Mór Muman
Encyclopedia
Mór Muman also written Mór Mumhan or Mór Mumain, (said to have died 630s) is stated to have been a daughter of Áed Bennán, sometime King of Munster, but may in fact represent a euhemerised sovereignty goddess, particularly associated with the Eóganachta
.
The Irish language tale Mór Muman 7 Aided Cuanach meic Ailchine (Mór Muman and the death of Cuanu mac Ailchine) is contained in the Book of Leinster
. It is suggested that it dates from the 10th century or earlier. According to this story, Mór was placed under an enchantment and lost her senses. She wandered Ireland
for two years before she came to Cashel
and the court of King Fíngen mac Áedo Duib
. Fingen eventually slept with her, and her memory returned. In the morning, Fingen gave her the Queen's robe and brooch, and put aside his current Queen, daughter of the king of the Deisi, and put Mór in her place as she was of better blood. The Metrical Dindshenchas say of Fingen and Mór:
When Fingen died, the story says, Mór Muman married Cathal mac Finguine
. Unfortunately, the collector of this tale mistook this Cathal for his grandfather, Cathal mac Áedo
.
Mór's sister, Ruithchern, is also thought to represent the sovereignty goddess. She was the protagonist of the lost story Aithed Ruithcherne la Cuanu mac Cailchin (The killing of Ruithchern by Cuanu mac Ailchine).
As a divinity, Mór Muman is supposed to be identical with Mugain, and to include features of Medb
and the Morrigan
. She is sometimes referred to simply as Mumain, making her association with the land of Munster (Irish, Mumu) explicit.
The death of Mór Muman ingen Áedo Bennáin is recorded by the Annals of Ulster
under the year 632 and by the Annals of Tigernach
for 633.
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...
.
The Irish language tale Mór Muman 7 Aided Cuanach meic Ailchine (Mór Muman and the death of Cuanu mac Ailchine) is contained in the Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
. It is suggested that it dates from the 10th century or earlier. According to this story, Mór was placed under an enchantment and lost her senses. She wandered Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
for two years before she came to Cashel
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
and the court of King Fíngen mac Áedo Duib
Fíngen mac Áedo Duib
Fíngen mac Áedo Duib was a King of Munster from the Eóganacht Chaisil branch of the Eoganachta. He was the great-grandson of Feidlimid mac Óengusa, a previous king. He succeeded Amalgaid mac Éndai as king in 601....
. Fingen eventually slept with her, and her memory returned. In the morning, Fingen gave her the Queen's robe and brooch, and put aside his current Queen, daughter of the king of the Deisi, and put Mór in her place as she was of better blood. The Metrical Dindshenchas say of Fingen and Mór:
Best of the women of Inis Fail
is Mór daughter of Áed Bennan.
Better is Fingen than any hero
that drives about Femen.
When Fingen died, the story says, Mór Muman married Cathal mac Finguine
Cathal mac Finguine
Cathal mac Finguine was an Irish King of Munster or Cashel, and effectively High King of Ireland as well. He belonged to the Eóganacht Glendamnach sept of the dominant Eóganachta kin-group whose members dominated Munster from the 7th century to the 10th...
. Unfortunately, the collector of this tale mistook this Cathal for his grandfather, Cathal mac Áedo
Cathal mac Áedo
Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach was a King of Cashel in Munster from the Glendamnach sept of the Eoganachta. He was the son of Áed Fland Cathrach and grandson of Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn a previous king of Cashel...
.
Mór's sister, Ruithchern, is also thought to represent the sovereignty goddess. She was the protagonist of the lost story Aithed Ruithcherne la Cuanu mac Cailchin (The killing of Ruithchern by Cuanu mac Ailchine).
As a divinity, Mór Muman is supposed to be identical with Mugain, and to include features of Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
and the Morrigan
Morrígan
The Morrígan or Mórrígan , also written as Morrígu or in the plural as Morrígna, and spelt Morríghan or Mór-Ríoghain in Modern Irish, is a figure from Irish mythology who appears to have once been a goddess, although she is not explicitly referred to as such in the texts.The Morrigan is a goddess...
. She is sometimes referred to simply as Mumain, making her association with the land of Munster (Irish, Mumu) explicit.
The death of Mór Muman ingen Áedo Bennáin is recorded by the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
under the year 632 and by the Annals of Tigernach
Annals of Tigernach
The Annals of Tigernach is a chronicle probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish....
for 633.