BENDING THE BOYNE: A novel of ancient Ireland (38 page)

“What is your name, sir, to properly thank you for the story?”

The answer resonated through the mist.

“I am called Aengus.”

Author’s Note:

Technical points, and not letting the facts ruin a good story

Copper to early bronze age: This story condenses, or telescopes, a few centuries of big changes introduced during the Chalcolithic or early Bronze Age along coastal northwest Europe. The mounds, megaliths, carved images, and objects (including the green skull) mentioned in BENDING THE BOYNE date to that period, they do exist, and can be viewed in Ireland, Wales, Brittany, and northern Spain. Clothing and hairstyles reflect Beaker-era burials, Bronze Age bodies preserved in bogs, and items found with Oetzi the Ice Man.

Linguistics problem: Academics debate whether metal use and trade, embodied as the Beaker people, the Invaders in this story, introduced a proto-IndoEuropean language. The native Starwatchers’ language and culture did not necessarily disappear circa 2200 BCE with the Bronze Age, nor later at around 600 BCE with the Iron Age and so-called “Celtic” culture named for that language group. Archaeo-geneticists, linguists, and others will gradually untangle this.

Dwellings at the Boyne: The Starwatchers’ stone houses resemble those on Orkney (northeast Scotland) and at Carrowkeel (county Sligo, Ireland). Dwellings have not been excavated at the Boyne to date, except that Knowth mound overlaps the foundation of what may have been an earlier dwelling. The Beaker-era structures located around Newgrange mound probably consisted of plank and wattle walls, as described in this tale, but there exists little academic concensus about the roof materials nor exact use of a given enclosure (i.e., whether used as an animal pen, dwelling, ceremonial space, or workshop).

Fire inside the mounds: There is scant evidence of using fire inside the mounds but sufficient air does flow into Newgrange passage or Knowth’s passages for use of torches or a small fire inside. Same re: Boann’s herbs burned for Sheela inside Dowth mound.

Bonfires: Eire’s people continued to use bonfires as signal messages, for example after the fatal shooting of an AngloIrish landlord in the nineteenth century.

Astronomy at 2200 BCE: Positions of the sun, moon, Milky Way, constellations, and certain planets would be visible using just the naked eye. To verify their positions at 2200 BCE, a web-based program was consulted.

Schools of thought about Irish/Welsh mythology: BENDING THE BOYNE echoes older literary sources including the
Dindshenchas, Lebor Gabala
, and other texts. The plot draws from myth though its physical setting strives to be factual. Those interested to read further will find various approaches to the ancient mythology, the oldest in western Europe. These approaches fall into one of the following camps:

1. the medieval-era monks altered the myths in transcribing oral tales from old Irish or Welsh to Latin, and added Judeo-Christian elements (and even doodled in their vellum margins); thus the myths are at best unreliable legends, or at worst are useless for any purpose

2. the myths are “Celtic” fantasy tales of fairies and leprechauns

3. the transcribed myths give a false chronology of various “invasions” of Ireland up to when “Milesians” allegedly arrived from Spain (per those auld monks’ anachronisms re: the Biblical Flood, Egypt, etc.; see 1, above), or, in some instances were revised to set forth a contrived genealogy for political purposes

4. the Iron Age myths borrow from Eire’s earlier, indigenous oral history

5. the myths contain metaphors and pnemonic devices which pass along an important store of empirical knowledge, namely, astronomy; e.g., Aengus represents the reborn sun, Boann embodies the Milky Way, etc.

The author happily combines elements from all the above, with simultaneous affection and caution as to the astronomy camp. A definitive interpretation of the carved symbols at the Boyne, or those in Brittany, or in Spain/Portugal, has yet to be made. Also, not every bump or old track in the landscape reveals to us the ancients’ astronomy.
Caveat emptor
.

Nothing in this story foreshadows “Celts” or endorses that term, especially not the pervasive nineteenth-century label “Celtic” that is routinely misapplied to the mounds (or to Stonehenge) and the people who built them. North Atlantic peoples shared a culture well prior to the Iron Age and long after that era. People of the isles did not call themselves Celts until recently. In time, a more viable construct will replace “Celtic”.

The Starwatchers’ astronomy practices carried on to St. Patrick’s era. He condemned “those miserable wretches who worship the sun [and who] shall surely be punished”, and St. Patrick lit his own competing bonfire.

The author’s literary use of elements from the myths in no way supports pseudohistory, occultism, astrology, neopaganism, or any specific religion.

Two final points:

First, as of this novel’s publication date, the National Museum in Dublin does not have docent guides. The 1916 Rising exhibit does now have a different venue.

Second, recent analysis of Irish gold artifacts suggests another source of ancient gold did exist, in the Mourne mountains—despite what Connor told Elcmar. Regarding the precise location of gold in county Wicklow:

that is still a secret.

For discussion group questions, and a partial Bibliography of sources consulted in writing BENDING THE BOYNE, please see the author’s website at:
www.jsdunnbooks.com
.

PRONUNCIATION OF CHARACTERS’ NAMES, MYTHIC ORIGINS, AND ROLE
(in italics)
IN BENDING THE BOYNE

AENGUS, OENGUS (an gus):

Bright One, Youthful Son; personification of one day. A figure with Boann in early solar references in myths of the
Bru
(Newgrange mound –
Bru mac ind Oc)
. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Son of Boann.

AIRMID (Ahr mid) renamed BRIGHID (bree id):

Goddess of herb lore, healing, wisdom.

Friend of Boann; the Invaders change her name to Brighid.

ARDAL (ar dahl):

Bear, fury, valor.

