Conall Cernach

Last updated

Conall Cernach (modern spelling: Conall Cearnach) is a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He had a crooked neck and is said to have always slept with the head of a Connachtman under his knee. His epithet is normally translated as "victorious" or "triumphant", although it is an obscure word, and some texts struggle to explain it. Alternative meanings include "angular, having corners", "swollen", or "possessing a dish or receptacle". [1] The original form of the name "Conall" in Ogham inscriptions was Cunavalas. [2]

Contents

Legendary biography

Physical description

In the destruction of Da Derga's Hostel, Conall Cernach is described as follows:

"I saw a man there in an ornamented dining compartment, who was the fairest of the warriors of Ireland. A fleecy crimson cloak about him. As white as the snow one of the cheeks on him, as freckled-red as the foxglove the other cheek. One of his two eyes is as blue as a hyacinth, as black as a beetle’s back the other eye. The measure of a reaping basket his bushy tree (of) fair, very blond (hair) that is on him. It strikes the edge of his two hips. It is as fleecy as a tufted ram. Though a sack of bountiful (?) red nuts were poured out over the top of his head, not a nut of them would fall to the ground. A goldhilted sword in his hand. A blood-red shield, dotted with rivets of white metal (tincopper alloy) between plates of gold. A long, three-ridged spear, as thick as an outer yoke (of a miller’s team?) the shaft that is on it." [3]

Birth

He was born c. 50 BC. His father was Amairgin mac Echit and his mother was Findchoem. His parents' marriage was barren, until Findchoem visited a druid and was advised to drink from a certain well. She took a drink from the well, swallowing a worm with it, and became pregnant. Findchoem's brother Cet mac Mágach, a Connachtman, protected his sister until she gave birth to a son, Conall. Druids came to initiate the child into their religion, and prophesied that he would kill more than half of the men of Connacht, and that he would always have a Connachtman's head on his belt. Cet took the child, put him under his heel and tried to break his neck, but only damaged it, leaving his nephew with a crooked neck. [4]

Mac Da Thó's Pig

Conall would have a fierce rivalry with his uncle for the rest of his life. He shamed Cet at a feast at the house of Mac Dá Thó, a hospitaller of Leinster, when the warriors of Connacht and Ulster competed for the champion's portion by boasting of their deeds. Cet reminded all comers how he had bested them in combat, including emasculating Celtchar with his spear. However, just as Cet was about to carve, Conall arrived, and his boasts topped even Cet's. Cet admitted defeat, but claimed that if his brother Anlúan were present, his feats would top even Conall's. Conall responded by tossing him Anlúan's freshly severed head. [5]

Bricriu's Feast

He also competed for the champion's portion at a feast held by the troublemaker Bricriu, albeit with less success. Bricriu went in turn to Conall, Lóegaire Búadach and Cúchulainn, and promised each of them the champion's portion. When the feast started each of the three warriors' charioteers stood up and claimed the champion's portion for his master. A fight broke out between Conall, Láegare and Cúchulainn, until King Conchobar, Fergus and Sencha intervened to separate them. Meanwhile, Bricriu went to each of the three heroes' wives - Conall's wife Lendabair, Lóegaire's wife Fedelm, and Cúchulainn's wife Emer - and promised them precedence at the feast, and when the women approached, Conall, Lóegaire and Cúchulainn were almost set to violence again. Emer was the first to enter, as Cúchulainn lifted the side of the house up to let her in, tipping Bricriu into a ditch. The Ulstermen asked first Ailill and Medb, king and queen of Connacht, then Cú Roí, king of Munster, to adjudicate the dispute. In every test set, Cúchulainn came out on top, but neither Conall nor Lóegaire would accept the result. Finally, a hideous, giant churl, carrying a huge axe, appeared at Emain Macha. He challenged each of the three heroes to cut off his head, and then allow him to return the next day to cut off the hero's head. Lóegaire accepted the challenge and cut off the churl's head, and the churl picked up his head and left. He returned the next day, but Lóegaire was nowhere to be seen. Conall was the next to take up the challenge, but he too did not fulfil his side of the bargain. Finally Cúchulainn cut off the churl's head, and submitted himself to the churl's axe the following day as promised. The churl spared him, revealed himself as Cú Roí, and declared that Cúchulainn should have the champion's portion undisputed at any feast held by the Ulstermen. [6]

