Sean- agus Meán-Ghaeilge / Early and Medieval Irish - Doctoral Theses

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Pivotal moments in the formation of the medieval Irish hero: conception/birth and death, and the case of Conall Cernach
(University College Cork, 2023) Notaridis, Iordanis; Murray, Kevin
The present study deals with the two most important moments that define human life: conception/birth and death. It focuses in particular on the births and deaths of heroes. The heroes under investigation here are martial heroes whose lives are placed in the Irish pre-Christian era. A hero is often a semi-divine figure in human form, living a mortal life and destined to experience an uncommon and often painful death. In other words, a hero is commonly what regular human beings would like to be, occupying a role they cannot attain. In heroic literature, conception- and birth-related narratives are part of the prefiguring of the hero; Otherworldly elements and/or a god/goddess are frequently involved in the begetting of the hero, who may sometimes be interpreted as a mortal version of this god/goddess. Similar importance attaches to the hero’s death. These two events central to the formation of the hero as conception and birth narratives read the heroic life cycle forwards and death narratives read it backwards with reference to the main events that comprise a heroic biography. By examining the beginnings and aftermaths of medieval Irish heroic biographies, this study also examines the heroic ethos and how it is outlined. As we shall see, in conception and birth narratives we may find elements of heroic ethos in relevant taboos and in advice bestowed upon the unborn or newly born hero. Additionally, one may find mentioned the general traits and attributes of the hero that adhere to him during his life. In death narratives, one may also find elements of heroic ethos in the events which lead to the demise of the hero. Moreover, death narratives often include references to previous significant life events of the hero. One question which arises from the examination of these birth and death tales is: are the patterns the same for all medieval Irish heroes? Or do they differ depending on the presentation and general characteristics of the hero? Is there a difference in the presentation of king-heroes and warrior-heroes? If so, why and on what grounds? Upon examining these issues and some possible patterns that emerge from this investigation, the present research will focus on a specific case study: that of Conall Cernach. The reason for choosing this particular hero as the object of the case study is that Conall Cernach has not been the subject of extensive analysis by modern scholarship when compared (for example) with Cú Chulainn, Finn mac Cumaill, Conchobar mac Nessa and Cormac mac Airt. Moreover, Conall Cernach’s peculiar death tale includes many unheroic elements and seems to break the norms present in other Irish heroic biographies of prominent warrior heroes. A comparative analysis of Conall Cernach’s birth and death narratives will attempt to place these within the broader context of the formation and demise of heroes from medieval Irish literature and beyond. The overall intention is that this study will provide an inter-disciplinary methodological approach to our understanding of the presentation and ethos of the hero in both conception/birth and death in medieval Irish literature. Moreover, any conclusions that emerge from establishing common heroic patterns will be put to the test in the case of Conall Cernach. What literary motifs lie behind the presentation of this hero? Is he a specific type of hero present in other medieval literatures? Does his presentation align with common Celtic, Classical, Indo-European or universal heroic ideologies? May we realise his death narrative as a didactic one? Or is it possible to relate his heroic ethos to specific types of historical warfare and martial arts? I hope that this study will provide answers to some of these questions and contribute to the debate on the origins and influence of heroic presentation in medieval Irish literature.
Heroes and heroism in medieval Irish literature
(University College Cork, 2023) Taylor, David Emmet Austin; Carey, John
The heroes of medieval Irish literature have been, and continue to be, a topic of enduring interest, both within and beyond the academy. These heroes, of whom Cú Chulainn and Finn mac Cumaill are certainly the best known, are frequently the topics of discussion in many different sub-branches of the field of Celtic Studies, and are included in discussions of related fields, such as in comparative analyses of these heroes with those of other traditions. By describing certain characters as heroes, scholars have, often implicitly, suggested that these characters are in some way similar, and that these similarities are what make an individual heroic. However, there has been no scholarly consensus as to what it means for a character to be identified as a hero in medieval Irish literature, nor what the implicitly suggested similarities are. While several scholars have used the term to refer to distinct, often conflicting, concepts, most continue to use the term agnostically. This thesis addresses this uncertainty surrounding the use of ‘hero’ as a classificatory term for characters from medieval Irish literature, focusing on the agnostic use of the term, identifying, and discussing the similarities that connect these characters, and examining how these similarities change throughout the medieval period. To do this, this thesis draws on over a hundred texts from the two heroic cycles of medieval Irish literature, the Ulster Cycle and the Finn Cycle, focusing on those composed between the 7th and 15th centuries. It argues that these heroes are modelled on the historical medieval Irish warrior aristocracy, and that this has heavily influenced the depiction and development of these heroes across the medieval period. It discusses how this relationship with the historical warrior aristocracy has influenced the relationship between heroes and kings, the association between heroism and masculinity, pushes heroes into conflict with other heroes, and causes the development of clessa as repertoire of imagined martial arts. Further, this thesis argues that heroes operate in warrior bands comprised of other heroes, which are modelled on several different forms of historical martial institutions, and that within these bands, heroes compete for status, which sometimes involves the display of the severed heads of their enemies, and unintentionally encourages heroes to behave in deceitful or underhanded ways to gain an edge.
