View source for News:Some texts from Gwynn's Metrical Dindshenchas

{{News
|News date=2017/03/30
|Signature=[[User:DG|D. G.]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]])
|Title=Nooks and crannies from ''Dinnshenchas Érenn'' <br><small>(some crooks but no nannies) </small>
|Description=This Friday and Saturday, the School of Celtic Studies (DIAS) is hosting a conference dedicated to that wonderful, heady collection of Irish placename lore known as ''[[Dinnshenchas Érenn|Dindshenchas Érenn]]''. [https://www.dias.ie/2017/02/13/school-of-celtic-studies-dind%E1%B9%A1enchas-erenn-conference-friday-31st-march-saturday-1st-april/ Go check out the programme] and attend the conference if you have the chance. 

The occasion reminds me that I have some raw material lying around that may be useful to some of you. The vast majority of the edited texts and translations by Edward Gwynn and Whitley Stokes are available from [http://www.ucc.ie CELT] and [http://www.ucd.ie/tlh Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae] ([[Dinnshenchas Érenn|see here for references]]). Gwynn's ''Metrical Dindshenchas'', however, also offers some additional material in the form of variant or related texts that are not covered by CELT and since they are relegated to endnotes and appendices, may be more easily overlooked. The following transcriptions are all taken from volumes 3 and 5. DISCLAIMER: proofreading is still necessary, so I apologise in advance for any sloppiness on my part or lack of clarity in the accompanying notes. For the manuscript abbreviations used (M, Y, etc.), just see the catalogue entry in CODECS. 

<h2>MD III: Cnogba</h2>
p. 483: CNOGBA, prose text, ed. Gwynn, ''MD'', from Y, with corrections from H, S and S<sub>3</sub>. Cf. Stokes, ''Bodleian Dindsenchas,'' no. 43. [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/483/mode/1up link]

<h3>Edition</h3>

CNOGBA, canas rohainmniged ? nínsa. h-Englic ingen Ealcmaire, rochar Aengus mac in h-Oc, & ni roichestair. [an tan] do theaglaimsed cluichi eter Cleiteach & Sid an Broga, doaithidis [sídchaire & aos án] Erend an cluichi sin cach aidchi samna, & a cuid mesraidi leo .i. cna.  dolodar tri meic Deirg meic Eadamain atuaid a Síd Findabrach. dorucsad ingin Ealcmair leo a fuadach, timcheall na
macraidi cen fis doib. IN tan rofedadar rorithsead na diaid conigi in dind dianad ainm Cnogba. doronsat guba mor ann, & isi feis fosrailangair (forrailangair S ; foraolangar S3 ; fosraolangar H) ann, cnó-mes. undo derivatur don guba imna cnóib : [<i>ut dicitur</i>]

: IS de ata Cnogba na cúan conad • ai[r]dric la gach slúag
: don guba iar mbuain cno dé • d'eis [dfess Y] ingine Ealcmaire

no comad ó ingin ríg Breatan .i. Búa bean Loga : & is iad so mná Loga, <i>ut dicitur</i> :

: Echtach ingen Deaga [Daghdha HS<sub>3</sub>] déid-ghil • Englic, Nás, Búi cen brath,
: is iad sin mná Logha línmair • rug roglia ó rignaib co rath.

<h3>Translation</h3>

Cnogba, whence was it named ? not hard to tell. Englic, daughter of Elcmaire, Aengus mac ind Oc loved her, and could not win her. They held a gathering for sports between Cleitech and Sid in Broga, and the fairy people and the noble folk of all Erin used to attend these sports every Samain eve, bringing with them provision of shell-fruit, that is, nuts. The three sons of Derg, son of Etaman, came from the North out of Sid Findabrach, and bore off the daughter of Elcmaire at a
swoop, unknown to the young men (<i>timcheall = cen fi dóib</i>). These, when they knew of it, pursued after the reavers as far as the knoll that is called Cnogba. There they raised a loud lament, and this is the feast that sustained them there—the nut-crop. Hence the name is derived, from the lament over the nuts (<i>cnó-guba</i>) :

: “Hence comes Cnogba of the troops, so that it is famed among every folk,
: from the lament after stripping its nuts, when the daughter of Elcmaire was lost.”

