Dáire Cerbba (or Cerba, Cearba, Cearb; meaning "Silver Dáire" or "Dáire the Sharp/Cutting") was a 4th-century Irish dynast who was evidently a king of late prehistoric central northern

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

, called Medón Mairtíne at the time. A frequently believed grandson of his,

Crimthann mac Fidaig Crimthann Mór, son of Fidach , also written Crimthand Mór, was a semi-mythological king of Munster and High King of Ireland of the 4th century. He gained territory in Britain and Gaul, but died poisoned by his sister Mongfind. It is possible t ...

, was

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...

and some British territories, and another descendant

Bressal mac Ailello Bressal mac Ailello Thassaig was an early king of the Uí Liatháin who may also have been King of Munster. His sister, Angias, was the Queen of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland. He was the son of Ailill Tassach, ancestor of the Uí Th ...

may have been King of Munster, and whose sister

Angias Angias or Angas, daughter of Ailill Tassach, son of Eochu Liathán, was the wife of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland, and mother of Lugaid mac Lóegairi, who later became High King. Her brother was Bressal mac Ailello, a possible King ...

was Queen of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland. Finally, another descendant, according to Geoffrey Keating, was a king of Munster named Cormac, son of Ailill, son of Eochaid, son of Dáire Cearb. Unlike many other individuals due to name or obvious descent sometimes considered

Dáirine The Dáirine (Dárine, Dáirfine, Dáirfhine, Dárfine, Dárinne, Dairinne), later known dynastically as the Corcu Loígde and associated, were the proto-historical rulers of Munster before the rise of the Eóganachta in the 7th century AD. They ...

, neither Dáire Cerbba nor his family appear to have any certain associations with the

Corcu Loígde The Corcu Loígde (Corcu Lóegde, Corco Luigde, Corca Laoighdhe, Laidhe), meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centred in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Mun ...

and are instead considered, at least officially, relatively close relations of the Éoganachta.

Origins and relations

Outline

Of uncertain origins, Dáire Cerbba is named in many early and late sources as the grandfather of the semi-mythological

Mongfind Mongfind (or Mongfhionn in modern Irish)—meaning "fair hair" or "white hair"—is a figure from Irish legend. She is said to have been the wife, of apparent Munster origins, of the legendary High King Eochaid Mugmedón and mother of his eldest ...

and

, and the most frequently named early ancestor of the historical

Uí Liatháin The Uí Liatháin (IPA: �iːˈlʲiəhaːnʲ were an early kingdom of Munster in southern Ireland. They belonged the same kindred as the Uí Fidgenti, and the two are considered together in the earliest sources, for example ''The Expulsion of th ...

and

Uí Fidgenti The Uí Fidgenti, Fidgeinti, Fidgheinte, Fidugeinte, Fidgente, or Fidgeinte ( or ;In the pronunciation, the -d- is silent, and the -g- becomes a glide, producing what might be anglicized ''Feeyenti'' or ''Feeyenta''. "descendants of, or of the ...

. All of these are historically associated with the province of

, but according to the early manuscript Rawlinson B 502, Dáire Cerbba was born in

Brega Brega , also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ( ar, مرسى البريقة , i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, ...

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...

, and got his epithet from a location there. This is otherwise unexplained. He may or may not have been a relative of Conall Corc (son of Lugaid), the founder of the

Eóganachta The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta () were an Irish dynasty centred on Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, an ...

dynasty. He is often confused or paired with

Maine Munchaín Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

, who may be his father or twin brother, depending on the source, or this is an

alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the ...

and the two people are the same. Both are listed in the surviving genealogies as sons of

Ailill Flann Bec Ailill Flann Bec, son of Fiachu Muillethan, was an Irish dynast belonging to the Deirgtine, the proto-historical ancestors of the historical Eóganachta dynasties of Munster. He was the father of Luigthech, also known as Lugaid, and thus the gra ...

