Dubthach maccu Lugair (fl. fifth century), is a legendary Irish poet and lawyer who supposedly lived at the time of
St Patrick's mission in Ireland and in the reign of
Lóegaire mac Néill
Lóegaire ('' floruit'' fifth century) (reigned 428–458 AD, according to the Annals of the Four Masters of the Kingdom of Ireland)(died c. 462), also Lóeguire, is said to have been a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The Irish annals and king ...
, high-king of Ireland, to which Dubthach served as Chief Poet and Brehon. In contrast to the king and his druids, he is said to have readily accepted the new religion. This event has played a major part in
Hiberno-Latin and Irish sources as representing the integration of native Irish learning with the Christian faith.
Biography
King Lóegaire, jealous of the St. Patrick's power, had given orders that when he presented himself next at
Tara no one should rise from his seat to do him honour. The next day was Easter day, and it was also a great feast with Lóegaire and his court. In the midst of their festivity, "the doors being shut as in our Lord's case, St. Patrick with five of his companions appeared among them. None rose up at his approach but Dubthach, who had with him a youthful poet named
Fiacc, afterwards a bishop. The saint upon this bestowed his blessing on Dubthach, who was the first to believe in God on that day. The ''
Tripartite life of St. Patrick'' states that Dubthach was then baptised and confirmed, and Jocelyn adds that thenceforward he dedicated to God the poetic gifts he formerly employed in the praise of false gods.
When he had been some time engaged in preaching the gospel in
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...
, St. Patrick paid him a visit. Their meeting took place at Domnach-már-Criathar, now
Donaghmore, near
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
,
county Wexford, and St. Patrick inquired whether he had among his "disciples" any one who was "the material of a bishop, whose qualifications are enumerated in the ''
Book of Armagh
The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) ( ga, Leabhar Ard Mhacha), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the L ...
''". Dubthach replied he knew not any of his people save Fiacc the Fair. At this moment Fiacc was seen approaching. Anticipating his unwillingness to accept the office, St. Patrick and Dubthach resorted to a stratagem. The saint affected to be about to tonsure Dubthach himself, but Fiacc coming forward begged that he might be accepted in his place, and he was accordingly tonsured and baptised, and "the degree of a bishop conferred on him".
Edward O'Reilly, in his ''
Irish Writers
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
'', erroneously ascribes to Dubthach "an elegant hymn … preserved in the
Calendar of Oengus". One of the manuscripts of that work is indeed in the handwriting of a scribe named Dubthach, but he was quite a different person from Maccu Lugir. Another poem beginning "Tara the house in which lived the son of Conn", found in the ''
Book of Rights'', and also assigned to him by O'Reilly, is there said to be the composition of Benen or
Benignus. But there is a poem in the ''Book of Rights'' which is assigned to him by name. It relates to "the qualifications of the truly learned poet", and consists of thirty-two lines beginning "No one is entitled to visitation or sale of his poems".
There are also three other poems of his preserved in the ''
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...
''. These have been published with a translation by O'Curry in his ''Manuscript Materials of Irish History''. They relate to the wars and triumphs of
Enna Cennselach and his son
Crimthann, both
kings of Leinster
Kings or King's may refer to:
*Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings
*One of several works known as the "Book of Kings":
**The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts
**The ''Shahnameh'' ...
. That these poems were written after his conversion to Christianity appears from the following: "It was by me an oratory was first built and a stone cross". The passage of greatest interest in these poems is that in which he says: "It was I that gave judgment between Lóegaire and Patrick". The gloss on this explains: "It was upon
Nuadu Derg, the son of Niall
rother of Lóegaire who killed
Odhran, Patrick's charioteer, this judgment was given".
The story is told in the introduction to the ''
Senchus Mor'', By order of Lóegaire, Odhran, one of St. Patrick's followers, was killed by Nuadu in order to try whether the saint would carry out his own teaching of forgiveness of injuries. St. Patrick appealing for redress was permitted to choose a judge, and selected Dubthach, who found himself in a difficult position as a Christian administering a pagan law. "Patrick then (quoting St. Matthew 10:20) blessed his mouth and the grace of the Holy Ghost alighted on his utterance", and he pronounced, in a short poem which is preserved in the ''Senchus Mor'', the decision that "Nuadu should be put to death for his crime, but his soul should be pardoned and sent to heaven". This (it is stated) was "a middle course between forgiveness and retaliation". After this sentence "Patrick requested the men of Ireland" to come to one place to hold a conference with him. The result was the appointment of a committee of nine to revise the laws. It was composed of three kings, three bishops, and three professors of literature, poetry, and law. Chief among the latter was Dubthach.
It became his duty to give an historical retrospect, and in doing so Dubthach exhibited "all the judgments of true nature which the Holy Ghost had spoken from the first occupation of this island down to the reception of the faith. What did not clash with the word of God in the written law and in the New Testament and with the consciences of believers was confirmed in the laws of the brehons by Patrick and by the ecclesiastics and chieftains of Ireland. This is the ''Senchus Mor''." It was completed 441 AD, and is supposed to have been suggested by the revision of the Roman laws by
Theodosius the younger
Theodosius II ( grc-gre, Θεοδόσιος, Theodosios; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450) was Roman emperor for most of his life, proclaimed ''augustus'' as an infant in 402 and ruling as the eastern Empire's sole emperor after the death of his ...
. It was put into metrical form by Dubthach as an aid to memory, and accordingly the older parts appear to be in a rude metre. The work was known by various names, ''
The Law of Patrick'', ''Noifis'', or ''The Knowledge of Nine'', but more generally as the ''Senchus Mor''.
