ADDITION

THE ANNUAL MARRIAGE.

On pages 227 (note 1), 304, and 312, there is mention of the annual marriage of Irish concubines In ancient Irish law, a concubine was a secondary wife with recognized legal status, though lower than that of a primary wife. at the fairs of Uisnech A site in County Westmeath traditionally regarded as the sacred center of Ireland. on May 1st, and of Tailtiu Now Teltown, known for its Great Assembly or "Fair," which featured athletic contests and legal proceedings. on August 1st. An allusion to this ancient custom is also found on page 316, in the description of the fair of Carman A site of a major regional assembly, likely in modern-day County Wexford. on August 1st. An example of this marriage—which was considered dishonorable for women of high rank—is offered by the epic composition entitled: "The Murder of the Sons of Uisnech." Conchobar, the King of Ulster One of the traditional provinces of Ireland, central to the heroic "Ulster Cycle" of Irish mythology., has a legitimate wife named Mugain Aitencaethrech, also called Ethné Aitencaethrech, daughter of Echaid Feidlech (Course of Celtic Literature original: "Cours de littérature celtique", vol. V, pp. 89, 101, 176). He inflicts upon Derdriu Commonly known in English as Deirdre of the Sorrows, the tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle., the widow of Noïsé, the insult of taking her as a concubine for one year and then giving her, likewise for a year, to Eogan, the murderer of Noïsé (Course of Celtic Literature, vol. V, pp. 231, 235). Derdriu, who endured the first affront with immense sorrow, escaped the second through suicide.

We do not have to examine here the literary value of this moving tale, which owes its primary interest to the desolation and tragic end of Derdriu. Rather, it is from a legal perspective that we must consider this document. Why, in Ireland, does the marriage of a concubine last exactly one year?

The legal purpose of the Irish custom, by fixing the duration of the concubine’s marriage at exactly one year, must have been to prevent the husband from acquiring the pos-