Version concerning the siege of Howth (prose only)
One time, in the reign of Mes Gegra [king of Leinster], the Leinstermen were delivering the sheep of Athirne the Importunate (Athirne Ailgesach) to Dún Étair [Howth]. When they were doing so, they made hurdles of wattling (clíatha caelaig) under the feet of the sheep. This was the place in which Allaind Étair [cf. Tallaind Étair ‘Siege of Howth’] was taken from [fought against?] the warriors of the Ulaid and where Mes Dedad son of Amargen fell by the hand of Mes Gegra, king of Leinster. From those hurdles Áth Cliath [‘the Ford of Hurdles’] was named.
Devices
mention of variant or alternative account⟨narrative devices⟩
mention of variant or alternative account
mention of variant or alternative account
id. 26237
Agents
Mess GegraMess Gegra
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
king of Leinster(men) in tales of the Ulster Cycle; said to have been slain by Conall Cernach; his calcified brain is later taken by Cét mac Magach and used to attack Conchobar mac Nessa.
See more LaiginLaigin
Leinstermen
No short description available
See more AthirneAthirne
Athairne
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
Chief poet and satirist of the Ulstermen in the Ulster Cycle.
See more UlaidUlaid
A people and kingdom in early Ireland, from which the province of Ulster takes its name.
See more Mes Dedad mac AmairginMes Dedad mac Amairgin
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
No short description available
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(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
king of Leinster(men) in tales of the Ulster Cycle; said to have been slain by Conall Cernach; his calcified brain is later taken by Cét mac Magach and used to attack Conchobar mac Nessa.
See more LaiginLaigin
Leinstermen
No short description available
See more AthirneAthirne
Athairne
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
Chief poet and satirist of the Ulstermen in the Ulster Cycle.
See more UlaidUlaid
A people and kingdom in early Ireland, from which the province of Ulster takes its name.
See more Mes Dedad mac AmairginMes Dedad mac Amairgin
(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)
No short description available
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Places
Related texts
Talland ÉtairTalland Étair
peom in BB
In MS BB, the poem is attributed to Colum Cille and Mongán mac Fíachnai.
Devices
ascription of authorshipyet to be classified
ascription of authorship
ascription of authorship
id. 26173
Version concerning the Máta (prose and verse)
[Prose]
A beast [verse: am-míl, béist] known as the Máta / Mátae [cf mát swine?] is slain on Líacc Benn [cf. verse: Lecc Benn] in the Brug Meic ind Óc. The men of Ireland dismember the beast (break its limbs) and throw the limbs into the river Boyne, giving rise to two placenames: (1) the shinbone (colptha) arrives at Inber Colptha [the estuary of the Boyne], hence the placename; (2) the hurdle of the frame/breast [breastbone] arrives at Áth Clíath, hence the placename.
[Verse]
The poem generally agrees with this outline. Details not found in the prose include:
- on the origin of the Máta: sin of Adam’s wife [....]
- the seer had long ago foretold the coming of the beast of Lecc Benn
- on the appearance of the monster: “seven score feet, four heads; its shank and its toe reached hither”
- on its destructiveness: it licked up Boyne until it became a valley
Devices
mention of variant or alternative account⟨narrative devices⟩
mention of variant or alternative account
mention of variant or alternative account
id. 26237
Agents
The MátaThe Máta
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Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.
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Places
Lexical items
Ir. am-mílIrish am-míl
Search eDILIr. béistIrish béist
Search eDIL
Search eDILIr. béistIrish béist
Search eDIL
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