names-Irish-msg - 4/21/97
Sources and comments on Irish names.
NOTE: See also the files: names-msg, names-FAQ, names-Norse-msg, persona-art, Ireland-msg, fd-Ireland-msg, Persona-Build-art, cl-Ireland-msg.
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From: mittle at panix.com (Arval d'Espas Nord)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Irish Names?
Date: 14 Feb 1997 11:44:25 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC
02351919431-1111 at t-online.de (Andreas Docter) writes:
> I'm sure this is a subject that's been covered a million times,
> but I'm searching for female Irish names.
You can start from my names web page, http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names.
If that doesn't help, you could try "Irish Names" by Donnchadh O'Corrain
and Fidelma Maguire (Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1990, also published as
"Gaelic Names" in 1981 by Academy Press).
===========================================================================
Arval d'Espas Nord mittle at panix.com
From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Irish Names?
Date: 18 Feb 1997 17:34:02 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Andreas Docter (02351919431-1111 at t-online.de) wrote:
: I'm sure this is a subject that's been covered a million times,
: but I'm searching for female Irish names. Does anyone have any
: ideas or know of any good places to look? I'm rather limited when
: it comes to access to resources as I'm living in Germany and
: speak very little German as of yet. :)
The best easily-available source of period Irish names (for both genders)
is O'Corrain & Maguire's "Irish Names" (The Lilliput Press; ISBN
0-946640-66-1). You need to keep your eyes peeled for names that appear to
have been used only in literature or by legendary figures, but there is a
good selection of historic women's names in the book.
Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
From: gunde002 at mailhost1.csusm.edu (Kristina Gundersen)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Irish Names?
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 19:56:08 -0800
In article <5dpo4e$nkf at news00.btx.dtag.de>, 02351919431-1111 at t-online.de
(Andreas Docter) wrote:
> I'm sure this is a subject that's been covered a million times,
> but I'm searching for female Irish names. Does anyone have any
> ideas or know of any good places to look? I'm rather limited when
> it comes to access to resources as I'm living in Germany and
> speak very little German as of yet. :)
>
> Shannon Pearcy
Shannon, I was looking for the same thing earlier this year, and here is
one of the lists I found on the web. I have also included some book
titles. I hope this is helpful, sorry the post is so long, but I wasn't
sure if you had web acess. :) Maeve Dubhghlas of Lanarkshire
Books for Celtic names for children
Scottish:
_Ainmean Chloinne_, Peadar Morgan. Available from Gaelic books council
Irish:
Linda Rosenkranz & Pamela Redmond Satran _Beyond Shannon and Sea/n_ (St.
Martin's Press 1992)
Donncha O/ Corra/in & Fidelma Maguire _Irish Names_ (Lilliput 1990) Eoin
Neeson _The Book of Irish
Saints_ (Mercier 1967)
Muiris O/ Droighnea/in _An Sloinnteoir Gaeilge agus an tAinmnitheoir_
(Coisce/im 1991)
List #1 Source web site:
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bj333/HomePage.boys.html
Traditional Irish Names
I provide this list for those wishing to populate the earth once again with
the namesakes of the chieftains and beauties of old! Enjoy!
