Carmel McCaffrey - In Search of Ancient Ireland: From Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English

THIS BOOK could never have been written without the support and encouragement of many Irish scholars, archaeologists, and historians, especially our core advisory team from the television series that accompanied it. We'd especially like to thank Donnchadh Corrin at the National University of Ireland in Cork, Barry Raftery at the National University of Ireland in Dublin, John Waddell at the National University of Ireland in Galway, and Patrick Wallace, director of the National Museum of Ireland. Each of these four men guided and counseled us through initial research and more than a year of television production, as well as commenting on completed chapters and correcting errors.

In addition, we'd like to thank Michael Baillie, Edel Bhreath-nach, Mary Cahill, Paurigeen Clancy, Abbot Christopher Dillon, Charles Doherty, Thomas Charles Edwards, Father Frank Fahey, Joe Fenwick, Jim Fitzpatrick, Peter Harbison, Maire Herbert, Elva Johnston, Fergus Kelly, Patricia Kelly, Conor Newman, William O'Brien, Mchal Collin, Simon and Maria O'Dwyer, Raghnall Floinn, Richard Kemp, Tim O'Neill, Dagmar Riain-Raedel, Helen Roche, Richard Warner, Sir David Wilson, and Michael Wood. All of these scholars generously shared their time and expertise and added immeasurably to our knowledge of ancient Ireland and the wider world in which it existed, and all are quoted in this book.

Because book and television series are so closely linked, we'd also like to thank those whose work on the series provided the solid foundation on which the book was written: our executive producers Bill Grant, from WNET in New York, James Mitchell, from Little Bird Television in Dublin, and Andrew Singer, from Caf Productions, Ltd. in London. We'd like to thank our wonderful and tireless producer Leslie McKimm and her assistant Aisling Ahmed, our location researcher Christine Thornton, our associate producers Wendy Wolf and Niamh Barrett, and our production manager Katherine O'Connor. Gary Griffin brought Ireland alive in pictures while Petr Cikhart captured its sounds, and Barbara Ballow edited sound and vision together with her usual brilliance, helped by a majestic musical score from Mchel Silleabhin. We'd like to thank Sandy Herberer from PBS in Washington, Tammy Robinson from WNET in New York, and Clare Duignan and Kevin Dawson from RTE in Dublin, all of whose confidence in the overall project allowed it to come into existence. And we'd like to add an additional thank you to Wendy Wolf who, on both book and television series, organized us, bullied us, and kept us working over the three long years it took to bring this project to completion.

Finally we'd like to thank our families, who put up with our long absences with loving patience, always encouraging us to make both television series and book the best they could possibly be. To Andrew and Ciara, Jeri and Alexander, we want you to know that we couldn't have done this without you.

C. M. and L. E.

Westminster, Maryland
April 2002

Following is a partial listing of Irish terms appearing in the hook.

ed:

Aililh al-il

Amergin: av-ir-in

Ard Macha: rd ma-ha

Ath Cliath: klee-ah

Banfle Eireann: ban-fil air-in

Bal Boru: bl b-r

Beltine: be'al-tinna

Cli D: kael-ee day

Cellach U Sinaig: ka-Iach shin-

Cenntig: k'in-d-ig'

Chennselaig: kin-sal-ach

Colmcille: koll-m-kill

Cranng: kran-g

C Chulainn: k chul-in

Dil: dawl

Dl Cats: dl kos

Dl Riada: dl r-da

Duihlinn: d-vlin

Dn Aengus: doon en-gus

Dn Ailinne: doon all-i

Emain Macha: ow-n moc-ha

Eganacht: n-acht

Eru: r-e

Feidlimid Mac Crimthainn: f-l'im- mok k'ri-tawn

Fianna: fee-anah

Fil: fee-lah

Finnhennach: finn-bawn-ach

Fionn Mac Cumhaill: finn mok cool

Fir Bolg: fir bull-ug

Fulachtfadh: full-ach fee'a

Gormlaith: gurm-la

Itnbolg: im-vol'g

Lebhar Gabhla: lauer g'vola

Lia Fail: lee-ah fall

Lugh: loo

Lnasa: loo-nah-sah

Mel Morda: ml-vor-a

Mel Sechnaill: ml shach-lin

Melmhuadh: ml-va

Mag Adair: moy ar

Mathgamain: mo-g'-hn

Medb: maeve

Mil: meal

Murchadh: mir-ch

Ollamh: oh-l-ive

Pangur Ban: pan-gur bawn

Rath: raw

Samain: sow-n

Seanchat: shan-ach-ee

Sliabh na Caillghe: slieve nah kal-ee

Tain B Cuailgne: toyn boe kool-ee

Taoiseach: tee-shoe

Tatha D Danann: too-h dae donnan

Ut Mill: O'Neill

Ulaid: ul-ad

Carmel McCaffrey i s a native o f Dublin, I reland, and currently lectures on Irish history, literature, culture, and language at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Active in literary and historical societies in both Ireland and the United States, M s . McCaffrey founded Wild About Wilde, the acclaimed literary review she published and edited between 1 986 and 1996. Along with her popular university courses on early Irish history and Celtic studies, Ms. McCaffrey also lectures on major Irish writers. She is a Gaelic speaker and frequently travels back to Ireland. She lives in Mount Airy, Maryland.

Leo Eaton is a writer and filmmaker who has produced, written, and directed television and film in Europe and the United States for thirty years, and has been honored with many of television's major awards. Among his many credits are Michael Wood's Conquistadors (PBS and BBC-1V, 2001 ) and In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (PBS and B BC-Tv, 1998). He also co-created and executiveproduced the Emmy Award-winning PBS children's series Zoboomafoo with Chris and Martin Kratt, as well as their earlier PBS school-age series Kratt's Creatures. London-born, Mr. Eaton currently lives in New Windsor, Maryland.

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