Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Irish Mythology - Cycles

For a more detailed description of the following, I suggest visiting the Wikipeida entry on Irish Mythology. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_mythology#The_sources)
One of the best sites to view the Cycles in detail - (http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/index_irish.html)

Mythological Cycle - Stories of the former gods and origins of the Irish. Sometimes referred to as the Irish Golden Age.

Lore of Places (Metrical Dindshenchas) 4 vol. - the great onomastic work of early Ireland, giving the naming legends of significant places in a sequence of poems. It includes a lot of important information on Mythological Cycle figures and stories, including the Battle of Tailtiu, in which the Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by the Milesians.
Lore of Women (Bansenchnas)
Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn) - a pseudo-history of Ireland, tracing the ancestry of the Irish back to Noah. It tells of a series of invasions or "takings" of Ireland by a succession of peoples, one of whom was the people known as the Tuatha Dé Danann, who were believed to have inhabited the island before the arrival of the Gaels, or Milesians. They faced opposition from their enemies, the Fomorians, led by Balor of the Evil Eye. Balor was eventually slain by Lug Lámfada (Lug of the Long Arm) at the second battle of Magh Tuireadh. With the arrival of the Gaels, the Tuatha Dé Danann retired underground to become the fairy people of later myth and legend. [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/leborgabala.html]
The Dream of Aengus (Aislinge Óenguso)
The Wooing of Etain (Tochmarc Étaine)
The (first) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Cath Maige Tuiredh Cunga)
The (second) Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Moytura - Cath Maige Tuiredh)
The Tragedy of the Children if Lir (Oidheadh Clainne Lir)
The Roll of the Kings (Do flathiusaib Hérend)

The Book of Britain: Irish Nennius (Lebor Bretnach)
The Jewel of the Tuatha De Danann (Tuath De Danand na set soim)
The Satire of Cairpre upon Bres
The Fate of the Children of Turenn (Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann)
The Progress of the Sons of Mil from Spain to Ireland (Tochomold mac Mileadh a hEspain i nErind)
How the Dagda Got His Magic Staff
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel (Togail Bruidne Da Derga)
The Fate of the Children of Lir (Oidheadh Chloinne Lir)
The Fosterage of the House of Two Milk-pails (Altram Tige Dá Medar)
The Tale of Tuan mac Carill (Scél Túain maic Cairill)
The Settling of the Manor of Tara (Suidigud Tellaich Temra)
The Adventures of Leithin (Eachtra Léithín)
The Hawk of Achill (Moí coire coir goiraith)
The Cauldron of Poesy (Arsaidh sin a eoúin Accla)
The Scholar's Primer (Auraicept na n-Éces)
The Ogham Book (Lebor Ogaim)
The Fitness of Names (Cóir Anmann)


Ulster Cycle - Similar to the Mythological Cycle, but would be more like the Irish Heroic Age in comparison. The Ulster Cylce is set around the beginning of the Christian era and most of the action takes place in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht.

The Cattle-Raid of Cooley: The First Recention (Tain Bo Cuailnge)
The Recovery of the Tale of the Cattle Raid of Cooley (Do Faillsigud Tána Bó Cúailnge)
How Oengus Won the Brugh (De Gabáil in t-Sída)
The Quarrel of the Pigkeepers (De Chopur in dá Muccida)
The Tidings of Conchobar son of Ness (Scéla Conchobuir meic Nessa)
The Birth of Conchobhar (Compert Conchobuir)
Medb's Men, or, the Battle of the Boyne (Ferchuitred Medba (AKA Cath na Bóinne))
The Birth of Athirne
Athirne the Unsociable
The Birth of Cú Chulainn (Compert Con Culainn)
The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulainn (Maccgnimrada Con Culaind)
The Wooing of Emer (Tochmarc Emire)
TheTraining of Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn's Shield
The Death of Derbforgaill (Aided Derbforgaill)
The Pursuit of Gruaidh Ghriansholus (Toruigheacht Gruaidhe Griansholus)
The Tragic Death of Connla, or, the Death of Aife's only Son (Aided Óenfir Aífe)
The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn, and the Only Jealousy of Emer (Serglige Con Culainn)
The Tale of Mac Datho's Pig (Scéla Mucce Meic Dathó)
The Affliction of the Ulstermen (Ces Ulad)
The Debility of the Ulstermen (Noínden Ulad)
The Cattle-Raid of Fraech (Táin Bó Fráich)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamon (Táin Bó Regamain)
The Cattle-Raid of Dartaid (Táin bó Dartada)
The Driving of Flidais' Cattle (Táin bó Flidais)
The Cattle-Raid of Regamna (Táin bó Regamna)
The Intoxication of the Ulstermen (Mesca Ulad)
The Cause of the Exile of Fergus mac Roig (Fochond loingse Fergusa meic Roig)
Bricriu's Feast (Fled Bricrenn)

The Feast of Bricriu and the Exile of the Sons of Doél Dermait (Fled Bricrenn)
The Exile of the Sons of Usnach (Longes mac n-Uislenn)
The Wooing of Ferb (Tochmarch Ferbe)
The Adventures of Nera, or, the Cattle-Raid of Angen (Echtra Nerai [al. Táin Bó Aingen]
The Tragic Death of Cu Roi mac Dairi (Aided Conrói maic Dáiri)
The Colloquy of the Two Sages (Immacallam in Dá Thúarad)
The Death of Celtchar (Aided Cheltchair maic Uthechair)
The Death of Leogaire Buadach (Aided Lóegairi Búadaig)
The Death of Cuchulain (Aided Conculaind)
The Great Defeat on the Plain of Muirthemne (Brislech mór Maige Murthemni)
The Battle of Airtech (Cath Airtig)
The Death of Cet mac Magach (Aided Cheit maic Mágach)
The Death of Fergus mac Roich (Aided Fergusa maic Róich)
The Death of Ailill and Connal Cernach (Aided Ailella)
The Death of Medb (Aided Meidbe)
The Phantom Chariot of Cú Chulainn (Síaburcharpat Con Culainn)
The Genealogy of Cú Chulainn (De genelogia Con Culaind)


Fenian Cycle - The Fenian Cycle is concerned with the deeds of Irish heroes. The stories of the Fenian Cycle appear to be set around the 3rd century and mainly in the provinces of Leinster and Munster.

Colloquy of the Old Men (Acallam na Senórach) - found in two 15th century manuscripts, the Book of Lismore and Laud 610, as well as a 17th century manuscript from Killiney County Dublin.
The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne (Toraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne) - is likely the origin of the Tristan and Iseult (Isolde?) story.

Oisín in Tír na nÓg

Historical Cycle