Texts

Dinnshenchas of Áne Chlíach

Middle Irish
prose
Dinnshenchas Érenn, dinnshenchas

An episode in Cath Maige Mucrama which tells of Ailill Ólomm's hostility towards two inhabitants of the síd-mound Áne Chlíach and of the blemish and curse he incurred on account of this. It gives an explanation of Ailill's nickname as well as the name of the hill.

Context(s)The (textual) context(s) to which the present text belongs or in which it is cited in part or in whole.

Cath Maige Mucrama
no. 3
§§ 3–5

Dinnshenchas Érenn C supplement
RIA MS D ii 2 only: prose
Extract from Cath Maige Mucrama

Summary

§ 3. One Samain night, Ailill pastures his horses on top of the hill that would come to be known as Áne Chlíach and spends the night there. On two such occasions, the hill is miraculously stripped bare, apparently while Ailill is asleep, but the third time, another Samain night, he is joined by Ferchess, a poet, warrior and seer. Ailill falls asleep, but Ferchess stands aside to watch the hill (síd). Ferchess sees Éogabul, the king of the síd, and his daughter Áne coming out of the hill and kills Éogabul with a cast of his spear. Ailill rapes Áne (explicitly in NLI MS G 7 version), who sucks the flesh and skin off his ear, hence the nickname Ó-lomm (‘Bare-ear’) would stick to him ever since.

§ 4. Áne reproaches the king for his and Ferchess’ crimes, promising that great harm will come to him and denying him any property (athgabáil).

§ 5. The hill is named after Áne.

Manuscripts

Cath Maige Mucrama

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii²]

p. 288a

context: Cath Maige Mucrama

Dublin, National Library of Ireland, MS G 7 [s. xvi]

context: Cath Maige Mucrama

Extract in the Dinnshenchas Érenn of RIA D ii 2

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 2 (1222) [s. xvi (?)]

context: Dinnshenchas Érenn C supplement

Language

Middle Irish

Form

prose (primary)

Textual relationships

Related: Cath Maige MucramaCath Maige Mucrama

Classification

Dinnshenchas Érenn
Dinnshenchas Érenn

id. 6712

dinnshenchasIrish narrative literature, onomastic lore and learning, topographical literature
dinnshenchas

id. 32607

Subjects

Ailill Ólomm

Ailill Ólomm

(time-frame ass. with Irish legendary history)

king of Munster; reputed ancestor of the Éoganacht and Dál Cais; a prominent figure in various king-tales, such as those revolving around the Battle of Mag Mucrama.

See more Ferchess mac Commáin

Ferchess mac Commáin

No short description available

See more Éogabul mac DurgabuilÉogabul mac Durgabuil

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

See more Áne ingen ÉogabuilÁne ingen Éogabuil

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

Cnoc Áine

Cnoc Áine ... Knockainy

County Limerick

Now a village.