Boys
AENGUS,ARIHCLINN,AIDAN/AODHAN,AILILL,ALAN,ANLON,ARDAL,ART,BANAN,BARDAN
BARHAN/BEARCHAN,BARRY/BAIRRE,BECCAN,BRIAN,BRANDUFF/BRANDUBH,BRAZIL
BRIAN,BRION,BROGAN,BRONE,CADHLA,CAFFAR/CATHBHARR,CAHIR/CATHAIR,
CAIRBRE, CALLAGHAN,CALVAGH,CANICE/COINNEACH,CANOC,CARROLL/CEARBH
ALL,CATHAL,CELSUS,
CIAN/KEAN,COLE/COMHGHALL,COLLA,COLM,COLMAN,COLMCILLE
COLUMBA,CONAIRE,CONALL/CONNELL,CONAN,CONLEY
CONN,CONNOR,CORBAN,CORC,CORMAC,COWAN
DALLAN,DAMAN,DARRAGH,DAREEN, DAVIN/DAIMHIN,DECLAN
DERMOT/DIARMAID,DONAGH/DONNCHADH,DONAL,DONEGAN,DONLEAVY,DONOVAN
DOUGAL/DUBHGHAL,DUALD,
DUFFY,EACHANN,EGAN/AODHGAN,ENDA,ENOS,EOGHAN,ERNAN,
EVENY/AIBHNE,FACHTNA,FARRELL/FEARGHAL,FELIM(ID).FERGAL,FERGUS/FEARGHUS
FIACH, FIACHRA,FINBAR,FINEEN/FININ,FIN(N)IAN,FINN,FINNEGAN,
FINTAN,FLANAGAN,FLANN,GAEL,GALVIN,GARVIN,
GILPATRICK,GILLEECE/GIOLLA
LOSA,GLAISNE,GLAS,GORMAN,GRIFFIN/CRIOFAN,GUAIRE,HEBER/EIBHEAR,HEWNEY/UAITHNE
HUGH/AODH,JARLATH/LARLAITH, KEAN/CIAN,KEDAGH/CEADACH,
KELLY/CELLACH,KENNELLY/CIONNAOLA,KERILL/CAIREALL
,KEVAN,KEVIN,KIERNAN/CIARAN,KILIAN/CILLIN,KINSELLA/CINNSEALACH,
LEARY/LAOGHAIRE,LENNAN,LOCHLAINN,LOMAN,LORAN/LUARAN,LORCAN,
LUCAN,LYNAGH/LAIGHNEACH,
LYSAGH/LOOISEACH,MACARTAN,MACCON,MAHON
,MALACHY,MANNIX/MAINCHIN,MANY/MAINE,MARCAN,MEL,MIACH,MOLLOY,MULRONEY,
MURRAY/MUIRIOCH,MURROUGH/MURCHADH,MURTAGH/MUIRCHEARTACH
,NATHY/NAITHI,NESSAN,
NEVAN,NIADH,DIAL,DIALLAN,ORAN,OSCAR,OSSIAN/OISIN,QUINLAN/CAOINLEAN,
QUINTON/CUMHAI,rEILLY,RIORDAN,RONAN,RORY/RUAIRI,ROSS,ROWAN,
RYAN/RIAN,SCANLON,SEANAN,SHEEDY/.SIODA,TADHG,TIARNAN,TIERNEY/TIARNACH,
TULLY/TUATHAL TURLOUGH/TARLACH,
GIRLS
AIDAN,AIDEEN,AILEEN,AINE,AISLING/AISLINN,ALANA/ALANNAH,
ALASTRINA/ALISTRIONA,ALMA,ALVA/ALMHA,ANA,AOIOF/EVA,AURNIA,BAINE,BANBHA
BARRAN,BEIBHINN,BETHA,BIDELIA,BLANAID,BLINNE/BLANCHE,BRIDGET/BRID.CAOILINN,
CEARA,CLODAGH,CLORA/CLOTHRA,COCHRANN,
COLUMBA/COLMA,CONNA,CONNAL,CORCAIR,DIARINE,DANA,DARERCA,DAROVA/DAR
OMA
DAVNIT.DAMHNAIT,DEALLA,DECLA,DEIRDRE,DERINN/DAIRINNDERVAL/DEARBHAIL
DERVILA/DEIRBHILE,DERVOGILLA,DEARBHORGAILL,
DORREN/DOIREANN,DUNLA/DUNLAITH,DUVESSA/DUIBHEASA
,DYMPHNA/DAMHNAIR,EAVAN/AOIBHINN,EILIS,EITHNE,ELAN,ELVA/AILBHE,EMER/EIMHEAR,
ENAT/AODHNAIT,ETAIN,ETHNA,EVEGREN/AOIBHGREINE,EVLIN/EIBHLEANN,FIANCHE
FARVILA/FIONNUIR,FIDELMA,FINN,FINOLA/FIONNUALA,FLANN,FLANNAIT
GOBNAIT,GORMLAITH/GORMLEY,GRANIA/GRAINNE,
HODIERNA,ISEULT,ITA,KEAVY/CAOIMHE
KEENAT/CIANNAIT.KELLY/CEALLACH.LASRINA/LASAIRIONA,MACHA,MAEVE/MEADHBH,
MAILLE,MAILSE,MAIRONA,MAITI,MARGO,MEALLA,MEEDA,MOINA,MOIRA,
MONA,MOR,MOREEN/MOIRIN,MORNA,MORRIN,MUGAION,MUIREANN,MYRNA/MUIRNE
NARVLA/NARBHLA,NESS,NIAMH,NUALA,ORLA,
ORNA,PHIALA,RENNY,RIONA,RONAIT,SAMHAOIR
SAORLA,SARAID,SCOTA,SINE/SHEENA,SIVE,
SLANY/SLAINE,SORCHA,TAILTE,TALULLA/TUILELAITH,
TARA/TEAMHAIR,TEFFIA/TEAFA,TUATHLA,UNA.
