282:, who was seeking revenge for two fallen brothers in the earlier battle. To make it a fair fight, Conall fought him with one hand tied to his side. Conall is triumphant and carries Mesgegara's severed head to Leinster, hoping to claim Mesgegra's queen as his prize (as the poet predicted), but she falls dead in sorrow.
261:
and was making circuit around
Ireland to exact ruthless demands of precious jewels, or women, or even an eye, on pain of receiving the poet's invective and dishonor. The poet intended to goad the Leinstermen into killing him, thereby causing war between Leinster and Ulster, so he named an impossible
277:
in his company at a spot called Cassán Chlóinta (Path of Clane), where a strange incident unfolds. A giant nut larger than a man's head floats down the stream, which
Mesgegra takes and halves with a knife. The gillie wakes up claiming to have had an evil vision, and asks if his half of the nut was
265:
Mesgegra yielded his wife Buan to the poet for a night, but did not have his wife taken away afterwards, although he had to make a binding promise that she would be given to whichever
Ulsterman arrived bearing Mesgegra's head. The poet then carried away him 150 wives of Leinstermen, so that the
266:
Leinster army did give pursuit, and clashed with the Ulster army. The ensuing battle, the Siege of Howth, was a bloody stalemate which ceased when
Leinster retreated and erected a red wall as barrier, which Ulstermen were forbidden from crossing (due to a
278:
saved, then slashes off the king's hand without properly confirming. Learning his mistake afterwards, the gillie commits suicide. The one-handed
Mesgegra, forced to act as his own charioteer, is met with worse luck when he encounters the Ulster warrior
305:
and lodged in the head, resulting in a horrific injury. Mesgegra's brain ball made
Conchobar unable to over-exert himself, but he still survive the injury another 7 years, when the brain-ball dislodged with Conchobar's fury at the news of the
464:("wonderful king of Leinster"), without the alias in the L H recensions. John Rhys equates Mac Da Tho with Mesgegra. Since it is stated that both Mesgegra and Mes Mes Róida had death-mute parents in the
485:
Base text is Book of
Leinster, variant H is Harleian 5280, fol. 54b, although dated by Stokes to the 15th century, belongs to the early 16th century and is in the hand of Gilla Riabhach O Cléirigh.
229:", and the final strophe of the poem recapitulates that story by telling of the pig and hound and the banquet and the "Four times seven fifties" who died in the mansion.
313:
It is worth mentioning that Cet had been outdone and shamed by Connal (and the
Connachtsmen shamed by the Ulstermen in general by Connal's administration of the
703:
325:), and the trouble-making hosteller named Mac Dá Thó of Leinster, also called Mesroeda, is identified as a brother of Mesgegera the king.
206:
of
Leinster also known as Mac-Da-Tho, Mesdana, a warrior, and Mesdomnand, a poet according to the stated poem. Mesroída aka Mac Datho
140:
and lodged in his head, killing him seven years later, thus fulfilling the prophecy that
Mesgegra would somehow avenge his own death.
321:
226:
117:
285:
Mesgegra's head was hollowed out, and the brain mixed with lime for Connall to take back to Ulster's capital Emain Macha as trophy.
246:
Mesgegra (Mess-gegra) was king of Leinster (North Leinster), whose parents were deaf and mute; his brother was named Mes-Róidia (
1094:
392:, as the strange nut that Mesgegra ate is reminiscent of the hazelnut of water-pool of Segais which imparted wisdom to the
293:
Mesgegra's calcified brain became Connal's bragging piece in Ulster. Mesgegra's brain was later stolen by Cet Mat Matach (
532:
1128:
425:
These spellings are according to Dobbs, from the Book of Leinster, with variants from Trinity College MS H.2.7.
413:
164:
Margaret E. Dobbs guesses that Mesgegra would have originally meant "warrior (or sword) of Cecra". In Ancient
179:'warrior'. Dobbs ventured that the Irish Mes- name convention could have been borrowed from that far region.
468:, on the strength of that information, the nickname Mac Da Thó which means 'the son of two silent persons' (
363:
388:. Scowcroft conjectures there was some wisdom-gaining underlying theme, similar to Óðinn losing an eye in
957:
168:, "Mes-" meaning "hero or champions" appears in the roster of kings, and this Chaldean word derived from
1133:
1071:
601:
570:
307:
1031:
693:
366:
and his arm-cutting foe Sreng whose name can mean "cord" or "tug away", as well as with the Norse god
150:
460:
Mac Da Tho's alias Mesroeda is given in the R (Rawlingson recension) of SMMD, but he is changed to
393:
258:
137:
1083:
1043:
969:
613:
582:
187:
Mesgegra (Messcegra), Mesroida (Mesreta), Mesdana, Mesdomnand are named as siblings in the poem
301:
as it was prophesied that Mesgegra would eventually avenge himself even in death. Cet shot the
991:
987:
725:
689:
294:
169:
133:
1098:
667:
536:
1065:, Todd Lecture Series 14, Dublin: Hodges & Figgis; Williams & Norgate, pp. 2–21
1058:
435:
191:("four sons of Art Mes-Telmann") Their father Art is said to have belonged to the tribe of
375:
353:
88:
727:
Hibbert Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as illustrated by Celtic Heathendom
389:
279:
125:
1122:
262:
bribe, a lost buried heirloom jewel, but that was fortuitously found and given him.
