Dindsenchas, also spelled Dindshenchas or in modern Irish dinnseanchas, meaning lore of places, is a class of onomastic text in early Irish literature that recounts the origins of place-names together with the traditions, events and characters associated with those places. Because many of the legends it relates also concern the acts of mythic and legendary figures, the dindsenchas has become an important source for the study of Irish mythology.
Facts
Place of Origin Notable ExampleBook of Leinster recension 1 Defining Traitfunctions as a mnemonic aid and entertainment while recounting place name origins 1 In the Other Atlases
Originated In
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Source Dindsenchas, WikipediaLead paragraphQuote, Lead paragraph
is a class of onomastic text in early Irish literature
Sources
1. Dindsenchas, Wikipedia
Lead section
Dindsenchas or Dindshenchas (modern spellings: Dinnseanchas or Dinnsheanchas), meaning 'lore of places'
Works section, manuscript paragraph
The first recension is found in the Book of Leinster, a manuscript of the 12th century, with partial survivals in a number of other manuscript sources.
Works section, oral tradition paragraph
Although they are known today from these written sources, the dindsenchas are clearly a product of oral literature and are structured so as to be a mnemonic aid as well as a form of entertainment.
In Group: Irish and Welsh Bardic Poetry, Lead paragraph
is a class of onomastic text in early Irish literature
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