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Scéla Mosauluim 7 Maic Con 7 Luigdech
"The Story of Mosaulum and Mac Con and Luigith"

Editions

  • K. Meyer (ed & tr), Fianaigecht: Irish poems and tales relating to Finn and his Fiana, with an English translation (Dublin 1910) 28-41.
  • M. O Daly (ed & tr), Cath Maige Mucrama: The Battle of Mag Mucrama (Dublin 1975) 74-87.

Manuscripts

  • Laud 610 94vb17ff.

Date

  • Ninth century overall though incorporating earlier material (O Daly 18)

Characters

  • Ailill Mosaulum (alias Ailill Ólomm), son of Mog Nuadat and king of southern Ireland from Clanna Dergthened (prehistoric ancestors of the Éoganachta)
  • Mac Con, the son of Luigith and king of Ireland from an Érainn people known as the Dáirine (prehistoric ancestors of the Corco Loígde)
  • Éogan Mór, son of Ailill and Sadb and king of southern Ireland
  • Conn Cétchathach, king of Ireland and eponymous ancestor of Dál Cuinn (prehistoric ancestors of the Connachta and the Uí Néill)
  • Art mac Cuinn, son of Conn and king of Ireland
  • Dáire Doimthech, father of Luigith and king of Tara before Conn.  He is an ancestor figure of the Dáirine.
  • Luigith / Lugaid Loígde, father of Mac Con and king of southern Ireland before Ailill.  He is the reputed ancestor of the historical Corco Loígde.
  • Sadb, the daughter of Conn, the wife of Ailill Mosaulum, and foster-mother of Mac Con
  • Finn ua Baíscni, leader of the fiana and ally of Mac Con

Notes

  • This text is more of a summary of the Éogan-Art-Mac Con Cycle than a fully developed narrative.
  • However, the text appears to be from a Munster perspective, one sympathetic to Mac Con, and it contains some early traditions about the alternation of the kingship (selaidecht) of Munster between Clanna Dergthened (the prehistoric ancestors of the Éoganachta) and the Dáirine (an Érainn people).
Summary

There was an agreement between Ailill Mosaulum and Luigith that when the descendants of the one held the kingship of southern Ireland, the descendants of the other would hold the judgeship (brithemnus).  Thus, their descendants would take turns being king.

While Dáire Doimthech was king of Tara, his druid told him that of all his sons only Lugaid Loígde would rule after him.  Lugaid, in fact, became king of Munster.  During his reign, he solved a difficult legal problem (ances) concerning a son's inheritance and a woman's testimony. Ailill succeeded Lugaid as king of Munster and reigned for thirty years.  His wife was Sadb and she reared Mac Con, the son of Lugaid.

One day, Éogan mac Ailello and Mac Con went to visit Art mac Cuinn, king of Tara.  At Ess Máige, they found a harper named Fer hÍ mac Éogabail.  Eventually, they went to battle against one another at Cenn Abrat to determine who would keep the harper in his company.  Mac Con's forces were routed and he spent the next seven years in exile in Scotland.  He then returned with an army and killed Éogan mac Ailello and Art at the battle of Mag Mucrama to become king of Tara.  Though warned by his foster-mother, Mac Con went to Ailill to make peace, and Ailill bit him with his poisonous tooth.  As Mac Con fled with his troops to the sea, his cheek melted away from the bite.  Ailill then sent Ferchess mac Commáin after him.  When Ferchess caught up with the troops, he threw a spear through Mac Con killing him in his chariot.  Seven years later, Finn ua Baíscni, the great fenian leader and ally of Mac Con, killed Ferchess.

 





Copyright 2004 Dan M. Wiley.  Last updated 07/03/04