953:
112:
1111:
416:(d. 908) knew about Mes-gegra and perhaps the Ulster cycle story surrounding him.
385:
371:
334:
315:
302:
129:
919:, pp. 2–21, "The Death of Conchobar", The Death Tales of the Ulster Heroes
65:
Deaf and mute parents; father's name was Art (belonged to the tribe of Domnann)
1054:
663:
384:) Eochaid mac Luchta, the king of South Connacht, whose Norse counterpart is
721:
451:
These spellings are according to Buttimer, who uses the Rawlinson 502 text
439:
358:
298:
196:
108:
1087:
973:
617:
586:
380:
1047:
254:
192:
165:
543:, notes and index by Whitley Stokes, Calcutta: O.T. Cutter, p. 55
362:) Mesgegra fighting Connal with a hand tied has been paralleled with
274:
367:
199:
in East Leinster appears to be incontrovertible historical fact.
346:
161:
Mes-gegra shared this Mes- prefix with his siblings and father.
943:
ed. p. 51, tr. p. 57, "The Story of Mac Dáthó's Pig and Hound".
434:
The poem is found in these codices: Rawlinson 502, p. 82b28ff;
730:, London/Edinburgh: Williams & Norgate, pp. 483–485
507:
Lugh's tathlum is described in a poem translated by O'Curry.
128:, who preserved Mesgegra's brain in lime as trophy. But the
1009:
1007:
1005:
115:, and was also the brother of Mac Da Thó aka Mes Róidia in
44:
The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig, Cethri meic Airtt Mis-Telmann
842:
840:
739:
737:
575:
The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
834:, pp. 146–147: "this strange and complex narrative".
631:
629:
627:
374:. The one-handed figure appears alongside a one-eyed (
992:"Lecture XII Sling-Stones of composition manufacture"
202:
Mesgegra was a King of Leinster, Mesroidia a wealthy
674:, Anecdota Oxoniensia: Mediaeval and Modern Series
658:
656:
77:
69:
61:
56:
48:
40:
32:
20:
438:, LL. facs. 311b29. 378a; H.2.7. col. 72. T.C.D.;
273:Mesgegra was incautiously tarrying with just his
998:. Vol. 2. Williams and Norgate. p. 252.
996:On the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish
871:
869:
867:
221:"hostel") was of course the titular figure of
73:Mac Da Thó aka Mes Róidia, Mesdana, Mesdomnand
349:which was a hardened ball of blood and sand.
8:
1036:Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium
678:: Part 8, Oxford: Clarendon, pp. 51–64
571:"The Prefix 'Mess' in Irish Personal Names"
124:Mesgegra was killed by the Ulster warrior
1013:
831:
783:
476:) does become applicable to both figures.
928:
755:
668:"The Story of Mac Dáthó's Pig and Hound"
647:
635:
257:, who had been dispatched from his king
230:
214:
1032:"Scéla Mucce Meic Dathó: A Reappraisal"
716:
714:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
524:
495:
405:
858:
846:
819:
807:
771:
743:
17:
940:
916:
904:
892:
875:
795:
704:Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
7:
1063:The Death Tales of the Ulster Heroes
698:. Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series
569:Dobbs, Margaret E. (December 1947).
253:To Leinster arrived the Ulster poet
195:, and the settlement of the British
370:who lost one hand in order to bind
132:was stolen by the Conacht warrior
14:
1070:Scowcroft, Richard Mark (1995),
36:Mess-gegra, Mes Gegra, Mes Gedra
1072:"Abstract Narrative in Ireland"
1030:Buttimer, Cornelius G. (1982),
319:or "Champion's Portion" in the
136:who shot it at the Ulster king
1:
882:"Death of Conchobar", pp. 4–5
189:Cethri meic Airtt Mis-Telmann
158:signifies 'edge' or 'blade'.
227:The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig
118:The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig
442:, §1, fol. 312b (p. 1327);
345:"sling-stone", such as the
1150:
600:Kelleher, John V. (1971).
148:Mes-gegra is mentioned in
602:"The Táin and the Annals"
322:Scéla Muicce Meicc Dá Thó
111:during the events of the
25:
770:("The Siege of Howth").
