Dubthach maccu Lugair

Dubthach maccu Lugair (also moccu Lugair) is a legendary Irish poet and lawyer who supposedly lived at the time of St Patrick's mission in Ireland and in the reign of Lóegaire mac Néill, high-king of Ireland. In contrast to the king and his druids, he is said to have readily accepted the new religion. This event has played a major part in Hiberno-Latina and Irish sources as representing the integration of native Irish learning with the Christian faith.

Background

Dubthach was of the Cenel Lughair, who were a forainmnecha (subject people) of the Ui Enechglaiss in the barony of Gorey, County Wicklow; however, the Ui Enechglaiss did not settle in the area till about a century after Dubhthach's lifetime. The Cenel Lughair were represented by a dynasty of some importance, their seat been Dinn Flatha Ceineoil Lugair on Tara Hill, near Gorey. His father's name was given as Lugaid.

He was alive around the time of the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, and is associated with Saint Patrick (Palladius?), King Loegaire of Tara, bishop Fiacc of Sletty and bishop Erc of Slane. He was styled in Patrician hagiography as ri gfhile (royal poet) and was accorded the status of Chief Ollam of Ireland in the Annals of the Four Masters. His nickname was "Dubhtach of the Lake". He is very important in the history of the conversion of Ireland to Christianity for two reasons, primarily because he was the first of the learned poetic and druidic orders to convert from paganism and also because so many of his family supplied saints and churchmen to the church in its early years thus giving it a firm foundation based on learning and social status.

Dubthach may be related to Mo Laisse maccu Lugair, whose feast-day is given as 16 September in the Martyrology of Tallaght and Félire Óengusso. Both martyrologies state that his church was found among the Uí Fhairchelláin, near Mountrath, County Laois.^[1]

Hagiographical traditions

Dubhtach is placed by hagiography with his nephew, Saint Fiacc of Sletty, and the jurist, Erc, at the court of Loegaire when Patrick visited Tara. O'Reilly's account states-

When St. Patrick had come to Tara and was preaching before King Loegaire, we are told that the only one who rose on the saint's approach and respectfully saluted him was Dubhthach, the king's poet, who was the first to embrace the Christian faith in that place; and as Joceline says, "being baptized and confirmed in the faith, he turned his poetry, which in the flower and prime of his studies he employed in praise of false gods, to a much better use; changing his mind and style, he composed more elegant poems in praise of the Almighty Creator and His holy preachers."

The descendants of Dubhtach and Fiacc, who the tale says were converted, were blessed by this demonstration of respect. He is at a later date given to been present on the occasion Patrick made Fiacc a bishop.

Seanchas Mar

Dubhthach gave a judgement against King Loegaire for killing Patrick's charioteer, Saint Odran. A result of this was the revision of the laws of the pagan Irish to bring them in line with Christian values. Dubhtach was one of the nine who revised the laws. What accorded with Christianity was kept, what did not was excised.

Surviving poems

Four poems ascribed to Dubhtach are extant; one in the Book of Rights, three in the Book of Leinster. Edward O'Reilly gives a full account of these in his Irish Writers, XXX sq.; d. anno 433.^[2]

Descendants

Dubhtach was in a later tradition made a prospective husband for Saint Brigit. She declined him, but helped him find a bride. He is given as the father of several sons, all saints and founders of churches, mainly in Leinster. They included Fachtna of Kiltoom, in the barony of Fore, County Westmeath, other sons were Trian, Saint Gabhran, Saint Euhel, Moninne, Lonan and Saint Molaisse Mac Lugair. His granddaughter, Dediva (also called Editua or Dedi or Deidi or Deighe or Deidiu or Deaga or Mediva), daughter of Trian, was the alleged mother of saints and poets, including Saint Senan of Laraghabrine, son of Fintan, Saint Diarmaid the Just, son of Lugna, Saint Caillin, son of Niata, Saint Felim of Kilmore, son of Carill, Saint Daigh, son of Carill, Saint Femia, daughter of Carill, St.Manchin, son of Collan of Corann and Senchán Torpéist, another Chief Ollam of Ireland, which latter son is in keeping with the tradition of ollams coming generally from families who had a tradition of producing ollams.

Preceded by Adna mac Uthidir

Chief Ollam of Ireland c. 432

Succeeded by Dallán Forgaill

Notes

1. ^ Charles-Edwards, "Dubthach maccu Lugair"
2. ^ Transactions of the Iberno-Celtic Society for 1820. Vol. I. Dublin: Iberno-Celtic Society. 1820. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=G6E_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PR62&dq=%22o'Cuill%22&hl=en&ei=Zy3wS833FsqC_Qa3rLyqBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=%22o'Cuill%22&f=false. Retrieved 2010-06-11. 

References

Secondary sources

• Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2004). "Dubthach maccu Lugair (supp. fl. 432)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. 
• Irish writers, Edward O'Reily
• Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century,
• McCone, Kim (1986). "Dubthach maccu Lugair and the pseudo-historical prologue to the Senchus Mar". Peritia 5: 1–35. 
• Dictionary of Irish Biography, pp. 494–95, Cambridge, 2009.
• Shearman, John Francis (1874). "Loca Patriciana. No. V. The Druids, Dubhtach Mac Ui Lugair and His Sons". The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland. 
• Best, Richard Irvine, ed (1931). The Martyrology of Tallaght: From the Book of Leinster and MS. 5100–4 in the Royal Library, Brussels. Harrison and Sons. 

Primary sources

• Muirchú,Vita S. Patricii (The Life of St Patrick), ed. Bieler
• Córus Béscnai, ed. Binchy, D.A., ed (1978). Corpus Iuris Hibernici. 6 vols. Dublin: DIAS. ISBN 185500108X. 
• Tripartite Life of St Patrick
• Pseudo-historical prologue to the Senchas Már
• First Life of St Brigit

Further reading

• Carey, John (1990). "The two laws in Dubthach's judgment". Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 19: 1–18.