Acallam na Senórach

Acallam na Senórach [ 'agaLav na' ʃenoːrax ] ("The Conversation with the Ancients"), in modern Irish Agallamh na Seanórach , is the name of the largest narrative in the Finn cycle . The work is written partly in prose and partly in verse. Two only rudimentarily preserved manuscripts, which were written around 1200, and four adaptations from the 13th to 16th centuries are still available today.

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The Irish national saint Saint Patrick and his companions meet the ancient heroes of legends Oisín and Caílte mac Rónáin , both descendants of Fionn mac Cumhaill (Oisín the son, Caílte the nephew). Together (in one version together with some other survivors of the Fianna ) the aged heroes accompany the saint on a hike through Ireland . They tell him the legends and myths that are linked to important places, with Caílte being the main reporter. Most of the legends deal with the adventures of Fionn and his Fianna up to the decisive battle at Gabhra ( Cath Gabhra ). These individual narratives, which come from very different legends, are only held together by the framework plot. A similar structure and intention (power over the country through knowledge of history) as with the Dindsenchas can be seen.

See also

• Myths and legends from Ireland
• List of Celtic gods and legendary figures
• Leabhar Mhic Carthaigh Riabhaigh
• Niamh

literature

• Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. 2nd, corrected and enlarged edition. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 .
• Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .
• Ann Dooley, Harry Roe: Tales of the Elders of Ireland. Oxford University Press , Oxford 1999, ISBN 978-0199549856 (English translation of the text)

Web links

• Maurice Harmon: The dialogue of the ancients of Ireland: a new translation of Acallam na senórach. Publishing house Peter Lang, 2009

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 , p. 471.