Cás-staidéir ar logainmneachaibh agus ar threabhainmneachaibh dar tús ‘L’ ó fhoinsíbh Gaoluinne agus Laidine idir c.400-c.1800 A.D.
(University College Cork, 2022) Ó Cionnfhaolaidh, Cian; Murray, Kevin; Nic Cárthaigh, Emma; Brian Mac Cárthaigh; Bord Stiúrthóirí FEXCO; St. Finnian's Trust
Deintear iarracht sa tráchtas so iniúchadh deimhin a dhéanamh ar réimse ainmneacha stairiúla dar tús ‘L’, idir logainmneacha is treabhainmneacha, a thagann ó achainníbh Gaoluinne agus Laidin na hÉireann a bhaineann leis an dtréimhse 400-1800. Do bhailíos na hainmneacha so agus dheineas anailís ortha le linn mo thréimhse oibre leis an dTionscnamh Locus. Is é cuspóir an tionscnaimh so foclóir áitainmnaíoch is treabhainmníoch a chur ar fáil ar a dtugtar, Historical Dictionary of Gaelic Placenames [HDGP]. Cuirfear an foclóir so in áit an Onomasticon Goedelicum (OnomG) le hEdmund Hogan: .i. an seana-fhoclóir. Roghnaíog na hainmneacha a chuireag san áireamh sa tráchtas de réir ord aibítre na n-ainmneacha mar atháid leagaithe amach ins an OnomG féinig go ginearálta; agus de réir sean-achainní a bhfuil innéacsanna acu agus flúirse sean-ainmneacha ionta, mar athá, inter alia, na hannála, e.g. Annála Uladh; na geinealaigh, e.g. Corpus Genealogiarum Hiberniae; Lebor Gabála Érenn agus Lebor na Cert. Ina theannta san, bhailíog agus dheineag anailís ar roinnt ainmneacha eile sa tráchtas so nár iniaigh Hogan, mar athá ag teacht le polasaí Thionscaimh Locus féinig, m.sh. na Hardiman Legal Deeds. I gcorp an tráchtais mar san, tugtar ceann-iontrálacha na n-ainmneacha féinig ar dtúis mar a fhoilseofar amach anso mar chuid de HDGP. Díreach i ndiaidh gach ceann-iontrála, tugtar tráchtaireacht ina ndeintear plé ar bhrí agus ar mholtaíbh mar gheall ar shuíomh na hainme athá fé chaibideal. I gcás na n-iontrálacha, tháid scrite i mBéarla toisc gurb é sin teanga an fhoclóra HDGP agus léirítear brí agus suíomh na n-ainmneacha ar dtúis. Soláthraítear tagairtí na n-ainmneacha féinig ansan agus iad curtha leis an iontráil go croineolaíoch agus iad roinnte le fo-theidealaibh ar bhonn théamaí comhchoitinne a gheibhtear i measc na dtagairtí féinig: ‘Traditional derivation’, ‘Early references’, ‘Genealogical references’, ‘Short form’ srl. Ag deireadh na hiontrála ansan, tugtar na hachainní tánaisteacha ina bpléitear ainm na hiontrála, mar aon le cros-tagairtíbh do leaganachaibh éagsúla