, grandfather of Conall Corc, but the arrangement changes from source to source. Maine Munchaoin and Daire Cearba were noted as twins (being born at one birth), and some manuscripts attribute Maine's offspring as being fathered by Daire due to Maine's inability; as a result, Maine tends to be overlooked as an ancestor, and the Ui Fidgheinte typically list Daire as their progenitor. Alternatively, another tradition states the druid Mug Ruith placed a magical chafer between them so that neither of them, nor their descendants, could ever come to the aid of the other. The non-English language of the following sections is composed of

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of 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 ...

and

Middle Irish Middle Irish, sometimes called Middle Gaelic ( ga, An Mheán-Ghaeilge, gd, Meadhan-Ghàidhlig), is the Goidelic language which was spoken in Ireland, most of Scotland and the Isle of Man from AD; it is therefore a contemporary of late Old Engli ...

, generally considered to be in that order of antiquity when considering genealogical tracts specifically. The genealogical Irish, as opposed to proper prose or poetry, can be easily enough understood with the aid if necessary of 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 ...

'', and memory, and so is usually left untranslated. Furthermore, it has been the intentional case to trim all non-essential information from the following passages and their entries. Both the overly extended families and many further descendants of those central ones remaining have only brief mention below.

Rawlinson B 502

¶1080] Ailill Flann Bec duos filios habuit id est Lugaid & Dáre Cerbba. ... ¶1081] Dáre Cerbba dano in dara mc Ailella Flainn Bic .vi. filios habuit id est: Fiachu Fidgenid a quo Úi Fidgeinti, Eochu Liathán a quo Úi Liatháin, Fidach a quo Crimthann Már m. Fidaig rí h- Érenn & Alban, Dedad a quo Úi Dedaid id est Úi Braccáin & Úi Ailella i n-airthiur Éoganachta Caisil, Dau et Der. ¶1096] Cethri mc leis .i. Fidach diarbu mc Crimthann Már & Luigdech for óenleth, Maine Munchaín & Dáre Cerbba forsan leth n-aill. Emuin són dano in Maine & in Dáre. Is dóib at-connairc a máthair in fís .i. druimm cach áe díb fri araile inna cliab & dáel inter se .i. Síl Mogad Ruith in druad inter se conná cumaing nech díb cobair araile. ¶1097] Alii dicunt betis sé mc Dáre Cerbba ut dicitur: Eochu, Fidach, Fiachu, Dau, Dera, Ded; sé meic Dáre chóemem Ceirp h-uaisle láech leirg na ler. ¶1098] Lóch Már mc Ma Femis a quo sunt Éoganachta & Fianna Luigne Úi Dedaid Deocluaid m. Fiachach Oele idem et Fer Dá Liach sed alii dicunt ut praediximus Dau, Ded, Dera, Liathán, Fidach, Fidgenid filios habuisse Dáre Cerbba. Dá Dau dá mc Óengusa Bruigde mc Maine Munchaín nó mc Fiachach Oele. Alii dicunt duos filios fuisse Ailella Flainn Máir. ¶1099] Trí mc Fiachach Fidgenid .i. Brion, Sétna, Láegaire. ¶1100] Secht mc Brioin mc Fiachach .i. Cairpre Goll, Lugaid, Dáre, Fergus, Rus, Cormac, Cosdaire. ¶1103] Secht mc Echach Liatháin m. Dáre Cerba .i. Cairpre, Cóel, Corcc, Corp, Mac Brócc, Ailill Tassach. ¶1104] Ocht mc Ailella Tassaich .i. Láegaire, Bressal, Mac Draignén, Mac Cáirthind, Áed, Feideilmid, Óengus Brecc, Noois éicess &rl. (Below, Rawlinson B 502 contains additional and alternative pedigrees for first the

and then

quoted from the

Psalter of Cashel The ''Saltair Caisil'' ("Psalter of Cashel") is a now-lost Irish manuscript, which seems to have been highly influential in Irish historiographical tradition. Not an actual Psalter, it seems to have contained Munster-orientated genealogies, king-li ...

