Texts

Dinnshenchas of Benn Codail
verse beg. Senchas Codail cuimnig dam

  • Middle Irish
  • prose, verse
  • Early Irish poetry, Dinnshenchas Érenn
Text on the dinnshenchas of Benn Codail
First words (verse)
  • Senchas Codail cuimnig dam
Context(s)The (textual) context(s) to which the present text belongs or in which it is cited in part or in whole.
Summary
Ériu, from whom Inis Érenn is named, is reared by Codal, her fosterfather (aite), on what is to become Benn Codail. Codal’s vigour in nurturing her not only causes the maiden to grow, but also the earth beneath them to swell and rise up. Because of the wind and the scorching sun, Ériu notices that the hill is attaining a fair height. She tells Codal and if she had not done so, the mountain would have stood over all of Ireland. On the day when Ériu’s successor (comarba) or the king of Tara tastes Codal’s food (associated with game, fish or venison in the prose version), he/Ériu will gain strength.
Language
  • Middle Irish
Form
prose, verse (primary)
verse (secondary)
Contains poems
Codhal Coirrchicheach go n-aibh’ » A quatrain in the Edinburgh prose version.
Length
Number of stanzas: 7
Textual relationships
Cf. Dinnshenchas of Codal, which tells a different story about Codal corr-chíchach, from whom the hill takes its name. Here he is presented as a contemporary of the Dagda and his son Áed.

Classification

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
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Dinnshenchas Érenn
Dinnshenchas Érenn
id. 6712

...

Subjects

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

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

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Benn CodailBenn Codail

No description available

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Sources

Primary sources

[ed.] [tr.] Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 4, Todd Lecture Series, 11, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1924.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 4: <link>
184–187 [id. 44. ‘Benn Codail’] Verse. direct link direct link direct link
[ed.] [tr.] Stokes, Whitley, “The prose tales in the Rennes dindshenchas”, Revue Celtique 16 (1895): 31–83, 135–167, 269–312, 468.
TLH – edition (III, 31-83): <link> TLH – translation (III): <link> TLH – edition (IV, pp. 135-167): <link> TLH – translation (IV): <link> Celtic Digital Initiative – PDF: <link> Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>
60–61 [id. 109. ‘Benn Codail’] Prose. direct link
[ed.] [tr.] Stokes, Whitley, “The Edinburgh dinnshenchas”, Folk-Lore 4 (1893): 471–497.
TLH – edition: <link> TLH – translation: <link> Internet Archive: <link>
490 [id. 72. ‘Benn Codail’]

Secondary sources (select)

Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 4, Todd Lecture Series, 11, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1924.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 4: <link>
425 [id. 44. ‘Benn Codail’] direct link
Contributors
C. A., Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
October 2012, last updated: June 2023