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Archiver > DNA-R1B1C7 > 2011-08 > 1314216835


From: Jerry Kelly <>
Subject: Re: [R-M222] MacLysaght and Woulfe and Mac Firbhisigh
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:13:55 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <CA+2t2c6jQL+zVpHOSCkxm-rLdF4VgCzVXkfXNZ7xy=y1TBLrsQ@mail.gmail.com>


A Phóil a chara,

Go raibh maith agat. / Thank you.

We have to resort to Irish grammar to translate these. Donn Sliabh ('Brown Mountain') would be the original warrior-name in the nominative form, the form used when the noun is the subject of a sentence. In those days, the adjective could precede or succeed the noun, unlike today when it usually comes after the noun.

The usual genitive form of Donn Sliabh in that period was Duinn Sléibe or Duinn Sléibi ('Of Brown Mountain'), today's Duinnshléibhe.

So I would translate Cormac mac Duinn Sleibhi as Cormac (Chariot-Son) son of Brown Mountain and Cormac o Duinn Sleibhi as Cormac grandson of Brown Mountain.

To write Cormac Dunn ('Brown Cormac') of the Mountain in that period, we'd need to write either Donn Cormac na Sléibhi/e or Cormac Donn na Sléibhi/e.

To write Brown Cormac of a (any old) mountain in that period, we'd need to write either Donn Cormac Sléibhe/i or Cormac Donn Sléibhi/e.

To write Brown Cormac of the mountains in that period, we'd write either Donn Cormac na Sléibti/e or Cormac Donn na Sléibte/i.

You point out correctly that dún is the nominative of fort and dúin is its genitive.

Go raibh sé sin cabhrach. / Hope that's helpful.

Le gach dea-ghuí / Best,
Jerry

Treibheanna Éireannacha
www.irishtribes.com


--- On Wed, 8/24/11, Paul Conroy <> wrote:

> From: Paul Conroy <>
> Subject: Re: [R-M222] MacLysaght and Woulfe and Mac Firbhisigh
> To:
> Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 3:45 PM
> Jerry, Gerry,
>
> Is there any connection between:
> Mac Duinnshléibhe and O'Duinn
>
> When I check the aforemnetioned URL, I get the following:
> http://www.isos.dias.ie/libraries/NLI/NLI_MS_G_12/english/index.html
>
> Which list the same person as:
> 1. *Cormac mac Duinn Sleibhi*
> 2. *Cormac o Duinn Sleibhi*
>
> Which could be translated as "Cormac Dunne of the
> Mountains", as opposed to
> "Cormac of the Mountain Fort"
>
> What say ye??
>
> Cheers,
> Paul


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