The Celtic South
This Night is My Departing Night for Here No Longer May I Stay - The heroic age versus the machine, or, ethnogenesis
An awesome article by the Elder of Vicksburg over at A Memoir of the Occupation. This one and the whole series is well worth the full read - DD
(This is Part II of a three-part series on the peoples — in this case, the Celts — who settled the South. Part I is here. Part III will look specifically at the Irish. After that: the “structure of Southern society,” which is vastly different from what you may have been taught.)
At the summit of ancient Irish literature stands Táin Bó Cúailnge, or The Cattle Raid of Cooley. It is the story of Queen Medh of Connacht and Cúchulainn, mightiest of the Knights of the Red Branch sworn to the service of King Conchobar of Ulster, and the war they fought over the Donn Cúailange, the legendary Brown Bull of Cooley.
The story begins in the bedroom of Queen Mebd and King Ailill, who rule the western kingdom. They’re engaged in “pillow talk,” rather arguing about money. Or more specifically, which of them is the wealthiest? Queen Mebd, rightfully proud that she is the most noble and celebrated daughter of the High King of Ireland, insists her treasury is richer than the King’s. King Ailill dismisses her with a laugh. No, woman. It’s me.
So the servants lug the royal hoards to the courtyard for an official reckoning. Cauldrons and buckets, bracelets and thumb rings, cloths patterned in plaid, check and stripe. But the value of each…