The mythology of ancient Ireland is made up of a number literary epics and tales of ‘gods and men’ that interlink and cross-over one another to form a rich and complex tapestry of romance, magic, heroism, conquest, and defeat.
Gaelic mythology shares these and many other archetypal images with the myths of other parts of the World; however, Gaelic Irish Mythology has not been given the same amount of attention as that of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, or even Hindu.
Much of this disconnect could be put down to the erosion of Gaelic culture due to its colonisation by England, but a lot of it can also be put down to difficulty with translating the archaic forms of Irish the Sagas (and laws) were written in.
Thankfully Cork University’s recently launched “Irish Sagas Online Database” seeks to address this by building an online database of Irish mythological sagas to be made readily available to all. Working together with members of CELT and the Celtic Digital Initiative, Tom O’Donovan and his team will produce versions of the original texts along with translations in both modern Irish and English.
> Irish Sagas Online Database <
The current List of Sagas is relatively small compared to the volume of literature available. Only six are available to view now but it is a very welcomed resource that will hopefully continue to grow.
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Aided Chonchobuir – The Death of Conchobar
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Aided Diarmada meic Fergusa Cerrbeoil – The Death of Dermot son of Fergus Cerrbeoil
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Aislinge Meic Con Glinne – The Vision of MacConglinne
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Baile Binnbérlach mac Buain – Baile the Sweet-Spoken, son of Buan
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Buile Shuibhne – The Frenzy of Suibhne
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Caithréim Cellaig – The Noble Career of Cellach
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Cath Almaine – The Battle of Allen
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Cath Maige Mucrama – The Battle of Mag Mucrama
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Ceart Claidib Cormaic – The Decision as to Cormac’s Sword
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Compert Mongáin ocus Serc Duibe-Lacha do Mongán – The Conception of Mongán and Dub-Locha’s love for Mongán
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Echtra Chondla – The Adventure of Connla the Fair
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Echtra Cormaic i Tír Tairngirí – Cormac’s Adventure in the Land of Promise
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Echtra Fergusa maic Léti – The Adventure of Fergus mac Léti
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Echtra mac nEchach Muigmedóin – The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Muigmedón
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Esnada Tige Buchet – The Songs of Buchet’s House
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Fingal Rónáin – How Ronan slew his Son
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Geneamuin Chormaic – The Birth of Cormac
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Immram Brain – The Voyage of Bran son of Febal
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Longes Mac n-Uislenn – The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu
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Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin – The Story of Cano son of Gartnán
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Scéla Guairi meic Colmáin ocus Meic Teléne – The story of Guaire mac Colmáin and Mac Teléne
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Tochmarc Étaíne – The Wooing of Étaín
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Togail Bruidne Dá Derga – The Destruction of Dá Derga’s Hostel
