388 



ritory in West Munster, under the name of Udei, or Yodii, which very 

 nearly expresses the pronunciation of Dheaghaidh. 



Better known by the name of Clanna Dheaghaidh, they occupy a 

 prominent place in the military history of the time, as one of the three 

 warrior tribes who represented the rude chivalry of the period. The 

 others were the Craob Ruadh (red hand, or branch), of Ulster, and the 

 Gaman raidhe, of Irrus Domnann, in Mayo. Deghaidh had three sons, 



Iar, Daire, and Conal Daire, the second son of Deaghaidh, 



had by his wife, Maoin, or Moran Mananagh, i. e. of the Isle of Man, 

 Conroi, much celebrated for his valour and prodigious strength : — 



" Moran of Man a of honor pure, 

 Was the child of Ir, son of Uinnsidhe, 

 The sister of Eochaidh Ecbeol she 

 And mother of Curigh, son of Dari."* 



Curoi Mac Daire is the life and soul of Munster romance : the great 

 Cyclopean Caher on the northern spur of Bawr-tri-Gaun (the summit of 

 the three cows), overlooking Glen Eais, is attributed to him, and bears 

 his name. His success in carrying off the fair Blanaidh from his 

 rival Cuchullin, and his death by the hand of the latter, are inexhaust- 

 ible themes for the story tellers. He is represented as being brave 

 and chivalrous — a hero both on land and sea — having been engaged in 

 many foreign expeditions. Many ancient historic tales are founded on 

 his exploits, some of which are no longer in existence, as the Cath 

 buadha Conree, mentioned by the bard, Erard Mac Coisi ; also the 

 Aithed Blathnaite ingen Paill Mic Fidaig re Coinchullaind, and 

 Argain Cathair Chonrai. In the " Leabhar-na h-Uidhre," we have a 

 tale called "The Mesca Ulladh" (or the inebriety of the Ultonians), who, 

 in a fit of excitement, after a great feast at the royal palace of Emania, 

 made a sudden and furious march into Munster, where they burned the 

 palace of Teamhair Luachra, in Kerry, then the residence of Curoi Mac 

 Daire, king of West Munster" (O'Curry's Lectures. &c, p. 185). 



Among the historic tales in the Book of Leinster, called Oitte 

 (tragedies), is one, " The Tragical Death of Curoi:" a more ancient 

 version of this curious tale will be found in the MS. Egerton, 88, British 

 Museum. u The Adventures of Curoi," is another historic tale in the 

 Book of Leinster. In Dr. O'Donovan's Battle of Magh Rath is the 

 following passage (p. 139): — 



" Oh ! Leth Mogha, who are wont to gain the victory, 

 Oppress the Ultonians with eagerness. 

 Remember Curi of the Spears, 



And the chiefs of the youths of the Ernaans." 



It is worthy of remark that the orthography of the name in the 

 above passage is the same as that on the stone at Glen Eais. I think 

 that there are strong presumptions in favour of this stone being the 

 monument of Curi, or Curoi Mac Daire : — 



" Cahih Conri," p. xvii. 



