Texts

Dinnshenchas of Achall and other places
verse beg. Achall ar aicce Temair

Middle Irish
verse, prose
Early Irish poetry, Dinnshenchas Érenn, Ulster Cycle, Dinnshenchas

Dinnshenchas poem mostly on Achall, i.e. the Hill of Skreen, Co. Meath, with prose on Duma nEirc and Duma nAichle. Both the poem and the prose text offer the story according to which Achall died of grief for her brother Erc, who was killed in vengeance for Cú Chulainn’s death, and was buried in the mound that would bear her name.

First words (verse)

Achall ar aicce Temair

“Skryne opposite Tara”

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

Dinnshenchas Érenn A

Dinnshenchas Érenn C

Author

Ascribed to: Cináed ua hArtacáin

Cináed úa hArtacáin

(d. 975)

Middle Irish poet.

Manuscripts

Dinnshenchas Érenn A

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

Dinnshenchas Érenn C

B =

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 12 (536) = Book of Ballymote (Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta) [1384 x 1406]

R =

Rennes, Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole, MS 598 ff. 90-125 [s. xiii/xiv (?)]

Y =

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1318 11, cols. 401-436 [s. xv]

H =

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1322 (H 3. 3) [s. xvi]

S =

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

S₂ =

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS B ii 2 (741) [s. xiv-xvi ?]

S₃ =

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS B iii 1 (742) [s. xvii]

V =

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 24 P 13 (1068) [s. xvii]

H₂ =

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1289 (H 1. 15) = The Psalter of Tara [1745]

Language

Middle Irish

Form

verse, prose (primary)

For the poem, three different arrangements are attested in the manuscripts:

The sequence of stanzas in the Book of Leinster copy, which is that adopted by Gwynn for his edition.
An alternative sequence suggested by letters that the Book of Leinster scribe added to the stanzas.
The sequence of stanzas in copies of Recension C.

A number of quatrains that refer to the time of the poet, e.g. 14 (which names Cináed ua hArtacáin), 18 (Conaire) and 21 (Amlaíb), are unique to the Book of Leinster copy. The quatrain concerning Colum Cille's foundation of a church is an addition found in several copies of Recension C.

Textual relationships

Deals with some of the consequences of Conall Cernach's vengeance for Cú Chulainn in Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne.

Related: Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne, also known as Aided Con CulainnBrislech Mór Maige Muirthemne, also known as Aided Con Culainn

Old Irish saga about the slaying of the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn, Conall Cernach’s revenge, Cú Chulainn’s ‘phantom speech’ (síabur-chobra) delivered after his death and a lament by Emer.

Classification

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...
Dinnshenchas Érenn
Dinnshenchas Érenn

id. 6712

The Dinnshenchas Érenn is a compilation of literary compositions, in prose or verse, on lore surrounding the prominent places of Ireland. These texts usually offer origin legends which purport to explain how a well-known place in Ireland, such as a certain hill, plain or lake, received its present or former name. The genesis of this collection is usually dated to the late Middle Irish period (11th and 12th centuries).

Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle

id. 1797

DinnshenchasDinnshenchas
...

Keywords

RevengeRevenge
...

Sources

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 1, Todd Lecture Series, 8, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1903.

For corrigenda and addenda, see Vol. 5 (1935): 125-126; and Meyer, Kuno, “Erschienene Schriften”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 6 (1908).

CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vols. 1-3: <link> : View in Mirador

46–53 [id. 6. ‘Achall’] direct link direct link direct link

Stokes, Whitley, “The prose tales in the Rennes dindshenchas”, Revue Celtique 15 (1894): 272–336, 418–484.

An edition and translation of the prose texts in the Dinnshenchas Érenn as they occur in Rennes, Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole, MS 598. Missing texts are supplied from the Book of Lecan version.

TLH – edition (I, pp. 277-336): <link> TLH – translation (I): <link> TLH – edition (II, pp. 418-484): <link> TLH – translation (II): <link> Celtic Digital Initiative: <link> Internet Archive – 272–336: <link> Internet Archive – 272–336: <link> Internet Archive – 418–484: <link> Internet Archive – 418–484: <link>

289–290 [id. 2. ‘Dumae n-Eirc’] direct link