Fráech's Cattle Raid

He helped the Connacht hero Fráech recover his abducted wife and sons and stolen cattle. They tracked them to Alba (Scotland), southwards through Britain, across the English Channel, through Lombardy, to the Alps, where they met an Irish girl herding sheep. She told them the land was ruled by warriors who stole cattle from far and near, and had recently brought back Fráech's cattle and family. She advised them to go to the woman who tended the cows, who warned them that the fort where Fráech's wife was kept was guarded by a serpent, but promised to leave the gate open for them. When they attacked the fort, the serpent leaped into Conall's belt, and did him no harm. They liberated Fráech's family, took all the cattle and treasure, and went back to Ireland the way they came. [7]

The Battle of Howth

He fought Mes Gedra, king of Leinster, in single combat following a battle provoked by the Ulster poet Athirne. Mes Gedra had lost a hand in an earlier fight, so Conall fought him with one hand tucked into his belt. He won, taking his opponent's head as a trophy. When he put Mes Gedra's head on his shoulder, it straightened his neck. Conall's charioteer couldn't carry the head, so he cut out the brain and preserved it by mixing it with lime. [8] The calcified brain was later stolen by Cet and used to kill Conchobar mac Nessa. [9]

The death of Cúchulainn

Conall and Cúchulainn had sworn to each other that whoever was killed first, the other would avenge him before nightfall. When Lugaid mac Con Roí and Erc mac Cairpri killed Cúchulainn, Conall pursued them. Lugaid had also lost a hand, and Conall again fought one-handed, but this time he only won when his horse Deirg nDruchtaig (Dewy or Dripping Red) took a bite out of Lugaid's side. He took both their heads, and when he took Erc's head back to Tara his sister, Achall, died of grief. [10]

Final showdown with Cet

Conall pursued Cet after he had made a raid on Ulster, killing twenty-seven men and taking their heads. It had snowed, so he was able to follow his trail. He caught up with him, but was reluctant to face him until his charioteer chided him for cowardice. They met at a ford, and Conall killed Cet in a ferocious combat that left Conall near to death himself. He was found by Bélchú of Breifne, a Connachtman, who took him home, tended to his wounds, and planned to fight him when he was fit. But Bélchú soon regretted his honourable behaviour and asked his three sons to kill Conall as he lay in his sickbed. Conall overheard and forced Bélchú to take his place in the bed, and when his sons arrived they killed him instead. Conall then killed the three of them and took all four heads home. [11]

Later years

After Conchobor and his son, Cormac Cond Longas, had been killed, Conall was offered the kingship of Ulster, but he refused it, putting forward instead his foster-son, Conchobar's younger son Cúscraid, who was proclaimed king. [12] In his declining years he contracted leprosy and went to stay with Ailill and Medb of Connacht, who were best placed to look after him, since they had the resources to satisfy his enormous appetite. Ailill was seeing another woman behind Medb's back, so Medb incited Conall to kill Ailill, something he was happy to do as Ailill had killed Fergus mac Róich. Ailill was killed on 1 May, Lá Bealtaine, which was on a Tuesday. [13] Conall fled, but the men of Connacht pursued and killed him at a ford on the following Monday, 7 May. [14] Both oral tradition and old textual sources place this at the town of Ballyconnell, County Cavan. [15] [16]

Family and Genealogy

Conall's wife was Lendabair, daughter of Eogain mac Durthacht. He also had other wives, including 1. Aifi, daughter of Bélcu Bréifne whom Conall had slain; 2. Niamh, daughter of Cealtair; 3. Feibe, daughter of Concubur and her son by Conall was Fiaca Fir Feibe; 4. Fedelm Noíchrothach, daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa. She was also the wife of Cairbre Nia Fer, whom she left to go to Conall; 5. Londcaidhe, daughter of Eatach Eachbeoil. Her son by Conall was Irial Glunmar. Unusually for a character from the Ulster Cycle, Conall appears in medieval Irish genealogies as the ancestor of the kings of the Dál nAraidi [17] and the Uí Echach Cobo. [18] The legendary High King Mal mac Rochride was also said to be descended from him. [19]

Modern Irish Folklore

In modern Irish folklore Conall is also an occurring character. Within it he has been conflated with and is told to be a member of the Fianna. One story recounts a tale about how Conall was present at and witnessed the Crucifixion of Jesus. [20]

Related Research Articles

Conchobarmac Nessa is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha. He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories his father is the druid Cathbad, and he is usually known by his matronymic, mac Nessa: his mother is Ness, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide, King of Ulster.