Or else it was named after the King of Britain’s daughter Búi, wife of Lug : and these are the wives of Lug, as the poet says—:
: “Echtach, daughter of white-toothed Daig, Englic, Nas, guileless Bui,
: these are the wives of Lug, lord of hosts, who won the flower of gracious queens.”

<h2>MD III: Single stanza on ''ratha''</h2>
p. 471: stanza from a poem in RIA MS D iv 3, f. 30v [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/473/mode/1up]

: Hite ratha rogaib Tuathal tren fri tobuch
: ...

<h2>MD III: Bend Etair I</h2>
p. 495 [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/482/mode/1up]: Prose from LL 216b line 1ff, on Slíab Mairge - "n with a dot above" is written as "n." (''cnocc n.Duind''). Cf. SG II: p. 521, version from Ed., Kilbride MS.

<h3>Edition</h3>
Margg ingen Rotmand maic Thacce, ben side do Echad Muniste rí Galian. Oen ingen lec .i. Bethe a hainm. Tue Etar mac Etgáith iside iarsain & ruc a hingin lee co tech Etair. Et oen mac ar a cind oc Etar .i. Aes mac Etair, conastuc side Bethi do mnái & co ruc mac dó. Dond dano a ainm-side. Oen ingen dano laiside .i. Elta a hainm-side. Romarbait dano Aes & Bethi oc immarbáig snáma issin muir. Beist rodosmarb. Et a quibus dicuntur, Rind chind 'Aisi, & ó Bethi, & cnocc n.Duind & mag nElta & bend Etair. Luid Margg iarsin iar n-éc caich di chumaid araile uadib co riacht in sliab n-ucut, ar ba sain-treb di, conabbad and. Unde sliab Mairgge.

<h2>MD III (and V): Currech Life</h2>
p. 520 n. 17: part of the prose of Lumman Tige Srafain from LL 193b. [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/520/mode/1up]. The text below incorporates corrections in Vol. V, p. 140.

<h3>Edition</h3>
Bái cath-milid in tan sin, & ba faid & ba fili é .i. Fer Bern mac Regamna, brathair do Find mac Regamna. Et oca-saide bói Teite ingen Maic Nia a quo Oenach Teite nominatur. Inund máthair (''in margin'' .i. Fainchi trechichech ingen Airmora do Aradaib Cliach) la Currech mac Cathbad (?) & la
Fothad Cananne & la Teiti la mnái Find maic Regamna & inund athair la Fer Bern & la Find mac Regamna

<h3>Translation</h3>
There was a warrior at this time, and he was a prophet and a poet, namely Fer Bern mac Regamna, brother to Find mac Regamna. And <del>they had (in common) Teite</del> he had to wife Téite daughter of Mac Nia, from whom Oenach Teite is named. Currech mac <del>Cathbad (?)</del> Cathair, Fothad Cananne and Find mac Regamna had the same mother (namely, Fainche Trí-chiíchech of Arada Cliach), and Fer Bern and Find mac Regamna had the same father.

<h2>MD III: Slíab nEchtga II</h2>
p. 532: [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/532/mode/1up]

<h3>Edition</h3>
Tri hollamain Chondacht .i. mac Liacc & mac Coisi & Fland mac Lonain .i. mac De & mac duine & mac deamain. Fland mac Lonain, mac deamain side ara geri & ara duilgi, uair ni deachaid a tig riam <del>cen easba aire do denum</del> cen esba aíre do dénum and. Mac Liac imorro mac duine ar febas a thigidis & ara febus arai in duine fen. Mac Cosi imorro mac De ar met a derci & is bas ailithri ruc. Illrechtach imorro ainm timpanaich meic Liac & timpanach meic Lonain roime he & dobai ac mac Liac iar n-ec meic Lonain. Dochuaid mac Liac do indsaigid Briain dia acallaim & Illrechtach mailli fris. IS amlaid notheighed co menic o loch Riach tar Echtgi fodeas co Luimneach ocus da puitric dec lais con a mbiad dingbala leo. Uair is da radarc dec atat a n-Echtgi & puitric noibead in cach radarc dibsin. Feacht and tra dochuadar fodeas & rosuidsedar i n-aroile cnuc inti .i. ceann Crochain & adbert mac Liag: Is imda cnoc & loch & dingna & robad fis mor a fis uili. Albert Ilrachtach: damad he mac Lonain nobeith sunn nobiad aici a fis dinds.eanchais cach inaid sund. Adbert mac Liag: Gabair sut & crochair he. Rochunnig Ilrechtach dal co maidin & tucad do can a chrochad, & rothraisc an aidchi sin co toracht anum Floind meic Lonain dia chobair. o drechtadar madan moch iarnabarach, adchonncadar chucu mac Lonan & adbert riu: Leigid uaib in cimid & indisfead duib seanchas cach dingna sunna isin nEchtgi. Rosaerad amlaid sen in timpanach cen a chrochad ac mac Liag & adbert mac Lonan and sin in duan-sa and.

