DeDanaan

Gilla Mo Dutu ua Casaide 1147
Book of Leinster ca. 1170
translation: Margaret C. Dobbs, Revue Celtica

The mother of Aed Findleith was fair Gormlaith of
the dazzling white complexion; daughter of Dondchadh.
Embroideries were no difficulty for her.

Good Mael Muire was daughter of Cinaed son of Alpin,
a Scotch noble, and mother of Domnall son of daring
Fland and of white-toothed active Nialll Glundubh.

The daughter of Muredach son of Eochu, sole king of
Ulster, was harsh Gormlaith. I do not conceal her
child, Cumascach, son of tall Ailill, [the noble
prior of Armagh was generous. There never was a
condemation of pets] and Domnall son of generous
Aed Findleith. His rank did not give a king’s protection.

Derbail, the good grand-daughter of Aed Ordnidi, was
the youthful wife of placid Lannacan. she was certainly
daughter of Mael Dun who ruled servile Cul Dremni of the
multitudes. Her children were Cellach and Mael Findna.
It was a family of adventurous lads. The husbands of
Eithne daughter of Aed Findleith were Flannacan and Fland.
Her sons were Mael Mithig of the mead-feasts and Mael
Ruanaid of yon assembly.

The mother of warlike Domnall U Neill was shining Gormlaith
of affectionate ways, the progeny of Culenan son of Mael
Brigte, (till then the most certain stream of all) child
of the king of the Conaille of embroideries. Their anger
and their contests are terrible.
(Continued)

Pages: 1 2

(author unknown)
compiled by Donnchadh Ó Corráin
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland. (2005)

The edition used in the digital edition:
Donnchadh Ó Corráin, Early medieval law, c. 700-1200 in Angela Bourke, Siobhá¡n Kilfeather, Maria Luddy, Margaret Mac Curtain, Geraldine Meaney, Máirín Ní Dhonnchadha, Mary O’Dowd and Clair Wills (eds.), The Field Day anthology of Irish writing, Volume 4, New York and Cork, Cork University Press in association with Field Day (2002) page 6-44: 22-26.

Republished in 36 Sections for Educational Purposes.

section 1

Exempt from legal suit for each is what each may have used or have consumed as against the other, except what lien, obligation or loan may have imposed, or what one of them may have mis-appropriated from the other. Exempt from legal suit is everything useful to the partnership, everything done in good faith; liable to legal claim is everything done in bad faith in the law of the couple.

section 2

Question: How many pairings are there in Irish law?
Answer: Eight: a lord and his base clients, a church and its tenantry, a father and his daughter, a girl and her brother, a son and his mother, a foster-son and his foster-mother, a teacher and his pupil, a man and his wife.

section 3

Equally exempt from legal suit for each is whatever one of them may have given the other, whatever one of them may have used as against the other, without violent crime, without stealth. Everything taken without permission, that is complained about, is repaid by simple replacement of the object until the matter goes as far as the legal remedy of fasting, except in the case of the church. Repayment, by simple replacement, of what is taken without permission and complained about is all that is required until there is evasion of the legal obligations that arise from fasting, or legal default. Anything taken by stealth, by violent crime, anything taken without permission, that is complained about and ignored, is levied with its penalty fine.

section 4

Question: how many couples of cohabitation and procreation are there in Irish law?
Answer: ten -

1. union of common contribution;
2. union of a woman on a man’s contribution;
3. union of a man on a woman’s contribution with service;
4. union of a woman who accepts a man’s solicitation;
5. union of a man who visits the woman, without work, without solicitation, without provision, without material contribution;
6. union by abduction;
7. union of wandering mercenaries;
8. union by criminal seduction;
9. union by rape;
10. union of mockery.

section 5

(1) Union of common contribution: if it is a union with land and stock and household equipment, and if their marital relationship is one of equal status and equal propriety-and such a woman is called a woman of joint dominion-no contract of either is valid without the consent of the other, except for contracts that benefit their establishment. These are: an agreement for common ploughing with proper kinsmen when they do not themselves have a full ploughing team; paying for the leasing of land; getting together food for a coshering; getting food for feast-days; paying stud fees; fitting out the household; making an agreement for joint husbandry; the purchase of any essentials that they lack. Every contract shall be without neglect, an advantageous contract, conscientious, in accordance with right and propriety, with acknowledgement on both sides that the ownership of what is acquired belongs to the person whose property was alienated to acquire it.

section 6

Anything, the lack of which brings loss on the household, cannot be sold without common counsel, consultation, and mutual concession. For the impairment of the joint economy in a union of common contribution is not proper without mutual concession.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

by James Owen
for National Geographic News
January 20, 2006

Up to three million men living around the world today could be descended from a fifth-century Irish king, according to a new study.

Research suggests as many as 1 in 12 men in Ireland carry the genes of Niall of the Nine Hostages, bolstering claims that the ancient warlord founded a dynasty that dominated Ireland for centuries.

Some historians doubt Niall’s existence, comparing his legend to that of King Arthur.

But scientists at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland say a distinctive genetic signature on the male Y chromosome, which is passed down from father to son, leads to Niall or some similar figure.

Niall had 12 sons, according to folklore, and took nine key hostages, including Saint Patrick, as way to subdue opponents and consolidate power.
(Continued)