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Mesgegra
In Irish mythology, Mesgegra (Mess-gegra, Mes Gegra, Mes Gedra) was king of Leinster during the events of the Ulster Cycle, and was also the brother of Mac Da Thó aka Mes Róidia in '' The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig''. Mesgegra was killed by the Ulster warrior Conall Cernach, who preserved Mesgegra's brain in lime as trophy. But the brain-ball was stolen by the Conacht warrior Cet mac Mágach who shot it at the Ulster king Conchobar Mac Nessa and lodged in his head, killing him seven years later, thus fulfilling the prophecy that Mesgegra would somehow avenge his own death. Name Mes-gegra is mentioned in ''Cormac's glossary'', only to state that ''Mes'' signifies 'edge' or 'blade'. Mes-gegra shared this Mes- prefix with his siblings and father. Margaret E. Dobbs guesses that Mesgegra would have originally meant "warrior (or sword) of Cecra". In Ancient Chaldea, "Mes-" meaning "hero or champions" appears in the roster of kings, and this Chaldean word derived from Sumerian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Athirne
Athirne Ailgheasach ("the importunate"), son of Ferchertne, is a poet and satirist of the court of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, who abuses the privileges of poets. He stole three cranes from Midir of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which stand at his door and refuse entry or hospitality to anyone who approaches.John Carey (trans.), “Tales from the Ulster Cycle”, ''The Celtic Heroic Age'' (eds John T Koch & John Carey), 1997, pp. 48-133 In the saga "The Siege of Howth", he goes on a circuit of Ireland, visiting kings' courts, and making outrageous demands of hospitality, knowing that disgrace would fall on any kingdom that refused him, and that if anything happened to him the Ulstermen are bound to go to war in his defence. He demands the remaining eye of the one-eyed king of southern Connacht, Eochaid mac Luchta, a night with the wives of Tigerna Tétbuillech, king of Munster and Mesgegra, king of Leinster, and a mysterious jewel from another Leinster ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brain Balls
In Irish history and legend, brain balls () are small stone-like balls claimed to have been made from the heads or brains of enemies. No examples that modern analysis confirms as human have survived. Description In literature and legend In Geoffrey Keating's 17th century Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (or 'History of Ireland') in 'An Account of the Death of Connor, King of Ulster' he records the background of the tradition, and a Christianised tale relating to it. According to Keating it was the custom during the period described in the Ulster Cycle for a victorious champion to take the brains of a defeated adversary, and make a ball of them, by mixing it with lime, followed by drying in the sun - such a ball was displayed at important events. In the story told by Keating, two fools in the court of king Conchobar mac Nessa (Connor son of Ness) decided to steal such a brain ball, being from the head of Mesgegra, former king of Leinster - having stolen it the fools then began to play with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), 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'' (Cattle Raid of Cooley). 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. Ulster Cycle stories The Ulster Cycle stories are set in and around the reign of King Conchobar mac Nessa, who rules the Ulaid from Emain Macha (now Navan Fort near Armagh). The most prominent hero of the cycle is Conchobar's nephew, Cú Chulainn. The Ulaid are most often in conflict with the Con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Tale Of Mac Da Thó's Pig
''The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig'' (Old Irish: ''Scéla Muicce Meicc Da Thó'') is a legendary tale in the Ulster Cycle. The story tells of a dispute between the Connachta, led by Ailill and Medb, and the Ulaid, led by Conchobar mac Nessa, over the acquisition of the hound of Leinster, Ailbe. The dispute is ultimately resolved through the plan of the king of Leinster, Mac Da Thó, to hold a feast at his hostel, at which a fight breaks out over the assignment of the '' curadmír'' or champion's portion. The work is an example of early Irish literature, written primarily in prose attributed to an unknown author of Leinster c. AD 800, and survives in at least six manuscripts, written between the 12th and 18th centuries. The story was apparently popular in the Middle Ages and later times, and became the subject of a number of independent poems. Although apparently the quintessential Ulster Cycle story in many respects, the tale's composition also displays a sophisticated sati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conchobar Mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). 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. Legendary biography Birth There are several versions of how Conchobar was conceived. In the earliest, Ness, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide, the then king of Ulster, asks the druid Cathbad what it is an auspicious time for. Cathbad replies, "for begetting a king on a queen". There are no other men around, so Ness takes Cathbad to bed and she conceives a son. In a later version, Ness is brought up by twelve foster-fathers, and while all twelve are at a feast, Cathbad, leading a '' fian'' or landless war-band, attacks the house and kills them all. Eochaid is unable to avenge them as the cu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cet Mac Mágach
