Senchán Torpéist
Encyclopedia
Senchán Torpéist, Gaelic
-Irish
poet
of Ireland
, (c.560 -647 AD)
as Chief Ollam of Ireland
. He died in 647 AD.
His father was Cuairfheartaigh from the Araidh sept on the northern Tipperary-Limerick border.
Senchan's mother's name was Dediva (also called Editua or Dedi or Deidi or Deighe or Deidiu or Deaga or Mediva), daughter of Tren, son of Dubhthach moccu Lughair
, who was also a previous Chief Ollam of Ireland
and royal poet of King Lóegaire mac Néill
. Dediva's other children were Saint Senan of Laraghabrine, son of Fintan, Saint Diarmaid the Just
, son of Lugna, Saint Felim
of Kilmore
son of Carill, Saint Daigh of Inniskeen
son of Carill, Saint Femia, daughter of Carill, St.Manchin
, son of Collan of Corann and Saint Caillin
, son of Niata, who in the Book of Fenagh, page 215 states-
"My blessing on thy men of song
Who from mild Senchan may descend.”
Seanchan must have been born at least before 560 AD to have allowed him time to complete the long course of study to be named Chief Ollam of Ireland. Furthermore in Tromdámh Guaire he is referred to as "the aged Senchan" in 598 AD and Geoffrey Keating
's History of Ireland states that at the Synod or Convention of Drumceat in 584 AD, "Seanchán mac Cuairfheartaigh" was made chief ollam over the province of Connaught. An explanation for his nickname is given in the Cóir Anmann (The Fitness of Names)-
"Entry 272: Senchán Toirpéist .i. Senchán [dororba péist] día rothogaibh spirat na h-écsi cenn do fo sceib (leg. scéim, dat. of scíam) dodheilbh, intan luidh Senchán for cuáirt a n-Albain dochoíd spirat na h-écsi a richt pesti gráinchi fora chiund forsan sligi a m-bói, gurus aigill tré fordhorcha filidhechta é. Conid [d]e rohainmniged e.(Senchán Torpest, i.e. Senchán whom a péistor monster profited when the spirit of wisdom appeared under a hideous form. At the time that Senchán went on a circuit into Scotland the spirit of poetry came in the shape of a loathly monster to meet him on his road, and conversed with him in the obscurity of poetry. Hence he was so named.)"
Senchan's wife was Brigit, his son was called Muircc or Murgen and his daughter was Maeve Neidigh.
Some of Senchan's work is preserved in the Book of Lecan, folio 17, col. 2, a poem on the battles of Fergus, son of Rossa. He wrote a poem beginning “Abbair fri sil nEogain moir”, in Laud 610, fol 73 b 2 (ZCP 12, 1918, p. 378 Kuno Meyer) and a poem beginning “Co slonnad Conmaic fri Connad” (ZCP 14 1923 p. 48 Margaret Dobbs).
In a list of ancient Irish authors contained in the Book of Ballymote
, p. 308, it states “Sencan Toirpeist in Rigfili”.
accompanied by one hundred and fifty other poets, one hundred and fifty pupils "with a corresponding number of women-servants, dogs, etc". The accommodating powers of Guaire's establishment were strained during their stay of "a year, a quarter, and a month."
To shame Seanchan into leaving, Guaire asked him to recite the long-forgotten epic
the Táin Bó Cúailnge
, with the words:
Seanchan was deeply offended;
Seanchan departed, with the following farewall:
To rectify this, Seanchan, accompanied by his son Murgen and his second cousin Eimena, undertook to travel in search of the book and return the Táin to Ireland.
This resulted in Murgen been lost in a magical mist, when he encountered the ghost of Fergus mac Róich
at his grave. Fergus related the whole of the Tain to Murgen, who returned and related the story to his brother and father, thus preserving the tale for future generations.
Senchan and his wife also appear in the old tale Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
and in Cormac's Glossary where he visits the Isle of Man. The Middle-Irish poem c.1100 ‘Aimirgein Glúngel tuir tend’, attributed to Gilla in Choimded Úa Cormaic of Tulach Léis, refers to Senchan- Stanza 57. "Senchán Toirpéist ba rind ráid." ('Senchán Torpéist he was the apex of speech').
Senchan's wandering band of poets occur in traditional tales as far apart as Scotland and Nova Scotia, where they are referred to as "Cliar Sheanachain" (Senchan's lot) or "Cleith Sheanchair". A popular Highland tale featuring Senchan is "Great Bríd of the Horses" which is based on 'Tromdámh Guaire'.
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
-Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
of 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...
, (c.560 -647 AD)
Background
Seanchan Torpest was the Chief Poet of Connacht in 598 AD when he succeeded Dallán ForgaillDallan Forgaill
Saint Dallán Forgaill —also Dallán Forchella; Dallán of Cluain Dalláin; born Eochaid Forchella—was an early Christian Irish poet best known as the writer of the Amra Choluim Chille and the early Irish poem Rop tú mo baile, the basis of the modern English hymn Be Thou My Vision.-Personal...
as Chief Ollam of Ireland
Chief Ollam of Ireland
The Ollamh Érenn or Chief Ollam of Ireland was a professional title of Gaelic Ireland.-Background:An ollam was a poet or bard of literature and history. Each chief or tuath had its own ollam...
