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Dáire Doimthech (Dáire "poor house"), alias Dáire Sírchréchtach ("the ever-wounded"), son of Sithbolg, was a legendary King of Tara and
High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) 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 was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
, and one of the eponymous ancestors of the proto-historical
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 ...
and historical
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 M ...
of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
. A son of his was
Lugaid Loígde Lugaid Loígde "Lugaid of the Fawn/Calf Goddess", also known as Lugaid mac Dáire, was a legendary King of Tara and High King of Ireland. He is a son of Dáire Doimthech, ancestor of the Dáirine, and gives his epithet to their principal royal se ...
(a quo Corcu Loígde), an ancestor of Lugaid Mac Con. In the ''Scéla Mosauluim'', Dáire Doimthech is referred to as one of the five kings of Tara from Munster, or alternatively one of five Dáires to rule at Tara.''Ailill Aulom, Mac Con, and Find ua Báiscne''
(Meyer translation)
He may at one time have been partly identical with Dáire mac Degad, father of Cú Roí, although traditions concerning him or them appear to have diverged at an early period, following regional paths. Scholars in medieval times were aware that both were believed to be ancestors of the Dáirine. In fact in one manuscript, as Dairi Sirchrechtaig, he is listed as the father of Cú Roí, and through him an ancestor of Fiatach Finn, a quo the
Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland, which lasted throughout the Middle Ages until their demise in the 13th century at the hands of Normans in Ireland, Normans ...
of
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
, son of Fuirme mac Con Roí. T. F. O'Rahilly saw even less distinction between these figures, stating that "Cú Roí 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 ...
are ultimately one and the same".
Eochaid Étgudach or ('possessing clothes') or ('negligent'?), son of Dáire Doimthech, son of Conghal, son of Eadaman, son of Mal, son of Lugaid, son of Íth, son of Breogán, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ire ...
, a High King of Ireland, was another son of Dáire Doimthech, apparently misplaced chronologically by medieval scholars. He may be listed, if chronologically misplaced, as Dáire Drechlethan in the '' Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig''.


Reign

Despite his prominence as an ancestral figure, little is recalled in Irish legend of Dáire's reign. However, it appears to have been remembered as strong, and in this way is typical for the Dáirine in legend, and as they were portrayed by later historians and storytellers. A passage of poetry in the
Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...
''Scéla Mosauluim'' is translated by Kuno Meyer: alternative translation:''The Tidings of Moshaulum''
(translator unknown)
Daire Doimthech's five sons, to wit, the five Lugaids. Whence did the additional names come upon them, even Lugaid Láigde, a quo Corco-Láigdi, Lugaid Cal, from whom are the Calraige, Lugaid Core, from whom are the Corcraige, Lugaid Corb from whom are the Dál Mescorb of Leinster, and Lugaid Cose, from whom are the Coscraige of the Dési? This is why Dáire gave the name of Lugaid to each of his sons. Because it had been foretold to him that a son of his would obtain the sovranty icof Erin and that 'Lugaid' would be his name. Then said Dáire to his druid: "Which of my sons will take the kingdom after me?" The druid replied: "A fawn with a golden lustre upon it will come into the assembly, and the son that shall catch the fawn is he that will take the kingdom after thee". Thereafter the fawn entered the assembly, and the men of Erin together with Dáire's sons, pursued it till they reached Benn Étair. A magical mist is 'set between them (Dáire's sons) and the (rest of the) men of Erin. Thence on after the fawn went Dáire's sons to Dál Moscorb in Leinster, and Lugaid Láigde caught the fawn, and Lugaid Cosc broke it up (coscrais)—so the name Lugaid Cosc clave to him. Lugaid Láeghḟes cooks it, that is, (makes) a feast (fes) for them of it — so that hence he bore (the name) Lugaid Láegḟes 'fawn-feast'. Lugaid Orcde went for water, taking with him a pitcher, whence he is called Lugaid Orc. All that was cooked of the fawn Lugaid Láigde would eat, and all the leavings that he put away, Lugaid Corb would consume them. Whence (the name) Corb clave to him. Corb-the 'polluted' thereby. Lugaid Cál slept—hence he took his appellation Thereafter they hunt in the wilderness. A great snow fell upon them, so that it was a labour to hold their weapons. One of them goes to look for a house, and he finds a wonderful house with a great fire therein, and ale, and abundance of food, and silvern dishes, and a bed of white bronze. Inside he discovers a huge old woman, wearing a frontlet (?), and her spears of teeth outside her head, and great, old, foul, faded things upon her. She said to the youth, even Lugaid Corb: "What askest thou?" quoth she. "I seek a bed", he answered. "If thou come and lie with me", quoth she, "thou wouldst have one". "Nay", said the youth. He went back to his brothers and told them that he had not found a house. Each of them went, one after another, into the house, and the same (reply) was got from them. At last went Lugaid Láigde. The hag said the same to him. "I will sleep alone with thee", says Lugaid. The hag entered the bed, and Lugaid followed her. It seemed to him that the radiance of her face was the sun rising in the month of May. A purple, bordered gown she wore, and she had beautifully coloured hair. Her fragrance was likened to an odorous herb-garden. Then he mingled in love with her. "Auspicious is thy journey", quoth she. "I am the sovranty, and the kingship of Erin will be obtained by thee". Lugaid went to his brothers and brings them to the house; and there they get the freshest of food and the oldest of ale, and self-moving drinking-horns pouring out to them. She said to one of them: "What hast thou met with?" quoth she. "I met with a fawn (loeg)", he answered, "and I alone devoured it". "Lugaid Láigde ('Fawny') shall be thy name with thy kindred", said she. Then she asked another of them what he had met with? "A wild boar", he answered, "and I alone devoured it". Lugaid Orcdae ('Piggish') shall be thy name with thy kindred", quoth she. Then she asked the same thing of another man. "I met with nothing at all", says he; "but I fell asleep". "That is drowsy", quoth she: "Lugaid Cál ('sleep') shall be thy name from that". She asked the same thing of another. "What the other men threw away", said he, "that I consumed". "Lugaid Corb ('corruption') shall be thy name, for corrupted is what thou hast consumed". From him (descend) the Corbraige. Again she asked the same thing of another. "A fawn escaped from me", quoth he. "Lugaid Loegh-ḟes, i.e. Lugaid Loeg-ḟás ('fawn-empty') shall be thy name", quoth she. So thence the additional names clave to the Lugaids. Let one of you sleep with me to-night", quoth she. "I will sleep with thee", says Lugaid Láigde, "for to me it is a great favour". So that night Lugaid slept with her. 'Tis then they were seen of his brothers, with a purple garment over the damsel and Lugaid, and golden-yellow hair upon her; and she was the most loveable of women. "Who art thou, O damsel", say they. "I am the Lady of Erin", quoth she; "and I shall be wavering from hill to hill; and the kingship of Ireland shall be taken by thee, O Lugaid". Thus were Dáire's sons on the morrow: on a level, houseless plain—with their hounds asleep, fastened to their spears. Thereafter they fare forth to the Assembly of Teltown, and then they tell their tales and adventures to the men of Erin. After that the men of Erin disperse from the assembly. Daire dies afterwards, and Conn of the Hundred Battles took the kingship of Erin, and Eogan Táidlech took the kingship of Munster, and Lugaid Láigde took the crown-princedom of Munster, and so forth.


