Luccreth

Luccreth (fl. early 7th cent.) of the moccu Chiara, genealogist and poet, belonged (as indicated by his name) to the early tribal group known as the Ciarraige. In the genealogies he appears as Luccrad son of Áine, a remote descendant of Fergus (qv) son of Roach, and the last named of six sons. He was, apparently, of low social origins; it was noted that ‘his dwelling-place faces the church of Cluain on the south’.

Two archaic poems can be ascribed to Luccreth with certainty. One, entitled ‘Conailla Medb míchuru’, records some ancient traditions relating to ‘Táin Bó Cuailnge’ and to the descent of Fergus son of Roach from the Ciarraige. The other, ‘Ba mol Midend midlaige’, is an origin tale relating to the resettlement of the descendants of Dubthach Dóe in Munster following the supposed first appearance of Lough Neagh in early historic times. A number of genealogical poems are also ascribed to Luccreth, including ‘Cú-cen-máthair maith clann’, which traces the descent of Cathal Cú cen Máthair (qv), king of Cashel (i.e. of Munster) 662–5/6. These genealogical poems on the Éoganachta must, however, be regarded as late imitations.