Acallam na senórach ll. 1451-1500. Cnoc an Áir

Short description

Episode in Carn Fraích (Carnfree, Co. Roscommon), where Caílte informs Patrick about awareness of God among the Fían, with a story concerning the deaths of many royal sons on Cnoc an Áir (‘Hill of Slaughter’), ed. Whitley Stokes, ‘Acallamh na senórach’ in Irische Texte mit Wörterbuch... (1900): 41–42 (lines 1451–1500), 285 (notes) direct link, beg. Ocus do éirghetar in slógh rompu do Carnd na h-Airmi; tr. Ann Dooley • Harry Roe, Tales of the elders of Ireland (1999): 45–46.

Incipit

Ocus do éirghetar in slógh rompu do Carnd na h-Airmi

Classification

Irish narrative literature onomastics dinnshenchas

Main

Items

The company arrives at Carn na hAirmi (‘Carn of the Reckoning’), i.e. Carn Fraích meic Fidaig (Carnfree, Co. Roscommon).

On the hill, Patrick asks whether the fían ever believed in God. Caílte presents his answer with reference to (1) Finn’s abilities as a seer and (2) the story of a terrible destruction that formerly occurred near Tara.

Patrick applauds Caílte on his tale. The following morning, Patrick ‘grants Heaven’ to Caílte and the company disperses: Caílte goes to revisit the places associated with his family and companions; Patrick to dispel demons and druids and preach the gospel; and Muiredach to proclaim his rule over Connacht.

Devices

framing narrative⟨narrative devices⟩
framing narrative

id. 26551

Agents

Saint PatrickSaint Patrick
(fl. 5th century)
St Patrick
No short description available
See more Caílte mac RónáinCaílte mac Rónáin
Caílte mac Crundchon meic Rónáin
(time-frame ass. with Finn Cycle)
or Caílte mac Crundchon meic Rónáin, kinsman of Finn mac Cumaill and a prominent member of his fían; accomplished warrior and hunter; one of the protagonists of Acallam na senórach
See more Muiredach mac Fínnachta [king of Connacht]Muiredach mac Fínnachta ... king of Connacht
king of Connacht in Acallam na senórach
See more

Places

Carn Fraích

Carn Fraích ... Carnfree

County Roscommon

Lexical items

Ir. Carn Fraích meic FidaigIrish Carn Fraích meic Fidaig
Search eDILIr. Carn na hAirmiIrish Carn na hAirmi
Search eDIL

(1) Finn as seer

According to Caílte, Finn knew of God’s existence, because he was, among other things, a seer (fáid).

Devices

framed narrative⟨narrative devices⟩
framed narrative

id. 26550

Agents

Finn mac CumaillFinn mac Cumaill (Find úa Báiscni)
Fionn mac Cumhaill;Find úa Báiscni
(time-frame ass. with Finn Cycle, Finn mac Cumaill, Cormac mac Airt)
Finn mac Cumaill (earlier mac Umaill?), Find úa Báiscni: central hero in medieval Irish and Scottish literature of the so-called Finn Cycle; warrior-hunter and leader of a fían
See more

(2) the deaths on Cnoc an Áir

Members of the Fían other than Finn learned of God’s existence after a terrible destruction on the hill:

One night, the 200 royal sons of King Cormac's household and an equal number of women were convened for a feast in a hostel (bruiden) in the Wood of the Forest (Ros Cailled), northeast of Tara. When Binne, chief steward (prím-rechtaire) of Tara, came there to see Cormac's son, he found that all were dead.

Caílte explains that the event had made them realise that there is a god that directs the fortunes of everyone. He recites a poem beg. ‘Baili na ríg, Ros Temhrach’, in which he recalls the tragedy, and continues the tale:

The victims were interred in the hill, whence it became known as Cnoc an Áir (‘Hill of Slaughter’). When the trees were swallowed up by the earth, the warriors of the fían grew aware of the ‘King of Heaven and Earth’.

Ros Cailled (Ros Caille) is equated in the Onomasticon Goedelicum with Ros na Ríg on the Boyne.

Devices

framed narrative⟨narrative devices⟩
framed narrative

id. 26550

Agents

Finn mac CumaillFinn mac Cumaill (Find úa Báiscni)
Fionn mac Cumhaill;Find úa Báiscni
(time-frame ass. with Finn Cycle, Finn mac Cumaill, Cormac mac Airt)
Finn mac Cumaill (earlier mac Umaill?), Find úa Báiscni: central hero in medieval Irish and Scottish literature of the so-called Finn Cycle; warrior-hunter and leader of a fían
See more Cormac mac AirtCormac mac Airt
(time-frame ass. with Cormac mac Airt)
Legendary high-king of Ireland; son of Art son of Conn Cétchathach; contemporary of Finn mac Cumaill.
See more Binne [prím-rechtaire of Cormac mac Airt]Binne ... prím-rechtaire of Cormac mac Airt

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

Places

Ros CailleRos Caille

No description available

Lexical items

Ir. Ros CailledIrish Ros Cailled
Search eDILIr. Cnoc an ÁirIrish Cnoc an Áir
Search eDIL

Included

Beg. Baili na ríg, Ros Temhrach

Verse beg. Baili na ríg, Ros Temhrach (3 qq.)

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[Carn Fraích] » name(s): Carn Fraích meic Fidaig, Carn na hAirmi
[Ros Caille] » name(s): Ros Cailled » equated in the Onomasticon Goedelicum with Ros na Ríg on the Boyne.

Sources

web page identifiers

page name: Source:Acallam na senórach/1451 (Cnoc an Áir)

page url: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/Source:Acallam_na_sen%C3%B3rach/1451_(Cnoc_an_%C3%81ir)
redirect: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/Special:Redirect/page/21099
numerical alternative: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/index.php?curid=21099
page ID: 21099
page ID tracker: https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/index.php?title=Show:ID&id=21099

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Contributors

Dennis Groenewegen

Page created

June 2014, last updated: May 2022