See also

*
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 ...
* List of High Kings of Ireland


Notes


References

* Edel Bhreathnach (ed.), ''The Kingship and Landscape of Tara''. Dublin:
Four Courts Press Four Courts Press is an independent Irish academic publishing house, with its office at Malpas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. Founded in 1970 by Michael Adams, who died in February 2009, its early publications were primarily theological, notably ...
for the Discovery Programme. 2005. * Margaret E. Dobbs, The History of the Descendants of Ir, in '' Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 13'' (1921): 308–59; continued in ''Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 14'' (1923): 44–144. *
Eoin MacNeill Eoin MacNeill (; born John McNeill; 15 May 1867 – 15 October 1945) was an Irish scholar, Irish language enthusiast, Gaelic revivalist, nationalist, and politician who served as Minister for Education from 1922 to 1925, Ceann Comhairle of D ...
, ''Celtic Ireland''. Academy Press. 1981 (reissue with new intro. and notes by
Donnchadh Ó Corráin Donnchadh Ó Corráin (28 February 1942 – 25 October 2017) was an Republic of Ireland, Irish historian and professor emeritus of medieval history at University College Cork. He earned his BA in history and Irish from UCC, graduating in 1964. ...
of original Martin Lester Ltd edition, 1921). * Kuno Meyer (ed. & tr.), ''Fianaigecht: being a collection of hitherto inedited Irish poems and tales relating to Finn and his Fiana, with an English translation. Todd Lecture Series,
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned society and one of its le ...
, Volume 16''. Dublin: Hodges Figgis. 1910. * Michael A. O'Brien (ed.) with intr. by John V. Kelleher, ''Corpus genealogiarum Hiberniae''. DIAS. 1976. / partial digital edition:
Donnchadh Ó Corráin Donnchadh Ó Corráin (28 February 1942 – 25 October 2017) was an Republic of Ireland, Irish historian and professor emeritus of medieval history at University College Cork. He earned his BA in history and Irish from UCC, graduating in 1964. ...
(ed.), Genealogies from Rawlinson B 502. University College, Cork: Corpus of Electronic Texts. 1997. * John O'Donovan (ed.), "The Genealogy of Corca Laidhe", in Miscellany of the Celtic Society. Dublin. 1849
alternative scan
* T. F. O'Rahilly, ''Early Irish History and Mythology''.
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) () is a statutory independent research institute in Dublin, Ireland. It was established, under the Institute For Advanced Studies Act 1940, by the government of the then Taoiseach, Éamon de Vale ...
. 1946. *
Julius Pokorny Julius Pokorny (12 June 1887 – 8 April 1970) was an Austrian-Czech linguist and scholar of the Celtic languages and of Celtic studies, particularly of the Irish language, and a supporter of Irish nationalism. He held academic posts in Austrian ...
, "Beiträge zur ältesten Geschichte Irlands (3. Érainn, Dári(n)ne und die Iverni und Darini des Ptolomäus)", in '' Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 12'' (1918): 323–57. * Whitley Stokes (ed. & tr.), "Cóir Anmann (Fitness of Names)", in Whitley Stokes and
Ernst Windisch Ernst Wilhelm Oskar Windisch (4 September 1844, Dresden30 October 1918, Leipzig) was a German classical philologist and comparative linguist who specialised in Sanskrit, Celtic and Indo-European studies. In his student days at the University o ...
, ''Irische Texte mit Wörterbuch. Volume 3, Parts 1–2''. Leipzig: Verlag von S. Hirzel. 1891 (1); 1897 (2). pp. 285–444. alternative scan
alternative scan II
;Other * Ireland's History in Maps: Mumu by Dennis Walsh

by Dan M. Wiley {{DEFAULTSORT:Daire Doimthech Legendary High Kings of Ireland