Berach of Cluan Coirpthe is our first proper "Fionn" saint. Associating with wild foods, stags, martial conflict, poets, and scholars, he nevertheless serves and protects "society".

Berach is one of a number of saints having a name like "Berach", "Barra", "Berachán", who may all reflect an underlying identity, and may literally have come from the same original character. Some of these, such as Fionn Barra of Cork, are even more clearly Fionn-types than Berach, as we'll see in later issues.

The "Ber/Bar" Fionn-type saints contrast with the fiercer, less benevolent Féichín/Fiach saints, who are certainly otherwise part of the Fionn-spectrum. But the Fionn-type is broader than merely being dangerous and fierce; he's also benevolent in his way, sometimes a trickster, sometimes a wanderer. He's a god who patrols the fringes of society, protecting from otherworld threats. These things, Berach shows much more clearly than Féichín or other "Ravens".

Today's "Patterns" is about 'background Áeds' - the recurring trope of having many secondary characters named Áed (fire) turn up in Hagiographies and other Irish Mythologies.

Prophesied Origins

Berach is prefigured by Saint Patrick upon his ancestor "Dobtha", during a rollercoaster visit where Patrick keeps cursing Dobtha for trivial things, and then reversing the curses into blessings instead when Benén scolds him.

Interestingly, one of the miracles Patrick performs is otherwise very characteristic to Lugh - he makes the Sun appear to rise from the West (1). Neat.

Anyway, the end result is that Dobtha is prophesied to have a descendent in 60 years who'll be the best person ever, bar none, since Patrick, just a really swell guy. And Dobtha will live long enough for this descendent to baptise him.

Fast forward: Dobtha has descendents Mál, then Fintan, then Nemhnall. Nemhnall has a son with a woman named "Finmaith" (daughter of Carthach), and they name the son Fintan (a clear Fionn-type name). This kid is then given his more famous name, "Berach", because he's.. sharp? Incisive?

Berach is baptised and fostered by his maternal uncle Fraech. At times in these hagiographies, it seems that a character's parentage can be shimmied over to the person who baptises or ordains them, but I don't suspect it in this case. It does look like Fraech is just his uncle.

Adolescence

From age 7, Berach is sent to Daigh mac Cairill to learn - while there, he performs a somewhat-standard saintly miracle involving a Mill at Maigh Muirthemne (a storied place whose name means something like "Plain of Unknowable Ocean").

After being with Daigh a while, he's sent on to learn from Coemgen of Glendalough (who, recall, is the Tuatha Dé god Cían), and given by Daigh a pair of relics: the "Bachall Gerr" (or "Short Crozier") and "Berach's Bell".

I can suggest that, based on folklore of Daigh, he appears to be a forge-god of sorts, and Daigh's fostered and taught by a "Lassair" (one of our Fire-god names). The Fionn-types do associate closely with Fire-gods, and Forge gods are only a breath away from Fire gods. Fionn Barra, a closely-related saint to Berach, has for a father Amergin (another Fionn-name), a smith.

Arriving at Court and Slaying Demons

When he gets to Coemgen's, there's a myth of Berach feeding everyone tiny tiny meals, that might be pure Christianisation - those monks loved asceticism! It's possible ascetic practice was already popular in Ireland, of course, and no better god to embody the ascetic aesthetic than Fionn, the Irish Shiva.

But what happens after seems more characteristic: Coemgen's monastary-complex has been assailed by nasty demons! It seems to be a recurring problem! Berach, who's just arrived, goes out with his bell and drives them all away, bringing peace to the place. His bell then becomes a staple of the site, and he leaves it there when he eventually leaves.

This mytheme matches the way that Fionn mac Cumhaill arrives to Tara to claim his Father's place at the Fianna - he's challenged to solve the recurring assaults of a mysterious Tuatha Dé character, Aillen the Burner, who keeps burning Tara to the ground every Samhain. Fionn does this with a magic spear given to him by his possible foster-father Fiacail, as Berach uses the Bell given him by his teacher, Daigh.

It's a strong vibe of Fionn's that he's the guardian of the otherworldy border, and the same seems true of Berach - this isn't the only time he guards against a magical or otherworldly attacker.

Lugh's Protector

Most of Berach's role at Coemgen's thereafter is as a protector and proxy carer for Coemgen's "foster" son, Fáelán. I dealt with Fáelán, or the Childhood Lugh, in issue one, and mentioned that Berach had some role in his care - we get to see that now.

To feed Fáelán, Berach summons a Doe to provide milk (2). When Fáelán desires sorrel, Berach makes a patch grow there regardless of season. When he desires apples, Berach makes apples grow on a willow-tree. The latter two myths in particular are, in my view, probably originally myths of Coemgen himself, whose godly domain they better-align with (3).