Cet mac Mágach is a Connacht warrior in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. He had a rivalry with the Ulster warrior Conall Cernach. In some myths, he is said to be the brother of Conall's mother, making him Conall's uncle. At a feast at the house of Mac Dá Thó, a hospitaller of Leinster, the warriors of Connacht and Ulster competed for the champion's portion by boasting of their deeds. Cet shamed all comers by reminding them how he had bested them in combat. However, just as Cet was about to carve, Conall Cernach arrived. Conall's 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. Cet killed Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster. He stole the calcified brain of Mesgegra, king of Leinster, which Conall Cernach had taken as a trophy of battle, and shot it from his sling, embedding it in Conchobar's head. Conchobar's doctors could ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conchobar Mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). 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. Legendary biography Birth There are several versions of how Conchobar was conceived. In the earliest, Ness, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide, the then king of Ulster, asks the druid Cathbad what it is an auspicious time for. Cathbad replies, "for begetting a king on a queen". There are no other men around, so Ness takes Cathbad to bed and she conceives a son. In a later version, Ness is brought up by twelve foster-fathers, and while all twelve are at a feast, Cathbad, leading a '' fian'' or landless war-band, attacks the house and kills them all. Eochaid is unable to avenge them as the cu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Týr
(; Old Norse: , ) is a god in Germanic mythology, a valorous and powerful member of the and patron of warriors and mythological heroes. In Norse mythology, which provides most of the surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic peoples, sacrifices his hand to the monstrous wolf , who bites it off when he realizes the gods have bound him. is foretold of being consumed by the similarly monstrous dog during the events of Ragnarök. The generally renders the god as ''Mars'', the ancient Roman war god, and it is through that lens that most Latin references to the god occur. For example, the god may be referenced as (Latin 'Mars of the Assembly Thing.html"_;"title="thing_(assembly).html"_;"title="nowiki/>thing_(assembly)">Thing">thing_(assembly).html"_;"title="nowiki/>thing_(assembly)">Thing)_on_3rd_century_Latin_inscription,_reflecting_a_strong_association_with_the_Germanic_thing_(assembly).html" ;"title="thing_(assembly)">Thing.html" ;"title="thing_(assembly).htm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Name And Genealogy
A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A personal name identifies, not necessarily uniquely, a ''specific'' individual human. The name of a specific entity is sometimes called a proper name (although that term has a philosophical meaning as well) and is, when consisting of only one word, a proper noun. Other nouns are sometimes called "common names" or ( obsolete) "general names". A name can be given to a person, place, or thing; for example, parents can give their child a name or a scientist can give an element a name. Etymology The word ''name'' comes from Old English ''nama''; cognate with Old High German (OHG) ''namo'', Sanskrit (''nāman''), Latin '' nomen'', Greek (''onoma''), and Persian (''nâm''), from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) ''*h₁nómn̥''. Outside Indo-European ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lugh
Lugh or Lug (; ga, label= Modern Irish, Lú ) is a figure in Irish mythology. A member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a group of supernatural beings, Lugh is portrayed as a warrior, a king, a master craftsman and a savior.Olmsted, Garrett. ''The Gods of the Celts and the Indo-Europeans''. University of Innsbruck, 1994. p.117 He is associated with skill and mastery in multiple disciplines, including the arts.Monaghan, Patricia. ''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore''. Infobase Publishing, 2004. pp.296-297 Lugh also has associations with oaths, truth and the law, and therefore with rightful kingship.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO, 2006. p.1200 Lugh is linked with the harvest festival of Lughnasadh, which bears his name. His most common epithets are ''Lámfada'' ("long hand" or "long arm", possibly for his skill with a spear or his ability as a ruler) and ''Samildánach'' ("equally skilled in many arts"). In mythology, Lugh is th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
