and Mídhir, the four sons of the Dághdha.
p. 223 The Daghdha Mór, son of Ealatha, son of Dealbhaoth, son of Néd, held the kingdom of Ireland seventy years. He died at Brugh of the bloody missiles of a cast which Ceithleann flung at him in the battle of Magh Tuireadh. Eochaidh Ollathar (was) the proper name of the Daghdha.
The History of Ireland (Geoffrey Keating), Volume 2
p. 183 Fachtna Fathach … held the sovereignty of Ireland sixteen years; and he fell by Eochaidh Feidhlioch.
pp. 185-189 Eochaidh Feidhlioch … held the sovereignty of Ireland twelve years. … He was called Eochaidh Feidhlioch, for he suffered long from sighing, for feidhil means ‘long’, and uch means ‘a sigh’, hence Feidhlioch means ‘a long sigh’. For his heart was never without a sigh since he slew his sons in the Battle of Drom Criaidh until his own death. … Eochaidh gave the kingdom of Connaught to Tinne son of Connraidh, and gave him his own daughter, Meadhbh, in marriage. … Meadhbh continued for a long time afterwards to be the wife of Tinne son of Connraidh, till he fell at Tara by the hand of Monuidhir, who was called Mac Ceacht. Now Meadhbh held for ten years the sovereignty of Connaught after Tinne without living with any man publicly, but living privately with whatever man pleased her fancy. After this, Meadhbh took for her husband Oilill Mor son of Rossa Ruadh, a Leinsterman. Mada Muirisc, a Connaughtwoman, was his mother. And Meadbh bore to Oilill seven sons, namely, the seven Maines.
Related saga online: Táin Bó Cúalnge (The Cattle-raid of Cooley)
Cecile O’Rahilly (ed. & tr.), Táin Bó Cúalnge from the Book of Leinster, (Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1967; repr. 2004), pp. 1-272.
Irish text at CELT; English translation at CELT
p. 241 Fintan the son of Niall Niamglonnach (See Section 3)
p. 247 Findchad Fer-bend Uma, son of Fraglethan (See Section 6)
p. 217 It was tabu for the Ulstermen that any of them should speak before Conchobar (See Section 18)
p. 142 The seven Maines, including Maine-mó-epert (See Section 23 and Section 50)
pp. 256-257 Loegaire Búadach from Rath-Immil (See Section 32)
p. 248 Uma, son of Remanfisech (See Section 33)
pp. 259-260 Errge Echbel (See Section 33)
p. 260 Celtchair Mór mac Uthechair (See Section 33)
pp. 204-206 Dubthach Dóeltenga (See Section 39 and Section 49)
pp. 255-256 Sencha the Great, son of Ailill (See Section 40)
Related saga online: Aided Conrói maic Dáiri (The Death of CuRoi mac Dairi)
R. I. Best (ed. & tr.), The Tragic Death of Cúrói Mac Dári, Ériu, 2, 1905, pp. 20-31.
Digital Edition at Archive.org (pp. 20-31 (32-43))
(See Section 26) |
|
If they are cattle, so that they are cattle, |
If they are cattle, of cattle kind, |
They are not herds of lean kine. |
They are not the herd of one cow. |
There is a little man brandishing a sword |
A fierce man, who sheds blood, |
On the back of every cow. |
Is on each cow’s back. |
Scéla Conchobair Maic Nessa (Stokes)
§§15-16 Three houses had Conchobar, to wit, the Cróeb-ruad and the Téite Brece and the Red Branch. In the Red Branch used to be the heads and the spoils. In the Cróeb-ruad were the kings-that is, it was strong (?) for the kings. In the Téite Brecc, then, were the spears and the shields and the sword-that is, it was speckled with the hilts of the gold-hilted swords and the sheen of the blue spears, their collars and their coils of gold and silver, and with the golden and silvern scales and circles of the shields, and with the service of the cups and the horns and the goblets. This is why their weapons were taken from them (when they were) in one house. Whenever they heard any rude thing, unless they took vengeance for it at once, every man would rise up against another, so that each of them was smiting his head and his shield on another throughout the house: wherefore their weapons were taken from them all in the Téite Brecc. (See Section 11)
Cath Ruis na Ríg for Bóinn (Hogan)
p. 53, §52 Sencha’s “peaceful branch” (See Section 11)
Fled Bricrend(Henderson)
p. 35, §29 Sencha, son of Ailill, got up and shook his septre. To him the Ultonians gave ear. (See Section 11)
p. 13, §12 The two sons of the king (Conchobar), namely, Fiacha and Fiachaig.” (See Section 49)
Senchas na Relic, in: The Origin and Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland (Petrie)
p. 98 (113), note e Óenach Senchlochair mentioned as one the chief cemeteries of Erin before the faith [i.e., before the introduction of Christianity] (See Section 22)
Scéla Mucce Meic Da Thó (Chadwick)
p. 19, §7 “The great Loth the son of Fergus mac Léti, who was left dead by Echbél mac Dedad in Tara Luachra.” (See Section 22)
Talland Étair (Stokes)
p. 49 Eochaid, son of Luchta (See Section 23)
Cath Boinde ((O’Neill)
p. 185 (198) The seven Maines, including Maine-mó-epert (See Section 23)
Aislinge Meic Conglinne (Meyer)
p. 42 “he put on a short cloak and short garments: each upper garment being shorter with him, and each lower one being longer.”
