Where is Mag muirthemne ?

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This is a forum for serious discussions and debate on Celtic linguistics and other scholarly topics regardic Celtic history and culture. Questions are welcome and those forum members who are knowledgeable in this field will do their best to provide questioners with accurate, verifiable answers or help them locate the answers for themselves. Opinions are welcome also, but it must be made clear that any unreferenced statements are the poster's own opinion and not necessarily historical fact. Please be ready to cite sources for any assertions you may make.

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Where is Mag muirthemne ?

Postby Gus » 13 Apr 2012, 12:52

Its in Ulster probably around Dundalk but is the exact location described in the legends of Cú Chulainn where the men of Ulster met to feast and game for 7 days during Samhain known ?
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Re: Where is Mag muirthemne ?

Postby DaRC » 24 Apr 2012, 12:16

Hi Gus,
all I could find was this:
"The Metrical Dindshenchas
Mag Muirthemne, whence the name? Not hard to say. The sea covered it thirty years after the Flood, and hence it is called Muirthemne, that is, ‘darkness of the sea’, or ‘it is under the sea's roof’. Or there was a magic sea over it, and an octopus therein, having a property of suction. It would suck in a man in armour till he lay at the bottom of its treasure-bag. The Dagda came with his 'mace of wrath' in his hand, and plunged it down upon the octopus, and chanted these words: ‘Turn thy hollow head! Turn thy ravening body! Turn thy resorbent forehead! Avaunt! Begone!’ Then the magic sea retired with the octopus; and hence, may be, the place was called Mag Muirthemne."

Then looking I found this on Wikipedia about Nemed from the Book of Invasions...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemed:
"He cleared twelve plains: Mag Cera, Mag Eba, Mag Cuile Tolaid, and Mag Luirg in Connacht: Mag Seired in Tethba; Mag Tochair in Tir Eogain; Mag Selmne in Araide; Mag Macha in Airgialla; Mag Muirthemne in Brega; Mag Bernsa in Leinster; Leccmag and Mag Moda in Munster."

These two links provide maps of Brega but don't mention Mag Muirthemne
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik/ihm/mide.htm
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik/ihm/suineill.htm

A google book search suggested 'an area around Dundalk, Co Louth' and also found this
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MPZiWhhAmXAC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&dq=mag+muirthemne+brega&source=bl&ots=UnPN55ZbSV&sig=3KwN5Z7V4JERXYSoj7mREbKKsw4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0oqWT8yzEYWG8gOahPWRCg&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=mag%20muirthemne%20brega&f=false
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most sweet the sight of the sun;
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and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk
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