337:has been likened to the
364:Nuada of the Silver Arm
695:Scéla mucce Meic Dathó
650:, p. 61 and notes
379:
357:
223:Scéla Muicce Mac Dáthó
414:Cormac mac Cuilennáin
308:crucifixion of Christ
209:Mesroída who was the
154:, only to state that
1114:via Internet Archive
1059:"Death of Conchobar"
462:rí amrae for Laignib
412:This indicates that
329:Comparative analyses
496:§Name and genealogy
394:Salmon of Knowledge
259:Conchobar mac Nessa
217:, p. 61, from
138:Conchobar Mac Nessa
958:"Some Irish Words"
931:, pp. 61, 65.
774:ed. tr., pp. 46–64
690:Thurneysen, Rudolf
347:Lugh's sling-stone
1129:Kings of Leinster
861:, pp. 61–62.
849:, pp. 56–63.
822:, pp. 52–57.
810:, pp. 48–51.
746:, pp. 52–53.
541:Cormac's Glossary
400:Explanatory notes
175:'cut, divide' or
151:Cormac's glossary
85:
84:
1141:
1110:
1099:"Siege of Howth"
1090:
1066:
1050:
1017:
1014:Scowcroft (1995)
1011:
1000:
999:
984:
978:
977:
954:Gwynn, Edward J.
950:
944:
938:
932:
926:
920:
914:
908:
902:
896:
895:, pp. 18–21
889:
883:
880:Aided Conchubair
873:
862:
856:
850:
844:
835:
832:Scowcroft (1995)
829:
823:
817:
811:
805:
799:
798:, pp. v–vi.
793:
787:
784:Scowcroft (1995)
781:
775:
765:
759:
753:
747:
741:
732:
731:
718:
709:
708:(reprinted 1975)
707:
686:
680:
679:
672:Hibernica Minora
660:
651:
645:
639:
633:
622:
621:
597:
591:
590:
566:
545:
544:
529:
508:
505:
499:
492:
486:
483:
477:
458:
452:
449:
443:
436:Book of Leinster
432:
426:
423:
417:
410:
352:The one-handed (
289:Aided Conchubair
27:King of Leinster
18:
1149:
1148:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1139:
1138:
1119:
1118:
1117:
1095:Stokes, Whitley
1093:
1069:
1053:
1029:
1020:
1012:
1003:
988:O'Curry, Eugene
986:
985:
981:
952:
951:
947:
939:
935:
929:Buttimer (1982)
927:
923:
915:
911:
907:, pp. 6–9.
903:
899:
890:
886:
874:
865:
857:
853:
845:
838:
830:
826:
818:
814:
806:
802:
794:
790:
782:
778:
766:
762:
756:Buttimer (1982)
754:
750:
742:
735:
720:
719:
712:
688:
687:
683:
662:
661:
654:
648:Buttimer (1982)
646:
642:
636:Buttimer (1982)
634:
625:
599:
598:
594:
568:
567:
548:
533:O'Donovan, John
531:
530:
526:
517:
512:
511:
506:
502:
493:
489:
484:
480:
459:
455:
450:
446:
433:
429:
424:
420:
411:
407:
402:
331:
239:
231:Buttimer (1982)
215:Buttimer (1982)
185:
146:
89:Irish mythology
28:
12:
11:
5:
1147:
1145:
1137:
1136:
1131:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1115:
1103:Revue Celtique
1091:
1067:
1057:, ed. (1906),
1051:
1026:
1025:
1024:
1019:
1018:
1016:, p. 147.
1001:
979:
945:
933:
921:
909:
897:
884:
863:
851:
836:
824:
812:
800:
788:
786:, p. 146.
776:
760:
748:
733:
710:
692:, ed. (1935).
681:
666:, ed. (1894),
652:
640:
623:
592:
546:
535:, ed. (1868),
523:
522:
521:
516:
513:
510:
509:
500:
487:
478:
466:Siege of Howth
453:
444:
427:
418:
404:
403:
401:
398:
330:
327:
295:Cet mac Mágach
291:
290:
280:Conall Cernach
244:
243:
242:Siege of Howth
238:
237:Life and death
235:
184:
181:
145:
142:
134:Cet mac Mágach
126:Conall Cernach
107:) was king of
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
71:
67:
66:
63:
59:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
42:
38:
37:
34:
30:
29:
26:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1146:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1113:
1108:
1104:
1100:
1096:
1092:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1052:
1049:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1028:
1027:
1022:
1021:
1015:
1010:
1008:
1006:
1002:
997:
993:
989:
983:
980:
975:
971:
968:(49): 64–65.
