| The Cycles of the Kings | |
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Airne
Fíngein "Fíngen's Nightwatch" Editions
Manuscripts
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While atop Druim Fíngein one Samain Eve, Fíngen mac Luchta receives a visit from Rothníam, an otherworld woman who is accustomed to visit him every year at that time to tell him of all the wonders that take place in Ireland and the otherworld. On this night, she tells him that she has fifty wonders (buada) to relate, though she mentions only twelve or so in the course of the tale. [The numbers in the list below refer to the paragraph numbers in Vendryes' edition.] (1) Conn is born tonight, she says, to Feidlimid mac Tuathail Techtmair, the king of Ireland. Conn will rule all Ireland and he will be the progenitor of a long line of kings. (2) The River Boyne bursts forth tonight from a well inside Síd Nechtain (in Co. Kildare) after its taboos were violated by Nechtan’s wife Bóann. It will be a road of inspired knowledge (rót imbais). (3) A tree that has been hidden in Ireland since before the Flood is revealed tonight to the men of Ireland. It is the offspring of the tree in Paradise and it will be an eternal benefit. Its name is Mugna (save in the Stowe MS where it is identified as the Yew of Ross--Eo Rossa). (4) Tonight God has granted the power of speech to Fintan mac Bóchra who has been mute since the Flood. God sent the Prophet Samuel to pierce his tongue with a ray of sunlight. Now Ireland’s history can be told. (5) Three first-rate examples of Irish craftsmanship (teora prímaicde Érenn) are found tonight--The Cathbarr Briain (Helmet of Brian) from the otherworld mounds of Cruachu, made by Breo mac Smetrach; the Fidchell Crimthainn Niad Náir (the fidchell-set of Crimthann Niad Náir); and the Mind Lóegairi (the Diadem of Lóegaire), made by Len Línfíaclach. (6) The five principal roads of Ireland are discovered tonight--the Slige Midluachra, Slige Cúaland, the Slige Asail, the Slige Tola, and the Slige Mór. (7) On Slíab Mis tonight, two sepulchers magically came together. In the one is buried Éber mac Míled and in the other Éremón mac Míled. The sons of Míl said that Ireland would not be ruled by one king until those two sepulchers came together, and tonight they did. (8) Three lakes arose in Ireland tonight--Loch nEchach, Loch Riach, and Loch Léin, each of which has special properties. (9) Tonight, Redg, Brea, Greand, and Tinel, who escaped the Tuatha Dé Danann at the Battle of Mag Tuired, have been driven out of Ireland by the Morrigu, Bodb, Midir, and the Mac Óc. They had been blighting Ireland’s crops from the time of the battle until now. 10a) Tonight, the white-bronze palisade of Ráth Ailinne has been completed. From the time the construction began, whatever the builders raised one day would collapse in the morning, but tonight it is finished. 10b) Three rivers--the Siur, the Nore, and the Barrow--have come together and flow into one estuary tonight. 11-12) Twenty-seven white birds in chains of gold have come to the walls of Tara to sing beautiful music, so that there will be no distress in Ireland during Conn’s reign. In addition, the three sons of Eon mac Ethideoin from Síd Truim--Máel, Bloc, and Bluigne--have come to Tara to be Conn’s royal mercenaries. Furthermore, Cesarn the druid has uttered a prophecy of the coming glories of Conn’s reign. (Rothníam repeats the verses to Fíngen in §12.) 13) Having heard the prophecy, Fíngen becomes dejected and leaves his homeland and wanders about Ireland. In due time, Conn becomes king. 14) One day while at Uisnech, Conn asks his druid Corán whether there is anyone in Ireland who is not subject to him. The druid says there is one--Fíngen, who has been avoiding Conn since his birth. It will not be easy to subdue him, since he gets help from an otherworld woman. Conn, however, tells the druid that he has a pledge (fír) from Bodb Derg that the people of the otherworld will not hamper his reign. After that, Fíngen comes to Conn and serves him for fifty years, winning seventeen battles against the king’s enemies until he is slaid by Forannán Fota. 15) (This section appears only in the copy of Airne Fíngein in the Book of Lismore.) Conn holds the kingship of Ireland for fifty-three years and is the best king in Ireland before the coming of Christianity. There is no disease, bad weather, or theft in his reign, and the land is fertile. In fact, Ireland becomes a Land of Promise (Tír Tairrngire) under his sway. |
| Copyright 2004 Dan M. Wiley. Last updated 07/12/04 | |