List #2 source web site: http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_CLASS/Irish/MacDatho/PN.html
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
The references are to English translations where possible, but in many of
the sagas the text will be found printed
on the opposite page. References to the T‡in B— Cœalnge are to Dunn's
translation, The Ancient Irish Epic Tale,
'T‡in B— Cœalnge,' London, 1914. Reference is made to many of the stories
mentioned in this index in the list of
principal stories (pr’mscŽla) which are said to make up the repertoire of
a file. This list occurs on fo. 151a of the
Book of Leinster and is printed by O'Curry in Appendix LXXXIX (p. 584 ff )
of his Lectures on the MS
Materials of Ancient Irish History (Dublin, 1878) References to all the
heroes mentioned below will be found in
Thurneysen, Die irische Helden- und Kšnigsage (Halle, 1921).
Ailbe 'fair woman,' the name of Mac Dath—'s hound; common also in
place-names. For the finding of Ailbe and
its presentation to Mac Dath— see the "Death of Celtchair mac Uthechair"
transl. by K. Meyer in Royal Ir. Acad.,
Todd Lecture Series, vol. XIV, p. 24 f.
Ailill etc.; gen. Ail[il]la; dat. Ailill. King of Connaught, husband of
Medb; a contemporary of Conchobar mac
Nessa of Ulster und Cur—i mac D‡ri of West Munster. His rath was at
Cruachan Ai in modern Co. Roscommon. It
was in his reign that the T‡in B— Cœalnge took place. English transl. by
J. Dunn (Nutt, London, 1914); L. W.
Faraday, Cattle-Raid of Cualnge (London, 1904).
Anlœan, one of the Connaught heroes. It is stated that in the Book of
Druim Snechta, a lost MS believed to date
from the first half of the 8th century, after the death of Cormac
Conloinges at Da Choca's hostel Anl—n, s—n of
Doiche, son of Maga, took his head to Athlone. See "Da Choca's Hostel,"
transl. Stokes, Revue Celtique, vol.
XXI, p. 391. Cf. however Thurneysen Die irische Helden- und Kšnigsage, p.
16 note.
çth Luain, the modern equivalent is Athlone, on the borders of Co.
Roscommon and West Meath.
çth macLugnai: i.e. "Ford of the son of Lœghna" at Clonsast, King's County
(Hogan), on the N.E. branch of
the Gabhal-- an inference derived no doubt from its position in relation
to the other places on Ailbe's route. This
ford is also mentioned in a poem by Dubhthach Ua Lugair in praise of
Crimthann, a king of Leinster in the fifth
century. See O'Curry, "MS Materials," pp. 5, 486.
çth Midbine is mentioned in the story of the Great Battle of Mag
Muirthemne. Cf. Thurneysen, Irische Helden-
und Kšnigsage, p. 556.
Belach Mugna, modern Bellaghmoon in the south of Co. Kildare.
Bile, i m-Biliu. The name occurs in the form a Feraib Bili in Rawl. B.
512. Meyer identifies with the barony of
Farbill, Co. West Meath.