What does seem more authentic to a Fionn-saint is when Coemgen asks Berach to prevent Fáelán's stepmother, Cainech, from killing him with evil magic from the heights of Glendalough. She's concerned that Fáelán will take the kingship from her own children (as Lugh does to his maternal kin..). Berach dispatches her handily, having the earth devour Caineach and her fellow witches. The story goes on to relate how all the dogs of the monastery habitually poo on the site where Cainech was defeated. Take that, naughty otherworldly witch!

The Stag Association

A little further downplaying of Coemgen, when Berach outdoes him by prognosticating extra guests one time.. and then he's off. He and a servant (or charioteer) Maelmothlach take a chariot full of books and head out for their destiny. But to bring them there, Coemgen calls a Stag to pull the chariot, saying the Stag will stop at their destined place.

Recall from the Patterns section last issue - I think this "Animal indicates the proper site for the saint" mytheme might have some bearing on the god's animal associations, and here we have a Fionn-saint being indicated his destined site by a Fionn-associated animal, a stag.

He claims the place where the stag stops, and it becomes known as "Cluain Coirpthe", but it's not the only place for him; he sets himself on acquiring a nearby land, Rathan.

A Lengthly Popularity Contest

Rathan Diarmait is occupied by the eponymous Diarmait and his 6 brothers. Diarmait is a file (English orth: "fill-eh") and a druid, serving king Áed, son of Eochaid Tirmcarna. A File is not someone to be trifled with!

In response to Berach's demand for the land, the two go to Áed to have him judge their respective claims, but he's scared of them both. Berach, for his famous power, and Diarmait because he threatens to satirise Áed. So, Áed bounces them on to be judged by Áedan mac Gabrain in Alba (Scotland).

On the way to Áedan's court, where there's a feast going, Diarmait passes some youths and induces them to attack Berach when he arrives later - Berach seems to petrify them, but later frees them at Áedan's request. On the way into the court proper, Diarmait and Berach are both frozen by a seemingly supernatural cold, and two heaps of snow flank the door. Diarmait challenges Berach to turn the snow into fire; he does, and they warm up by this fire.

King Áedan asks his Druids who did that miracle, and they relate some poems about Berach. Áedan is impressed, invites them in, showers praise and tribute on Berach, and bounces them on to another Áed. Actually, two, this time! Áed mac Breanainn and Áed Dubh mac Fergnai.

But, not to miss out on any Áeds, they actually stop on the way at another Áed, Áed Dubh mac Suibhne, King of Ulster, seemingly just for drinks and a chat. Then onto the other two Áeds. An assembly day is decided to hear the case, and the rivals part until then.. except there's a pre-assembly the day before held at Tír Tromra in Rathonn, the land of one of Diarmait's brothers. Berach doesn't attend.

The day of the planned assembly, everyone's there and lots of saints have turned up. Diarmait arrives and starts slandering Berach and then says that the Thorn Tree from Rathonn of the preceding Assembly isn't at this assembly. Why this would matter isn't explained - but we can guess that Diarmait is making a claim about legitimacy. The tree is clearly a Bile (English orthography: "bill-eh"; a sacred tree) of the disputed land, and Diarmait might feel that only an assembly under this tree could be legitimate in judging the claim.

Anyway, Berach just makes the tree fly over and land in front of Áed mac Breanainn. Then, a pretty weird exchange happens: Áed mac B. blushes, and everyone seems really shocked and surprised that he's blushed.

Áed Dubh then gets an attack of the vapours and lays his head upon the breast of another saint, Samthann. She tells Áed Dubh to ask Berach to change his complexion (yes, Áed Dubh, not the one who blushed - that doesn't come up again), so Áed goes to Berach and asks. Berach makes him sleep under his hood, and some rain falls, and then Áed Dubh comes out and he's fair-complexioned - someone says he's "Áed Finn" now and Berach confirms that new name.

An angel, apparently impatient with all this bizarre Áed-touring and now Áed-switcherooing, arrives and declares Berach the winner. Áed mac Breanainn (the blushing one) concurs. But when Diarmait starts an ex tempore satire, Áed mcB begs Berach to save him - Berach smacks Diarmait on the mouth and takes away his ability to satire or praise, and declares that he'll die in a year.

He then sends the Thorn Tree (the Bile) home, and it's indicated that in doing so he's ended the assembly, supporting the idea that the Bile was a necessary part. The next day, he comes to claim the land - of Diarmait's brothers, two leave with Diarmait, and Berach kills the rest when they refuse to cede the land.

This whole section of Berach and Diarmait is reminiscent of a myth that follows the Fionn-types - where they trial their superiority against another famous Poet or Sage. Óðinn has this with Vafþruðnir, Finnish Väinämöinen has this with Joukahainen, Irish Fintan mac Bóchra has this with Tuan mac Cairell. The Fionn-type invariably comes out as the oldest, wisest, most poetic of the two.

