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Version overview

Introduction to the Táin bó Cúailnge

prose
Táin bó Cúailnge

Title

Introduction to the Táin bó Cúailnge

This is the first episode of Recension I, described in its concluding statement as being ‘the introductory part’ (titulrad) of the Táin. It is the second one in Recension II, after the story of the pillow-talk between Medb and Ailill, although in the final note, it appears to be distinguished from that preface as being more intrinsically part of the Táin proper (tairngire ⁊ remfástini ⁊ cendphairt in sceóil ⁊ fotha a fagbála ⁊ a dénma, ⁊ comrád chind cherchaille doringni Ailill ⁊ Medb i Crúachain connice sain, translated by O’Rahilly as “prophecy and augury, and the prelude to the tale, [and] the basis of its invention and composition, and the pillow-talk held by Ailill and Medb in Crúachu”).⁽¹⁾^{n. 1} See Abigail Burnyeat, ‘Córugud and compilatio in some manuscripts of Táin bó Cúailnge’ in Ulidia 2... (2009).

Initial words (prose)

Táin bó Cúailnge inso sís

LU

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

Táin bó Cúailnge I, Táin bó Cúailnge II

Táin bó Cúailnge I
lines 1–134
(Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin bó Cúailnge: Recension I (1976))

;

Táin bó Cúailnge II
lines 147–296
(Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin bó Cúalnge: from the Book of Leinster (1967))

Manuscripts

Recension I

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 E 25 (1229) = Lebor na hUidre [s. xi/xii]
p. 55aheading: ‘Táin bó Cúailnge inso sís.,’ context: Táin bó Cúailnge I

Recension II

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii²]
p. 55b context: Táin bó Cúailnge II
No title

Form

prose (primary)

verse (secondary)

Contains poems

‘Atchíu fer find firfes cles’ » Fedelm’s prophecy. This poem occurs in both recensions.

Textual relationships

For the prefatory matter in Recension II, see Comrád chindcherchailli (‘The pillow-talk’) . Both recensions continue with In scél iar n-urd (‘The story in due order’).

Associated items

Atchíu fer find firfes cles

Classification

Táin bó Cúailgne
Táin bó Cúailgne

id. 624

Sources

Notes

^1.

See Abigail Burnyeat, ‘Córugud and compilatio in some manuscripts of Táin bó Cúailnge’ in Ulidia 2... (2009).

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.

Recension I

O'Rahilly, Cecile [ed. and tr.], Táin bó Cúailnge: Recension I, Dublin: DIAS, 1976.

CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link>

Strachan, John, and J. G. O'Keeffe (eds.), The Táin Bó Cúailnge from the Yellow Book of Lecan: with variant readings from the Lebor na Huidre, Dublin and London: Royal Irish Academy, 1912.

comments: Reprinted in 1967

Wikisource – Wikisource (not fully proofread): <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Windisch, Ernst [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailnge nach der Handschrift Egerton 1782”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 9 (1913): 121–158.

Internet Archive: <link>

Ó Fiannachta, Pádraig [ed.], Táin Bó Cuailnge: the Maynooth manuscript, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1966.

Edited from the O'Curry MS.

Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.

Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.

See below.

Recension II

O'Rahilly, Cecile [ed. and tr.], Táin bó Cúalnge: from the Book of Leinster, Irish Texts Society 49, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1967.

CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link>

Windisch, Ernst [ed. and tr.], Die altirische Heldensage Táin Bó Cúalnge nach dem Buch von Leinster, Leipzig: Hirzel, 1905.

Internet Archive: <link> Steve Taylor, ''The Cattle-Raid of Cooley'' – HTML transcript together with the English translation of Dunn (1914): <link>

O'Rahilly, Cecile [ed.], The Stowe version of Táin Bó Cuailnge, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1961.

Dunn, Joseph [tr.], The ancient Irish epic tale Táin bó Cúalnge, London: Nutt, 1914.

An English translation of TBC based on the edition by Ernst Windisch (1905).

Internet Archive: <link> Steve Taylor, ''The Cattle-Raid of Cooley'' – HTML transcript paired with the 1905 edition by Windisch: <link>

Kinsella, Thomas [tr.], The Tain: translated from the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge, London: Oxford University Press, 1969.

Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.

Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.

Translation based on O'Rahilly 1967 (Recension II, LL) and O'Rahilly 1976 (Recension I).

O'Grady, Standish Hayes [tr.], “The Táin bó Cuailgne”, in: Hull, Eleanor [ed.], The Cuchullin saga in Irish literature: being a collection of stories relating to the hero Cuchullin, Grimm Library 8, London, 1898. 109–227.

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Extracts.

Recension III

Nettlau, Max [ed.], “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2) [part 1]”, Revue Celtique 14 (1893): 254–266.

comments: Edited from Egerton 93

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Edited from Egerton 93.

Nettlau, Max [ed.], “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2) [part 2]”, Revue Celtique 15 (1894): 62–78, 198–208.

comments: Edited from BL MS Egerton 93.

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Thurneysen, Rudolf [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailghni nach H.2.17”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 8 (1912): 525–554.

TBC III edited from TCD 1319 (H 2. 17).

Internet Archive: <link>

Ó Béarra, Feargal [tr.], “Táin bó Cuailnge: Recension III”, Emania 15 (1996): 47–65.

Secondary sources (select)

Mallory, James P., “Táin bó Cúailnge: an outline of the plot”, in: Mallory, James P. [ed.], Aspects of the Táin, Belfast: December, 1992. 9–28.

Ó Flaithearta, Mícheál, “Echtra Nerai, Táin bó Regamna und ihr Verhältnis zur Táin bó Cuailgne”, in: Tristram, Hildegard L. C. [ed.], Deutsche, Kelten und Iren: 150 Jahre deutsche Keltologie: Gearóid Mac Eoin zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet, Hamburg: Buske, 1990. 155–176.