Texts

Dinnshenchas of Ailech I
verse beg. Decid Ailech n-Imchill n-úaib

  • Middle Irish
  • verse
  • Early Irish poetry, Dinnshenchas Érenn, Mythological Cycle, dinnshenchas

Poem on the dinnshenchas of Ailech.

First words (verse)
  • Decid Ailech n-Imchill n-úaib
Context(s)The (textual) context(s) to which the present text belongs or in which it is cited in part or in whole.
Language
  • Middle Irish
Form
verse (primary)
Length
Number of stanzas: 28
Textual relationships
Related: Dinnshenchas of AilechDinnshenchas of AilechProse tract on the dinnshenchas of AilechDinnshenchas of Ailech IIDinnshenchas of Ailech IIDinnshenchas of Ailech.Dinnshenchas of Ailech IIIDinnshenchas of Ailech IIIDinnshenchas of Ailech

Classification

Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...

Dinnshenchas Érenn
Dinnshenchas Érenn
id. 6712
Early Irish poetryEarly Irish poetry
...

Mythological CycleMythological Cycle
...

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.] Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 4, Todd Lecture Series, 11, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1924.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 4: <link>  : View in Mirador
92–101 [id. 22. ‘Ailech I’] direct link direct link direct link

Secondary sources (select)

Gwynn, E. J., The metrical dindsenchas, 5 vols, vol. 4, Todd Lecture Series, 11, Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, 1924.
CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 4: <link>  : View in Mirador
399–401 [id. 22. ‘Ailech I’] direct link
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
October 2012, last updated: January 2024