<h3>Translation</h3>
There were three learned poets of Connaught, Mac Liac and Mac Coise and Fland mac Lonain, that is, the son of God, the son of Man, and the son of the Demon. Fland mac Lonain was called the son of the Demon, for his covetousness and surliness; for he never entered a house <strike>without causing loss therein</strike> without composing a wanton satire. But Mac Liac was called the son of Man for the good cheer of his house and for the goodness of the man himself. Mac Coise again was called the son of God for the greatness of his charity, and he died on a pilgrimage.

Now, the name of Mac Liac’s harper was Ilbrechtach (''infra'', 114); he had formerly been harper to Mac Lonain, and after Mac Lonain’s death he served Mac Liac. Mac Liac went to visit Brian and converse with him, and Ilbrechtach went with him. He would often go from Loughrea southward across Slieve Aughty to Limerick, carrying with him twelve bottles and suitable victuals thereto. For there are twelve points of view in Slieve Aughty, and he used to drink a bottle at each of them. Once upon a time they went southwards and sat them down on a certain hill named Cend Crochain, and Mac Liac said: ‘There be many hills and
[p. 533]
lakes and notable places, and ‘twere great knowledge to know them all.’ ‘If Mac Lonain were here,’ said Ilbrechtach, ‘he would know the story of every spot we see.’ Said Mac Liac, ‘Let some one take this fellow and hang him!’ Ilbrechtach begged a respite until morning, and it was granted to him; and he fasted all that night until the soul of Fland mac Lonain came to his aid. When they rose early next morning, they saw Mac Lonain approaching, and he said to them: ‘Let the prisoner go, and I will tell you the story of every notable place here in Slieve Aughty.’ So the harper was set free and escaped hanging at Mac Liac’s hands, and then Mac Lonain uttered this lay.

<h2>MD III: Mag nAidni</h2>
p. 537: [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/537/mode/1up]
An introductory stanza in MS S not found in the other MSS

<h3>Edition</h3>
: Aidhne fer in mhaige moir . mac Allguba maic Etheoir
: é noadaidh tenidh treabh . re maccaibh mora Míledh

<h2>MD III: Turloch Silinde</h2>
p. 546-7 S: prose account of Loch mBlonac. [http://archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie10royauoft#page/546/mode/1up]

<h3>Edition</h3>

Loch mBlonac, cid diatá? ninsa. Blonac ingen Tái roaitreb ann, & ba banbriugaid amra isidhe; conidh a n-inadh lías a gamhna roḟásastair in loch. Silend ingen Machair meic Duthain meic Rúin is sí robái isinn inadh sin ria mBlonaic, & ba holc re Silind [a] gabail di fuirri co rimgaib hi & co forgaib (read <i>fargaib</i>) an tir lé co Cuil Silinde a Muigh 'Ai, conid uaidhe raiter loch Silinde fri
<pb n="547"/>loch Cairrgin & Cúil Silinde frisinn inadh atá.

<h3>Translation</h3>
Loch Blonac, whence its name? not hard to say. Blonac daughter of Tai dwelt there, and she was a famous landowner; and it was on the site of her calf-pen that the lake spread forth. Silend daughter of Machar son of Duthain son of Run had lived on that spot before Blonac came, and she was vexed at Blonac’s taking it from her. So she shunned her and left the land to her [and went] to Cuil Silinde in Mag Ai. So Loch Cairrgin is called Loch Silinde from her, and the spot where she abides is called Cuil Silinde.

<h2>MD III: Mag Muireisce</h2>
p. 557. Additional poem (3qq) in M, the first stanza of which also occurs in S S3 H as an interpolation after l. 28 (below). The same three stanzas are also found at the end of the prose version in Rawlinson B 506, edited and translated in {{C/s|Stokes 1892a|at=507-508}}.