Cú Roí mac Dáire 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 "hound of the plain/field", or more specifically, "hound of the battlefield". He is the son of Dáire mac Dedad, and thus belongs to the Clanna Dedad. However, T. F. O'Rahilly believed this to be artificial, stating that "Cú Roí and Dáire are ultimately one and the same".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cú Chulainn</span> Irish mythological hero

Cú Chulainn, is an Irish warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the mortal Deichtine, sister of king Conchobar mac Nessa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fergus mac Róich</span> Character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology

Fergus mac Róich is an Irish hero and a character in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Formerly the king of Ulster, he is tricked out of the kingship and betrayed by Conchobar mac Nessa, becomes the ally and lover of Conchobar's enemy, queen Medb of Connacht, and joins her expedition against Ulster in the Táin Bó Cúailnge. Fergus is described as being of huge size and sexual potency. This leads him into many a precarious situation as in the story of the Táin Bó Flidhais.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medb</span> Legendary Irish queen

Medb, later spelled Meadhbh, Méabh(a) and Méibh, and often anglicised as Maeve, is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had several husbands before him who were also kings of Connacht. She rules from Cruachan. She is the enemy of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, and is best known for starting the Táin Bó Cúailnge to steal Ulster's prize stud bull Donn Cúailnge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ailill mac Máta</span>

Ailill mac Máta is the king of the Connachta and the husband of queen Medb in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Cruachan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Cycle</span> Grouping of Irish myths

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, Down and Louth. It focuses on the mythical Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa and his court at Emain Macha, the hero Cú Chulainn, and their conflict with the Connachta and queen Medb. The longest and most important tale is the epic Táin Bó Cúailnge. The Ulster Cycle is one of the four 'cycles' of Irish mythology and legend, along with the Mythological Cycle, the Fianna Cycle and the Kings' Cycle.

Bricriu is a hospitaller (briugu), troublemaker and poet in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

Cairbre Nia Fer, son of Rus Ruad, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a King of Tara from the Laigin.

Cet mac Mágach is a Connacht warrior in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. He had a rivalry with the Ulster warrior Conall Cernach.

Fráech is a Connacht hero in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the nephew of Boann, goddess of the river Boyne, and son of Idath of the men of Connaught and Bébinn, and is renowned for his handsomeness and exploits. He belongs to the Fir Domnann.

In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, Lóegaire Búadach is a hapless Ulster warrior who mainly functions as comic relief. When he, Cúchulainn and Conall Cernach contend for the champion's portion at Briccriu's feast, Lóegaire is always a distant third. He lived at Inber Seimne.

In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, Lugaid mac Con Roí was the son of Cú Roí mac Dáire. He was also known as Lugaid mac Trí Con.

Findabair or Finnabair was a daughter of Ailill and Queen Medb of Connacht in Irish mythology. The meaning of the name is "white phantom". The Dindsenchas also mention a Findabair who is the daughter of Lugaid Laigde.

Cúscraid known by the epithet Mend Macha, is a son of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

The Táin Bó, or cattle raid, is one of the genres of early Irish literature. The medieval Irish literati organised their work into genres such as the Cattle Raid, adventure (Echtra), the Voyage (Imram), the Feast, the Wooing (Tochmarc), the Conception (Compert) and the Death (Aided), rather than the familiar but relatively modern division into cycles.

Fled Bricrenn is a story from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Bricriu, an inveterate troublemaker, invites the nobles of the Ulaid to a feast at his new bruiden at Dún Rudraige, where he incites three heroes, Cúchulainn, Conall Cernach, and Lóegaire Búadach, to compete for the "champion's portion" of the feast. The three heroes perform several feats, and travel to Connacht to be judged by Ailill and Medb, and to Munster to be judged by Cú Roí; on each occasion, Cúchulainn is proclaimed champion, but the other two refuse to accept. Eventually, back at Emain Macha, the three heroes are each challenged by a giant churl to cut off his head, on the condition that they allow him to cut off their heads in return. First Lóegaire, then Conall, takes up the challenge and cuts off the churl's head, only for him to pick it up and leave, but when the churl returns the following night they are nowhere to be seen. Only Cúchulainn lives up to his side of the bargain. The churl spares his life, reveals himself to be Cú Roí in disguise, and announces that Cúchulainn's bravery and honour make him an undisputed champion.

