The Claíomh Solais (Sword of Light) and its origin in the Aon Scéal (Only Story): A Co. Cork folktale translated from the NFC's Main Manuscript Collection

Many versions of the classic Irish folktale An Claíomh Solais agus Fios Fáth an Aon Scéil do not explain how the Claíomh Solais (Sword of Light) came into existence or even how it relates to the events of the canonical in-tale known as the Aon Scéal (Only Story). Part I of this paper examines the typical ownership sequence for the Sword in such folktales, explores the nature and origin of the Aon Scéal module, and reveals that a folktale from Co. Cork provides a compelling origin-story for the Sword in which it is forged by Bolcán/Vulcan, the Blacksmith of Hell, for the hag/witch of the Aon Scéal. Information about this smith is extracted from the Fenian Cycle stories Cath Finntrágha (The Battle of Ventry) and Duan na Ceàrdaich (The Lay of the Smithy); the otherworldly Tír na bhFear bhFionn ("White Man's Land"), in which the Sword was first secured, is tentatively identified as Iceland. Part I also investigates the Sword's connection to the primal divine weapon – the thunderbolt – and mythological derivatives thereof, such as Nuada's sword; in addition, it catalogues early/major owners of the Sword of Light (most notably, Cú Chulainn) as well as some late/minor ones. Part II of the paper provides a first English translation, with explanatory notes, for the Claíomh Solais folktale that ascribes the Sword's creation to the Blacksmith of Hell. The story, which comes from Farranfadda, Co. Cork, was narrated in 1933 by Seán Ó hÉalaithe and hand-transcribed by Micheál Ó Lubhaing; it currently forms part of Ireland's National Folklore Collection (Main Manuscript Collection, CBÉ 0044: 007b-044).