Blai briugu, mentioned in the poem on the hostels of Ireland. Cf. p. 5
above. The adventures of Celtchair mac
Uthechair in his hostel and the subsequent death of Blai are related in
"The Death of Celtchar mac Uthechair," in
"The Death-Tales of Ulster Heroes," transl. Meyer, R.I.A. Todd Lecture
Series, vol. XIV, p. 25 ff. Reference is
probably made to some version of this tale in the "Tragical Death of Bla
Briugad" mentioned in the list of principal
stories (pr’mscŽla) in the Book of Leinster, fo. 151a (see O'Curry, MS
Materials of Ancient Irish History, p. 588
f.). Many of the other stories referred to in this appendix are mentioned
in the same list.
Brefne, Co. Leitrim and Co. Cavan cf. Mac Dareo.
Bricriu mac Carbaid, surnamed Nemthenga 'poison tongue.' He frequently
appears in the Irish Sagas as a
mischief maker, and inciter to combat. See especially Bricriu's Feast, ed.
with transl. by G. Henderson (Irish Text
Soc. 1899); T‡in B— Cœalnge (transl. Dunn), p. 169.
Cell Dara, modern Co. Kildare.
Celtchair mac Uth[echair], an Ulster hero. Cf the T‡in B— Cœalnge, p. 328.
He figures as the owner of a
magic spear in Da Derga's Hostel. The saga of his death is transl. by
Meyer in "The Death-Tales of Ulster
Heroes," R.I.A. Todd Lecture Series vol. XIV, p. 24 f., where he is said
to have died from the touch of the blood
of his dog D—elchœ.
Cet mac Matach pass. a hero in the following of Ailill and Medb, though of
Munster family. The saga of his
death in single combat with Conall Cernach is translated by Meyer in "The
Death-Tales of Ulster Heroes," R.I.A.
Todd Lecture Series, vol. XIV p. 36 ff.
Conalaid. Unidentified, cf. note s.v. Can the Luachair here referred to be
Slieve Logher, a mountain range
dividing Limerick from Kerry and extending into Cork?
Conall Cernach, the greatest of the Ulster heroes of the older generation.
He is frequently spoken of as being
absent on long journeys and arriving home at the critical juncture as here
and also in "The Fate of the Children of
Uisneach" (cf. s.v. Conchobar). Cf. T‡in B— Cœalnge, p. 336 f. The saga of
his death is transl. by Meyer, loc.
cit.
Conchobar mac Nessa, King of Ulster, and son of Cathbad the Druid. His
seat was the Craob Ruad (the
modern farm of Creeveroe), the House of the Red Branch at Emain Macha. He
was ruling in Ulster when Ailill
and Medb led the T‡in B— Cœalnge against him. He had previously displaced
Fergus mac Roich from the
kingship. Cf s.v. Ailill, Medb. The story of his birth is translated by K.
Meyer in the Revue Celtique, vol. VI, p.
173 ff., and the R.I.A. Todd Lecture Series vol. XIV, p. 1 ff.
respectively. For his death see E. Hull, Cuchullin
Saga, p. 267 ff.; O'Curry, MS Materials etc. Appendix CXVI, p. 637 ff.,
cf. further Stokes, ƒriu, vol. IV, p. 18
ff.
Conganchness mac Dedad. Uncle of Cœr—i mac D‡ri. For an account of his
death see K. Meyer, "Death
Tales," p. 27. The Clanna Dedad was situated in the neighbourhood of
Slieve Luachra. Cœr—i mac D‡ri was at
their head with his stronghold at Tara Luachra. They are a heroic clan
analogous to the Clanna Rudhraige of Ulster
under Conchobar mac Nessa.
Connacht (Connaught), one of the five chief provinces (fifths) of Ireland.
Cf. Lagin. The seat of the rulers,
Ailill and Medb, was at Cruachan Ai. Cf. Ailill. The form of the pl. gen.
is Connacht, dat. do Chonnacht[aib];
acc. Connachta.
Crimthann nia N‡ir. In the Annals he appears as son of Lugaid Riab n-Derg,
the friend of Cuchulainn. He is
said to have married a supernatural being called N‡r. A romantic account
of him is given in the Annals of the Four
Masters (ed. O'Donovan, Dublin, 1856), vol. I, p. 93. The years of his
reign are given as 8 B.C. to A.D. 8. Cf.
also Keating, History (I.T.S., vol. II, p. 235). It is evident from the
gnomic character of his utterance in our
passage that he was regarded as a sage, at least in after times.