The Curadmír, modern Curadhmhír was an ancient custom referred to in early Irish literature, whereby the warrior acknowledged as the bravest present at a feast was given precedence and awarded the choicest cut of meat. This was often disputed violently. The custom appears most often in the legends of the Ulster Cycle. It is parallelled by historical customs of the ancient Celts of continental Europe, as recorded by classical writers.

Mac Cécht is the patronymic or cognomen given to one or two warrior champions from Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature. The personages may be identifical or may have been conflated at some stage, although the connection is nowhere made explicit and different fathers are ascribed to them in the tales.

References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of the Irish Language , Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, p. 109
  2. ↑ O'Brien, Kathleen M. "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Conall". Index of Names in Irish Annals. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ Whitley Stokes (ed. & trans.), "Cóir Anmann", Irische Texte series 3 vol. 2, 1897, p. 393-395
  5. ↑ N. Kershaw Chadwick (ed. & trans.), "The Story of Mac Dathó's Pig", An Early Irish Reader, Cambridge University Press, 1927
  6. ↑ Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (eds.), "Bricriu's Feast", Ancient Irish Tales, Henry Holt & Company, 1936, pp. 254-280
  7. ↑ A. H. Leahy (ed. & trans), "The Cattle Raid of Fraech" Archived 2013-12-30 at the Wayback Machine , Heroic Romances of Ireland vol. II, David Nutt, 1906.
  8. ↑ Whitley Stokes, "The Siege of Howth", Revue Celtique 8, 1871, pp. 47-63
  9. ↑ Kuno Meyer (ed. & trans.), "The Death of Conchobar" Archived 2013-12-26 at the Wayback Machine , The Death-Tales of the Ulster Heroes, Todd Lecture Series, 1906
  10. ↑ Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (eds.), "The Death of Cu Chulainn" Archived 2013-11-29 at the Wayback Machine , Ancient Irish Tales, Henry Holt & Company, 1936, pp. 333-340
  11. ↑ Kuno Meyer (ed. & trans), "The Death of Cet mac Mágach" Archived 2013-12-26 at the Wayback Machine , The Death-Tales of the Ulster Heroes, Todd Lecture Series, 1906
  12. ↑ R.I. Best, "The Battle of Airtech", Ériu 8, 1916, pp. 170-190
  13. ↑ 'Flannacán mac Cellaig rí Breg hoc carmen. His poem on the death of some Irish heroes', by Kathleen Mulchrone, in "Journal of Celtic Studies", Vol I (1949-50), pp. 80-93, stanza 12.
  14. ↑ Kuno Meyer (ed. & trans.), "The Cherishing of Conall Cernach and the Deaths of Ailill and of Conall Cernach", Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 1, 1897, pp. 102-111
  15. ↑ James MacKillop, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 87
  16. ↑ "The Death of Conall Cernach at Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan", by Tom Smith, in Breifne Journal 2012
  17. ↑ T. F. O'Rahilly, Early Irish History and Mythology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1946, p. 350
  18. ↑ Margaret E. Dobbs, 'The Traditions of Conall Cernach' in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Sixth Series, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Dec. 31, 1929), pp. 116-127
  19. ↑ Geoffrey Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn 1.40
  20. ↑ Ó Súilleabháin, Seán (2011). Miraculous Plenty Irish religious Folktales and Legends. University College Dublin. p. 40. ISBN   978-0-9565628-2-1.

Primary sources

Togail Bruidne Dá Derga (Recension II), ed. Eleanor Knott (1936). Togail Bruidne Da Derga. Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series 8. Dublin: DIAS.; tr. Whitley Stokes (1901–1902). "The Destruction of Dá Derga's Hostel". Revue Celtique. 22–3: 9–61, 165–215, 282–329, 390–437 (vol. 22), 88 (vol. 23).

Texts

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.