In the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle (), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Do ...

early Irish literature Early Irish literature, is commonly dated from the 8th or 9th to the 15th century, a period during which modern literature in Irish began to emerge. It stands as one of the oldest vernacular literature in Western Europe, with its roots extendin ...

, the ''Lúin'' of Celtchar (Irish: ''Lúin Celtchair'') is the name of a long, fiery lance or spear belonging to Celtchar mac Uthechar and wielded by other heroes, such as Dubthach, Mac Cécht and Fedlimid.

Properties

Detailed descriptions of the spear's special use and terrible effect are to be found in the

Middle Irish Middle Irish, also called Middle Gaelic (, , ), 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 English and Early Middle English. The modern Goideli ...

texts ''

Togail Bruidne Dá Derga ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' (''The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel'') is an Irish tale belonging to the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. It survives in three Old Irish, Old and Middle Irish recensions, it is part of the Lebor na hUidre, Book ...

'' ("The Destruction of the Hostel of Da Derga") (Recension II) and ''

Mesca Ulad ''Mesca Ulad'' ( English: ''The Intoxication of the Ulaid''; the Ulstermen) is a narrative from the Ulster Cycle preserved in the 12th century manuscripts the Book of Leinster and in the Lebor na hUidre. The title ''Mesca Ulad'' occurs only in th ...

'' ("The Intoxication of the Ulstermen"), both of which employ the so-called "watchman device" to describe the fearful appearance of the warrior

Dubthach Dóeltenga In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, Dubthach Dóeltenga (" chafer-tongue", an Old Irish term which meant "backbiting") was a cynical ally of Fergus mac Róich who rarely had a good word to say about anyone. He accompanied Fergus to escort Deird ...

. In ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'', it appears when the spies of Ingcél Cáech report on

Conaire Conaire is an Irish language unisex name used mostly as a male given name. It gave rise to the original form of the anglicized surname Connery. It is borne by two legendary High King of Ireland, High Kings of Ireland: *Conaire Mór (the great) *Con ...

's large retinue of warriors in the hostel of Da Derga in Leinster. Lomnae Drúth observes: The interpreter Fer Rogain identifies the figure as Dubthach Dóeltenga and explains: In ''Mesca Ulad'', Medb's watchmen paint a very similar picture when they describe one of the approaching warriors:

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 ...

then explains to Medb and her company that the watchmen have just seen Dubthach, who has borrowed the ''Lúin'' of Celtchar, and that a cauldron of red blood stands before him "so that it would not burn its shaft or the man who carried it were it not bathed in the cauldron of poisonous blood; and it is foretelling battle that it is." This latter quality has been taken to mean that such "sensitive spears ... by their vibration, portended the imminence of battle and slaughter." A late version of the saga '' Cath Ruis na Ríg'' ("The Battle of Ross na Ríg") gives a more succinct account of the ''Luin'', but also adds a number of details, such as the use of four mercenaries to keep the cauldron in place. Obviously, the weapon needed to be handled with extreme care. According to his death-tale, Celtchar was accidentally killed by his own spear in a way which emphasises its excessive heat. When he had used the ''Lúin'' to slay a hound which had been ravaging the country, he placed it upright with the spear-point upwards and so a drop of the hound's blood which trickled down along the spear went through him and killed him.

Circulation

In the Ulster cycle, Celtchar's ''Lúin'' is used by various warriors of Ulster and Connacht. Dubthach had use of it (''Togain Bruidne Da Derga'' and ''Mesca Ulad'', see above quotes), and Dubhthach himself was slain by Fedlimid who wielded Lúin Celtchar according to a notice following the Togail Bruidne Dá Choca(e) According to a poem by

Cináed ua hArtacáin Cináed is a Goidelic language male name, probably derived from the Brythonic language name Ciniod. The hypocoristic form may have been Cinadon. It is represented by the later Scottish name Kenneth and is not derived from the common Gaelic name Á ...

(d. 975), the Connacht champion Mac Cécht used it to slay Cúscraid Menn, son of Conchobor mac Nessa. There is also a tract in TCD MS 1336 (''olim'' ''MS'' H 3.17), col. 723 which claims that the spear survived into the reign of

Cormac mac Airt Cormac mac Airt, also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings ...

, and came to be known as the ''Crimall'' of Birnbuadach causing Cormac's blinding and rendering him unfit for kingship. Moreover, it alleges this was the "Famous yew of the wood", the name by which the spear of Lug mac Eithliu of the

Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuatha Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gaelic ...

was called. This tract occurs as a postscript to a later version (B group) of ''

The Expulsion of the Déisi ''The Expulsion of the Déisi'' is a medieval Irish narrative of the Cycles of the Kings. It dates approximately to the 8th century, but survives only in manuscripts of a much later date. It describes the fictional history of the Déisi, a group ...