(See Section 34): “with seven short, black, equally-smooth cloaklets about him; shorter was each upper one, longer each lower.”
Cath Maige Tuired (Stokes)
p. 87, §93; p. 93, §119 The Dagda’s club (See Section 34)
Mesca Ulad (Hennessy)
pp. xiv-xvi (21-23) The Luin of Celtchair (See Section 39)
Togail Bruidne Da Derga (Stokes)
p. 301, §129 The Luin of Celtchair (See Section 39)
Aided Cheltchair maic Uthechair (Stokes)
p. 31, §12 The Luin of Celtchair (See Section 39)
On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, Volume II (O’Curry)
pp. 324-327 (351-354) The Luin of Celtchair (See Section 39)
Orgain Denna Ríg (Stokes)
pp. 12-13 Roasting people alive in an iron house (See Section 46)
Táin Bó Cúalnge Recension I (O’Rahilly)
p. 194 Triscod, the strong man of Conchobar’s household (See Section 48)
Lectures of the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History (O’Curry)
List of Historic Tales in the Book of Leinster includes:
Tain bo Chualgne (The Cow-spoil of Cuailgne), p. 584 (620)
Airec Menman Uraird Maic Coise (Byrne), Anecdota from Irish Manuscripts, Volume 2
List of the gnathscela Herenn includes:
Tain Bo Cuailngni, p. 43 (139), §3, line 6
Mesca Ulad, p. 43 (139), §3, line 13
Boithreim Ulad, p. 43 (139), §3, line 13
R = The Rennes Dindshenchas (Stokes), Revue Celtique, 15-16, 1894-1895
M = The Metrical Dindshenchas (Gwynn)
B = The Bodleian Dinnshenchas (Stokes), Folklore, 3, 1892
E = The Edinburgh Dinnshenchas (Stokes), Folklore, 4, 1893
S = Silva Gadelica (O’Grady), Volume 2
R: Boand §19 (See Section 19), Part 1, pp. 315-316, (‘Boand’)
M: Boand I (See Section 19), Volume 3, pp. 27-33, pp. 480-481
M: Boand II (See Section 19), Volume 3, pp. 35-39, pp. 481-482
B: Boann §36 (See Section 19), p. 500, (‘Boann’)
S: Bóann (See Section 19), pp. 519-520 (554-555)
R: Cenn Febrat §48 (See Section 20), Part 2, p. 442, (‘Cenn Febrat’)
M: Cend Febrat (See Section 20), Volume 3, pp. 227-233, pp. 517-519
S: Cenn Febhrat (See Section 20), p. 524 (559)
S: Connachta (See Section 44), p. 509 (543)
R: Crimthainn Nia Náire in Dún Crimthainn §30 (See Section 53), Part 1, pp. 332-333, (‘Dún Crimthainn’)
A fort which was constructed on Benn Étair (Howth) by Crimthann son of Lugaid who was also called Nar’s nia i.e. man, and who reigned thirteen years. Tis he that went on an adventure from Dún Crimthainn or from Dál Uisnig, as he himself said, with the witch Nár the banshee. With her he slept a month and a fortnight. And to him she gave many treasures including the gilt chariot and the draughtboard of gold, and Crimthann’s cétach, a beautiful mantle, and many other treasures also. And afterwards, after his adventure, he died on Mag Étair and was buried in his fort.
M: Crimthainn Nia Náire in Dun Crimthaind (Section 53), Volume 3, pp. 121-127, pp. 499-502
R: Crimthainn Nia Náire in Luibnech §121 (See Section 53), Part 3, pp. 73-74, (‘Luibnech’)
A bow of red gold which was in the cétach Crimthainn, that is, Crimthann Nia Náire’s beautiful mantle which the Ulaid carried off from the west, from Tara Luachra, in the furious foray (baethréim) which they made from the Fort of two Peaks to Cenn Febrat of Sliab Cáin. When they wrecked the town, and killed the king and brought away his mantle, ’tis in that place (Luibnech) they broke it up and tore out its thrice fifty lúbáns ‘bows’ with an apple of gold on each. Of that place Luibnech is said.
