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Subject: Re: [DNA] Colla vs. Dalriata:
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 04:53:50 EST
Here's a few tracts from Keating's History of Ireland that show the
confusion over the founders of the Scottish Dal Riata.
"It was the descendants of Cairbre Rioghfhada who went to Alba; and it is
they who are called Dal Riada. For Eochaidh Muinreamhar, a descendant of Cairbre
Rioghfhada, had two sons, namely, Earc and Olchu. From Earc are descended
the Dal Riada of Alba, and from Olchu the Dal Riada of Ulster, from whom the
Ruta is called."
This is the version quoted in the Shenchus Fer nAlban.
"Twenty years after this battle was fought the six sons of Earc, son of
Eochaidh Muinreamhar, went to Alba, to wit, two Aonghuses, two Lodharns, and two
Fearghuses."
But we also have another version, quoted in several places.
"Moreover, Cambrensis, in the sixteenth chapter of the third distinction of
the book he has
written describing Ireland, points out that it was when Niall Naoighiallach
held the sovereignty of Ireland that the six sons of Muiredhach, king of
Ulster, went to Alba, that they acquired power and supremacy there, and that it
was at this time that the name Scotia was first given to Alba, and that it is
from these sons of the king of Ulster that the Albanians are called the
Scotic race. Of these sons he speaks as follows:
p.61
And hence, (says he,) it is from them that the Gaels of Scotland are
descended, and are
specially called the Scotic race to this day. {Unde et gens ab his propagata
et specificato vocabulo Scotica vocata usque in hodiernum.}’’
Keating is here quoting Giraldus Cambrensis, or Gerald of Wales, a Norman
who visited Ireland and was related to many of the Norman nobles. He was
born in 1147 and came to Ireland shortly after the Norman invasion. He's
already quoting a corrupt (or at least different) version of the settlement of Alba
than the version which appears in the much earlier Shenchus Fer nAlban.
"Muircheartach, son of Earc, son of Muireadhach, son of Eoghan, son of Niall
Naoighiallach, of the race of Eireamhon, held the sovereignty of Ireland
twenty four years. Earc, daughter of Lodharn king of Alba, was the mother of
Muircheartach, son of Earc, and it was in the beginning of his reign that Ciaran
mac an tSaoir, who was of the race of Corc, son of Fearghus, son of Rogh, was
born."
Note: This is Muirchertach Mac Earca, son of Muirdaigh, High King of
Ireland, d. 527. The name is written oddly here with his mother's name
interjected as an extra generation. Just to show how nonsensical this is it goes on
to say that his mother was the daughter of King Loarn of Scotland. And Loarn
by this account is his own brother. I suppose what was intended here was an
earlier Loarn descended from Erc son of Eochaidh Muinremhair. In that case
we would have two different sets of two Ferguses, Loarns and Anguses coming to
Scotland which is ridiculous enough for me.
"In the time of Niall Naoighiallach, Corc son of Lughaidh went to Alba; and
long
after Niall, six sons of Muireadhach son of Eoghan, son of Niall, went to
Alba, namely, two
Lodharns, two Aonghuses, and two Fearghuses."
This is what the MacNeill clan quoted in the Scot Magazine in 1763, claiming
a descent from Nial of the Nine Hostages and stating that they were among
the original Scots to settle in Scotland (ie, the Dal Riata). It's also what
Buchanan of Auchmar quoted as their clan history in 1723.
There's also an odd pedigree of sorts for the Campbells (Mac Ailin) in
Keating's History.
"Mac Con went to conquer Alba and Britain; and it was from these countries
he came to Ireland to fight the Battle of Magh Muchruimhe in which Art
Aoinfhear fell, and Mac Con assumed the sovereignty of all Ireland, as we have said.
After this Fathaidh Canann son of Mac Con went to Alba, and took possession
of lands there; and from his posterity Mac Cailin and the correlative branches
of that family have sprung."
From the Keating Pedigrees
The branching of the descendants of Lughaidh son of Ioth as follows:
P.
The genealogy of O Eidirsceoil [O'Driscoll]
35 Breoghan. Of the posterity of Lugaidh son of Ioth are
the following families: Mag Amhalguidh of Callrach, O
Laoghaire of Ros, Mag Flannchuidh of Dartrach, O
Cobhthaigh, O Cuirnin, O Floinn of Ard, O Baire of Ara,
and Mac Ailin in Scotland sprung from Fathadh Canann son
of Mac Con. Also of the progeny of this Lughaidh son of
Ioth are O Treabhair, O Criadhagain and O Cairnein.
All I can say about this Campbell pedigree is it's probably not much worse
than the more common version making them descend form King Arthur and Uther
Pendragon.
Keating is a late writer (d. c. 1644). No telling how old this pedigree
is or where he got it from.
John
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