Cú Collchaille

History

Cú Collchaille's youth was spent wandering the wilds of Trimaris, Atlantia and Meridies. At the time he was simply known as an Gille Borbh before his taking a leadership position at the college near Vulpine Reach in AS XXVI. He then suffered the discrimen maris to delve the wellsprings of Drachenwald, and there his trail went cold. He was possibly spotted plying the trade of a wondering swordsman in Trimaris in AS XXXI and Atlantia in AS XXXIII, but this is doubtful as he next properly emerged in the City of Eoforwic in Ealdormere in AS XXXVI or VII, delving into the extensive libraries of that city. This is probably the source of his reference in "The Poetic Breastplate:"

Coryleticanis I;
Bardic lore I've found
Where books and hazelwood lie,
The far wand'ring hound.

From there, he traveled as an itinerant instructor across many lands, including for a time at the Lions' Gate where he first met Cáemgen mac Garbith at the hedgeschool there. From there he seems to have disappeared again before resurfacing at the Sealion's War in AS LIX with several members of his household. Around this same time, he appeared at the elevation of Caemgen to the Order of the Pelican where he channeled the spirit of the absent Chieftain into an artificed simulacrum, citing that the incantation to perform such a necromantic feat was found amid the ancient scripts of Ealdormere and Drachenwald.

Cú Collchaille channeling the Mac Andrais into a Simulacrum

Works

Colloquy of the Two Powers

This is one of several tales Cú Collchaille has told relating to poetic art and its role in society. The tale is in three parts: Danarún and the Ram, Roithinichán and Aistreachán, and the Colloquy of Ilaedh and Treantalamhan. It tells the story of the making of an Seoid Aislingeach ("The Beauty of Dreams") and how it came to be guarded by the dragon, Ilaedh Binnchloth, and the giant, Treantalamhan Toirdhealbhach.

Aisling Con Chollchaille

"The Vision of Cú Collchaille" is an enigmatic work of uncertain origin. It certainly has never been referenced prior to Cú Collchaille himself, but it treats events in the ninth century and after in an otherworldly island where the protagonist is forced to settle after several years of conflict. For that reason, it cannot be about Cú Collchaille himself but may be a reference to his namesake. It is one tale in the Hector Cycle, though few of these tale have surfaced.

Lorica Poetica

The Poetic Breastplate of Cú Collchaille is a poem first declaimed among the bards of the Lions' Gate enumerating and exemplifying the key concepts of good poetry according to the Gael of Inis Ereann. It is notable for listing the "Seven Things by which Gaelic is Measured" (sechta frise toimsiter na Ghaídhealg), the names of the different syllabic lengths and the key concepts of poetry as listed in an tÚrraicecht na nÉces.

Libri de Speculo Mirabile

In several conversations, Cú Collchaille has mentioned his working on six Libri de Speculo Mirabile ("Books of the Wondrous Mirror.") though there is not much indication when these will be finished or published.