Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2025

The Lugh-Balar Narrative in Irish Oral Tradition: Folktale Types, Motifs and Influences

Résumé

One of the most famous myths of Irish medieval literature is most certainly the Second Battle of Moytirra, relating the mythical battle between the Tuatha Dé Danann, led by Lugh, and the sinister Fomhóire, commanded by Lug’s grandfather, Balor of the Evil Eye. The two original independent narrative versions of the conflict (11th c./16th c.), each represented by a single manuscript, have been edited, translated and widely analysed since the 19th century. The oral narratives pertaining to this primordial battle, which are extremely vivid, diverse and rich, are far less known and have been little studied. This paper intends to examine the various folk versions, collected since the beginning of the 19th century from the oral tradition of the Irish-speaking areas in the west and north-west. It will show that these folk versions can be organised into two folktale types. The first one, which has been orally maintained in Co. Mayo and Sligo, is very similar to the mythological account and recounts the story of the battle itself. The second one, which has uniquely developed in Co. Donegal, has lost Lugh’s identity and the connection to the battle. It is however much more elaborated in so far as it includes new characters, e.g. the smith and his magical cow, and new motifs, e.g. the fairy help and the prophecy foretelling that Balar will be killed by his grandson. Interestingly, the latter motif is not mentioned in the Irish literary sources at all, but can be found in other traditions, such as Greco-Roman, Persian, and Iranese traditions. The reasons for the subdivision of these folk versions into two distinctive folktale types and the possible origins of the new motifs in the Donegal versions will be analysed in terms of borrowings between Irish written and oral traditions, mythical topography, as well as Christian and Classical influences.

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Dates et versions

hal-04448060 , version 1 (09-02-2024)

Identifiants

  • HAL Id : hal-04448060 , version 1

Citer

Noémie Beck. The Lugh-Balar Narrative in Irish Oral Tradition: Folktale Types, Motifs and Influences. The Tenth Australian Conference of Celtic Studies, Celtic Language, Teaching and Research, School of Art, Communication and English, University of Sydney, Sep 2023, Sydney (Australia), Australia. ⟨hal-04448060⟩
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