<h3>Edition (MD)</h3>
: Muiriasc foceard in mhuir mhor . diamadh [dianad] ainm Rosualt [corr: rosualt] romhor:
: ba hangmaidh in gnim co ngle . dia tairngair <ps>Colum Cille</ps>.

: Tolo mairb-eisc tuili te . re lind <ps>Gairbeisc Glunraighe</ps>:
: fobrucht in muir milib clann . fo ceithri hairdib <pn>Erenn</pn>.

: No 'si <pn>Muireasc</pn> ciar creachach . >ingen din ua deidh-Eachach:
: ba buaidh a bladh gan cuir cuir . fofuair in magh co mor-muir.

<h2>MD III: Carn Conaill</h2>
p. 559. Interpolated stanza in BB p. 30, coming after l. 104:

: Roadnacht in triar aile . a ndumachaib Findmaighe
: is de ita cnocán na ceand . túas i Raith Umaill imtheand

<h3>Translation</h3>
The other three were buried in the mounds of Mag Find; hence is named Cnocan na Cend, northward, in strong Rath Umaill.

<h2>MD III: Loch Rí</h2>
p. 560. Additional poem in M.

<h3>Edition</h3>
: Loch Ri, cred ba fail in tainm . a eolcha Fail re fir-gairm?
: raidhid ce in Ri o fuil . a eolcha dana in domain.

: Ri mac Muireada co mblaidh . do mhuigh Mighi meagar-glain
: dadaghab [''read'' rogab] aitribh and re headh . a muig n-Airften ua n-aingeal.

: Gearran robo dedla dhe . damhun a haithli a eire:
: darin tipra, ba glan glor . dan mhun mor ina mhedon.

: Leathnais in tibra tren . tar mag nAirftean [ua] n-ard-sgel:
: baithis Ri, bha dedla dhe . eidir each is innile.

: On rig sin ba fortail feidhm . ainmnnichear he fo Erinn
: is uadha sin, sloind co moch . ata co dedla in dead-loch.

<h3>Translation</h3>
Loch Rí, whence comes its name, truly given, ye learned of Inis Fail? Say who was Rí from whom it is called, ye learned poets in all the world!

Rí, son of famous Muirid, of the bright joyous plain of Meath, got a home there for a time in Mag Airbthen of the angels.

A gelding—the braver was he!—when loosed of his burden staled and made a spring—it was thence of talk—of the abundant flow in mid-plain.

The copious spring spread over Mag Airbthen famed in story; it drowned Rí—the braver was he!—with his horse and all his cattle.

From that Rí—it was a masterful effort—the lake is named throughout Erin: from him—a title early won—bravely arose the noble lake.

<h2>MD V: Oenach Uchbad</h2>
MS M [http://archive.org/stream/p5toddlectureser12royauoft#page/116/mode/1up]

<h3>Edition</h3>
{{#tag:poem|
1.
A caithir naem, comall ngle,
fuil fa bruindi Duirn Buide,
ba caitir ced ocus cuan,
re tathaig bed is borb[s.]luagh.

2.
Mor in sluag dotathaig ann
dolb comaithi fear n-Ereann:
Abartach, Ilbreac na rann,
mor in feadhan, is Doreann.

3.
In t-aenach sin, aenach Sainb,
el- in rig-airm:
ic ath na feini, is fir dam,
is e a ainm Aenach Uchbad.

4.
In t-ath sin Ath Salach sean,
risa n-abar Ath Cuitech,
ropsad Ath Catach a ainm,
a ndorochair Dubh mac Rogairb.

5.
An sliab adciu allaneas,
ar nach tallad comaitheas,
Caill Abla fa buidnib fear,
aball-gort Duib meic Deagad.
}}

<h3>Translation</h3>
1. O home of saints, famous assembly, that standest by the marge of Dorn Buide! thou wast once a home of hundreds and of hosts, visited by doughty deeds and fierce troops.

2. Great was the array that visited it, the wizard folk that dwelt among the men of Erin,—Abartach, Ilbreac maker of rhymes, and Doirenn, great was the brotherhood.

3. That meeting-place, the meeting-place of Sanb ... the royal spot: by the ford of fighting men, truth I tell, its name was Aenach Uchbad.

