The Dáirine (Dárine, Dáirfine, Dáirfhine, Dárfine, Dárinne, Dairinne), later known dynastically as the
Corcu Loígde and associated, were the proto-historical rulers of
Munster before the rise of the
Eóganachta in the 7th century AD.[1] They were derived from or closely associated with the
Darini of
Ptolemy and were also related to the
Ulaid and
Dál Riata of
Ulster and
Scotland.[2] Their ancestors appear frequently in the
Ulster Cycle. In historical times the Dáirine were represented, as stated, by the
Corcu Loígde, the
Uí Fidgenti and
Uí Liatháin,[3] as well as a few other early historical kindreds of both Munster and Ulster. In ancient genealogical schemes,[4] the historical
Dál Fiatach of Ulaid also belong to the Dáirine.
History
Dáirine can sometimes refer to the
Érainn dynasties as a whole instead of the distinct royal septs mentioned above.[5] The Dáirine of Munster were said to descend from a certain
Dáire (*Dārios),[6] both
Dáire Doimthech (Sírchrechtach), ancestor of the Corcu Loígde, and from
Dáire mac Dedad, father of
Cú Roí. The two are quite probably identical.[7] The medieval genealogists were aware of the confusion and noted it in the
Book of Glendalough (Rawlinson B 502). At some point the pedigree tradition of the Corcu Loígde diverged in its forms and ceased to closely match those more common elsewhere in Ireland. The Clanna Dedad take their name from Cú Roí's grandfather
Dega, son of Sen (the Old).[8]
Notable is that the Dáirine were greatly renowned as a warlike military
caste, in contrast to their agricultural and relatively peaceful successors. According to the
Táin Bó Flidais, the Clanna Dedad were one of the three warrior-races (laech-aicmi) of Ireland, the others being the
Clanna Rudraige (their Ulaid cousins), and the
Gamanrad of Irrus Domnann, who were related to the
Laigin.[9]
However, the Dáirine appear to be most remembered in the surviving corpus for their allegedly bloody and harsh rule, in some tales even coming across as monstrous. This portrayal may or may not have any basis in ancient fact, and is possibly the invention of historians and storytellers.
Ó Corráin, Donnchadh, "Corcu Loígde: Land and Families", in Cork: History and Society. Interdisciplinary Essays on the History of an Irish County, edited by Patrick O'Flanagan and Cornelius G. Buttimer. Dublin: Geography Publications. 1993.
Ó Corráin, Donnchadh, "Prehistoric and Early Christian Ireland", in Foster, Roy (ed.), The Oxford Illustrated History of Ireland. Oxford University Press. 2001. pgs. 1–52.
Cross, Tom Peete and Clark Harris Slover (eds.), Ancient Irish Tales. Henry Holt and Company. 1936.
Gantz, Jeffrey (tr.), Early Irish Myths and Sagas. Penguin. 1981.
Hellmuth, Petra Sabine, "A Giant Among Kings and Heroes: Some preliminary thoughts on the character Cú Roí mac Dáire in medieval Irish literature", in Emania 17 (1998): 5–11.