The Colloquy of the Old Men: An Introduction

Abstract

The Colloquy of the Old Men, a translation of Acallam na Senorach, is an early thir-teenth-century text of about 80,000 words mainly of prose but with many poems interspersed in the prose. A medieval Irish romance, the Colloqwy tells of the meeting between Oisin and Cailte, two surviving members of the third century Fian, a band of roving warriors who used to guard Ireland, and saint Patrick, who brought Christianityity to Ireland in the fifh centurv. Cailte and Patrick travel round Ireland together. Patrick is concerned with converting the provincial kings, their nobles and followers, but Cailte wants to revisit places associated with his former comrades. The frame story deals with Patrick's journevs but within that are over two hundred stories told mainly by Cailte about people, places, and events in the legendary past.