M: Crimthainn Nia Náire in Luibnech (See Section 53), Volume 4, p. 221, pp. 435-436
R: Emain Macha §161 (See Section 5), Part 5, pp. 279-283
M: Emain Macha (See Section 5), Volume 4, pp. 309-311, p. 459
R: Eochu mac Luchta in Loch Dergdeirc §64 (See Section 23), Part 2, pp. 461-463, (‘Loch Dergdeirc’)
M: Eochu mac Luchta in Loch Dergderc (See Section 23), Volume 3, pp. 339-347, pp. 539-541
R: Mag mBreg §111 (See Section 2), Part 3, pp. 62-63, (‘Mag mBreg’)
M: Mag Breg (See Section 2), Volume 4, pp. 191-193, p. 427
B: Mag mBreg §2 (See Section 2), pp. 470-471, (‘Mag mBreg’)
S: Mágh mBregh (See Section 2), p. 517 (552)
R: Lena the swineherd in Mag Lena §112 (See Section 19), Part 3, pp. 63-64, (‘Mag Lena’)
M: Lena the swineherd in Mag Léna I (See Section 19), Volume 4, pp. 193-195, pp. 427-428
M: Mag Léna II (See Section 19), Volume 4, pp. 195-197, pp. 428-429
M: Mag Muirthemne (See Section 19), Volume 4, p. 295, p.454
B: Maine-mó-epert in Ath Cliath la Connachta §26 (See Section 9), p. 492, (‘Ath Cliath la Connachta’)
R: Mide §7 (See Section 19), Part 1, pp. 297-298, (‘Mide’)
M: Mide (See Section 19), Volume 2, pp. 43-45, p.100
B: Mide §7 (See Section 19), pp. 475-476, (‘Mide’)
S: Midhe (See Section 19), p. 520 (555)
R: Sliab Cáin (in Luibnech §121) (See Section 20), Part 3, pp. 73-74, (‘Sliab Cáin’)
R: Slíab Fuait §100 (See Section 19), Part 3, pp. 51-52, (‘Slíab Fuait’)
M: Sliab Fúait I (See Section 19), Volume 4, pp. 163-167, pp. 419-420
M: Sliab Fúait II (See Section 19), Volume 4, pp. 167-169, pp. 420-421
E: Sliab Fuait §64 (See Section 19), pp. 483-484, (‘Sliab Fuait’)
S: Sliabh Fuaid (See Section 19), p. 521 (556)
R: Temair Luachra §50 (See Section 54 ), Part 2, pp. 444-445, (‘Temair Luachra’)
M: Temair Luachra (See Section 54), Volume 3, pp. 237-239, pp. 520-521
S: Temhair Luachra (See Section 54), p. 523 (558)
R: Uisnech (in Mide §7) (See Section 4), Part 1, pp. 297-299, (‘Uisnech’)
M: Uisnech (in Mide) (See Section 4), Volume 2, pp. 43-45, p. 100
B: Uisnech (in Mide §7) (See Section 4), pp. 475-476, (‘Uisnech’)
S: Uisnech (in Midhe) (See Section 4), pp. 520-521 (555-556)
Cóir Anmann: Fitness of Names (Stokes), Irische Texte, Ser. III.2
Conall Cernach §§251-252 (See Section 9), pp. 393-395, p. 423
Connachta §76 (See Section 44), p. 325, p. 414
Cormac Conloinges §275 (See Section 9), p. 403, p. 424
Crimhann Nía Nár §106 (See Section 53), p. 333, p. 415
Cú Chulainn §266 (See Section 3), pp. 399-401, p. 423
Dagda §§150-151 (See Section 34), p. 355, p. 418
Delbaeth §159 (See Section 31), p. 359, p. 418
Dubthach Dael-tengthach §263 (See Section 39), p. 399, p. 423
Dubthach Dael Ulad §264 (See Section 39), p. 399, p. 423
Eochaid Feidlech §102 (See Section 23), p. 331, p. 415
Forgall Monach §205 (See Section 7), p. 373, p. 420
Furbaide Fer-benn §§255-256 (See Section 14), p. 397, p. 423
Loegaire Birnn Buadach §218 (See Section 9), p. 377, p. 421
Maine mó a eipert = Maine Antái §231 (See Section 23), p. 383, p. 421
Medb of Cruachu §274 (See Section 23), p. 403, p. 424
Muma §1 (See Section 44), p. 289, p. 412
Tuatha Dé §149 (See Section 1), p. 355, p. 418
Ulaid §245 (See Section 14), pp. 387-389, p. 422
Wikipedia
Lebor na hUidre
Book of Leinster
Ulster Cycle
Mythological Cycle
Tuatha Dé Danann
Mesca Ulad
Aengus
Ailill mac Máta; Kings of Connacht
Amergin Glúnmar = Amergin Glúingel
Amergin mac Eccit
Bricriu
Cathbad
Celtchar
Cermait
Clanna Dedad
Conall Cernach
Conchobar mac Nessa; Kings of Ulster
Cormac Cond Longas
Crimthann nia Náir; High Kings of Ireland
Cú Chulainn
Cú Roí; Kings of Munster
Dagda; High Kings of Ireland
Dál nAraidi
Dechtire = Deichtine
Deirdre
Delbáeth
Dubthach Dóeltenga
Emer
Eochu Feidlech; High Kings of Ireland
Fachtna Fáthach; High Kings of Ireland
Forgall Monach
Furbaide Ferbend
Leabharcham
Láeg
Lóegaire Búadach
Medb
Milesians
Míl Espáine
Sencha mac Ailella
Ben Bulben
Emain Macha
Lúin of Celtchar
Mount Sandel Fort
Red Branch (Cróeb Ruad)
Uisneach
Voices from the Dawn
Knock Áine
Lough Gur
Mound of Down