Story Archaeology

Long before Santa's sack was filled with seasonal gifts, Manannán Mac Lír had a wonderful craneskin bag full of magical treasures, which he frequently gave to those he favoured. But what will the Story Archaeologists pull out of the bag? Some unusual pets, a mythical Swiss Army knife and a Holy Grail. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. And featuring "A Shaolin Monk for Christmas" by Mister Stick.

Long before Santa's sack was filled with seasonal gifts, Manannán Mac Lír had a wonderful craneskin bag full of magical treasures, which he frequently gave to those he favoured. But what will the Story Archaeologists pull out of the bag? Some unusual pets, a mythical Swiss Army knife and a Holy Grail. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. And featuring "A Shaolin Monk for Christmas" by Mister Stick.

As we reach the final section of "The Wooing of Étaín", a game of fidchell leads to some epic gains and losses.  There will be archaic poetry, incest, a War of the Worlds and some civil engineering. Join the Story Archaeologists as they encounter a tale where text and archaeology come together in an extraordinary way. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

As we reach the final section of "The Wooing of Étaín", a game of fidchell leads to some epic gains and losses.  There will be archaic poetry, incest, a War of the Worlds and some civil engineering. Join the Story Archaeologists as they encounter a tale where text and archaeology come together in an extraordinary way. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

As Étaín grows up to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland - again - she is wooed and won by no less than the king of all Ireland. But no story can be that simple! Join the Story Archaeologists as they seek out the improbable causes of the “sick-lying” of Étaín’s new brother-in-law. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Étaín and Midir: illustration by Kathy Moore As Étaín grows up to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland - again - she is wooed and won by no less than the king of all Ireland. But no story can be that simple! Join the Story Archaeologists as they seek out the improbable causes of the “sick-lying” of Étaín’s new brother-in-law. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Sculpture of Étaín by Éamonn O’Doherty (Isolde’s late uncle)   The saga Tocmarc Étaíne, "The Wooing of Étaín”, is a complex and engaging tale of love, loss and time twists.  We encounter jealous husbands, repudiated wives and bewildering shape-shifting, all stretching over a thousand years. The Story Archaeologists wander through the first part this magnifigant story, rediscovering old friends and meeting some new, including a very unusual fly.     Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come… Check our Reading List for further reading and resources.   by The Story Archaeologists Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello  

The saga Tocmarc Étaíne, "The Wooing of Étaín”, is a complex and engaging tale of love, loss and time twists.  We encounter jealous husbands, repudiated wives and bewildering shape-shifting, all stretching over a thousand years. The Story Archaeologists wander through the first part this magnifigant story, rediscovering old friends and meeting some new, including a very unusual fly. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

Sculpture of Étaín by Éamonn O'Doherty (Isolde's late uncle) The saga Tocmarc Étaíne, "The Wooing of Étaín”, is a complex and engaging tale of love, loss and time twists.  We encounter jealous husbands, repudiated wives and bewildering shape-shifting, all stretching over a thousand years. The Story Archaeologists wander through the first part this magnifigant story, rediscovering old friends and meeting some new, including a very unusual fly. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello.

In the context of Dindshenchas, we return to the fascinating tale, Echtrae Nerai / Táin Bó Aingene ("The Adventures of Nera / The Cattle Raid of Aingene"), which we dipped into in "Corpse Carrying For Beginners".  When Nera returns from his adventures in the síd, he ends up with even more than a time-travel headache. Join the Story Archaeologists as they try to unravel the threads of this closely-woven story. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come… Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. Links for this episode "The Adventures of Nera / The Cattle Raid of Aingene", translated by Kuno Meyer; on Mary Jones' Celtic Literature Collective "The Cattle Raid of Regamna", translated by A. H. Leahy, on the Celtic Literature Collective "The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu" (a.k.a. Deirdre of the Sorrows), translated by Vernam Hull, on CELT "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" - Recension I, edited and translated by Cecile O'Rahilly, on CELT "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" - From the Book of Leinster (LL), edited and translated by Cecile O'Rahilly, on CELT

Road sculpture, Táin Bó Cúailgne, Co Louth, photo by Paz In the context of Dindshenchas, we return to the fascinating tale, Echtrae Nerai / Táin Bó Aingene ("The Adventures of Nera / The Cattle Raid of Aingene"), which we dipped into in "Corpse Carrying For Beginners".  When Nera returns from his adventures in the síd, he ends up with even more than a time-travel headache. Join the Story Archaeologists as they try to unravel the threads of this closely-woven story. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come… Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. Links for this episode "The Adventures of Nera / The Cattle Raid of Aingene", translated by Kuno Meyer; on Mary Jones' Celtic Literature Collective "The Cattle Raid of Regamna", translated by A. H. Leahy, on the Celtic Literature Collective "The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu" (a.k.a. Deirdre of the Sorrows), translated by Vernam Hull, on CELT "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" - Recension I, edited and translated by Cecile O'Rahilly, on CELT "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" - From the Book of Leinster (LL), edited and translated by Cecile O'Rahilly, on CELT

