Irish Mythological Cycle: Difference between revisions
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The '''Mythological Cycle''' is a body of medieval Irish legends, sagas, poems and historical traditions which makes up one of the four great cycles of [[Irish mythology]]. It contains the [[origin myth]]s of the Irish, including the ''[[Dindshenchas]]'' ("place-lore"), poems and stories which explain the origins of places and their names by reference to events in the imagined distant past; the ''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' ("book of the taking of Ireland"), a compilation of traditions about a sequence of invasions and settlements by various groups, some semi-historical, some entirely mythical; and a variety of tales featuring the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]], the [[Fomóire]] and other characters who appear to have once been [[god]]s. This cycle is thought to derive from the true [[mythology]] of pre-Christian Ireland, although all religious meanings have been removed and characters thoroughly euhemerized by their [[Christianity|Christian]] redactors, and no [[creation myth|creation]] or [[Eschatology|end of the world]] myth has survived. | |||
The '''Mythological Cycle''' | |||
Revision as of 03:07, 1 November 2013
The Mythological Cycle is a body of medieval Irish legends, sagas, poems and historical traditions which makes up one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology. It contains the origin myths of the Irish, including the Dindshenchas ("place-lore"), poems and stories which explain the origins of places and their names by reference to events in the imagined distant past; the Lebor Gabála Érenn ("book of the taking of Ireland"), a compilation of traditions about a sequence of invasions and settlements by various groups, some semi-historical, some entirely mythical; and a variety of tales featuring the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Fomóire and other characters who appear to have once been gods. This cycle is thought to derive from the true mythology of pre-Christian Ireland, although all religious meanings have been removed and characters thoroughly euhemerized by their Christian redactors, and no creation or end of the world myth has survived.