): ¶1210] ... Meic Caille m. Meic Brócc m. Dáre Cherbba m. Maine Munchaín m. Ailella Flaind Bic m. Fiachach Mullethain. ¶1211] Aliter: Eochaid Liathán m. Maine Cherbba m. Cirbb m. Ailella Flaind Bicc ... Dáre Cerbba uero ideo hóc nuncupatus est quia natus est i m-Methus Cerbba i m-Bregaib. ¶1236] ... Conaill a quo Úi Chonaill Gabra m. Intait Dárai m. Brioin m. Fiachach Fidgeinti m. Dáre Cherbba m. Ailella Flainn Bic. ¶1237] De chuirr luingge n a n-giall Fidgenid nuncipatus est et qui fecit equum lingneum. In Circio Colmáin h-i l-Liphu agitauit. ¶1238] Alii dicunt combad Fidgenid m. Maine Munchaín m. Ailella Flaind Bic m. Fiachach Fir Dá Liach. ¶1363] ... Brioin m. Fiachach Fidgenid m. Maine Munchaín m. Ailella Flaind Bic.

Discussion

While not specifically mentioning a Dáire ''Cerbba'', the

Archaic Irish Primitive Irish or Archaic Irish ( ga, Gaeilge Ársa), also called Proto-Goidelic, is the oldest known form of the Goidelic languages. It is known only from fragments, mostly personal names, inscribed on stone in the ogham alphabet in Ireland ...

poem ''Amra Con Roi'', and belonging the Ulster Cycle, does state that at one time the family of Ded(ad)/Deguth and

Dáire Dáire is an Old Irish name which fell out of use at an early period, remaining restricted essentially to legendary and ancestral figures, usually male. It has come back into fashion since the 18th century. The anglicised form of this name is Dar ...

(the family of

Cú Roí Cú Roí mac Dáire (Cú Ruí, Cú Raoi) is a king of Munster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He is usually portrayed as a warrior with superhuman abilities and a master of disguise possessed of magical powers. His name probably means "ho ...

) had descendants who ruled in Brega to contain the advance of the

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...

from the north. A related poem ''Brinna Ferchertne'' further describes the family's deeds in Ireland, including the capture of Uisneach in the midlands and more of their conflict with the Ulaid, although the "Eochu son of Darfind" in the poem is not specified as the later Dáire Cerbba's well known son Eochu the Grey.

Laud 610 The Book of the White Earl is an Irish religious and literary miscellany created c. 1404–1452. ''The Book of the White Earl'', now Bodleian Laud Misc. MS 610, consists of twelve folios inserted into Leabhar na Rátha, aka The Book of Po ...

(The following passage exemplifies the principal variant of the descent scheme, in other words the alternative to that presented in Rawlinson B 502 ¶1080–¶1081): Eogan mac Ailella mac do Fíachaig Mullethan risinn-abar Fer da líach .i. dá líach dó marbad a athar a n-inbaid a geine & éc a máthar dia breith. Ceithri maic Ailella Flainn Bicc maic Fhíachach .i. Lugaid (Láre) Fidach .i. athair Crimthaind & Mongfhinne. Mane Muncháin, is húad Úi Fidginte. Dáre Cerba, is húad Úi Líatháin. Tri maic Fíachach Fidgennid .i. Brión, Sétna, Laegairi. Secht maic Brióin maic Fíachach .i. Cairpre Goll, Lugaid, Dáre, Fergus, Rus, Cormac, Costaire. (What follows somewhat later is another passage noted for its resemblance to one found in Rawlinson B 502 and in the Book of Ballymote): Di raind etir maccu Eilella Flanc Bicc. Cf. Rawl. B 502, p. 149 a32; BB. 173 c35. Rorandsat a feranda hi cetheora ranna co Comor Trí nUisci. Quattuor filios habuit .i. Fidach, cuius filius Crimthan Mór mac Fidaigm & Luigtheg for óenleth; Maine Muncháin & Dáre cherbae for leith aili. Emmon nhDáre & in Mane. Atchondairc a mmáthair .i. druim cechtarnái fri araile ina clíab & dóel i medón eturru .i. síl Moga Roith in druad, conná cumaic nechtar de cobair araile. It é dano batir hoa & itt é fongiulatar cruiti a n-athar .i. Corco Ché & ind indbaith .i. Corco Muchit. Alii dicunt betis secht maic la Dáre .i. Fíachra, Eocha, Íth, Fidach, Dan, Ded, Dera.

Discussion

The origins of Maine Muncháin/Munchaín or "(of the) Bright/Fine/Beautiful Neck", Dáire Cerbba's replacement in Laud 610 as an ancestor of the Uí Fidgenti, have evaded scholars for generations, but both the epithet and personal name are known from elsewhere in somewhat related traditions. A certain Énna Munchaín is known from pedigrees preserved in Rawlinson B 502 as a very early ancestor of the

and father or grandfather of Dego Dergthened ("Red Fire"), while an important Maine or Muinemon can be found in early Eóganacht tradition as well.

