Dáire Doimthech (Dáire "poor house"),[1] alias Dáire Sírchréchtach ("the ever-wounded"),[2] son of Sithbolg,[3] was a legendary King of Tara and High King of Ireland, and one of the eponymous ancestors of the proto-historical Dáirine and historical Corcu Loígde of Munster. A son of his was Lugaid Loígde (a quo Corcu Loígde), an ancestor of Lugaid Mac Con. In the Scéla Mosauluim,[4][5] Dáire Doimthech is referred to as one of the five kings of Tara from Munster, or alternatively one of five Dáires to rule at Tara.[6]

He may at one time have been partly identical with Dáire mac Degad,[7] father of Cú Roí, although traditions concerning him or them appear to have diverged at an early period, following regional paths. Scholars in medieval times were aware that both were believed to be ancestors of the Dáirine.[8][9] In fact in one manuscript, as Dairi Sirchrechtaig, he is listed as the father of Cú Roí,[10] and through him an ancestor of Fiatach Finn, a quo the Dál Fiatach of Ulster, son of Fuirme mac Con Roí. T. F. O'Rahilly saw even less distinction between these figures, stating that "Cú Roí and Dáire are ultimately one and the same".[11]

Eochaid Étgudach, a High King of Ireland, was another son of Dáire Doimthech, apparently misplaced chronologically by medieval scholars.

He may be listed, if chronologically misplaced, as Dáire Drechlethan in the Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig.[12]

Reign

Despite his prominence as an ancestral figure, little is recalled in Irish legend of Dáire's reign. However, it appears to have been remembered as strong, and in this way is typical for the Dáirine in legend, and as they were portrayed by later historians and storytellers. A passage of poetry in the Old Irish Scéla Mosauluim[13] is translated by Kuno Meyer:[6]

Dáre Doimthech dealt a draught of blood upon every stream,
so that he left his stories of kingship without concealment.
Dáre Doimthech was king over Brug; 'tis he ... from Srub Cermna to Srub Brain,
from the western ocean to the sea in the east.

alternative translation:[14]

Dáre Doimthech poured out
a draught of blood on every [battle-]rank
so that he left conspicuous [after him]
the chronicles(?) of his reign.
Dáre was king over the settled land of Éber's island
- ploughing after feats of valour-
from Dún (?) Cermna to Srúb Brain,
from the western ocean to the eastern sea.

The Five Lugaids

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ also Doimtech, Doimthig, Doimtig, Doimthich, Doimtich; doim-t(h)ech meaning "poor house", there being great shortage of food during his reign. Arbuthnot (ed.) 2005, Cóir Anmann
  2. ↑ also Sirchrechtaig, Sirdrechtach, Sirdrechtaig; see the electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language for most likely meaning "the ever-wounded" and note the poetry below
  3. ↑ also Sidebolg
  4. ↑ The Tidings of Moshaulum (translator unknown)
  5. ↑ Scéla Mosauluim Archived 7 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. 1 2 Ailill Aulom, Mac Con, and Find ua Báiscne (Meyer translation)
  7. ↑ see MacNeill, pp. 61–2
  8. ↑ Cóir Anmann: Fitness of Names Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine (Stokes translation)
  9. ↑ Genealogies from Rawlinson B 502 (O'Brien-Ó Corráin edition)
  10. ↑ Dobbs 1921, pp. 330–1
  11. ↑ O'Rahilly, p. 49
  12. ↑ Bhreathnach, pp. 89–90, 168
  13. ↑ Ailill Aulom, Mac Con, and Find ua Báiscne (Meyer edition)
  14. ↑ The Tidings of Moshaulum (translator unknown)

References

Other
  • Ireland's History in Maps: Mumu by Dennis Walsh
  • Scela Mosauluim by Dan M. Wiley
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