Texts
Noínden Ulad
Incoming data
One of the remscéla of the Ulster Cycle. Not to be confused with Ces Ulad, which attributes the weakness of the Ulstermen to a different event.
Manuscript witnesses
MS
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 E 29/pp. 17-216
rubric: Aní dia roibe in Ces for Ultaibh
f. 33ra–
Text
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1318/16 (cols 573-958)
Here entitled In Ceas Naigen
pp. 211a–212a (facsimile) cols 949–951
MS
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1318/16 (cols 573-958)
rubric: In ceas naighean Uladh ‘The debility of the Ulstermen’, but here entitled In Ceas Naigen.
p. 211a.40–
Text
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1337
A version entitled Tochmarc Cruinn ⁊ Macha
MS
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1337/3 (pp. 15-58)
A version referred to as Tochmarc Cruind ⁊ Macha in the conclusion on p. 47a.
p. 46b–
MS
Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339
incipit: NOinden Ulad cid dia tá The title supplied in the diplomatic edition is Noenden Ulad ⁊ Emuin Macha
p. 125b–
Quoted in
Medieval Irish tale listsSources
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.
[ed.] [tr.] Hull, Vernam [ed. and tr.], “Noínden Ulad: The debility of the Ulidians”, Celtica 8 (1968): 1–42.
Based on YBL (In Ceas Naigen), the Book of Fermoy, Harleian 5280 and RIA B iv 2.
[ed.] [tr.] Windisch, Ernst [ed. and tr.], “Über die irische Sage Noinden Ulad”, Berichte über die Verhandlungen der Königlich Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, Philologisch-Historische Classe 36 (1884): 336–347.
Internet Archive: <link>
Edition, with German translation, of the texts in LL and Harleian 5280.
Secondary sources (select)
Toner, Gregory, “Macha and the invention of myth”, Ériu 60 (2010): 81–109.
abstract:
This paper provides new literary analyses of two tales associated with Emain Macha, both of which feature a woman called Macha: Noínden Ulad, which purports to tell the origin of the debility that the Ulstermen suffered during the Táin, and the story of Macha Mongrúad, who overthrew her enemies and forced them to construct the fort of Emain Macha. The discussion considers issues of warriorhood, justice and gender, and seeks to disentangle the themes of sovereignty and war in relation to the women called Macha. Two of the four women bearing the name Macha are, in all probability, relatively late innovations, and the primary function of the remaining two figures lies in warfare.
