64 Proceedmgs of the Royal Irish Academy. 



II. Collective Names. 



29. Already, before the earliest documentary period, a new formula has 

 come into general use, that of collective singular names. Of such names 

 there are five varieties : — 



(1) Dal followed by genitive eponym, e.g. Dal Cais. 



(2) Corcu followed by genitive eponym, e.g. Corcu Duibne. 



(3) Eponym compounded with -rige, e.g. Boonrige. 



(4) Eponym compounded with -ne, e.g. Cuircne. 



(5) Eponym compounded with -acht, e.g. Cianacht. 



Loigis (Mid. I. Laigis, modern I. Laoighis, English Leix), gs. L6igse, may 

 be a sixth variety. 



30. Until the eighth century, this class of people-names, which I would 

 call the second order, though long established, had not become stereotyped 

 as in later usage. They were to some extent interchangeable. Korku Eeti 

 (Adamnan) = Dal Eiatai. Corcu Sai (L. Arm.) =■ Sairige. Ddl Musca 

 = Muscraige. Ddl nEogain, Dal C^in = Eoganacht, Cianacht. This inter- 

 changeable character shows that the different forms were felt to belong to 

 one order or system of nomenclature, which is also proved by the applicability 

 to all of the personal name-formula in moecu (Ogham mucoi, maqi mucoi), 

 which becomes obsolete in the eighth century. 



31. The eponym is occasionally feminine. From this and other indications, 

 I have formed the opinion that tlie eponymous ancestor may be a divine or 

 mythological personage. Many of the stories in which the genealogists relate 

 the origin of these early groups bear a strong mythological character. 



32. Dal is explained by Ven. Bede, in reference to the Dalreudini (i.e. 

 Dal E^ti, Dal Eiata), as meaning pars, and this among various senses of the 

 word seems best suited to its usage in people-names : Dal Edti, Eete's 

 division or section of the Erainn. Tlie eponym may be often, if not always, 

 the name of a divine ancestor. 



33. Corcu (later Corco, Corca) appears as an indeclinable noun.* A 

 possible connexion with coirce is suggested to me by Professor Marstrander : 

 cp. the use of Sll in later group-names, e.g. Sll Muiredaig. 



The genealogists, ignoring the obvious fact that Corcu is a common generic 

 term equivalent to Dal, supply an eponymous ancestor Core for several of the 

 peoples named in this form. 



' But a lute dp. corcaib occur-:) in Book of Rights. 



