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  1. Control desk
  2. Texts
  3. Introduction to the Dinnshenchas Érenn
  4. Index
  5. Context: sections 1. Opening. 1. Opening
  6. Item: 2. Fasting against Fintan
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A short story which asserts that the collection of Dinnshenchas Érenn was composed by Amairgen mac Amalgada, poet of Díarmait mac Cerbaill (d. 565), high-king of Ireland. When the men of Ireland were convened at Tara, the poet fasted on Fintan mac Bóchra (a survivor of the Flood, according to other tales - Bodleian, Rawlinson MS B 506) or Findtan son of Lamech (mac Láimíach, Rennes MS) for three days and nights, so that the latter would reveal his knowledge of the notable places of Ireland.
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2. Fasting against Fintan ASCII-based serial numbers are used to sort items in consecutive order.
Item description
A great assembly (mór-dál) of the men of Ireland is said to have been convened at Tara around:
  • Díarmait mac Cerbaill, king of Tara,
  • Fland Febla son of Scandlán, coarb of Patrick [abbot of Armagh], and
  • Cenn Fáelad, son of Ailill son of Éogan son of Níall.
  • Fintan [mac Bóchra, survivor of the Flood], called mac Bochrai in Rawlinson B 506, but son of Lamech (Findtan mac Láimíach) in the Rennes MS; here said to have first occupied Ireland and called ‘high-elder’ (ard-senóir) of Ireland.

On this occasion, Amairgen mac Amalgada [poet to Díarmait mac Cerbaill] made a demand (áilges) on Fintan by fasting on him for three days and nights. This was done in the presence (fiadnaisi) of the men of Ireland, including boys and girls (scéo mac ⁊ ingen). The purpose was to extract from Fintan all the lore (senchas) he possessed concerning the noteworthy places of Ireland. Finntan had kept his knowledge from everyone from the time of Cessair up until then.

Cessair: identified as ‘daughter of Bith’ in the Rennes version (o aimsir Cesra ingeine Beatha); ‘the maiden (ingen) of the Greeks of Scythia’ in the Bodl. version (o aimsir Cessrai na hingine do Grecaib Sceia).

2. Fasting against Fintan

# 2. Fasting against Fintan Introduction to the Dinnshenchas Érenn
A great assembly (mór-dál) of the men of Ireland is said to have been convened at Tara around:
  • Díarmait mac Cerbaill, king of Tara,
  • Fland Febla son of Scandlán, coarb of Patrick [abbot of Armagh], and
  • Cenn Fáelad, son of Ailill son of Éogan son of Níall.
  • Fintan [mac Bóchra, survivor of the Flood], called mac Bochrai in Rawlinson B 506, but son of Lamech (Findtan mac Láimíach) in the Rennes MS; here said to have first occupied Ireland and called ‘high-elder’ (ard-senóir) of Ireland.

On this occasion, Amairgen mac Amalgada [poet to Díarmait mac Cerbaill] made a demand (áilges) on Fintan by fasting on him for three days and nights. This was done in the presence (fiadnaisi) of the men of Ireland, including boys and girls (scéo mac ⁊ ingen). The purpose was to extract from Fintan all the lore (senchas) he possessed concerning the noteworthy places of Ireland. Finntan had kept his knowledge from everyone from the time of Cessair up until then.

Cessair: identified as ‘daughter of Bith’ in the Rennes version (o aimsir Cesra ingeine Beatha); ‘the maiden (ingen) of the Greeks of Scythia’ in the Bodl. version (o aimsir Cessrai na hingine do Grecaib Sceia).
Keywords
meetings at Tara;
Agents
Amairgen mac Amalgada <strong>Amairgen mac Amalgada</strong> <br>(<i>supp. fl.</i> 6th century) <br>legendary poet of Díarmait mac Cerbaill
Fintan mac Bóchra <strong>Fintan mac Bóchra</strong> <br>(<i>time-frame ass. with</i> universal history) <br>A figure of medieval Irish tradition who survives the Flood and lives to give eye-witness accounts of the history of Ireland
Díarmait mac Cerbaill <strong>Díarmait mac Cerbaill</strong> <br>(<em>supp. d.</em> 565) <br>In Irish historical tradition, high-king of Ireland, son of Fergus Cerrbél.
Fland Feblae mac Scandláin <strong>Fland Feblae mac Scandláin</strong> <br>(d. 715) <br>Flann Feblae, son of Scandlán, abbot of Armagh
Cenn Fáelad mac Ailella <strong>Cenn Fáelad (mac Ailella)</strong> <br>(<i>supp. fl.</i> 7th century) <br>Irish scholar. A peculiar tale which became attached to him in Irish tradition is that following an injury sustained in battle, he lost a portion of the brain known as the ‘brain of forgetting’ and thereby became a repository of knowledge and lore.
secondary:
LamechNo associated entry available., Cesair<strong>Cesair,Cessair,Cessair ingen Betha</strong> – Cesair or Cessair, daughter of Bíth and granddaughter of Noah <small>(link to subject index)</small>.
Lexical items
Ir. áilges
Ir. mór-dál
Ir. senóir


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