"tribe of NN," "seed of NN" or the like--NN being the name of a more
or less legendary ancestor. The second are either simple names which
cannot be analysed, or else are derived from an ancestral name by
adding the suffix _-rige_ or _-raige_. As a rule the names consisting
of one word only are fundamentally pre-Celtic, or denote pre-Celtic
septs, though in many cases they have been fitted with Celticising
genealogies.

(_b_) The names of Ciaran himself and his brothers, and of one of his
sisters. Donnan, Ciaran, Odran, Cronan are all diminutives founded
upon colours--the little brown, black, grey, and tawny one. These
indicate that the family was dark complexioned, which would also
accord with a pre-Celtic origin. The Celts were fair, their
predecessors dark. One of the sisters was called Pata, with an initial
P. This is impossible in a Gaelic name.

(_c_) The subordinate position of Ciaran's father, and his liability
to taxation. In the _Book of Leinster_ and, in part, in _Leabhar
Breac_, after the genealogy, we read "He [_i.e._ Ciaran] was of one of
the seven clans of the Latharna of Molt. His father was originally in
slavery in Britain; he went thereafter to Ireland to Cenel Conaill
[north of Co. Donegal], and after that to Connacht[7] to avoid a
heavy tax, so that Ciaran was born at Raith Cremthainn in Mag Ai." LA
describes Ciaran's father as "a rich man," and certainly the family
seems to have been comfortably provided with cattle, the chief wealth
of their time. In reference to his father's trade Ciaran is regularly
called _mac in tsair_, "son of the wright." The Rabelaisian
extravaganza called _Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe_ ("The Adventures of the
Burdensome Company") introduces Ciaran as himself practising smith's
craft;[8] but no importance can be attached to so irresponsible a
production. Analogous in this respect are the references to our saint
in _The Adventures of Leithin_,[9] which also introduces Ciaran and
his monks; but as Dr. Hyde points out in his edition, these are merely
a kind of framework for the legend, and the story, though in itself
extremely curious and interesting, tells us nothing about either
Ciaran or Clonmacnois.

(_d_) The fact, specially mentioned in LA, that Ciaran was reared by
his parents, not put out to fosterage as would have been done had he
been of gentle birth.

(_e_) The pre-eminent position of Ciaran's mother in the home. The
pre-Celtic tribesmen of Ireland, like their Picti