Texts

verse beg. Cind cethri ndíni iar Frigrind forraig gleógal

Flann Mainistrech
  • Middle Irish
  • verse
  • Early Irish poetry, dinnshenchas
First words (verse)
  • Cind cethri ndíni iar Frigrind forraig gleógal
Author
Flann Mainistrech
Flann Mainistrech
(d. 1056)
Middle Irish poet ass. with Monasterboice (Mainistir Buite)

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MacNeill suggests that the ascription to Flann Mainistrech that heads the preceding poem in the Book of Leinster (see [[Dinnshenchas of Ailech II |Ailech II]]) is intended to refer to five successive poems, including the present one.
Language
  • Middle Irish
Form
verse (primary)
Length
Number of stanzas: 34

Classification

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...

dinnshenchasIrish narrative literature, onomastic lore and learning, topographical literature
dinnshenchas
id. 32607

Subjects

Ailech
Ailech
County Donegal, County Derry

Royal seat of the Cenél nÉogain. According to Brian Lacey, Ailech originally referred to a fortification in the area now covered by the townlands of Elaghmore (Ailech Mór, Co. Derry) and Elaghbeg (Ailech Becc, Co. Donegal) on either side of the Northern Irish border; then, after c.789, when the Cenél nÉogain led by Áed Oirdnide overtook territory from the Cenél Conaill and gained control of the overkingdom of the northern Uí Néill, its kings relocated to the ringfort now known as the Grianán of Ailech so that Ailech came to refer to the new royal seat instead. 


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Sources

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

[ed.] [tr.] MacNeill, John, “Poems by Flann Mainistrech on the dynasties of Ailech, Mide and Brega”, Archivium Hibernicum 2 (1913): 37–99.
48ff Edition and translation.
[dipl. ed.] Best, Richard Irvine, and M. A. OʼBrien, The Book of Leinster, formerly Lebar na Núachongbála, vol. 4, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1965. xxvii + pp. 761-1117.
CELT – pp. 761-781 and 785-841: <link>
785–787 Diplomatic edition.
Contributors
C. A., Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
October 2012, last updated: January 2024