Muire
Encyclopedia
Muire is an Irish
name given exclusively to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Irish
name Máire
is typically used for the name Mary. Muire is used exclusively for the Virgin Mary.
The only known exception to this rule is in the song Caoineadh na dTrí Mhuire (Lament of the Three Marys), in which the three Marys present at the crucifixion speak their thoughts. The name Muire is used so as not to give the Blessed Virgin Mary a common name.
A court title in pre-Norman Ireland
, and for a time after the Norman invasions when Gaelic nobility maintained varying levels of tradition. The Muire, or Muiredach is the Marshal
of a territory of an Irish noble or free-landholder of the rank of Boaire
or higher. He was gifted a portion of land in exchange for service called a Methas, a region of farmland similar to that held by an Ocaire, the subservients of the Boaire, an ignoble free-landholder.
His duties included acting as a sheriff
and levying the Ceithernn, or warband, during times of war or regional emergency, and during war his rank included a command position on the battlefield, and he was allowed to keep a 'small' court, including his own standard bearer, shield maker, and cup bearer for ceremonies, though he was technically a member of his overlords court. He was the head of his master's Cliarthairi, the 'guards' or 'troopers', professional soldiers inhabitting the territory of a Boaire or noble. He also had the duty of acting as Muire Rechtgi, the intermediary between the local king and his subjects during a legal dispute, appearing in his place at court. Often he would also take the duty of the Rechtaire, or tax collector.
faction in the Kingdoms
expansion to the PC strategy game Medieval II: Total War.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
name given exclusively to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
name Máire
Máire
Máire is the Irish language form of the English language name Mary. It was and still is a popular name in Ireland, and is sometimes spelt in its Anglicised form Maura...
is typically used for the name Mary. Muire is used exclusively for the Virgin Mary.
The only known exception to this rule is in the song Caoineadh na dTrí Mhuire (Lament of the Three Marys), in which the three Marys present at the crucifixion speak their thoughts. The name Muire is used so as not to give the Blessed Virgin Mary a common name.
Court Title
It is suggested that the word Muire in the context below did not exist in that spelling.A court title in pre-Norman Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and for a time after the Norman invasions when Gaelic nobility maintained varying levels of tradition. The Muire, or Muiredach is the Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
of a territory of an Irish noble or free-landholder of the rank of Boaire
Boaire
Bóaire was a title given to a member of medieval and earlier Gaelic societies prior to the introductions of English law according to Early Irish law. The terms means a "Cow lord". Despite this a Bóaire was a "free-holder", and ranked below the noble grades but above the unfree...
or higher. He was gifted a portion of land in exchange for service called a Methas, a region of farmland similar to that held by an Ocaire, the subservients of the Boaire, an ignoble free-landholder.
His duties included acting as a sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
and levying the Ceithernn, or warband, during times of war or regional emergency, and during war his rank included a command position on the battlefield, and he was allowed to keep a 'small' court, including his own standard bearer, shield maker, and cup bearer for ceremonies, though he was technically a member of his overlords court. He was the head of his master's Cliarthairi, the 'guards' or 'troopers', professional soldiers inhabitting the territory of a Boaire or noble. He also had the duty of acting as Muire Rechtgi, the intermediary between the local king and his subjects during a legal dispute, appearing in his place at court. Often he would also take the duty of the Rechtaire, or tax collector.
In popular culture
Muire are featured as a recruitable heavy infantry unit for the IrelandGaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
faction in the Kingdoms
Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms
Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms is the expansion to the 2006 PC game Medieval II: Total War. The expansion was released on 28 August 2007 in the United States and has four new campaigns, focusing on the discovery of the Americas, 13th century Britain and Ireland, and Crusader campaigns in both the...
expansion to the PC strategy game Medieval II: Total War.