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Baile
Chuinn Cétchathaigh "The Frenzy of Conn Cétchathach"
Editions
- G. Murphy (ed & tr), 'On the Dates of Two Sources used
in Thurneysen's Heldensage: I. Baile
Chuind and the date of Cín
Dromma Snechtai', Ériu
(1952) 145-151.
- R. Thurneysen (ed), 'Baile Chuind Chétchathaig nach
der Handschrift von Druim Snechta', Zu
irischen Handschriften und Litteraturdenkmälern (Berlin
1912) 48-52.
Manuscripts
- R.I.A. MS 23 N 10 (complete)
- British Library MS Egerton 88 (complete)
- quotations from this text appear elsewhere in Irish
literature
Date
- before 695 (the death of Fínnachta Fledach mac
Dúnchado--the last king positively identified in the
text). See Murphy 1952.
Characters
- Conn Cétcathach, king of Ireland and eponymous
ancestor of Dál Cuinn (prehistoric ancestors of the Connachta
and Uí
Néill)
- See the summary for the kings mentioned in the text.
Notes
- This text is part of the Cycle Conn
Cétchathach.
- It is not a story but a prophesy uttered by Conn listing
the kings who will succeed him. There is no narrative frame and
much of the language is difficult.
- See also
Baile in
Scáil where a similar prophecy is put into a narrative
frame.
Summary
The text is headed by the sentence Incipit
Baile Chuind Chétchathaigh ("Here begins the Frenzy of
Conn Cétchathach") and is followed by a list of the kings who
will drink the ale of sovereignty after him. Included in this
list are little snippets of information about each king. They
appear in the following order. (Dynastic affiliations and obits
do not appear in the text itself but have been added here for the sake
of convenience):
- Art mac Cuinn (Dál Cuinn) who will die at Mucruime
- Mac Con moccu Lugde Loígde (Corco Loígde),
who will die at Brí
- Corbmac (aka Cormac mac Airt of Dál Cuinn), who will
die at Scoilicc
- Coirpre (Liphechair mac Cormaic of Dál Cuinn)
- Fiechri (?)
- Dáire Drechlethan (?)
- Fécho / Fiechæ (=? Fiacha Sraiptine, son of
Cairpre Liphechair)
- Muiredach Tírech (son of Fiacha Sraiptine)
- Crimthand (mac Fidaig of Clanna Dergthened)
- Niell /Níall (Noígíallach, eponymous
ancestor of the Uí Néill)
- Loígaire (mac Néill, eponymous ancestor of
Cenél Loígairi, a minor branch of the Southern Uí
Néill, d. 463)
- Coirpre ( =? Coirpre mac Néill)
- Ailill (Molt mac Nath Í of the Uí
Fíachrach of Connacht, d. 482)
- Lugaid (mac Loígairi of Cenél
Loígairi, d. 507)
- Mac Ercéne (=? Muirchertach mac Ercae of
Cenél nÉogain, a branch of the Northern Uí
Néill, d. 536)
- Óengarb (=? Tuathal Máelgarb of Cenél
Coirpri, a minor branch of the Uí Néill, d. 544)
- Aíd (mac Ainmuirech of Cenél Conaill, d.
598. However, it is possible that this Aíd and the
following Aíd Olláin are in apposition and only one king
by that name is intended)
- Aíd Olláin (=? Áed Allán mac
Domnaill of Cenél nÉogain, d. 612.)
- Diermait / Dermad (mac Cerbaill of the Southern Uí
Néill, d. 565. He is listed out of order here.)
- Féachno (=? Fiachna, the father of Suibne Menn of
Cenél nÉogain. As Murphy notes, he is not normally
listed among the kings of Tara.)
- Suibne (Menn mac Fiachnai of Cenél nÉogain,
d. 628)
- Domnall (mac Áedo of Cenél Conall, a branch
of the Northern Uí Néill, d. 642)
- Blathmac (mac Áedo Sláine, of Síl
nÁedo Sláine of the Southern Uí Néill,
d.665)
- Diarmait (mac Áedo Sláine, of Síl
nÁedo Sláine of the Southern Uí Néill,
d.665)
- ? Éilimm (Ollfínsnechta--it is not clear if
this word is to be taken as a proper name. See Murphy p. 149, n.
10)
- Snechta Fína (= Fínnachta Fledach of
Síl nÁedo Sláine, d. 695)
- Flann Asail (a conjectured king)
- Furbaide (a conjectured king)
- Cailech (a conjectured king)
- Glúnsalach (a conjectured king)
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