A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

The champion approaches in a short green currach, playing hurling from one end to the other with a golden hurl and silver ball. From his pocket he produces a table, two chairs and cards for the game. Morraha’s first three wins bring flocks of sheep, cattle, and finally a castle and wife. The wife warns against continuing, but he returns and loses the next game.

The champion then imposes Druidic bonds: Morraha cannot spend two nights in one house or finish a second meal at one table until he brings a Sword of Light and news of Anshgayliacht’s death. Brown Allree and the wife’s family help obtain the required story from Niall. At the conclusion Niall calls the dead adversary the champion’s brother. Morraha recounts the fate and displays the sword, yet distinguishes bringing it to the challenger from bringing it for him. When thrown upward, it returns to Niall. The tale’s verbal evasion defeats the demand without a final duel or an explicitly narrated death for this champion.

Sea arrival in a green currachMagical card-game winningsQuest imposed after Morraha’s loss
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Origins & earliest records

Jacobs’s 1895 selected adaptation credits Larminie’s second West Irish Folk-tales story, with the frame from P. McGrale of Achill Island. The edition distinguishes that frame’s teller from Terence Davis, credited for the inner narrative. Earlier comparison tales remain separate witnesses.

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Records & interpretation

The pocket furnishings, supernatural winnings and imposed bonds attest a magical challenger within a literary tale. The four games are narrative exchanges, not evidence of real gambling powers. The brother relationship is stated only in the concluding explanation.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    More Celtic Fairy Tales: Morraha, pp. 80–82, 96; note XXXIV

    Joseph Jacobs (compiler and adapter) · Selected print edition 1895

    Complete Morraha frame, inner narrative and relevant note inspected. Earlier Larminie text is an attributed source, not falsely claimed as independently collated.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary textMore Celtic Fairy Tales, selected 1895 edition: Morraha, pp. 80–82, 96; note XXXIVResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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