'' found in the same MS, but is known only by the brief English recap provided by Hennessy.

Spear of Lug?

Arthur C. L. Brown and

R. S. Loomis Roger Sherman Loomis (1887–1966) was an American scholar and one of the foremost authorities on medieval and Arthurian literature. Loomis is perhaps best known for showing the roots of Arthurian legend, in particular the Holy Grail, in native Ce ...

, proponents of the Irish origin of the Grail romances, argued that Celtchar's ''Lúin'' was to be identified with the

spear A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with Fire hardening, fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable materia ...

of Lug, a weapon which is named in Middle Irish narratives as one of the four items which the Túatha Dé Danann introduced to Ireland. A connection may have been drawn implicitly by ''

'', which claims that the ''Lúin'' was found in the Battle of Mag Tuired, elsewhere known as the battle in which the Túatha Dé Danann led by Lug defeated the

Fomoiri The Fomorians or Fomori (, Modern ) are a supernatural race in Irish mythology, who are often portrayed as hostile and monstrous beings. Originally they were said to come from under the sea or the earth. Later, they were portrayed as sea raider ...

. Moreover, a tale of later date, the

Early Modern Irish Early Modern Irish () represented a transition between Middle Irish and Modern Irish. Its literary form, Classical Gaelic, was used in Ireland and Scotland from the 13th to the 18th century. Classical Gaelic Classical Gaelic or Classical Irish ( ...

'' Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann'' describes the spear of Lug in ways which are reminiscent of Celtchair's ''Lúin''. However, the Middle Irish references to Lug's spear do not correspond closely to the ''Lúin''.Carey, ''Ireland and the Grail''. p. 169 note 6.

Notes

Sources

Texts

Cináed Ua Hartacáin Cináed is a Goidelic language male name, probably derived from the Brythonic language name Ciniod. The hypocoristic form may have been Cinadon. It is represented by the later Scottish name Kenneth and is not derived from the common Gaelic name Á ...

, "Fianna bátar i nEmain", ed. Whitley Stokes, "On the deaths of some Irish heroes." ''

Revue Celtique A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during ...

'' 23 (1902): 303–48. *''

'', ed.

Eleanor Knott Eleanor Marie Knott (born Philippa Marie Eleanor Knott; 18 November 1886 – 4 January 1975) was an Irish scholar, academic and lexicographer, as well as one of the first women elected to the Royal Irish Academy. Early life and education Knot ...

, ''Togail Bruidne Da Derga''. Dublin, 1936; tr. Jeffrey Gantz, ''Early Irish Myths and Sagas''. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1986. *''

'', ed. J. Carmichael Watson, ''Mesca Ulad''. Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series 13. Dublin, 1941; tr. John T. Koch, in ''The Celtic Heroic Age'', ed. John T. Koch and John Carey. 3d ed. Andover, 2000. 106–27; ed. and tr. W.R. Hennessy. ''Mesca Ulad: or, the Intoxication of the Ultonians''. Todd Lecture Series 1. Dublin, 1889. *''Aided Cheltchair mac Uthechair'', ed. and tr. Kuno Meyer, ''The Death Tales of the Ulster Heroes''. Todd Lecture Series. Dublin, 1906. 24–31
Translation online
*"The

Expulsion of the Déisi Expulsion or expelled may refer to: General * Deportation * Ejection (sports) * Eviction * Exile * Expeller pressing * Expulsion (education) * Expulsion from the United States Congress * Extradition * Forced migration * Ostracism * Persona non ...

" (TCD MS 1336). The relevant portion has remained unedited and was not reproduced in the edition by Vernam Hull (ed. and tr.), "The later version of the Expulsion of the Déssi." ZCP 27 (1957–59): pp. 14–63. *'' Cath Ruis na Ríg'' (Stowe MS E IV 3), ed. and tr. Edmund Hogan, ''Cath Ruis na Ríg for Bóinn''. Todd Lecture Series 4. Dublin, 1892.

References

*Carey, John. ''Ireland and the Grail''. Aberystwyth, 2007. *Brown, Arthur Charles Lewis. "The Bleeding Lance." PMLA 25 (1910): 1–59. *Loomis, Roger Sherman. ''Arthurian tradition and Chrétien de Troyes''. New York, 1949. * O'Curry, Eugene. ''On the manners and customs of the ancient Irish''. Vol. 3, Lectures vol. 2. London: Williams and Norgate, 1873. pp. 324–7.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Luin of Celtchar Mythological weapons Tuatha Dé Danann Ulster Cycle Spears