After an exhausting treck around Ireland in pursuit of the Champion's Portion, it's time to sit back and examine the text of Fled Bricrenn as a whole. There are many questions to be asked; such as who has been pulling our heroes' strings? Join the Story Archaeologists in their quest to understand this fascinating saga, and attempt to locate it in time as well as space. Please note: This would originally have been one long episode! Instead of making it "Dindshenchas 6: Fled Bricrenn 3 - Part 2 of 2", we decided to make it a whole new episode! Links for the episode: If you have any technical difficulties downloading or listening to the podcast, please leave a comment below. Fled Bricrenn, "Bricriu's Feast", translated by George Henderson; Irish Texts Society, 1899 Mesca Ulad, "The Intoxication of the Ulstermen", translated by W. M. Hennessey (1889). This could almost be a "companion text" to Fled Bricrenn, and contains detailed descriptions of many of the characters. And finally, Bricriu's Feast: A Comedy in Three Acts, with an Epilogue by Eimar O'Duffy (1913). Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts! Related Articles will be posted in the days to come… Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. Old episodes now available on archive.org. by The Story Archaeologists Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello

After an exhausting treck around Ireland in pursuit of the Champion's Portion, it's time to sit back and examine the text of Fled Bricrenn as a whole.  There are many questions to be asked; such as who has been pulling our heroes' strings? Join the Story Archaeologists in their quest to understand this fascinating saga, and attempt to locate it in time as well as space. Please note: This would originally have been one long episode! Instead of making it "Dindshenchas 6: Fled Bricrenn 3 - Part 2 of 2", we decided to make it a whole new episode! If you have any technical difficulties downloading or listening to the podcast, please leave a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. Old episodes now available on archive.org. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. Links for the episode Fled Bricrenn, "Bricriu's Feast", translated by George Henderson; Irish Texts Society, 1899 Mesca Ulad, "The Intoxication of the Ulstermen", translated by W. M. Hennessey (1889). This could almost be a "companion text" to Fled Bricrenn, and contains detailed descriptions of many of the characters. And finally, Bricriu's Feast: A Comedy in Three Acts, with an Epilogue by Eimar O'Duffy (1913).

Corleck triple faced stone from County Cavan After an exhausting treck around Ireland in pursuit of the Champion's Portion, it's time to sit back and examine the text of Fled Bricrenn as a whole.  There are many questions to be asked; such as who has been pulling our heroes' strings? Join the Story Archaeologists in their quest to understand this fascinating saga, and attempt to locate it in time as well as space. Please note: This would originally have been one long episode! Instead of making it "Dindshenchas 6: Fled Bricrenn 3 - Part 2 of 2", we decided to make it a whole new episode! If you have any technical difficulties downloading or listening to the podcast, please leave a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come. Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. Old episodes now available on archive.org. By The Story Archaeologists. Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello. Links for the episode Fled Bricrenn, "Bricriu's Feast", translated by George Henderson; Irish Texts Society, 1899 Mesca Ulad, "The Intoxication of the Ulstermen", translated by W. M. Hennessey (1889). This could almost be a "companion text" to Fled Bricrenn, and contains detailed descriptions of many of the characters. And finally, Bricriu's Feast: A Comedy in Three Acts, with an Epilogue by Eimar O'Duffy (1913).

In the final episode of Fled Bricrenn, our heroes head deep into the Otherworld, a.k.a. Kerry. They enter the mysterious revolving fort of Cú Roí Mac Daire, culminating in the iconic beheading game. Join the Story Archaeologists as they take an axe to the Gordian Knot of this magnificent, though bewildering, saga. Please note: This is a particularly long episode! Here is Part 1, which covers the rest of the text. The general discussion will be in Part 2, and will be posted in the next 7 days. Links for the episode: If you have any technical difficulties downloading or listening to the podcast, please leave a comment below. Fled Bricrenn, "Bricriu's Feast", translated by George Henderson; Irish Texts Society, 1899 Don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest posts!  Related Articles will be posted in the days to come… Check our Reading List for further reading and resources. Old episodes now available on archive.org. by The Story Archaeologists Music: “Tam Lin” by Gian Castello