Cruachan, Rath Cruachain, now Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon, the royal seat
of Ailill and Medb. See Annals
of the Four Masters, s.a. 1223. It is commonly referred to in the sagas as
Cruachan Ai, a word of uncertain
origin.
Cruachnaib Conalad. Cf. note s.v.
Cruachniu mac Rœadluim. Cf. note s .v.
Cualu in gen. Cualand, the south of the modern Co. Dublin and north of Co.
Wicklow.
Cœr—i mac D‡ri, a king of the Clanna Dedad in West Munster, husband of
Bl‡thnat of the Isle of Man. She was
in love with Cuchulainn and helped him to slay Cœr—i and was herself slain
by Ferchertne, Cœr—i's faithful poet, in
revenge for his master. His story is narrated in outline by Keating,
History (I.T.S.), vol. II, p. 223 f. Cf. also
"Eulogy of Cœr—i " in ƒriu, vol II, part I, p. 1 ff.; "The Tragic Death of
Cœr—i," ib p. 18ff; "Brinna Ferchertne" in
Zeitschrift fŸr celtishe Philologie, vol. III, p. 41 ff. Cf. also "The
Intoxication of the Ultonians," transl. Hennessy
in Royal Ir. Acad., Todd Lecture Series, vol. I, part I.
Cœscraid mend Macha, a son of Conchobar mac Nessa, fostered by Conall
Cernach; mentioned in
Conchobar's suite in Bricriu's Feast, ch. 12. Cf. also the "Siege of
Howth," Rev. Celt. vol. VIII, p. 61; T‡in B—
Cœalnge, p. 319.
Da Choca, a smith and the owner of the hostel in Sliab Malonn in East
Connaught in which Cormac Conlonges
and his suite were attacked by the men of Connaught as they journeyed from
Cruachan Ai to Emain Macha to
Cormac's coronation. Da Choca was also himself slain in the attack. See
the story of the "Hostel of Da Choca"
transl. Stokes, Revue Celtique, vol. XXI.
Da Derga, the owner of the bruden in Co. Dubiin in which Conaire M—r, the
son of EtarscŽl, was destroyed by
IngcŽl, an outlawed prince from Britain, and a band of Irish outlaws. Cf.
the Annals of Tigernach (Revue
Celtique, XVI, p. 406), Keating, vol. II, p. 232. His saga is transl. by
Stokes, Revue Celtique XXII. See further
ƒriu, vol. III, part I, p. 36 ff.
Drochet Cairpre 20, Drehid, near Carbery, Co. Kildare (Hogan).
Druim Da Maige, 'Hill of the two plains.' O'Donovan identifies this with
Drumcaw in the barony of
Coolestown, King's Co.; Hogan places near and s. of Co. Kildare. (See
Annals of the Four Masters, s.a. 1556 p.
1543, note m.)
EchbŽl mac Dedad. Cf. T‡in B— Cœalnge, p. 329, where ErrgŽ EchbŽl is among
the Ulster heroes described by
Fergus to Ailill. Cf also Bricriu's Feast, ch. XII.
Emain Macha. Cf. Conchobar, Ulad; a large rath, now known as Navan Fort,
about three miles north-west of
the modern Armagh. See the "Death of the Sons of Uisneach," transl.
Stokes, in Irische Texte, 2nd series (ed.
Windisch, Leipzig, 1887) and the 17th C. text published by the Society for
the Preservation of the Irish Language,
Dublin, 1914. See the description and plan of the rath by H. d'Arbois de
Jubainville in the Revue Celtique, vo1.
XVI, p. 1 ff.
Eogan mac Durthacht, one of the Ulster heroes. Cf. T‡in B— Cœalnge, p.
320. He it was who slew the sons of
Uisneach. See Oided mac nUisnig (Windisch, Ir. Texte 2 Ser.). See also
Bricriu's Feast, chs. 3, 4.
ƒriu, 'Ireland'; gen. na hErend, Erend, h-Erenn, dat. i n-hErind.