. He died in 647 AD.
His father was Cuairfheartaigh from the Araidh sept on the northern Tipperary-Limerick border.
Senchan's mother's name was Dediva (also called Editua or Dedi or Deidi or Deighe or Deidiu or Deaga or Mediva), daughter of Tren, son of Dubhthach moccu Lughair
Dubhthach moccu Lughair
Dubthach maccu Lugair is a legendary Irish poet and lawyer who supposedly lived at the time of St Patrick's mission in Ireland and in the reign of Lóegaire mac Néill, high-king of Ireland. In contrast to the king and his druids, he is said to have readily accepted the new religion...
, who was also a previous Chief Ollam of Ireland
Chief Ollam of Ireland
The Ollamh Érenn or Chief Ollam of Ireland was a professional title of Gaelic Ireland.-Background:An ollam was a poet or bard of literature and history. Each chief or tuath had its own ollam...
and royal poet of King Lóegaire mac Néill
Lóegaire mac Néill
Lóegaire , also Lóeguire, is said to have been a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The Irish annals and king lists include him as a King of Tara or High King of Ireland. He appears as an adversary of Saint Patrick in several hagiographies...
. Dediva's other children were Saint Senan of Laraghabrine, son of Fintan, Saint Diarmaid the Just
Diarmaid the Just
Saint Diarmaid the Just was a Catholic Abbot of Inis Clothrann , Lough Ree, County Longford & of Faughalstown, County Westmeath and a famous Irish confessor of the late-sixth century.He was of princely origin as he was 7th in descent from Nath Í, King of Ireland who died 428...
, son of Lugna, Saint Felim
Saint Felim
Saint Felim , an Irish Christian hermit and priest, was born, probably in Kiennacta Breagh, County Meath in the mid sixth century....
of Kilmore
Kilmore
-Places:Australia*Kilmore, VictoriaNorthern Ireland*Kilmore, County Armagh, a village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland*Kilmore, County Down, a village, parish and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland*Kilmore, County Tyrone...
son of Carill, Saint Daigh of Inniskeen
Inniskeen
Inniskeen, officially Inishkeen , is a small village and parish in County Monaghan, Ireland, close to the County Louth and County Armagh borders. It is located about 17 km from Dundalk and 12 km from Carrickmacross and 5 km from Crossmaglen...
son of Carill, Saint Femia, daughter of Carill, St.Manchin
Manchin
Mainchín mac Colláin was an Irish saint in Corran who is supposed to have flourished in the late 5th or 6th century.He is commemorated on 13 January in the Martyrology of Tallaght, the Martyrology of Gorman and the Martyrology of Donegal. The Martyrology of Donegal compiled by Micheál Ó Cléírigh in...
, son of Collan of Corann and Saint Caillin
Saint Caillin
Saint Caillin, Irish medieval saint and monastic founder, fl. 6th century.-Background:The patron saint of Fenagh, County Leitrim, Caillin was born in the 6th century and founded a famous monastic settlement at Fenagh. He...
, son of Niata, who in the Book of Fenagh, page 215 states-
"My blessing on thy men of song
Who from mild Senchan may descend.”
Seanchan must have been born at least before 560 AD to have allowed him time to complete the long course of study to be named Chief Ollam of Ireland. Furthermore in Tromdámh Guaire he is referred to as "the aged Senchan" in 598 AD and Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
's History of Ireland states that at the Synod or Convention of Drumceat in 584 AD, "Seanchán mac Cuairfheartaigh" was made chief ollam over the province of Connaught. An explanation for his nickname is given in the Cóir Anmann (The Fitness of Names)-
"Entry 272: Senchán Toirpéist .i. Senchán [dororba péist] día rothogaibh spirat na h-écsi cenn do fo sceib (leg. scéim, dat. of scíam) dodheilbh, intan luidh Senchán for cuáirt a n-Albain dochoíd spirat na h-écsi a richt pesti gráinchi fora chiund forsan sligi a m-bói, gurus aigill tré fordhorcha filidhechta é. Conid [d]e rohainmniged e.(Senchán Torpest, i.e. Senchán whom a péistor monster profited when the spirit of wisdom appeared under a hideous form. At the time that Senchán went on a circuit into Scotland the spirit of poetry came in the shape of a loathly monster to meet him on his road, and conversed with him in the obscurity of poetry. Hence he was so named.)"
Senchan's wife was Brigit, his son was called Muircc or Murgen and his daughter was Maeve Neidigh.
Some of Senchan's work is preserved in the Book of Lecan, folio 17, col. 2, a poem on the battles of Fergus, son of Rossa. He wrote a poem beginning “Abbair fri sil nEogain moir”, in Laud 610, fol 73 b 2 (ZCP 12, 1918, p. 378 Kuno Meyer) and a poem beginning “Co slonnad Conmaic fri Connad” (ZCP 14 1923 p. 48 Margaret Dobbs).