Margaret Dobbs Margaret Emmeline Dobbs (19 November 1871 – 2 January 1962) was an Irish scholar and playwright, best known for her work to preserve the Irish language. Life and career Dobbs was born at 41 Lower Leeson Street in Dublin on 19 November 1871, ...

considers the various ancient people from Eóganacht tradition named Muinemón or

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

to all be equivalent and in different ways associated with the precious metal

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

,Dobbs "Eoganacht of Cashel" and in Laud 610 a passage states that "The seventh man from Nuadat was Muinemon. In his time gold was on necks in Ireland." while a related passage from the ''Cóir Anmann'' tells us that "Munemon first put round throats a golden necklet ... Maine Mor was his name." Before his/their time was a Maine Mothechtach Maraicdech (or Main Mairc) who "first invented the bartering of gold and silver, son of Cas Clothach who ruled Brega." And of Énna Munchaín, returning to the ''Cóir Anmann'' (although Dobbs does not equate this person with Muinemón/Maine herself, nor mention him or Maine Munchaín), it was said that "there used to be a gold collar around his neck. That is why he was Munchaín." Furthermore, Énna appears to have had, like Dáire Cerbba, his own associations with Brega (Mag Breg), to quote from

R. A. S. Macalister Robert Alexander Stewart Macalister (8 July 1870 – 26 April 1950) was an Irish archaeologist. Biography Macalister was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of Alexander Macalister, then Professor of Zoology, University of Dublin. His father wa ...

's edition of the ''

Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...

'':

''Enna Munchain over Mag Breg''
''took hostages of the white Gáedil'' However, whatever the provenance of the tradition placing some of his career in the midlands, Énna is usually counted an early king of Munster and slayer of Eogan son of Íar mac Degad. The name ''Ma(i)ne Munchain'' itself later appears in the midlands, without any known Eóganachta associations, in a pedigree for the

Cenél Fiachach Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

of the

Southern Uí Néill The Southern Uí Néill ( ga, Uí Néill an Deiscirt, IPA: �iːˈnʲeːl̪ʲˈanˠˈdʲɛʃcəɾˠtʲ were that branch of the Uí Néill dynasty that invaded and settled in the Kingdom of Mide and its associated kingdoms. In the initial decades t ...

found in MS H. 2. 7. ( TCD). Their territory included Uisneach. Another ''Ma(i)ne Munchain'' appears as an ancestor of Mugain of the Osraige, mother of

Áed Sláine Áed mac Diarmato (died 604), called Áed Sláine (Áed of Slane), was the son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Legendary stories exist of Áed's birth. Saint Columba is said to have prophesied his death. His descendants, the Síl nÁedo Sláine—the ...

of the Southern Uí Néill, in a pedigree giving her a descent from Corc mac Luigdech of the Eóganachta, although this family, the Uí Duach Argetrois, are more usually given a descent from the

kings of Osraige. The Síl nÁedo Sláine, were, in any event, the historical (Southern)

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...

rulers of the Kingdom of Brega. Of final possible relevance is the fact that not distant to the Uí Fidgenti lived a people known as the

Uí Maine U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pro ...

, founded by their own

Maine Mór Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northw ...

, and ancient tradition further recalls that the seven sons of

Medb Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méibh () and Méabh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had seve ...

and

Ailill mac Máta Ailill mac Máta is the king of the Connachta and the husband of queen MedbMatson, Gienna: ''Celtic Mythology A to Z'', page 2. Chelsea House, 2004. in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Cruachan (Rathcroghan in County Roscommo ...

were all named Maine.

Book of Leinster

A number of pedigrees preserved in the Book of Leinster appear to resemble one quoted from the ''

'' in Rawlinson B 502 where Dáire Cerbba is made a son of Maine Munchaín. This variety focus specifically on Dáire Cerbba's descendants the

. Those mentioning or focusing on the

omit Maine Munchaín, who in the principle descent scheme variant exemplified in Laud 610 and also found in the

Book of Munster ''An Leabhar Muimhneach'', also known as ''The Book of Munster'', is an Irish genealogical manuscript. ''An Leabhar Muimhneach'' is preserved in a number of 18th century manuscripts, the best being the work of the scribe Richard Tipper of Dubli ...