na hainme san agus ainmneacha gaolmhara eile. I dtaobh na tráchtaireachta ansan, deintear gach iarracht aoinní a thabharfadh brí, suíomh nú foirmeacha éagsúla na n-ainmneacha le fios a phlé. Mar aon le haird a thabhairt ar fhoinsíbh tánaisteacha, baintear feidhm as roinnt modhanna go háirithe le haghaidh suímh na n-ainmneacha dh’fhuascailt. Mar shampla, is minic a chuirtear na tagairtí féinig i gcomparáid lena chéile, mar aon le comhthéacs téacsúil na hachainne a thuiscint, e.g. an chuid den dtéacs ina luaitear an ainm féineach a ghéirléamh do leideannaibh mar gheall ar shuíomh na hainme sin. Má luaitear ainmneacha eile sa téacs i dteannta na hainme athá fé chaibideal, deintear iarracht iadsan dh’aimsiú chón maith d’fhonn suímh na hainme féinig a chúngú nú a thriantánú. Baintear leas as léarscáileannaibh nua-aimseartha na Suirbhéireachta Ordanáis mar aon le ceannaibh stairiúla eile cosúil le léarscáileannaibh Grand Jury le Pelham agus léarscáileanna de chuid Petty sa chúram so chón maith. In ainneoin mo sheacht ndícheall suíomh ainmneacha a mheas, is minic nach féidir ach moltaí a thabhairt agus ráiníonn sé ar uairibh eile ná bím inniúil ar mholadh a thabhairt fiú. Tháid na hiontrálacha sa tráchtas roinnte i gceithre caibideal. Caibideal a hAon a dhíríonn ar na hainmneachaibh dar tús ‘L’ mar a gheibhtear iad sna Hardiman Legal Deeds amháin, mar athá Leathbhaile, Leathcheathramha, Lios agus Longphort. I gCaibideal a Dó, tugtar aghaidh ar onomata ó réimse leathan foinsí gur gnéithe topagrafaíocha iad. Mar athá: Labhrann, Lachtmhagh, Ladhrann, Lagán, Lag an Choire, Lathach, Leac, Leaca(in), Leithead, Leithghleann, Leitir Luighne, Liathghort agus Liathmhagh. I gCaibideal a Trí, tugtar fé dhéin na Laoigheas agus na fodhreamanna a bhain leo. I gCaibdeal a Ceathair ansan, tugtar iontrálacha do roinnt aitheachthuatha dar tús ‘L’: .i.. Ladraighe, Liobha(r)traighe, Lu(i)dhr(a)ighe, Lu(i)sr(a)ighe, a thagann ó Leagan a hAon de Tairired na nDéssi agus na liostaí / tráchtaireachtaí treabhchais; agus an ainm Ladhg(h)mainn a gheibhtear in Annála Ríoghachta Éireann, Annála Inis Faithlinn, Leabhar Muimhneach agus Leabhar Mór na nGeinealach. Mar a chítear anso, thá an tráchtas scartha i ndá rann ina ndírítear ar logainmneachaibh sa chéad chuid de, .i. Caidbideal a hAon is a Dó, agus ar threabhainmneachaibh sa tara cuid, .i. Caibideal a Trí is a Ceathair.