As to the weirdly recurring Áeds? The blushing Áed, the Black-to-White Áed? What gives? See the "Patterns" section below for some thoughts on that.

Diarmait, the Stag, and the Cú's

A year later, Diarmait is hiding in a chapel elsewhere to avoid his cursed fate. He comes to the Eastern window near nightfall to see what's going on outside; a stag has come to the window of the chapel. A spear thrown by hunters at the stag instead hits Diarmait in the throat. The stag escapes.

The Stag being the instigator of the hunt and the one who causes the spear-thrower to make the fateful cast at Diarmait seems to be symbolic of Berach's power, coming in the form of a Fionn-animal. The fact that the Stag escapes afterwards seems to reinforce the agency of the animal in conspiring to cause his fated death.

Diarmait's son Cú-allaid (Plummer, or perhaps the original manuscript, suggested translating it as "Wolf") wants revenge, and declares that he'll come to the heights over Berach's land and curse the land. As he's approaching, Berach dispatches "Concennan", a servant or companion of his, to deal with the problem.

This Concennan races up to Cú-allaid and beans him in the forehead with a spear, mortally wounding him. Cú-allaid ultimately is only able to curse an oak-wood to be unproductive, not the whole land. Concennan cuts off Cú-allaid's hair (possibly his scalp?) and puts it on a fancy stake somewhere as a trophy.

Concennan avoids Berach for a while because he knows he'll be mad about the murder and the scalping, but as it turns out he just needs to atone.

So, who's Concennan? Well, the Fionn-types may have a running association with the Divine Twin types. Fionn hangs out with Aengus, the Peaceable Divine Twin, a lot, and has a foster-brother named "Moling" - a name that only otherwise appears as the Saintly version of Aengus. Conall Cernach, an Ulster Cycle character blending Fionn and Nuada, is foster-brother to the other Divine Twin, the Warrior Twin (per my modelling), Cúchulainn.

If the Fionn-types tend to have a close association with the Divine Twins, then Concennan (which may as well be written Cúcennan; "Con" is the genitive form of "Cú"), the fierce, beheading-happy warrior, might represent a Warrior Twin. It makes a little bit of sense, because Fionn's role ought to be policing for otherworldly threats, rather than poets - so Concennan/Cúchulainn as defender of the land against border-threats might take over here. Or perhaps it's an injunction against the Poetry-god smiting a poet? But, Concennan disappears after this myth, so who knows.

Colmcille's Last Buddy

Colmcille has this event in his life where he kinda triggers a big battle at Cúl Dreimne, and the other saints later agree to exile him from Ireland as a consequence.

Sometime after the Battle of Cúl Dreimne but before exile, it seems the other saints won't have him as a guest, but Colmcille plans to visit Berach. As he draws near, evening is falling, and the bells on one of the churches in Berach's land ring early. For some reason, to Colmcille it's now impossible for him to walk further, "because it's officially Sunday". But Berach doesn't seem to suffer this problem, because he comes out to encourage Colmcille to walk the last stretch and join him for supper.

Colmcille refuses to walk, and Berach offers to carry him. But he says he won't be carried "forward", either. So Berach picks him up backward, and carries him back-to-back to the refection room for supper. They then become besties and swap blessings before Colmcille moves on.

I'll admit that I don't have Colmcille 100% figured out as a God - like Patrick, it seems likely that there actually was a historical figure that the godly character got grafted onto, and it's warping the God stories somewhat. However, when Patrick or Colmcille appear as supporting characters, they seem to hew to their original euhemerised-god form. Overall, Colmcille's vibe is that of a Solar-coded King-type, often appearing elsewhere under the name "Cairbre". He's kind of like an early, imperfect Lugh - a beloved but very flawed king, prone to prideful acts that cause conflict and drama.

Reading this myth of Berach carrying Colmcille after nightfall as a Solar myth makes some sense, in this light - the Solar king loses vigour at night, and the lord of night must carry him to safety. Perhaps it was even one of (probably several) explanations for how the Sun, setting in the West, was able to rise again in the East the next day: Berach carries him back!

Fishy Benefactor

There's a story where a family enduring a famine determine to kill their son to spare food, but thanks to Berach's help they get to keep him - he sends an otter bearing a gigantic salmon to feed them.

The Otter may be one of Coemgen's animals, but besides Stags, Salmon are surely one of Fionn's key animals. So, it might be something that it's what he sends to miraculously feed them.

The father's name, Laegachan, is also the name of lake where the family lives on an island - suggesting perhaps a water deity. Though, from Máedóc and Manannán and others, we should know by now that Fire deities also tend to live on Islands!

