Dáire Cerbba

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Dáire Cerbba
King of Medón Mairtíne
A Yew tree, recalling Imleach Iubhair or Emly
Reignpossibly 326–33 AD [1]
BornBrega, Ireland
IssueFidach, Eochu Liathán, Fiachu Fidgenid, Ded, Dau, Dera
Houseposs. Dáirine,[2] later Eóganachta

Dáire Cerbba (or Cerba, Cearba, Cearb; meaning "Silver Dáire" or "Dáire the Sharp/Cutting")[3][4] was a 4th-century Irish dynast who was evidently a king of late prehistoric central northern Munster, called Medón Mairtíne at the time. A frequently believed grandson of his, Crimthann mac Fidaig, was High King of Ireland and some British territories, and another descendant Bressal mac Ailello may have been King of Munster,[5][6] and whose sister Angias was Queen of Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland.[7] Finally, another descendant, according to Geoffrey Keating, was a king of Munster named Cormac, son of Ailill, son of Eochaid, son of Dáire Cearb.[8]

Unlike many other individuals due to name or obvious descent sometimes considered

Éoganachta.[9]

Origins and relations

Outline

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

Conall Corc (son of Lugaid), the founder of the Eóganachta
dynasty.

He is often confused or paired with Maine Munchaín, who may be his father or twin brother, depending on the source, or this is an alias and the two people are the same.[10] Both are listed in the surviving genealogies as sons of Ailill Flann Bec, 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, Old Irish and Middle Irish, 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,[11] 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.[12] ...

¶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 Uí Liatháin and then Uí Fidgenti quoted from the Psalter of Cashel):[13]

¶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 {facsimile page & column 151b} 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

Uisneach in the midlands and more of their conflict with the Ulaid,[15] 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 following passage exemplifies the principal variant of the descent scheme, in other words the alternative to that presented in Rawlinson B 502 ¶1080–¶1081):[16]

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):[17]

{folio 98a1} 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",

R. A. S. Macalister's edition of the Lebor Gabála Érenn:[23]

A Bronze Age, early torc in striated gold, northern France, c. 1200–1000 BC, 794 grams

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

Kingdom of Brega
.

Of final possible relevance is the fact that not distant to the Uí Fidgenti lived a people known as the

Maine Mór, and ancient tradition further recalls that the seven sons of Medb and Ailill mac Máta
were all named Maine.

Book of Leinster

A number of pedigrees preserved in the

Book of Munster,[31] as well as at least suggested in Rawlinson B 502 (depending on whether or not Dáire and Maine may be considered equivalent),[32]
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

Chief Ollam of Ireland.[33] Here both Crimthann and Mongfind can be found and the family are specifically referred to as Dáirine.[34] Flann additionally goes to the trouble once each of calling Crimthann "son of the son of Dáire" and "grandson of Dáire" in the poem.[35]

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

King of Tara
, even if Cerbba's grandson Crimthann achieves that title approximately two centuries later.

Both Eoin MacNeill[37] and T. F. O'Rahilly believed that most, if not all Dáires from Irish myth and legend may derive from the same prehistoric or mythological figure,[38] or have adopted each other's features to such an extent as to all be composites. The latter stated that Dáire and Cú Roí "are ultimately one and the same",[39] and refers to him/they as "the god of the Otherworld".[40]

Keating and Crimthann

Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn contains the following passage:[41]

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

King of Medón Mairtine

In a strange passage in the notably peculiar Munster epic

Dál gCais
.