Hagiographical traditions
Dubhtach is placed by hagiography with his nephew,
Saint Fiacc of Sletty, and the
jurist, Erc, at the court of Loegaire when Patrick visited
Tara. O'Reilly's account states-
When St. Patrick had come to Tara and was preaching before King Loegaire, we are told that the only one who rose on the saint's approach and respectfully saluted him was Dubhthach, the king's poet, who was the first to embrace the Christian faith in that place; and as Joceline says, "being baptized and confirmed in the faith, he turned his poetry, which in the flower and prime of his studies he employed in praise of false gods, to a much better use; changing his mind and style, he composed more elegant poems in praise of the Almighty Creator and His holy preachers."
The descendants of Dubhtach and Fiacc, who the tale says were converted, were blessed by this demonstration of respect. He is at a later date given to have been present on the occasion Patrick made Fiacc a bishop.
Seanchas Mar
Dubhthach gave a judgement against King Loegaire for killing Patrick's charioteer,
Saint Odran. A result of this was the revision of the laws of the
pagan Irish to bring them in line with Christian values. Dubhtach was one of the nine who revised the laws. What accorded with Christianity was kept, what did not was excised.
Surviving poems
Four poems ascribed to Dubhtach are extant; one in the
Book of Rights, three in the
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...
.
Edward O'Reilly gives a full account of these in his ''Irish Writers'', XXX sq.; d. anno 433.
Family
Dubthach may be related to Mo Laisse maccu Lugair, whose feast-day is given as 16 September in the ''
Martyrology of Tallaght
The ''Martyrology of Tallaght'', which is closely related to the '' Félire Óengusso'' or ''Martyrology of Óengus the Culdee'', is an eighth- or ninth-century martyrology, a list of saints and their feast days assembled by Máel Ruain and/o ...
'' and ''
Félire Óengusso''. Both martyrologies state that his church was found among the
Uí Fhairchelláin, near
Mountrath
Mountrath () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. The town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km (60 mi) from both cities. The town was bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010 leading to a significant ...
, County Laois.
[Charles-Edwards, "Dubthach maccu Lugair"]
Descendants
Dubhtach was in a later tradition made a prospective husband for
Saint Brigit. She declined him, but helped him find a bride. He is given as the father of several sons, all saints and founders of churches, mainly in
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...
. They included
Fachtna of Kiltoom, in the barony of Fore,
County Westmeath, other sons were Trian,
Saint Gabhran,
Saint Euhel, Moninne, Lonan and
Saint Molaisse Mac Lugair. His granddaughter, Dediva (also called Editua or Dedi or Deidi or Deighe or Deidiu or Deaga or Mediva), daughter of Trian, was the alleged mother of saints and poets, including
Saint Senan of Laraghabrine
Saint Senan of Laraghbrine ( ga, Laithrech-Briuin), County Kildare, was an Irish Christian monk who lived towards the end of the 6th century. His father was Fintan, son of Strened, son of Glinder, son of Corc, son of Conned, son of Aengus, son of ...
, son of Fintan, Saint
Diarmaid the Just, son of Lugna,
Saint Caillin, son of Niata,
Saint Felim
Saint Felim (also called Feilim, Feidlimid, Feidhlimidh, Felimy, Feidhilmethie, Feidlimthe, Fedlimid, Fedlimidh, Phelim, Phelime), an Irish Christian hermit and priest, was born, probably in Kiennacta Breagh, County Meath in the mid sixth century ...
of Kilmore, son of Carill, Saint
Daigh
Saint Daig (d. 588?)Also spelled Dageus, Daggeus, Dagaeo, Daigeus, Dega, Daigh, Daghous, Daghaeus, Deghadh, Daygaeus, Dagous, Dagaeus, Dagée, Daganus was an Irish Christian bishop and confessor of Inis-Caoin-Deagha (now Inniskeen, County Mon ...
, son of Carill,
Saint Femia Saint Femia (also spelled Femme, Feme, and Eufemia; fl. 6th century) was an Irish Christian saint, a sister of Saint Felim of Kilmore and Saint Daig of Inniskeen.
Biography
Femia lived towards the end of the 6th century. Her father was Carill, ...
, daughter of Carill, St.
Manchin, son of Collan of Corann and
Senchán Torpéist
Senchán Torpéist (c. 560–649 AD) was a Gaelic-Irish poet.
Background
Seanchan Torpest was the Chief Poet of Connacht c.640 AD when he succeeded Dallán Forgaill as Chief Ollam of Ireland. He died in c.649 AD.
His father was Cuairfheartaig ...
, another
Chief Ollam of Ireland
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boa ...
, which latter son is in keeping with the tradition of ollams coming generally from families who had a tradition of producing ollams.
Notes
References
Secondary sources
*
* ''Irish writers'', Edward O'Reily
* ''Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century'',
*
* ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'', pp. 494–95, Cambridge, 2009.
*
*
;Attribution
*
**Ussher's ''Works'', vi. 400-1
**'Curry's ''Manuscript Materials'', pages 482-93
**Lanigan's ''Eccl. Hist.'' i. 273-303
**O'Reilly's ''Irish Writers'', pages xxvii-viii
**''Calendar of Oengus'', pages 8, xiii
**''Book of Rights'', pages xxxiv, 236–8
**Hogan's ''Vita Patricii'', pages 104–6
**''Senchus Mor, Rolls'' ed. pages 5–16.
Primary sources
* Muirchú,''Vita S. Patricii'' (The Life of St Patrick), ed. Bieler
* ''Córus Béscnai'', ed.
* ''
Tripartite Life of St Patrick''
* Pseudo-historical prologue to the ''Senchas Már''
* First ''Life'' of St Brigit
Further reading
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dubhthach Moccu Lughair
People from County Wicklow
Irish male poets
Irish-language writers