Starwatcher scout, lover of Airmid.

BASAJUAN (bah sah whan):

Basque, ancient smith.

The Basque smith who collaborates with Cian.

BOANN (bo ahn):

Goddess, personification of the river Boyne and also the Milky Way, the “Bright Way”; and her totem animal of “White Cow.” Not found in later myths. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Astronomer, daughter of Oghma, wife of Elcmar, mother of Aengus, and a symbol.

BOLG (vulag):

Deity name. Also, Fir Bolg (“Men of the Bags”).

Trader on Iberian peninsula.

BRESAL (bres ahl):

Pain. Early shaman figure in myth cycle.

An Invader shaman at their Boyne camp.

CIAN (kee uhn):

Derivation unknown, “ancient,” “enduring.” Pre-Indoeuropean? Also in Persian: Kian = Generations. In Irish myth, said to have been born with the caul on his head; also said to be a shapeshifter.

The missing apprentice to Oghma, and a symbol.

CLIODHNA (clee uhna):

Goddess of beauty. Derivation unknown, ancient name. Pre-Indoeuropean? A version of her tale as taken down by Lady Gregory, says she got into a currach that had a stern made of copper.

Captive of the intruders, Gebann’s daughter, Seafarer potter, friend to Boann.

COLL (cull):

“The Sun”; ancient name, said to be a god of the Tuatha de Danaan.

Ancestor, grandfather to Oghma’s mentor in stonecarving.

CONNOR, Ir. CONCHOBHAIR (con nor):

Figure from Ulster cycle of myths, Conchobhair of the Red Hand.

Miscreant Invader.

CREIDHNE (cred nuh):

Ancient god of goldsmithing.

Smith at The Lake Of Many Hammers (: Ross Island mine, Lough Lein, county Kerry.)

DAIRE (dah ruh):

“Oak grove” or “fertile”; early fertility or bull god. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Apprentice astronomer, Starwatcher scout.

DAGDA (dagh da):

“The Good God,” “Lord of Great Knowledge.” (Ir.:
Ruad Ro-fhessa
– Lord Of All Knowledge or Deirgderg, Red Eye); said to occupy the Bru of Boann (and alleged father of Aengus). Pre-Indoeuropean?

Elder, astronomer, mentor of Boann, and a symbol.

ELCMAR (elk mar):

“Lord of the Horses,” minor figure in myths about the Tuatha de Danaan, husband of Boann.

Husband of Boann, Invader champion.

ENYA, Ir. ETHNIU (en ya):

Said to have married Cian according to early myth; also, “she who causes envy.”

Wife of Cian, visits Bru na Boinne from a far shore.

EOCHAID (oh kad, or, ughy):

Horse rider, lightning god, sun god. Possibly another name for the Dagda.

Also, an early king of Midh.

Leader, Starwatcher elder at Tara.

FUAMNACH (foo ahm nahk):

Wife of Midhir, foster daughter of Bresal in mythology of Tuatha de Danaan.

Wife of Midhir.

GEBANN (ge ban):

Smith, de Danaan, father of Cliodhna.

Seafarer, father of Cliodhna, master smith and mining supervisor.

GRIANE (gri uhn):

Sun god. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Ancestor of Starwatchers, earliest astronomer.

ITH:

Early intruder on Eire, slain there according to myth.

An Invader shaman at their Boyne camp.

IUCHNU (iuk nu):

Figure who leaves by boat with Cliodhna; per myth Cliodhna is lost off the coast of present day Cork.

LEIN (lehn):

Ancient smith figure in south Cork/Kerry.

Smith at the Lake Of Many Hammers with Gebann and Creidhne.

LIR (le ir):

Personification of the sea. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Seafarer of the Atlantic coasts.

MAEDB (mev):

“Intoxicates.” Goddess figure, with reincarnations in later myths. Associated site – Cruachain at Roscommon (Rathcroghan), mythical burial place of Maedb.

Wife of Connor.

MIDHIR (my dir):

Fairy god in Tuatha De tales; said to be Lord of the Sidhe (fairy mound) of Bri Leith, daughter Blathnat taken as “consort” by Connor of Ulster.

Starwatcher, foster father of Aengus Og.

MUIRGEN (mur ghen):

“Born of the sea.”

Seafarer captive at Invaders’ Boyne camp. She later appears as the Morrigan.

OGHMA (oh mah):

God of writing; myths describe as a Fomorian; a half brother to the Dagda in some myths.

Starwatcher, astronomer, father of Boann, master stonecarver at the Boyne, and symbol.

SHEELA (shee la):

Derivation unknown. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Starwatcher, friend of Boann, and symbol.

SLAINGE (Slane):

Early name for area around Teamair (Tara).

Scout and elder of the Starwatchers.

SRENG (shreng):

A fighting man of the Fir Bolg.

Miner, Starwatcher scout, ally of Gebann and Cian.

TADHG (tige, or teig):

Derivation unknown. Pre-Indoeuropean? Also had a twentieth-century usage.

Starwatcher scout, friend of Boann and Cian.

TAIRDELBACH (tahr lak):

Old Irish. Tairdelbach means, roughly, “one who assists or aids.”

A snitch on the Starwatchers.

TARANIS (tahr annis):

Breton version of Tuireann. God of thunder, and change (later personified with a wheel). Father of Enya. One myth says that his sons killed Cian.

Chieftain controlling trade at the Loire.

TETHRA (teh ra):

Per myths, a Fomorian, a magician and chief of an “underground army”. Pre-Indoeuropean?

Starwatcher, friend of Dagda and Oghma, elder residing at Carrowkeel.