, as well as at least suggested in Rawlinson B 502 (depending on whether or not Dáire and Maine may be considered equivalent), completely replaces Dáire Cerbba for the Uí Fidgenti specifically.

Flann mac Lonáin

Probably the earliest surviving direct mention of Dáire (where assumed Cerbba) in a source from outside the Munster genealogical tradition or any is found in an

, at least pre-10th century poem, the ''Maiccni Echach ard a nglé'', traditionally attributed to the famous

Flann mac Lonáin Flann mac Lonáin (died 896) was an Irish poet. Background and career Flann mac Lonáin was a famed and at times controversial poet. He was the Chief Ollam of Ireland He seems to have been born in the east Clare/west Tipperary region. Distinguish ...

, Chief Ollam of Ireland. Here both

Crimthann Crimthann, Cremthann or in Modern Irish Criofan, is a masculine Irish given name meaning fox. Notable people with the name include: *Crimthann mac Fidaig, legendary High King of Ireland of the 4th century AD *Crimthann Nia Náir, legendary High K ...

and

can be found and the family are specifically referred to as

. Flann additionally goes to the trouble once each of calling Crimthann "son of the son of Dáire" and "grandson of Dáire" in the poem.

Discussion

While obviously contradicting the principal variant of the descent scheme, Flann's language describing Crimthann's family as ''Dáirine'' is somewhat problematic, for neither the Uí Fidgenti nor Uí Liatháin, while both claiming descent from Dáire Cerbba, ever once describe themselves as belonging to the Dáirine nor are Crimthann or his sister Mongfind ever in any surviving genealogical source described as belonging to a family other than the para-Eóganachta themselves. ''Dáirine'' is in fact in all Munster sources, and Flann is believed to have been from the province, used only as an alternative name for the

, often considered a more distantly related dynasty, and near relations only of the central Eóganacht septs through

Aimend In Irish mythology and genealogy, Aimend is the daughter of Óengus Bolg, king of the Dáirine or Corcu Loígde. She marries Conall Corc, founder of the Eóganachta dynasties, and through him is an ancestor of the "inner circle" septs of Eóganach ...

. Various attempts have been made to construct primary descent for some or all of the Eóganachta proper from either the Corcu Loígde or the so-called Érainn altogether, but no consensus has been reached and in fact Crimthann and his family have not actually been the focus of these studies. It is finally the case that Dáire Cerbba is never once in the sources equated or associated with Dáire Sírchréchtach "the Ever-Wounded" of the Corcu Loígde, a King of Tara, even if Cerbba's grandson Crimthann achieves that title approximately two centuries later. Both Eoin MacNeill and

T. F. O'Rahilly Thomas Francis O'Rahilly ( ga, Tomás Ó Rathile; 11 November 1882 – 16 November 1953)Ó Sé, Diarmuid.O'Rahilly, Thomas Francis (‘T. F.’). ''Dictionary of Irish Biography''. (ed.) James McGuire, James Quinn. Cambridge, United Kingdom: C ...

believed that most, if not all

s from Irish myth and legend may derive from the same prehistoric or mythological figure, or have adopted each other's features to such an extent as to all be composites. The latter stated that Dáire and

"are ultimately one and the same", and refers to him/they as "the god of the Otherworld".

Keating and Crimthann

Geoffrey Keating's '' Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' contains the following passage: Criomhthann son of Fiodhach, son of Daire Cearb, son of Oilill Flann Beag, son of Fiachaidh Muilleathan, son of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilill Olom of the race of Eibhear, held the sovereignty of Ireland seventeen years. Fidheang, daughter of the king of Connaught, was his wife. This Criomhthann gained victories and obtained sway in Alba, Britain, and France, as the seancha says in the following stanza:— ''Criomhthann son of Fiodhach swayed''
''The lands of Alba and of Erin;''
''He swayed likewise beyond the clear blue sea''
''Even the Saxons and the French.''

