RO YA L I RI S H A G ADE M TODD LECTURE SERIES M ! IV VOLU E . ! UNO MEYER THE DE ATH- TALES OF THE ULSTER HEROE S DU BLI N FI I LT D G E G G S C O . H O D S , , , LONDON : WILLIAMS NORGATE 2 2 9 4 1 5 M nd ade a P rinted by the Replika P rocess in G reat Britain by L D H ? CY UN , UMPHRIES £9 00 . LTD. 1 B d ord S u r L n x 2 e e ondo W. C . f q a , , a nd a t Bradf ord C O N T E N T S H I . THE DEAT II . DEATH II HE I. T L MAC THE HA DEATH CE TOHAB U C IB , H IV. THE MAC ROIO , V. OF CE T MAC MAG AC H , OT S N E , ND ! OMINUM I E N , G LOS SARY , P R E FA C E IT is a ema ab e acc en a e ce in one ns ance so e r rk l id t th t , x pt i t , v ry ' fe w copies Of the de ath - tales o f the chief warriors attache d to ’ King Conchobar s court at Emain Mach a should h ave come d own d if e re not for one com a a e ate manu to us. ndee I , it w p r tiv ly l ’ sc i now ese ved outs e e and in the Ad oca e s L b a r pt pr r id Ir l , v t i r ry , Edinbu w e s ou a e to e for o ur no e d e of mos rgh , h ld h v r ly k wl g t ’ r Ir eland of these sto ries almost entirely o n Ke ating s Histo y of . Un de r these circum stances it has see med to me that I coul d h ardly re nde r a be tte r service to Irish studi es than to pre se rve ese s o es b ansc b n and ub shin em f om the th t ri , y tr ri i g p li g th , r acciden ts and the natural decay to which they are e xpose d as long as they exist in a single manuscript copy only . In the well - known lis t of Irish tales prese rve d in the Boo k l a ca or of Le ns e and else e e un de the e mtte i. e . i t r wh r , r titl , tr gi l ’ o en dea s ei dea - s o es of U ste e oe s are enume vi l t th , ght th t ri l r h r s C onall a e as fo lo s : the ea s oi Cuchulin n of Cona i . r t d l w d th , ll ( Ge nac of Ce ltchar of B a the Hos al e of LOe aire r h) , , l i pit l r , g , of Fe us mac Re c of in C onc oba h mself and of rg ( i h) , K g h r i , Fiamain . ’ ' TheDeath of Czwhulz nn forms an e pisode in the story called Bri slach M67 Ma ige Mur themne ; and e xtracts from the version in the Book of Le in ste r have be e n e di te d and translate d by Wh e in evue l is o es h e ti u e v I 1 if . t e R C ol II . 5 itl y St k , g , . , p 7 It cu ous a a a f om i s e f h- cen u e s on w e a e ri th t , p rt r th tw l t t ry v r i , h v no co es o e an he e i n n u e se mo e n pi ld r th t ghtee th ce t ry . Th d r ’ co es are nume a P o D Ar bo i d ubainville in his pi e r te d by r f. s e J ’ Catalo ue de la Littémtu r e ue de l r la E I nde 1 5 . g m , p . The Dea th o Cona ll Cer na ch is to in a a e the fu e f ld t l , ll titl vi PREFACE of c is The C e s n of C ona Cernach in u whi h h ri hi g ll Cr achan , and ’ the Dea of Ailill and of Conal Cernach th l . It has been ed ite d and ans a e b me f om the on tw o e s in manusc s tr l t d y , r ly xi t g ript , in the fi s o ume of the Zeitschr t ar celt'ische Philolo ie r t v l if f g , ff 1 2 . p . 0 ’ The Dea th of Celtchar son of Utheeha r is found in a very f a men a and e b e condi on in the Boo of L n r g t ry ill gi l ti k ei ste r , 1 18 b Fo . un p . rt ate ly there exists a second comple te copy in the d nbu M x1 E S. 9 has n i rgh , pp It ot hi therto been e di d or te translate d . The Death of Blat the Hospi taller has been preserved only in ‘ the d u M — E nb S . e e o u 1 1 1 cc es . 3 i i rgh , wh r it pi pp ; It s he re for the fi s me e d e d and ans a r t ti it tr l ted . ' ’ Of the Dea th of Leega tr e Bztadahh we have only one ancient co a a n in h d nbu — t e E MS . 8 9 he o un ub s d py, g i i rgh , pp , hit rt p li he . e e is a sho e and a e e s on W ch is Th r rt r l t r v r i , hi practically that ’ of ea n s Histor con a ne d in tw o e eenth - cen u Ms K ti g y, t i ight t ry s. in the Ro a s Academ numbe ed 2 3 B 2 1 1 . 6 an . d y l Iri h y, r , p 7 , 2 3 . 1 1 . 4 2 G . es ec e Co es of 2 . e o h , p , r p tiv ly pi thes I we to t e f in n ss o Mr . R in B e e es . k d . Irv t The Dea th of Fergus mac 13t is also preserve d in a single co on a a n to f n in h E u be ou d nb MS. 5 . r t e . Ou py ly , g i d i rgh , p ’ onl h h n y source hit erto as bee Keating s version . The only tale among those e numerate d above which has reached us in fairly nume rous copies is that o f the Dea th of ’ C bar P f D Arb l o 1 um mho o . ois de Ju invill . 3 e e a e o ba . n s . e r , , p , r t 2 ’ fou manusc ts in add on to ea n s accoun c is a so r rip iti K ti g t , whi h l d 2 1 an 23 . B 2 1 . a fif mus be a ed G . d . To s a of 23. e e th t , th th t d , M — i unf r 1 . 1 3 s o tu the e s on in the E in bu S . x c v r i d rgh , pp , whi h Mr wa d G w nn has h nn n . E nataly illegible at t e begi i g . d r y 1 r a ull account of the contents of this manuscri t one o f the most Fo f p , he Edinbur h collection see m article in the Celtic Ma az ine for valuable in t g , y g — 1 8 . 2 08 2 18 . 8 7, pp 2 f Aide d b him is now mar ed D . 4 . 2 . The co o d The Sto w e ms . cite y k py 64 a 2 Chomhobuir is fo und on fol. PREFAC E vii kindly supplied me with a transcript of the ve rsion contained d B h m an Mr . R. as o F a us Fer usioru . es O ed in the Libe r l v g ; I t pi , in 2 3 N MS in h n 10 a . t e d at m dis osal the e s o . and place y p , v r i , A m library of the Royal Irish cade y. men one in the is a of the Dea th o The tale last ti d l t , th t f At eas so far as n o no co Fia ma in seems now os .