In a list of ancient Irish authors contained in the Book of Ballymote
Book of Ballymote
The Book of Ballymote , named for the parish of Ballymote, County Sligo, was written in 1390 or 1391....
, p. 308, it states “Sencan Toirpeist in Rigfili”.
King Guaire of Connacht
According to the old tale called Tromdámh Guaire (The Heavy Company of Guaire) or Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe (The Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution he visited the residence of the King of Connacht, Guaire Aidne mac ColmáinGuaire Aidne mac Colmáin
Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin was a king of Connacht. A member of the Ui Fiachrach Aidhne and son of king Colmán mac Cobthaig . Guiare ruled at the height of Ui Fiachrach Aidne power in south Connacht.-Early reign:...
accompanied by one hundred and fifty other poets, one hundred and fifty pupils "with a corresponding number of women-servants, dogs, etc". The accommodating powers of Guaire's establishment were strained during their stay of "a year, a quarter, and a month."
To shame Seanchan into leaving, Guaire asked him to recite the long-forgotten epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
the Táin Bó Cúailnge
Táin Bó Cúailnge
is a legendary tale from early Irish literature, often considered an epic, although it is written primarily in prose rather than verse. It tells of a war against Ulster by the Connacht queen Medb and her husband Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge, opposed only by the teenage...
, with the words:
Bear the cup to Seanchan Torpest/Yield the bard his poet's meadMeadMead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation...
/What we've heard was but a fore-taste/Lays more lofty now succeed.
Though my stores be emptied well-nigh/Twin bright cups there yet remain/Win them with the raid of Cualigne/Chant us, bard, the famous Tain.
Seanchan was deeply offended;
Thus in hall of Gort spoke Guaire/for the king, let truth be told/bounteous though he was, was weary/of giving goblets, giving gold/giving aught the BardBardIn medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
demanded/but when for the Tain he called/Seanchan from his seat descended/shame and anger fired the scaldScaldA scald is a type of burn injury caused by hot liquids or gases. It can also refer to:*Scalding milk, heating milk to just below its boiling point*Scald , a Irish extreme metal band*Scald , an epic doom metal band from Russia...
.
Seanchan departed, with the following farewall:
We depart from thee, O stainless Guaire/A year, a quarter, and a month/Have we sojourned with thee, high King/Three times fifty poets, good and smooth/ Three times fifty students in the poetic art/Each with a servant and a dog/They were all fed in the one great house.
Each man had his separate meal/Each man had his separate bed/We never arose at early morning/Without contentions, without calming.
I declare to Thee, God/Who canst the promise verify/That, should we return to our own lands/We shall visit thee again, O Guaire, tho' now we depart.
An Táin Bó Cúailnge
The result of this incident was the gathing of all the poets of Ireland by Seanchan, to determine which one of them knew the entire of the Táin. While some knew different parts, none knew the whole epic, it been written in a book long since taken abroad.To rectify this, Seanchan, accompanied by his son Murgen and his second cousin Eimena, undertook to travel in search of the book and return the Táin to Ireland.
This resulted in Murgen been lost in a magical mist, when he encountered the ghost of Fergus mac Róich
Fergus mac Róich
Fergus mac Róich is a character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
at his grave. Fergus related the whole of the Tain to Murgen, who returned and related the story to his brother and father, thus preserving the tale for future generations.
Senchan and his wife also appear in the old tale Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
The Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin is an Old Irish prose tale of the ninth century or later. It forms part of the Cycles of the Kings.It deals with the exile and return of Cano mac Gartnáin in sixth century Scotland...
and in Cormac's Glossary where he visits the Isle of Man. The Middle-Irish poem c.1100 ‘Aimirgein Glúngel tuir tend’, attributed to Gilla in Choimded Úa Cormaic of Tulach Léis, refers to Senchan- Stanza 57. "Senchán Toirpéist ba rind ráid." ('Senchán Torpéist he was the apex of speech').
Senchan's wandering band of poets occur in traditional tales as far apart as Scotland and Nova Scotia, where they are referred to as "Cliar Sheanachain" (Senchan's lot) or "Cleith Sheanchair". A popular Highland tale featuring Senchan is "Great Bríd of the Horses" which is based on 'Tromdámh Guaire'.
Further reading
- Rudolf ThurneysenRudolf ThurneysenEduard Rudolf Thurneysen was a Swiss linguist and Celticist.Born in Basel, Thurneysen studied classical philology in Basel, Leipzig, Berlin and Paris. His teachers included Ernst Windisch and Heinrich Zimmer...
. "Colman mac Lenene und Senchan Torpeist" in Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie 19 (1933) pp 193–209 - J. G. O'Keefe, ed., ‘Mac Dá Cherda and Cummaine Foda’, Ériu, 5 (1911), 18–44
External links
- http://www.jstor.org/pss/25507373
- http://www.jstor.org/pss/25508057
- http://www.archive.org/stream/storyofirishprop00raitiala/storyofirishprop00raitiala_djvu.txt
- http://home.earthlink.net/~merlynne6/eBooks/OLLAV.pdf
- http://sphinx-suche.de/weissagungen/katzenorakel.htm