Calgacus's Quiz On "Celtic" History

[Pangur Bán]

QUESTION 36:

Who was the author of this infamous passage, and what is the name of his work?

There is in the northern and farther part of Ulster, namely in Kenelcunill (Tyrconnell), a certain people which is accustomed to consecrate its king with a rite altogether outlandish and abominable. When the whole people of that land has been gathered together in one place, a white mare is brought forward into the middle of the assembly. He who is to be inaugurated, not as a chief, but as a beast, not as king, but as an outlaw, copulates with the animal before all, professing himself to be a beast also. The mare is then killed immediately, cut up in pieces, and boiled in water. A bath is prepared for the man afterwards in the same water. He sits in the bath surrounded by all his people, and all, he and they, eat of the meat of the mare which is brought to them. He quaffs and drinks of the broth in which he is bathed, not in any cup, nor using his hand, but just dipping his mouth into it round about him, When this unrighteous rite has been carried out, his kingship and dominion has been conferred."

 

[YNCS]

That passage was written by Gerald of Wales in The History and Topography of Ireland. Gerald is one of more interesting medieval historiographers. His personal quest for the episcopacy of St. David's is a fascinating chapter in the Norman church while his books preserve those "quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore."

 

[gael]

He had a lot of incite on the Irish people and Ireland for a someone who only visted the island twice within a few years,..on the back of Norman conquest. His relatives were some of the first to gain land out of it too if i remember correctly.

Interesting, but he was a frontier historian that most modern historians on Ireland go out of their way to set aside because of his gross bias in justifing the conquest and exadurating Irish pagan rituals and 'Barbarism'.

Theres no doubt that Ireland would still have had practising pagans in some parts at that time though.

 

[Pangur Bán]

Yes, nothing more to add there. Just thought no Celtic quiz could be without that quote.

QUESTION 37:

What connects, etymologically speaking, the legendary founder of Gwynedd with the legendary founder of "Scotland"?

 

[gael]

Gwynedd was an Irish colony wasn't it?

Japanese?


...or the Irish/Scotch Q celt, as apposed to the P celt noramally found in britian/wales?

Or is he the pict from 'scotland' that was hired to kick the Irish out of gwynedd? Then it would be 'pictish'.