967:
963:
959:
955:
949:
946:
942:
937:
934:
930:
925:
922:
918:
913:
910:
906:
901:
898:
894:
888:
885:
881:
877:
872:
870:
868:
864:
860:
859:Stokes (1887)
855:
852:
848:
847:Stokes (1887)
843:
841:
837:
833:
828:
825:
821:
820:Stokes (1887)
816:
813:
809:
808:Stokes (1887)
804:
801:
797:
792:
789:
785:
780:
777:
773:
772:Stokes (1887)
769:
768:Talland Étair
764:
761:
758:, p. 64.
757:
752:
749:
745:
744:Stokes (1887)
740:
738:
734:
729:
728:
723:
717:
715:
711:
705:
701:
697:
696:
691:
685:
682:
677:
673:
669:
665:
659:
657:
653:
649:
644:
641:
638:, p. 61.
637:
632:
630:
628:
624:
619:
615:
611:
607:
603:
596:
593:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
547:
542:
538:
534:
528:
525:
519:
518:
514:
504:
501:
497:
491:
488:
482:
479:
475:
471:
467:
463:
457:
454:
448:
445:
441:
437:
431:
428:
422:
419:
415:
409:
406:
399:
397:
395:
391:
387:
383:
382:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
360:
355:
350:
348:
344:
340:
336:
328:
326:
324:
323:
318:
317:
311:
309:
304:
300:
296:
288:
287:
286:
283:
281:
276:
271:
269:
263:
260:
256:
251:
249:
241:
240:
236:
234:
233:, p. 61
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
207:
205:
200:
198:
194:
190:
182:
180:
178:
174:
171:
167:
162:
159:
157:
153:
152:
143:
141:
139:
135:
131:
127:
122:
120:
119:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
24:
19:
16:
1134:Ulster Cycle
1106:
1102:
1079:
1075:
1062:
1039:
1035:
1023:Bibliography
995:
982:
965:
961:
948:
941:Meyer (1894)
936:
924:
917:Meyer (1906)
912:
905:Meyer (1906)
900:
893:Meyer (1906)
887:
879:
876:Meyer (1906)
854:
827:
815:
803:
796:Meyer (1894)
791:
779:
767:
763:
751:
726:
706:. p. 1.
699:
694:
684:
675:
671:
643:
609:
605:
595:
578:
574:
540:
527:
503:
494:As noted in
490:
481:
473:
469:
465:
461:
456:
447:
430:
421:
408:
390:Mimir's Well
351:
342:
338:
332:
320:
314:
312:
292:
284:
272:
267:
264:
252:
250:Mes roida).
247:
245:
222:
218:
213:(hospitaller
210:
208:
203:
201:
188:
186:
176:
172:
163:
160:
155:
149:
147:
123:
116:
113:Ulster Cycle
104:
100:
96:
92:
86:
15:
1082:: 121–158,
1055:Meyer, Kuno
891:version D,
664:Meyer, Kuno
372:Fenris wolf
333:Mesgegra's
33:Other names
1123:Categories
962:Hermathena
722:Rhys, John
581:(2): 127.
515:References
335:brain-ball
303:brain-ball
130:brain-ball
97:Mess-gegra
1042:: 61–73,
520:Citations
440:LL Part F
183:Genealogy
105:Mes Gedra
101:Mes Gegra
57:Genealogy
1097:(1887),
1088:30007878
990:(1873).
974:23037229
956:(1935).
724:(1888),
618:30007605
587:25510622
537:"Demess"
498:, supra.
343:táthluib
316:curadmír
299:Connacht
197:Dumnonii
170:Sumerian
109:Leinster
93:Mesgegra
70:Siblings
52:Leinster
21:Mesgegra
1109:: 47–64
1048:2055711
612:: 127.
359:manchot
339:táthlum
255:Athirne
211:brugaid
204:brugaid
193:Domnann
166:Chaldea
78:Consort
62:Parents
1086:
1046:
972:
616:
585:
472:recte
381:borgne
376:French
354:French
275:gillie
49:Region
1084:JSTOR
1044:JSTOR
970:JSTOR
614:JSTOR
583:JSTOR
386:Óðinn
297:) of
41:Texts
1112:text
1076:Ériu
606:Ériu
268:geis
248:var.
219:brug
177:mâsu
144:Name
81:Buan
474:tuá
368:Týr
341:or
270:).
173:mas
156:Mes
87:In
1125::
1105:,
1101:,
1080:46
1078:,
1074:,
1061:,
1038:,
1034:,
1004:^
994:.
966:24
964:.
960:.
878:,
866:^
839:^
736:^
713:^
702:.
700:VI
670:,
655:^
626:^
610:22
608:.
604:.
579:77
577:.
573:.
549:^
539:,
470:tó
396:.
378::
356::
310:.
121:.
103:,
99:,
91:,
1107:8
1040:2
976:.
676:4
620:.
589:.
225:"
95:(
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