Falmag Meyer and Thurneysen regard this as a poetic name for Ireland, i.e.
the plain of F‡l (cf. Inis F‡il, Falga,
and cf. Henderson's ed. of Bricriu's Feast, p. 142). Cf. however note s.v.
Fergus mac LŽte, king in South Ulster shortly before the time of
Conchobar, according to most authorities. The
home of his family is traditionally assigned to Dun Rury, Dundrum Castle,
Co. Down, though he himself is
generally associated with Emain Macha. His saga is translated by O'Grady
in Silva Gadelica, vol. II, p. 262 ff.,
where his encounter with a sea-monster is related at length. He also plays
a part as contemporary king in the
"Martial Career of Conghal Cl‡iringhneach," transl. Mac Sweeney, Irish
Texts Soc. His sword, known as the
Calad Colg, became an heirloom. Cf. Ferloga below.
Fergus, i.e. Fergus Mac Roich, King of Ulster, dethroned by Concbobar mac
Nessa. After the death of the sons
of Uisneach who were under his safe-conduct, he left Conchobar's court and
spent the rest of his life at the court
of Ailill and Medb at Cruachan. I am not clear on which side he is
represented as fighting here, and his sympathies
are always divided between Ulster and Connaught, though ostensibly on the
side of the latter. He plays an
important part in the T‡in B— Cœalnge.
Ferloga, Ailill's charioteer and armourbearer. His name occurs also
towards the close of the T‡in B— Cœalnge
(cf. Dunn's transl. p. 352 f.) where he is represented as having charge of
Calad Colg, Ailill's sword, which had
belonged to Fergus mac LŽte.
Fernmag, Farney, in S. Monaghan. The name occurs in the T‡in B— Cœalnge,
p. 320, where 'the stout-handed
Fermag' (so MSS Stowe and H. 1,13) is located in the north. See also
Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1001.
Fid i-Gaible, Feegile in the parish of Clonsast, W. of Rathangan, King's
Co. (Hogan). O'Curry refers to the
fork of the two rivers which met near Clonsast.
Forgall Manach, the father of ƒmer, Cuchulainn's wife. See the "Wooing of
Cuchullin" in E. Hull's Cuchullin
Saga. His rath was at Lusk in Co. Dublin. He is referred to in a poem on
the hostels of Ireland. Cf. p. 5 above.
See also "Bricriu's Feast," chs. 3, 4 etc.
Lagin (Leinster), 'the men of Leinster,' 'the province of Leinster,' one
of the five chief divisions (fifths) of
Ireland, the other four being Ulster, Connaught, Munster, and Meath, where
the ‡rd-r’ or high-king ruled at Tara,
at least in later times. Mac Dath—'s court is thought to have been in the
south of the present Co. Carlow. The form
is pl., gen. Laigen, dat. Laignib, acc. Lagniu, Laigniu.
Loegaire, probably Loegaire Buadach, one of the Ulster heroes. Cf. T‡in B—
Cœalnge, p. 321. In Bricriu's Feast
and the Courtship of ƒmer he is associated closely with Cuchulainn and
Conall Cernach. The saga of his death is
translated by Meyer, "Death-Tales of Ulster Heroes," R.I.A. Todd Lecture
Series, p. 22 ff.
Loth m—r mac Fergusa maic LŽti. I do not know who this can be unless he is
the father of Cœr mac D‡ L—t
who was slain by Cuchulainn in the T‡in B— Cœalnge. See Windisch's ed. p. 288.
Luachair Dedad. Cf. note s.v. The Clan Dedad belonged to Munster. For
Luachra cf. s.v. Conalaid, and s.v.
Conganchness mac Dedad.
Lugaid mac Conrœi, i.e. Lugaid, son of Cœr—i mac D‡ri, a king in Munster.
Mac Dareo, the keeper of the bruden in which the Aithech Thuatha or
'servile tribes' of Ireland massacred the
three kings of the free tribes while they were feasting. The servile
tribes had as their chief Cairbre, Cat-head, who
is identified in this version with Mac Dareo himself, and who ruled
Ireland after the massacre. The hostel was said
to be situated in Brefne in Co. Leitrim, Connaught. Cf. a translation of
the story by E. MacNeill, in the New
Ireland Review, vol. XXVI, p. 99 f.; Keating, History of Ireland, vol. II,
p. 238f.
