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Dinnshenchas of Slige Dála
verse beg. Senchas cía lín noniarfaig

  • Middle Irish
  • verse, prose
  • Early Irish poetry, Dinnshenchas Érenn, dinnshenchas

Dinnshenchas tale, in prose and in verse, which begins with an etymological explanation of Slige Dála and proceeds to account for the names of the five chief roads leading out of Tara (Slige Dála, Slige Mór, Slige Midlúachra, Slige Chúalann and Slige Assail). In copies of the prose text of recension C, the story of Airne Fíngein is cited as a source and followed by a poem said to have been uttered by Fíngen mac Luchta on the night he witnessed the wonders from that tale.

First words (verse)
  • Senchas cía lín noniarfaig
Context(s)The (textual) context(s) to which the present text belongs or in which it is cited in part or in whole.
Manuscripts
A – LL/Laud Stokes observes that the beginning (§§ 1–2) of the prose text in LL and Laud “varies greatly”:
L (prose) =
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii2]
p. 169
beg. ‘Slige Dala unde nominatur. .nī. Dalo glas do grécaib Scithia is uad do-garar sligi Dala’
Prose. Concludes with a quatrain (Dalo Inteng Gláire glan / Brea Grea Cairiu is Cannan / ocus Carmun cloen cathach / ba hadbal cland oenathair).
L (verse) =
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii2]
p. 155
beg. ‘Senchas cía lín noniarfaig’
Poem.
Laud (prose) =
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud Misc. 610 ff. 1–58 and ff. 73–122 = Leabhar na Rátha [1453–1454]
f. 86va.1–31
beg. ‘Dala Ghlass do Grecaib Scithia’
C Prose, with Fíngen’s poem, and poem beg. Senchas cia lin no niarfaig
R (prose) =
Rennes, Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole, MS 598 ff. 90-125 [s. xiii/xiv (?)]
ff. 108vb–109ra
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
R (verse) =
Rennes, Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole, MS 598 ff. 90-125 [s. xiii/xiv (?)]
f. 109ra–va
beg. ‘Senchus cia lin no niarfaig’
Poem.
B (prose) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 12 (536) = Book of Ballymote (Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta) [1384 x 1406]
f. 203va.m–203va.i
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
B (verse) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 12 (536) = Book of Ballymote (Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta) [1384 x 1406]
ff. 203vb.m–204ra.i
beg. ‘Seanchas cia lín nosfiafraigh’
25 qq.
Le (prose) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 2 = Book of Lecan (Leabhar Leacain) [s. xvin]
f. 239vb.m–vb.i
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
Le (verse) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 P 2 = Book of Lecan (Leabhar Leacain) [s. xvin]
f. 240ra.m
beg. ‘Seanchus ca lín ros fíarfaid’
25 qq.
M (prose) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 1 (1225) = Leabhar Uí Mhaine (The Book of Uí Maine) [1394]
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
M (verse) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 1 (1225) = Leabhar Uí Mhaine (The Book of Uí Maine) [1394]
S (prose) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 2 (1222) [s. xvi (?)]
p. 35a
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
S (verse) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS D ii 2 (1222) [s. xvi (?)]
p. 35b.i
beg. ‘Seanchas cia lin rosfíarfaidh’
25 qq.
S3 (prose) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS B iii 1 (742) [s. xvii]
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
S3 (verse) =
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS B iii 1 (742) [s. xvii]
H (prose) =
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1322 (H 3. 3) [s. xvi]
p. 33a
Prose and Fíngen’s poem.
H (verse) =
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1322 (H 3. 3) [s. xvi]
Poem.
Language
  • Middle Irish
Form
verse, prose (primary)
Associated items
Búaid Cuinn rígróit rogaidiBúaid Cuinn rígróit rogaidi

Early Irish poem attributed to Fíngen mac Luchta on the wonders (búada) he witnessed surrounding the birth of Conn Cétchatach. The poem is attested in the context of the prose Dinnshenchas of Slige Dála, on the five chief roads out from Tara.

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).

dinnshenchasIrish narrative literature, onomastic lore and learning, topographical literature
dinnshenchas
id. 32607

Subjects

Slige DálaSlige Dála
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
See more Slige MórSlige Mór
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
See more Slige MidlúachraSlige Midlúachra
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
See more Slige ChúalannSlige Chúalann
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
See more Slige AssailSlige Assail
Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
See more

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.

[ed.] [tr.] Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 3, Todd Lecture Series, 10, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1913.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 3: <link> Internet Archive – vols. 1-3: <link>  : View in Mirador
276–285 [id. 52. ‘Slige Dála’] Poem. direct link direct link direct link
[ed.] [tr.] 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>
454–456 [id. 58. ‘Slige Dala’] Prose based chiefly on the Rennes, with variants in the notes. direct link
[ed.] [tr.] OʼGrady, Standish Hayes, Silva Gadelica (I–XXXI): a collection of tales in Irish, vol. 2: translation and notes, London: Williams & Norgate, 1892.
Digitale-sammlungen.de: <link> Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>
477 (text), 524 (translation) Prose of LL only.
[ed.] Petrie, George, and John OʼDonovan [collaborator], “On the history and antiquities of Tara Hill”, Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy 18 (1839): 25–232.
Internet Archive: <link>
228–229 Lecan version of the section concerning the five roads from Tara.

Secondary sources (select)

Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 3, Todd Lecture Series, 10, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1913.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 3: <link> Internet Archive – vols. 1-3: <link>  : View in Mirador
527–529 [id. 52. ‘Slige Dála’] direct link
web page identifiers
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
August 2012, last updated: January 2024
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