Wrap-Up

Berach is the first of quite a few Fionn-type saints. His names, Fintan and Berach, are shared with a few others of the type.

The name "Fintan" is still in widespread use. "Berach" is not, but the related name "Barra" or "Finbar" is.

Berach's holy sites cut across the midlands from Connaught to Meath. Cluain Coirpthe is speculated as either Dubberaith in East Meath, or Kilbarrach in County Roscommon. Another location in Roscommon named for this God-Saint is Tarmonbarry.

Indeed, many places bearing "Barry" or "Barrach" in the name are likely to be associated with one or another of the "B[ea]r" saints: Berach and Fionn Barra being two prominent examples, but not the only ones. This variation on Fionn seems to have been a countrywide saint.

Footnotes

1. From The Fate of the Children of Tuireann, O'Curry (1863), pp. 176–177: Bres mistakes Lugh's approach as the Sun: 'Then arose Breas, [..] and he said: "It is a wonder to me [..] that the sun to rise in the west today [..]".
2. There's a stock myth here where the fawn of the doe is killed by a wolf, and the wolf is made to take the role of the fawn to guarantee the milk. This occurs everywhere in Hagiography, so I ignore this bit.
3. Actually, Berach isn't even mentioned in the 3 lives of Coemgen translated by Plummer - in his own Vita he turns up with serious main-character-energy at Glendalough, but in Coemgen's life it's Coemgen himself who does unseasonable-herbs-and-fruit miracles and keeps Fáelán safe.

Bibliography

• Ó'Hanlon, John (1875) "Lives of the Irish Saints", Vol. 2, Dublin: J.Duffey. Available at Archive.org
• Ainley, Michele (2015) "Saint Berach of Kilbarry", Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae, Available Here
• Breen, Aidan (2009), "Berach", Dictionary of Irish Biography, Available Here

Coming Up

An Intermission! March will be busy, and February's remaining saints are still obscure to me. So, I'm taking a break to catch my breath.

5th Mar: Cíarán of Saighir, representing an aspect of the "Demiurge" Creator-God.

13th Mar: Mochoemóc, an interesting middle-ground of Cían and..Conchobhar? It's more likely than you'd think!

Patterns in Celtic Comparativism, #7: Fistfuls of Áeds

Áed, Áedan, Áed, Áed, Áed...What's going on with all these Áeds in the Diarmait story? I don't know, frankly. But this isn't the only story where we get stacks of Áeds - in Máedóc's story, for example, there's even a very similar "Áed Dubh gets upgraded by the Saint to Áed Finn" story!

The Fire-types and Fionn-types are close associates in some religions, such as the Vedic and Norse, and it looks like they are in the Irish case too. Máedóc (Fire-Type) and Berach (Fionn-type) having similar myths isn't surprising. But even in the Cycle of Kings you'll often see arrays of Áeds turning up in close succession.

Leaving aside anything else, it's bad storytelling to have so many characters with similar names, unless there's a good reason to do it. This account of Berach and Diarmait visiting five successive Áeds to get a judgement probably had a purpose in the context of the story as it was traditionally told.

For example, fire or smith gods often play a role in judgement, whether of innocence or merit. A smith judges Niall of the Nine Hostages to be the best of his brothers. Manannán tests Cormac, and in Máedóc and Manannán both have vessels that test truth. A bunch of Áeds testing the relative merit of Berach vs. Diarmait makes sense in that light. But why five, and what's going on with the transition of Áed Dubh to Áed Finn? Only one of the Áeds, Áedan, has a myth that clearly connects to Fire (the ignition of the snow surrounding the way into his abode). What of the rest?

Possibly, Fire was part of how the stories were told; around fireplaces or by lamplight, where the light of the fire(s) could have been used in the storytelling in some way.

Or possibly Áed Dubh -> Áed Finn echoes some transition within fire, such as from Charcoal to white Ash, or bright fire from black coals, etc. That would make "Aed Dubh" a representation of the elemental Fire hidden within the Fuel (Fire-in-Earth), which when released becomes purified (implied in Máedóc's account) or merely shiny (in Berach's). If Áed Dubh is a "coal" then it would explain his nestling in the "breast" of a female saint before his conversion to "Finn"; we have already examined the mytheme of Brighid carrying a Coal to light a sacred fire.

Áed mac Breanainn is even more mysterious: Breanann, in my understanding, is Midir, a god with a broad domain over immortality, the moon, and possibly even the afterlife. If his son Áed is reflecting an aspect of Fire.. is he the light (fire) of the moon? Would that explain why his face blushing red is so shocking to the audience at the assembly?

We can't easily know any of this, now. But if we make some creative guesses and hold them loosely, then with further learning we'll see what "sticks" and what has to be revised.