Mac Dath— (? 'son of two mutes'), identified with Mesroeda in ch. 3, v. 9.
His brother was Mesgegra, King of
Leinster (see the "Siege of Howth" transl. Stokes, Revue Celtique, vol.
VIII, p. 53). Cf. the passage from the
Rennes Dindsenchas referred to on p. 5 above. The court of Mac Dath— was
thought by O'Curry to have been
situated in the southern extremity of the present Co. Carlow. He possessed
one of the chief hostels of Ireland.
Mastiu, now Mullach Maisten or Mullaghmast, Co. Kildare.
Medb (Maeve). Queen of Connacht, wife of Ailill and the most prominent
woman in the Irish Sagas. She led
the T‡in B— Cœalnge against Ulster. Many stories relate to various
episodes in her life. We may mention among
others Bricriu's Feast (ed. and transl. Henderson, I.T.S.) "Battle of
Rosnaree" (ed. and transl. K. Meyer, R.I.A.
Todd Lecture Series, vol. IV); T‡in B— Fraich (transl. Leahy); Mesca Ulad
(ed. and transl. Hennessy, R.I.A.
Todd Lecture Series, vol. I). An account of her death is given in Aided
Medba Crœachan (transl. K. Meyer, Celtic
Magazine, March 1887, p. 212).
Mend mac Salcholc‡n, one of the Ulster heroes identified by Fergus to
Ailill and Medb in the T‡in, p. 330.
Mide (Meath), the smallest of the five chief divisions (fifths) (cf.
Lagin), situated between Uladh and Lagin,
with its chief r‡th at Tara, ruled over by the ‡rd-r’. Meath came into
existence later than the other four provinces. It
does not exist as a territorial unit in the T‡in B— Cœalnge which only
recognises four kingdoms. The foundation of
Meath is ascribed to Tuathal Techtmar in Irish history.
Munremor mac Gergind, one of the heroes of the Ulster army, who is
described by Mac Roth to Ailill and
Medb in the T‡in B— Cœalnge, p. 321.
Oengus mac L‡ma G‡baid. An Ulster hero who plays a part in the T‡in B—
Cœalnge and other sagas.
R‡ith Imgain, modern Rathangan, Co. Kildare.
R—irin, R—irin, Reerin or Reelion, a hill in Co. Kildare.
Senlaech Arad. Cf. note s.v.
Temair Lochra, i.e. Tara-Luachra probably in Sliabh-Luachra, somewhere in
S.W. Ireland in the
neighbourhood of Co. Kerry. Cf. Hennessy's introduction to Mesca Ulad, p.
V (R.I.A. Todd Lecture Series, vol.
I, part I).
Ulaid (Ulster), one of the five chief divisions (fifths) of Ireland. Cf.
Laigin, Conchobar. The Ulster stories of
the Heroic Age relate only to a small portion (the south-eastern) of the
Ulster of today. On the other hand the
Ulster with which they deal stretches further south along the east coast.
The form is pl.; gen. Ulad, dat. Ultaib,
acc. na hUltu, voc. a Ulto.
From: mittle at panix.com (Arval d'Espas Nord)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Irish Names?
Date: 18 Feb 1997 17:20:50 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC
Greetings from Arval! Temair Lochra suggested:
Books:
> _Ainmean Chloinne_, Peadar Morgan. Available from Gaelic books council
Not a great book for Society purposes. It does not distinguish which names
are medieval and which are modern. Remember that not all Gaelic names are
medieval. Note as well that this is a collection of _Scots Gaelic_ names,
not Irish names. The two languages have much in common, but they are not
identical.
> Linda Rosenkranz & Pamela Redmond Satran _Beyond Shannon and Sea/n_ (St.
> Martin's Press 1992)
> Neeson _The Book of Irish
> Saints_ (Mercier 1967)
> Muiris O/ Droighnea/in _An Sloinnteoir Gaeilge agus an tAinmnitheoir_
> (Coisce/im 1991)
These books I don't know. If you want to use them, check first if they
give _dates_ for the usage of names, if they distinguish modern imports
from medieval names, etc.
