Senchas Fagbála Caisil
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Senchas Fagbála Caisil "The Story of the Finding of Cashel" is an early medieval Irish text which relates, in two variants, the origin legend of the kingship of Cashel
. Myles Dillon has dated the first variant (§§ 1-3) to the 8th century, and the second (§§ 4-8) tentatively to the 10th century.
, and Cuirirán, swineherd of the king of the Múscraige
, were masting their pigs in the woods of Cashel when they fell asleep and experienced a vision in which they saw an angel blessing the first king of Cashel, Conall Corc
mac Luigdech, and the line of Éoganacht kings of Munster which sprang from him. Having recounted the vision to his king, Conall mac Nenta Con, Duirdriu obtained the land at Cashel and sold it to Conall Corc. That would have been why the Uí Duirdrenn, Duirdriu's descendants, were entitled to seven cumala from the king of Cashel. Then follows a list of kings from Conall Corc to Dub Lachtna (ninth century) as well as a rhetoric called Dicta Cuirirán Muiceda "The Sayings of Cuirirán the Swineherd".
§§ 4-8. When one night the two swineherds stayed at Clais Duirdrenn, north of Cashel, they experienced a prophetic vision, in which they witnessed St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland. The following night, they had a second vision in which they enjoyed a magnificent feast and an angel announced that the first person to light a fire on Cashel would obtain the kingship of Munster. Cuirirán recounted his vision to Conall Corc, son of the king of Munster, who hastened to light a fire at Dún Cuirc in Cashel. There he organised a lavish feast, the first to be held at Cashel. On Corc's request, the swineherds went to their kings to invite them to the feast. At Fíad Duma in Muiceda, Conall, king of the Éile, heard the story from Druidriu [now in place of Duirdriu], which was confirmed by the king's druids, however much to his displeasure. The land belonged to his kingdom and so Conall marched south to Cashel. However, on arrival, Conall was welcomed to the feast and on his request, Druidriu gave the angelic blessing to Corc and proclaimed him king of Munster, for which Corc richly rewarded the swineherd. From that time onwards, the Uí Druidrenn were to proclaim every new king of Cashel, for which they were entitled to a reward of seven cumala. Moreover, the blessing would protect the kings of Cashel against violent deaths unless they neglected to uphold truth and justice (cf: fír flathemon). The text goes on to say that this took place sixty years before the baptism of Óengus mac Nad Froích
, king of Munster, by St. Patrick, according to scholarly calculations, and that Óengus imposed the tri-annual "Tribute of Patrick’s Baptism" on the Munstermen, which was levied until the reign of King Cormac.
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....
. Myles Dillon has dated the first variant (§§ 1-3) to the 8th century, and the second (§§ 4-8) tentatively to the 10th century.
Witnesses
The text survives only in Dublin, Trinity College, H.3.17: V, pp. 768-73. The Lebor na Cert ("Book of Rights") briefly refers to the story.Summary
§§ 1-3. Duirdriu, swineherd of the king of ÉileÉile
Éile, Éle or Éli, commonly anglicised Ely, was an ancient and medieval kingdom of northern Munster in Ireland.-Overview:They claimed descent from Céin , a possibly mythical or spurious younger son of Ailill Aulom and brother of Éogan Mór, and thus kinship with the Eóganachta...
, and Cuirirán, swineherd of the king of the Múscraige
Múscraige
The Múscraighe were an important Érainn people of Munster, descending from Cairpre Músc, son of Conaire Cóem, a High King of Ireland. Closely related were the Corcu Duibne, Corcu Baiscind, both of Munster, and also the Dál Riata of Ulster and Scotland, all being referred to as the Síl Conairi in...
, were masting their pigs in the woods of Cashel when they fell asleep and experienced a vision in which they saw an angel blessing the first king of Cashel, Conall Corc
Conall Corc
Corc mac Luigthig, also called Conall Corc, Corc of Cashel, and Corc mac Láire, is the hero of Irish language tales which form part of the origin legend of the Eóganachta, a group of kindreds which traced their descent from Conall Corc and took their name from his ancestor Éogan Mór. The early...
mac Luigdech, and the line of Éoganacht kings of Munster which sprang from him. Having recounted the vision to his king, Conall mac Nenta Con, Duirdriu obtained the land at Cashel and sold it to Conall Corc. That would have been why the Uí Duirdrenn, Duirdriu's descendants, were entitled to seven cumala from the king of Cashel. Then follows a list of kings from Conall Corc to Dub Lachtna (ninth century) as well as a rhetoric called Dicta Cuirirán Muiceda "The Sayings of Cuirirán the Swineherd".
§§ 4-8. When one night the two swineherds stayed at Clais Duirdrenn, north of Cashel, they experienced a prophetic vision, in which they witnessed St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland. The following night, they had a second vision in which they enjoyed a magnificent feast and an angel announced that the first person to light a fire on Cashel would obtain the kingship of Munster. Cuirirán recounted his vision to Conall Corc, son of the king of Munster, who hastened to light a fire at Dún Cuirc in Cashel. There he organised a lavish feast, the first to be held at Cashel. On Corc's request, the swineherds went to their kings to invite them to the feast. At Fíad Duma in Muiceda, Conall, king of the Éile, heard the story from Druidriu [now in place of Duirdriu], which was confirmed by the king's druids, however much to his displeasure. The land belonged to his kingdom and so Conall marched south to Cashel. However, on arrival, Conall was welcomed to the feast and on his request, Druidriu gave the angelic blessing to Corc and proclaimed him king of Munster, for which Corc richly rewarded the swineherd. From that time onwards, the Uí Druidrenn were to proclaim every new king of Cashel, for which they were entitled to a reward of seven cumala. Moreover, the blessing would protect the kings of Cashel against violent deaths unless they neglected to uphold truth and justice (cf: fír flathemon). The text goes on to say that this took place sixty years before the baptism of Óengus mac Nad Froích
Óengus mac Nad Froích
Óengus mac Nad Froích was an Eoganachta and the first Christian king of Munster. He was the son of Nad Froich mac Cuirc by Faochan, a British lady...
, king of Munster, by St. Patrick, according to scholarly calculations, and that Óengus imposed the tri-annual "Tribute of Patrick’s Baptism" on the Munstermen, which was levied until the reign of King Cormac.
External links
- Cycles of the Kings, by Dan M. Wiley.
- Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae (the digital publication of Dillon's edition and translation are forthcoming]