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An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian
Old Irish literature Early Irish literature is one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe, though inscriptions utilising Irish and Latin are found on Ogham stones dating from the 4th century, indicating simultaneous usage of both languages by this per ...
about a hero's adventures in the
Otherworld The concept of an otherworld in historical Indo-European religion is reconstructed in comparative mythology. Its name is a calque of ''orbis alius'' (Latin for "other Earth/world"), a term used by Lucan in his description of the Celtic Otherworld ...
or with otherworldly beings.


Definition and etymology

In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''
Immram An immram (; plural immrama; ga, iomramh , 'voyage') is a class of Old Irish tales concerning a hero's sea journey to the Otherworld (see Tír na nÓg and Mag Mell). Written in the Christian era and essentially Christian in aspect, they prese ...
'' are tales of voyages to an
Otherworld The concept of an otherworld in historical Indo-European religion is reconstructed in comparative mythology. Its name is a calque of ''orbis alius'' (Latin for "other Earth/world"), a term used by Lucan in his description of the Celtic Otherworld ...
. In general the ''"Echtrae"'' are set in a pagan context. In contrast the ''Immram'', though containing mythological story elements, are set in post-pagan Ireland, and the main protagonist is Christian, and the journey is usually by sea. A point of contention in absolute definition exists in the case of ''" Immram Brain maic Febail"''. Despite the naming this tale is considered to form part of the ''Echtrae'' milieu, and may have been named as an Immram due to a conflation of Bran (Brain) and
St. Brendan Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 - c.577), is one of the early Celtic Christianity, Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, Br ...
. Generally, ''echtra'' was the
Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...
word for "adventure" (literally meaning an "outing".), as well as a cognate for the Latin ''extra'', The modern and middle
Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...
word is ''eachtra''. The
Dictionary of the Irish Language ''Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials'' (also called "the DIL"), published by the Royal Irish Academy, is the definitive dictionary of the origins of the Irish language, specifically the Old Irish, M ...
notes alternative usage meanings in addition to the primary "expedition, voyage, journey" - these include "a warlike expedition", and the more general "tale", or "history".


Description

Though Echtrai often involve a journey to an otherworld, the exact destination or journey can vary - voyages take place by sea in ''
Echtrae Conli An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
''; in a journey underneath a lake in ''
Echtrae Laegairi An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
''; or into a fairy mound ('' Sidhe'') in ''
Echtrae Nerai An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
''; alternatively the story may not include such a journey but instead involve an interaction with otherworldly beings : in ''
Echtrae Nerai An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'', set on
Samhain Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...
, the hero
Nera Nera may refer to: People * Nera Smajic (born 1984), Bosnian-born Swedish footballer * Nera Stipičević (born 1983), Croatian actress * Nera White (1935–2016), American basketball player * André António Ribeiro Novais (born 1988), Portugue ...
sees prophetic visions whilst in the presence of a hanged man; whilst in ''
Echtra Mac nEchach Muid-medóin An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'', the hero Níall gains the sovereignty of Ireland by kissing a hag guarding a well.


Works

Lists compiled from , : *'' Echtra Condla'' (or ''Echtrae Chonnlai'', adventure of Conle) *'' Echtrae Cormaic maic Airt i Tir Tairngiri'' *''
Echtrae Laegairi maic Crimthann An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Nerai An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' (aka Táin Bó Aingen) *''
Ectra Airt maic Cuinn ECTRA may refer to: * Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (see competitive trail riding) Ectra may refer to: * Echtra An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Oth ...
'' *''
Echtrae mac nEchach Mugmedoin An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' ;Tales not titled Echtra, but considered part of milieu *''
Baile in Scáil Conn Cétchathach (; "of the Hundred Battles"), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Irel ...
'' (The Phantom's Frenzy) *''
The Five Lugaids ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' *''
Tochmarc Emire ''Tochmarc Emire'' ("The Wooing of Emer") is one of the stories in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology and one of the longest when it received its form in the second recension (below). It concerns the efforts of the hero Cú Chulainn to marry Eme ...
'' *'' Serglige Con Chulainn'' *'' Siaburcharpat Con Culaind'' *''
Imram Bran The Voyage of Bran ( sga, Immram Brain [], meaning "The Voyage of Bran [son of Febail]") is a medieval seventh- or eighth-century Irish language narrative. Source The date of composition has been assigned to the late 7th or early 8th century, ...
'' ;Lost tales *''
Echtrae Con Culainn An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Chrimthaind Nia Nair An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Fiamain An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Con Roi An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Chonaill An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *''
Echtrae Chonchobair An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *'' Echtrae Machae ingine Aeda Ruaid'' *'' Echtrae Nechtain maic Alfroinn'' *'' Echtrae Ailchm d maic Amalgaid'' *'' Echtrae Find i nDerc Ferna'' *'' Echtrae Aedain maic Gabrain'' *'' Echtrae Mael Uma maic Baitain'' *''
Echtrae Mongain maic Fiachna An Echtra or Echtrae (pl. Echtrai), is a type of pre-Christian Old Irish literature about a hero's adventures in the Otherworld or with otherworldly beings. Definition and etymology In Irish literature ''Echtrae'' and ''Immram'' are tales of voy ...
'' *'' Echtrae Fergussa maic Leti'' *'' Echtrae Oengusae maic Fergusa Finn'' *'' Echtrae Chuinn Chetchathaig'' *'' Echtrae Muirquertoig maic hErco'' There are also visits to the otherworld undertaken by the hero Cuchulainn, including : '' Forfess Fer Fálgae'', '' Fled Bricrenn ocus Loinges mac nDuil Dermait'', and ''
Compert Con Culainn ''Compert Con Culainn'' ( en, The Conception of Cú Chulainn) is an early medieval Irish narrative about the conception and birth of the hero Cú Chulainn. Part of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, it survives in two major versions. Manuscri ...
''


References


Sources

* * * {{refend Early Irish literature Irish mythology Voyagers in Celtic mythology Medieval literature