4. That ford was Ath Salach of old, that is also called Ath Cuitech; Ath Catach was its name when Dub son of Rogarb fell.

5. The mountain I see to the southward, where no foreign force found place, was called among the multitude Caill Abla, the orchard of Dub mac Dedad.

<h2>MD V: Tuaim Dá Gualann</h2>

<h3>Edition</h3>
{{#tag:poem|
1.
Tuaim Da Gualaind, cred da buil,
indis uaid duind a udair:
indis duind gu dian gan dailb
narb esin riam i[n] rig-ainm?

2.
Æn ainm deg, is demin leam,
do reir na n-udar n-imtheand,
do atraig Tuaim f''or'' a cli
nogor thiglaích in ... en ri.

3.
Dun Seanaig a ainm ar tus,
as meabair leam a thimtus:
do ataigdis eolaigh sin
nuar dobi na Dun Seanaig.

4.
Na diag sin fo Gleann nGabha:
na diaig sein ba Lis Raba:
da eadar sa na diaig sin
fa he Dun Cairbri in cuigidh.

5.
Na diaig fa Gleann ''Acht''arba
7 fa Suigeach Sealga:
ai''n''iaig [sin] Gleann (?) Da Sealga,
arsin Dun Findlaic m''e''ic Fadhaig.

6.
Na diag sin ba Mur Mergi
gus (?) digdis fir nai seilgi:
Gleann na Fine na diaig sin,
is Dun Guill m''e''ic Glais-reannaigh.

7.
Na diaig sin fa hArd hIbair (?)
baile i neandais fir cinaig:
Tuaim Da Gualand na diaig sin
do rosbeannach Iarlaithe.

8.
Meabair and guaille in carbaid
inneach robe air farbairt
Tuaim Da Gualaind, creogu (?) sín,
ba he hai''n''m agna etheolcaib.

9.
... sunna (?) in seancas fir
fath ai''n''ma Tuama re ...,
diamai (?) Iarlaithe na thigh,
intan tangadar Breatnaigh.

10.
Guala e ... is guala d''earg'' (?)
and (?) o ḟearsadar coim fearg:
marbas gach d ... a cheili,
robo mana mor-meili.

11.
... Iarlaithi iarsin
Breatnaigh aigi (?) iar madin:
cuiris creidib inntibh ...
... aibh proigebta

12
...... arsin
ana ... in marbaili in cleirigh
isse sin ......
... tra fath (?) in anma sin.

13
...... mor na mi''n''d
dari''n''di ...... druim (?)
— ...... doba heolach tra
dind[ṡ]eancas treorach Tuama. T.D.
}}

<h3>Translation</h3>
{{#tag:poem|
1. Tuaim Dá Gualann, whence comes the name? tell us, O author! tell us quickly and truthfully, was not this the royal name of old?
2. Eleven names, I certify, according to sound authors ...
3. Dun Senaig was at first its name, I remember its story: the learned resorted thither when it was still Dun Senaig.
4. Thereafter it was Glenn Gaba, and next Liss Raba: I know that afterwards it was Dun Cairbre of the province.
5. Thereafter it was Glenn Echtarba and Suigeach Sealga (?): after that, Glenn Da Selga, then the Dun of Finnlaech mac Fadaig.
6. Thereafter it was Mur Meirge, whither came the hunters: after that, Glenn na Fine and the Dun of Goll mac Glaissrennaig.
7. Thereafter it was Ard Ibair, the place where men wrought a crime (?): after that it became Tuaim Da Gualann, when Iarlaithe gave it his blessing.
8. There the chariot’s shaft was broken; if any one makes enquiry (?) Tuaim Da Gualann (this is ...) was its name among the learned.
9. Here ye have the true story, the reason of Tuam’s name, when Iarlaithe had his home there, what time the Britons came.
10. A red shoulder is that Shoulder since they joined combat there: each man slew his fellow—it was cause of great grief.
11. Iarlaithe [called] thereafter the Britons to him after matins: he implanted the Faith in them, [and they heard his] preaching.
12. (Seems to be about a miracle performed by Iarlaithe, if we are to read ''mírbaile'' in l. 46.)
13. (Mostly illegible, except for the last few words which begin the second column of the page.)
}}
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