Story Archaeology

When Máel Dúin sets out on a voyage to avenge the father he has never known, he encounters a seascape of wonders and terrors where nothing is what it seems.

Join the story Archaeologists as they follow in his wake, discovering some unexpected marvels.

This episode is only the first installment of this maratime epic, and it lasts over 2 hours. So get comfortable and enjoy the journey!

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by The Story Archaeologists

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello

This is Sydney Skybetter, Philip Montana, and Bryan Campbell performing in "The Voyage of the Húi Corra" (2008). Photo by Tony Dougherty.

The tale of the Uí Corra may start out as an intriguing fairy tale, but their journey is not for the faint of heart. Their quest for knowledge soon deepens into a dark and stormy voyage of tortured souls and infernal visions.

Join the Story Archaeologists as they plumb the contradictory depths of this under-appreciated Immrám.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come…

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

by The Story Archaeologists

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello

Cat and Mouse decoration from the Book of Kells

In the aftermath of the Battle of Mag Rath, the Men of Ross endure a harsh sentence: to be set adrift in the Atlantic Ocean. Inspired by this, Snedgus and Mac Ríagla, two of St. Colmcille's monks, decide to try it out for themselves.

Hop aboard with the Story Archaeologists to explore another trench of watery wonders.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Welcome to Series 4, "Rowing Around Immráma", where we will be exploring a tale-type which straddles land and sea, conscious and unconscious, Christian and non-Christian.  In the first episode on these magical sea voyages, we follow Bran Mac Febul on his voyage to the Island of Women.

Join the Story Archaeologists as they dig the first of their somewhat watery trenches, and discover why Bran receives an offer he finds hard to refuse.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

In exploring the Dindshenchas of Inber Ailbine, we looked at the poem Nuall Fer Fio, "Fer Fio's Cry", to gain some understanding of the nine daughters of the sea in their bronze boats.  In the episode, I incorrectly attributed the translation to Dr. John Carey.  This is because I first read about the poem in his excellent article, ‘Téacsanna draíochta in Éirinn sa mheánaois luath’ [‘Magical texts in early medieval Ireland’] (translated into Irish by Pádraig Ó Fiannachta), Léachtaí Cholm Cille 30 (2000) 98-117; presented at Léachtaí Cholm Cille, Dingle, 10 April 1999.  It is also in this article that I read about the charms calling for the help of Goibniu and Dían Cécht, which I discussed in "How to Get Help from a Craftsman".

Carey points out that Nuall Fer Fio is cited in a medieval text as an example of a cétnad, "hundred-poem"; a quasi-metrical verse form containing 100 stressed syllables.  He also cites Liam Breathnach's observation that the poem contains those hundred syllables if the Latin coda is omitted. This coda calls for the blessings of God and Christ.  I have omitted this section below, but you can read it in full, with a translation of the Latin by Mary Jones, on her Celtic Literature Collective.  I have made a few amendations to Meyer's translation.

You can listen to the Old Irish, read by Isolde

 

Nuall Fer Fio

Ed. by Kuno Meyer from two MSS (Laud 610 and Book of Ballymote). "Miscellany presented to John Macdonald Mackay". Liverpool, 1914.

Ad-muiniur secht n-ingena trethan

I call on the seven daughters of the sea,

dolbtae snáithi macc n-áesmar.

who shape the threads of long-lived children.

Tri bás flaimm ro-ucaiter,

Three deaths be taken from me,

tri áes dom do-rataiter,

three ages be given to me,

secht tonna tocaid dom do-ra-dáilter!

seven waves [of plenty] poured for me.

Ním chollet messe fom chúairt

May I not be molested on my journey

i llúrig Lasréin cen léiniud!

in my radiant breastplate / Breastplate of Lasrén without stain.

Ní nassar mo chlú ar chel!

May my name not be pledged in vain;

dom-í-áes;

May I have long life;

nim thi bás comba sen!

may death not come to me until I am old.

Ad-muiniur m’Argetnia

I call on my Silver Champion,

nád bá nád bebe;

who has not died and will not die;

amser dom do-r-indnastar

may time be granted to me

findruini febe!

of the quality of bronze.

Ro orthar mo richt,

May my double be slain

ro saerthar mo recht,

may my law be ennobled,

ro mórthar mo nert,

may my strength be increased,

nip ellam mo lecht,

may my tomb not be readied,

nim thí bás for fecht,

may I not die on my journey,

ro firthar mo thecht!

may my return be ensured to me.

Ním ragba nathair díchonn,

May the two-headed serpent not attack me,

ná dorb dúrglass,

nor the hard pale worm,

ná doel díchuinn!

nor the senseless beetle.

Ním millither téol,

May no thief attack me,

ná cuire ban,

nor a company of women,

ná cuire buiden!

nor a company of warriors.

Dom-i urchar n-aimsire

May I have increase of time

ó Rig inna n-uile!

from the king of all.

Ad-muiniur Senach sechtaimserach

I call on Senach of the seven ages,

con-altatar mná side

whom fairy women reared

far bruinnib búais.

on the breasts of good fortune.

Ní báitter mo shechtchaindel!

May my seven candles not be quenched.

Am dun díthagail,

I am an invincible fortress,

am all anscuichthe,

I am an immovable rock,

am ha lógmar,

I am a precious stone,

am sen sechtmainech.

I am the symbol of seven treasures.

Roba chétach

May I be [the man of] hundreds [of possessions],

cétbliadnach,

hundreds of years,  

cach cét diib ar úair.

each hundred in its [proper] time.

Have your tickets ready for inspection and your guide-books open to page 1! To round off Series 3, we're going to discover some Dindshenchas gems in the Irish countryside.

Join the Story Archaeologists as they take you on a magical mystery tour of mythic cartography, mapping myths as they go.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Long before Santa's sack was filled with seasonal gifts, Manannán Mac Lír had a wonderful craneskin bag full of magical treasures, which he frequently gave to those he favoured.

But what will the Story Archaeologists pull out of the bag? Some unusual pets, a mythical Swiss Army knife and a Holy Grail.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

And featuring "A Shaolin Monk for Christmas" by Mister Stick.

As we reach the final section of "The Wooing of Étaín", a game of fidchell leads to some epic gains and losses.  There will be archaic poetry, incest, a War of the Worlds and some civil engineering.

Join the Story Archaeologists as they encounter a tale where text and archaeology come together in an extraordinary way.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Étaín and Midir: illustration by Kathy Moore

As Étaín grows up to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland - again - she is wooed and won by no less than the king of all Ireland. But no story can be that simple!

Join the Story Archaeologists as they seek out the improbable causes of the “sick-lying” of Étaín’s new brother-in-law.

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By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Sculpture of Étaín by Éamonn O'Doherty (Isolde's late uncle)

The saga Tocmarc Étaíne, "The Wooing of Étaín”, is a complex and engaging tale of love, loss and time twists.  We encounter jealous husbands, repudiated wives and bewildering shape-shifting, all stretching over a thousand years.

The Story Archaeologists wander through the first part this magnifigant story, rediscovering old friends and meeting some new, including a very unusual fly.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come.

Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.

By The Story Archaeologists.

Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.