Notes

  1. ^ Truhart, p. 375, gives Desmond, but Emly is in modern North Munster
  2. ^ Ubink, pp. 27, 31; Ó Buachalla 1952 and 1954 for extensive related discussion; Mac Shamhráin 1996, pp. 53–4; O’Rahilly, pp. 81, 7, 189
  3. ^ "EDIL - Irish Language Dictionary".
  4. ^ "EDIL - Irish Language Dictionary".
  5. ^ Byrne, pp. 177–8, citing one of the Frithfolad Muman tracts
  6. ^ and possibly to be identified with Keating's Breasal Ua Treasaigh (perhaps once reading Bressal mac Ailello Thassaig), Book I, p. 129, this Breasal Ua Treasaigh being otherwise unknown
  7. ^ Stokes, Vita, pp. 47, 465, 557
  8. ^ (and son of Ailill Flann Bec), Keating, Book II, p. 55
  9. ^ Byrne, p. 178
  10. ^ see for example as presented by Byrne, p. 291
  11. ^ electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
  12. ^ for this entry through ¶1104, see O'Brien and Ó Corráin (eds.), pp. 195–206
  13. ^ O'Brien and Ó Corráin (eds.), pp. 224–31, 252
  14. ^ Henry, pp. 188–9, 192–3
  15. ^ Meyer 1901; Henry, pp. 181, 193
  16. ^ Meyer (ed.), Laud, p. 303
  17. ^ Meyer (ed.), Laud, p. 314
  18. ^ for the epithet see Arbuthnot, p. 85; Stokes 1897, pp. 298–9
  19. ^ O'Brien and Ó Corráin (eds.), pp. 190, 197–9, 250–1, for Rawlinson B 502 ¶1067, ¶1088, ¶1359, Énna Munchaín being same person as from the Cóir Anmann, an Eóganacht-related tract, for which see Arbuthnot, Stokes 1897, and Dobbs, "Eoganacht of Cashel"
  20. ^ Dobbs "Eoganacht of Cashel", comparing Rawlinson B 502, Laud 610, the Book of Leinster, Cóir Anmann, the Leabhar na nGenealach, and other mss.
  21. ^ a b c d Dobbs "Eoganacht of Cashel"
  22. ^ Arbuthnot, p. 85
  23. ^ Macalister, p. 475
  24. ^ Dobbs, Side-Lights, p. 18
  25. ^ Dobbs "Cenel Fiachach", p. 3... and then pp. 9, 10, 18, although lacking the epithet, from a somewhat later poem
  26. ^ Dobbs "Cenel Fiachach", p. 1
  27. ^ O'Sullivan (ed.), p. 1384
  28. ^ MacCotter, p. 182
  29. ^ OBrien and Ó Corráin (eds.), p. 224 (¶1210); O'Sullivan (ed.), pp. 1385, 1562–3
  30. ^ O'Sullivan (ed.), pp. 1374, (1385,) 1388
  31. ^ Meyer (ed.), Laud, p. 303; Ó Donnchadha (ed.), p. 135–6 (one of both variants offered, as in Rawlinson B 502)
  32. ^ O'Brien and Ó Corráin (eds.), pp. 205, 231 (offered as an alternative to p. 230), 252
  33. ^ ed. & tr. (2015) Jeanette Ubink; the dating relative to Munster and other sources is based on common scholarly knowledge of the Irish tradition shared by the Wikipedia editor, and so correction if possible is invited
  34. ^ Ubink, pp. 27, 31, and passim
  35. ^ Ubink, pp. 27–8
  36. ^ Holmberg, passim; Gleeson
  37. ^ MacNeill 1921, pp. 61–2
  38. ^ MacNeill asserted this was the god Lugh.
  39. ^ O'Rahilly, p. 49
  40. ^ O'Rahilly, p. 48
  41. ^ Keating, Book I, p. 369
  42. ^ Hull (tr.), "CCCL"
  43. ^ O'Brien and Ó Corráin (eds.) Rawlinson B 502 ¶1081, p. 195
  44. ^ Bhreathnach and Murray (ed. & tr.), "BCC"
  45. ^ Mac Airt and Mac Niocaill (ed. & tr.), (Pre-Patrician section of the) Annals of Ulster; Jaski "Psalter of Cashel" considers this to be a mistake
  46. ^ Ubink (ed. & tr.), Flann mac Lonáin
  47. ^ Sanas Cormaic, Stokes and O'Donovan
  48. ^ Ó Duinn, pp. 38–9

References

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