The Fairs of Early Irish Society The óenach, sometimes translated as “Fair”, was an important regular feature of early Irish society. There were several kinds of public gathering, including slógadh, “hosting”, where a lord would gather his able tennants for military activity, and airecht, “court”, which was a gathering of freemen for legal purposes. But…
More Stories of Macha
FROM THE METRICAL DINDSHENCHAS VOL 4: ed. Edward Gwynn translated by Isolde Carmody, based on Gwynn’s work. The complete edition by Gwynn can be found here
Noínden Ulad – The Story of Macha
Edited by Vernam Hull, Celtica 8 (1968), pp 1-42. Translation by Isolde Carmody. Annotated terms are marked in bold, with the notes at the end of the text. §1 Cid dia mboí in ces for Ultaib? Ni ansae From what [cause] was the debility on the Ulstermen? Not hard.
The Story of Macha
Near Armagh is the green mound of mysterious Emain Macha. This is the story of its naming. In my mind I still hear the rhythmic drumming of many hooves, the thrumming of the autumn rain. The soughing of breathing beasts, wind in the pasture grass. Flashes of colour, the crimson and gold of my goods…
Mythical Women 02: The Story of Macha
Macha gives her name to Emain Macha (Navan Fort, the seat of the Ulster kings) and to Armagh. She is also remembered for racing the king’s horses and cursing the Ulstermen. Why should a woman about to give birth be forced into a contest against race-horses? Explore this fantastical myth in relation to Early Irish…
Poetry on the Shannon
I have used the story of Sinann to inspire creative writing, especially poetry and drama, in groups of primary age children (9 to 11 years in this case). The story sparked observation and a wide variety of poetic styles. Here are a couple of examples from a school situated close to the river.
The Shannon Pot
The Shannon is the longest river in Ireland and the UK with a length of 280km. The river flows from its source in the Cuilcagh Mountains to its estuary below Limerick. This important river and its tributaries drain some 15,500 sq km or about one fifth of the island of Ireland. The traditional source of…
How Long Can A Story Last?
Defining the longevity of information passed orally from group to group, and from generation to generation, is hard to quantify. Stories change and grow. Their sources become lost in the mists of time, and yet they continue to have significance. Back in 1998, “The Year of The French”, commemorating the bicentennial of the political events…
Stories of Creation
Virtually all cultures have creation stories… There are two main types of creation myth: the cosmogenic, which is about the creation of the universe or the world; and those that concern the creation of human beings. The stories of the creation of humans often comes in the same package as that of the creation of…
The Importance of the Source
When I chose to study Early Irish, the principal reason was so that I could read the Irish stories and poetry that I so loved in their original language. As a student of literature and philosophy, I knew that translation meant interpretation. Being both cynical and a control freak, I wanted to remove the filter…