Arson in medieval Ireland: an analysis of the sources (with particular focus on Bretha Forloisctheo, the medieval Irish law tract concerned with arson)
(University College Cork, 2019) Doolan, Riona Aisling; Murray, Kevin
This thesis examines the issue of arson in medieval Ireland. This topic appears in written medieval literary sources and in historical sources such as the annals and is compared here with the medieval Welsh material on arson. Furthermore, a detailed review of the archaeological evidence for burning during the medieval period in Ireland is included. The main focus of this thesis is on the later medieval legal commentaries on burning which pay considerable attention to the penalties owed when a fire breaks out. Five commentaries discuss arson and two commentaries in particular, those in Rawlinson B506 and TCD H.3.17 (Commentaries A and B respectively) are based on a no-longer extant law-tract Bretha Forloisctheo ‘Judgements on Arson’. • Commentary A Rawlinson B506: 24vb42-25rb26 CIH 102.25-103.24 • Commentary B TCD 1336: 447.1-449.34 CIH 1945.08-1947.21 • Commentary C TCD 1336: 531.19-532.20 CIH 2013.22-2014.02 • Commentary D TCD MS 1337: 464a8-465a21 CIH 1025.03-1026.06 • Commentary E TCD 1387: 28b2-29a46 CIH 2184.15-2186.11 All five commentaries are edited semi-diplomatically with a discussion of the manuscript contexts, transmission methods for legal commentaries and the relationship of the commentaries to each other. Commentaries A and B are also translated into English for this thesis. Furthermore, the evidence for the law-tract Bretha Forloisctheo and its relationship to the Senchas Már collection of law-tracts is considered in detail in this thesis as well. The commentaries focus on a rural agrarian society and the consequences of a fire occurring in a house, farm buildings such as barns, or industrial buildings such as kilns or mills. For example, the fine is six cows and full compensation if a house is burned deliberately. If a mill or kiln is burned, the fine is three cows and full compensation. The statuses of the victim and the perpetrator of the fire are a major concern in the commentaries, with the penalties for the act graded accordingly. The intention behind the blaze is also taken into account when fines are calculated. The penalties are highest for deliberate arson, they decrease when a fire occurs due to negligence. Occasionally, there are no fines at all when a fire is started by accident. Furthermore, how the perpetrator reacts to the fire once it breaks out is considered in this material. The triad drochdénam, nemdénam 7 malldénam ‘bad-action, inaction and slow-action’ features prominently in these sources. If any of these actions contribute to a blaze being exacerbated, then the penalties rise to that of deliberate arson (even if a fire starts by accident). By utilising these legal commentaries on arson and contextualising their contents with a variety of early sources, this thesis discusses the impact of arson on the everyday lives of the people who lived in medieval Ireland.
Caoilte sa Luath-Fhiannaíocht
(University College Cork, 2018) Ó Síocháin, Tadhg; Murray, Kevin; Carey, John
Sa tráchtas seo, déantar iniúchadh ar ról agus ar fheidhm Chaoilte sa luathFhiannaíocht – ó na samplaí is luaithe go dtí c. 1400. Tá mórfhócas ann ar an léiriú a dhéantar ar Chaoilte in Acallam na Senórach agus i nDuanaire Finn go háirithe, ach tagraítear chomh maith do shamplaí níos déanaí den Fhiannaíocht, de réir mar is gá, chun gnéithe ar leith a léiriú. Téitear amach ar ról Chaoilte mar phearsa thairseachúil, mar fhéinní, mar revenant, mar fhile, mar cheoltóir, mar chleasaí agus mar idirghabhalaí idir an traidisiún réamhChríostaí agus luachanna na sochaí Críostaí agus idir an saol daonna agus an saol osnádúrtha. Déantar roinnt de na tréithe agus de na cáilíochtaí a bhaineann le Caoilte a iniúchadh i bhfianaise litríocht an laochais sa traidisiún Gaelach agus sa litríocht chlasaiceach. Scrúdaítear ról Chaoilte mar sheachadóir seantraidisiúin agus mar urlabhbraí thar ceann saoil atá imithe i bhfianaise teoiricí a bhaineann le staidéar na cuimnhe mar atá léirithe ag Assman, Carruthers, Duby agus scoláirí eile. Déantar misteachas Chaoilte agus na Féinne a iniúchadh faoi sholas scríbhinní van Gennep, Turner, Lévi-Strauss, Lewis agus Eliade inter alia. De bhrí go mbaineann An Leabhar Laighneach le pointe i stair na hÉireann ina raibh athruithe cuimsitheacha ag tarlú maidir le cúrsaí sóisialta, polaitíochta, eaglasta agus liteartha, déantar an t-ábhar ann a bhaineann leis an bhFiannaíocht i gcoitinne agus le Caoilte go háirithe a iniúchadh agus déantar an léargas a fhaightear orthusan sna tréimhsí réamh- agus iar-Normannacha a mheas Cuirtear síos ar chuid den neamhsheasmhacht agus den pharadacsúlacht a bhaineann leis an léiriú a dhéantar ar Chaoilte i bhfoinsí éagsúla ón tréimhse atá faoi staidéar. Áitítear, áfach, go mbaineann seasmhacht agus comhleanúnachas nach beag leis na feidhmeanna agus na rólanna a bhíonn aige, ainneoin éagsúlacht na seánraí agus fhad na tréimhse atá i gceist.

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