From en.wikipedia.org:
[Figure in Irish mythology] [date=April 2022] CUMHALL ([ga]; [sga]) or CUMHALL
MAC TRÉNMHOIR ("son of Trénmór/Tréanmór" meaning "strong-great") is a figure
in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, a leader of the fianna and the father
of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
** Genealogy
The most important text regarding the family of Finn (son of Cumaill) is
_Fotha Catha Chnucha_ ("The Cause of the Battle of Cnucha"), as it is
contained in the ancient parchment _Lebor na hUidre_ (LU), dated to the 12th
century.[Mackillop] Otherwise, the next most important tract is the
_Macgnímartha Finn_ ("The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn") copied in a 15th-century
manuscript.[Hennessy]
According to the _Fotha Catha Chnucha_, Cumhall mac Trénmhoir[cummal mac
trenmóir LU] was son of a petty king, and served the High King Conn
Cet-Chathach "of the Hundred Battles". Cumhall was also Conn's half-uncle,
his mother being the mother of Conn's father,.[King Fedelmid rechtaid LU being
Conn's father.]<ref name=hennessy-fotha-p88-89/>
Cumhall became suitor for the hand of Muirne Muncaim "of the fair
neck",{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|or Muirne Muincháem "of the Lovely
Neck";[Dooley] Cf. Windisch.[1]}} daughter of the druid Tadg mac Nuadat, but
Tadg refused him, so Cumhall forcibly carried away Muirne in elopement.<ref
name=hennessy-fotha-p88-89/><ref name=acallm-cumall-marriage/>
In-laws [2]
In _Fotha Catha Chnucha_ Cumhall's wife was the granddaughter to Nuadat who
was a druid to king Cathair Mór, but she was granddaughter to Núadu of the
Tuatha Dé Danann according to a passage in the _Acallamh na Senorach_.<ref
name=acallam-cumall-genealogy>[O'Grady] tr. p.
245:[1=https://books.google.com/books?id=XsdFAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA245] Also where the
former work gives Almu daughter of Becan as Nuadat's wife,<ref
name=hennessy-fotha-p88-89/> the latter treats Almha the daughter of Brecan as
a virgin daughter who bore Cumall a son then died in childbirth.<ref
name=acallam-almha-genealogy>[O'Grady] tr. p.
131:[1=https://books.google.com/books?id=XsdFAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA245], Almha
daughter of Bracan.[group="lower-alpha"]
Siblings
Cumhall had a brother, Crimmal mac Trénmhoir, who was an ally of Fionn.[Meyer]
** Battle and death
Tadg, slighted by Cumall's sweeping away his daughter, appealed to Cumall's
lord, Conn of the Hundred Battles, and Conn gave choice of either
relinquishing the daughter or suffer banishment. Cumall refused to give up
his wife, and Conn made war against Cumhall, and Cumhall was killed by Goll
mac Morna in this Battle of Cnucha,<ref name=hennessy-fotha-p88-91>[Hennessy]
located at what is today Castleknock.[3] Goll then took over leadership of the
Fianna, as explained in the _Magnímartha Finn_.[4]
Cumhall's wife Muirne was already pregnant with his son, Fionn, and Muirne's
furious father Tadg not only refused to accept her back, but ordered her burnt
to death.[5] Cumhall's wife however seeks Conn's protection, and in exile she
delivers a child which she names Demni.[6][Mackillop] Demni (Demne) later
became Finn.[7]
Cumhall is reputed to be buried within the grounds of Castleknock College,
supposedly under a hill upon which an old water tower now stands.
** Explanatory notes
[notelist]
** References
Citations
{{reflist|30em|refs= <ref name=acallm-cumall-marriage>[O'Grady] ed. _Acallam
na Senórach_, p. 216, [O'Grady] tr., p. 245, [Stokes] ed. 6546–6562;
[Dooley] <ref name=hennessy-fotha-p88-89>[Hennessy], _Fotha Catha Chnucha_,
pp. 88–89 and notes. }}
Bibliography
[refbegin]
- _Acallam na Senórach_
- [ref= [Dooley]]
- [editor-last=O'Grady ]
- [editor-last=O'Grady ]
- [editor-last=Stokes ] . e-text (see http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G303000/index.html) via CELT corpus.
- [last=Mackillop ]
- [last=Meyer ]
- [editor-last=Hennessy ] (ed. " _Fotha Catha Cnucha inso_ " , tr. "The Cause of the Battle of Cnucha here"). archived (see https://archive.org/details/revueceltiqu02pari/page/86) via Internet Archive
- [editor-last=Windisch ] , with glossary.
[refend]
[Celtic mythology (Fenian)]
[DEFAULTSORT:Cumhall] Category:Fenian Cycle