War is (not) a board-game: The function of medieval Irish board games and their players

Abstract

Fidchell, brandub, and buanfach are medieval Irish board games whose existence is largely known because of medieval Irish literature. J. Huizinga and Roger Caillois have done research concerning the function of various types of games, among them agôn-games. Eóin MacWhite describes fidchell, brandub, and buanfach as battle-games. This thesis attempts to substantiate this connection by looking at the relationship between the players of medieval Irish board games in the Ulster Cycle. It concludes that there appears to be a (small) connection between players who have reason to battle their opponents outside of the board game, but their main role is more amicable than hostile.