> Donncha O/ Corra/in & Fidelma Maguire _Irish Names_ (Lilliput 1990) Eoin
Excellent book, the best available.
Websites:
> http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bj333/HomePage.boys.html
This list should not be used for Society purposes: Although some of the
names are correct, medieval names, many of them are not medieval and it
provides no guide to which names are medieval and which are not. Other
names on this list are the names of divine or non-human characters in
literature, which were not used by real people.
> List #2 source web site: http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_CLASS/Irish/MacDatho/PN.html
This is a much better list, since it gives the source for every name on the
list. Used with care, this is not a bad source for Society names. Be
careful to avoid the names of divine or super-human characters; those were
generally not used by real people. And make sure you check the explanation
before taking one of these names: Many of them are names of places, things,
or animals rather than names of people.
If you can get a copy of O'Corrain and Maguire (cited above), it is very
much better & lists lots more names.
Another excellent source is Mistress Tangwystyl's article on 12th century
Irish names, which can be found from my names web site
http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names.
===========================================================================
Arval d'Espas Nord mittle at panix.com
From: aeosraptor at aol.com (Aeosraptor)
Newsgroups: alt.heraldry.sca
Subject: Irish names help
Date: 16 Mar 1997 00:48:13 GMT
Good Gentle
goto www.sca.org and look under Heraldry. You will find a list
of names and books. for the Irish. The list and reference should be
useable for authenticating your name.
Bjorn Egillson
M.K.A. Mike Bryant
Aeosraptor at aol.com
From: scott at math.csuohio.edu (BrianScott)
Newsgroups: alt.heraldry.sca
Subject: Re: Researching Name for Personna
Date: 15 Mar 1997 19:12:45 GMT
Brian <flatley1 at aol.com> asked:
I humbly ask for the names of a few books that I can use to research (and
use for registering) an Irish name. I've seen mention of an Oxford
Dictionary, but I didn't copy the name (silly me). What are some others
that I could use? Thanks.
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, by Withycombe,
wouldn't help much in developing an Irish name in any case. You'll
need to make a couple of decisions fairly early: do you want an early
Irish name, a mediaeval Irish name, or a late-period Irish name? And
do you want it actually to be written in Irish, or do you want the sort
of version that might have appeared in an English or Latin record?
Most Irish names in period consist of a given name and a patronymic.
In addition to (or instead of) the patronymic there may be a simple
physically descriptive byname, an Irish equivalent of terms like 'red' or
'fair'. There seem to be few examples of names with elements
corresponding to the familiar 'de <place-name>' of mediaeval
English records.
The best source for Irish given names is _Irish Names_, by Donnchadh
O/ Corra/in & Fidelma Maguire, ISBN O 946640 66 1. (The slash
indicates an acute accent over the previous vowel.) It's arranged in
dictionary fashion according to the early Irish spellings of the names;
later spellings are also given. (Those to the right of the colon are
modern, though the first of them will in general be compatible with
late-period spelling conventions.) By picking two of these, one for
you and one for your 'father', you can almost form a good Irish name.
The only problem is that after 'mac' the father's name has to be put
into the genitive case, so that for example Duba/n the son of A/ed is
Duba/n mac A/eda (or in modern spelling Dubha/n mac Aodha or
even Dubha/n mac Aoidh). Similarly, Domnall the son of Brian is
Domnall mac Briain (now Domhnall mac Briain). In general it takes
some familiarity with Irish grammar to make this small adjustment.
A good source for Irish surnames of the type common today (and
in the later part of our period) is Patrick Woulfe, _Irish Names and
Surnames_, ISBN 0-8063-0381-6. The spellings are modern (and
in general quite suitable for late-period use), and the italicized
English versions were actually found in documents from the late
16th and early 17th c., so they show how the names were rendered
in English.
Avoid the readily available _Book of Irish Names_ by Coghlan et al.;
it's virtually useless for SCA purposes and is not considered acceptable
as documentation.
If you have further questions, feel free to get in touch with me at
the address given below.
Talan Gwynek
<the end>