Discussion

Crimthann Mór in the earliest Irish sources is stated as King of Ireland, King of Ireland and Britain/Scotland, King of Tara, King of Emain Macha,

and possibly/probably Britain/Scotland, and King of Ireland and Britain as fas as the

English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...

. He is frequently assumed in origin a

King of Munster The kings of Munster ( ga, Rí Mumhan), ruled from the establishment of Munster during the Irish Iron Age, until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the '' Book of Invasions'', the earliest ...

as well, but this is nowhere clearly stated in the 1st millennium sources.

King of Medón Mairtine

* See: List of kings of Munster In a strange passage in the notably peculiar Munster epic ''

Forbhais Droma Dámhgháire Mug Ruith (or Mogh Roith, "slave of the wheel") is a figure in Irish mythology, a powerful blind druid of Munster who lived on Valentia Island, County Kerry. He could grow to enormous size, and his breath caused storms and turned men to stone. He ...

'', Daire Cerbba (Ceirbe) is said to have been king of Medón Mairtine, known to historians as the ancient capital of the

Mairtine The Mairtine (Martini, Marthene, Muirtine, Maidirdine, Mhairtine) were an important people of late prehistoric Munster, Ireland who by early historical times appear to have completely vanished from the Irish political landscape. They are notable for ...

, a once prominent Érainn people. In fact the passage gives it the alternative names of "... Ardchluain na Féne and Mucfhalach Mac Daire Ceirbe. This Ceirbe was king of Meáin Mairtine. This area is called Emly today..."Ó Duinn, pp. 38–9 However it does not specifically state that Dáire belonged to the Mairtine themselves, and perhaps of importance is the fact that this site was historically occupied by the

, for whom it was their chief church, namely Emly, which the author of ''FDD'' obviously recognizes. The Mairtine themselves belong only to prehistory and legend, but may be in part ancestral to the later Déisi Tuisceart and famous

Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...

Notes

References

* Arbuthnot, Sharon J. (ed. & tr.), ''Cóir Anmann. A Late Middle Irish Treatise on Personal Names, Part 1''. Irish Texts Society. 2005. * Bhreathnach, Edel and Kevin Murray (ed. & tr.), "Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig: edition", in Edel Breathnach (ed.), ''The Kingship and Landscape of Tara''. Four Courts Press for The Discovery Programme. 2005. pp. 73–94. * Byrne, Francis John, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings''. Four Courts Press. 2nd revised edition, 2001. * Carney, James
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Edel Bhreathnach Edel Bhreathnach is an Irish historian and academic and former CEO of the Discovery Programme. Bhreathnach was a Tara Research Fellow for the Discovery Programme from 1992 to 2000. In 2005 she was appointed Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Mícheál � ...

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The Discovery Programme The Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland is an all-Ireland centre for archaeology and heritage research. It was established by the Irish Government in 1991. It is a company limited by guarantee, funded mainly through ...

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Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

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CELT The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...

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Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, ...

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Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...

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University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...

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Irish Manuscripts Commission The Irish Manuscripts Commission was established in 1928 by the newly founded Irish Free State with the intention of furthering the study of Ireland's manuscript collections and archives. Its foundation was primarily motivated by the loss of many h ...

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Ó Riain, Pádraig Ó, ó ( o-acute) is a letter in the Czech, Emilian-Romagnol, Faroese, Hungarian, Icelandic, Kashubian, Polish, Slovak, and Sorbian languages. This letter also appears in the Afrikaans, Catalan, Dutch, Irish, Nynorsk, Bokmål, Occitan, Port ...

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John O'Donovan John O'Donovan may refer to: *John O'Donovan (scholar) (1806–1861), Irish language scholar and place-name expert *John O'Donovan (politician) (1908–1982), Irish TD and Senator *John O'Donovan (police commissioner) (1858–1927), New Zealand pol ...

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Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

. 2nd edition, 2000. * Ua Súilleabháin, Seán and Seán Donnelly (eds. & trs.), and

Tadhg Olltach Ó an Cháinte Tadhg Olltach Ó an Cháinte, Irish poet, fl. c. 1601. A member of the Ó an Cháintighe bardic family, and a relative of Fear Feasa Ó'n Cháinte, Tadhg Olltach is probably to be identified with 'Teige on Canty, of Clansheane', mentioned in ...

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