First Redaction
Book of Leinster & Book of Formoy
[ ] = glossarial matter in text
SECTION VII
THUATA DE DANANN
304. Thereafter the progeny of Bethach s. Iarbonel the Soothsayer s. Nemed were in the northern islands of the world, learning druidry and knowledge and prophecy and magic, till they were expert in the arts of pagan cunning.
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F 305. There were four cities in which they were acquiring knowledge and science and diabolism : these are their names, Failias, Goirias, Findias, Muirias. From Failias was brought the Lia Fail which is in Temair, and which used to utter a cry under every king that should take Ireland. From Goirias was brought the spear which Lug had : battle would never go against him who had it in hand. From Findias was brought the sword of Nuadu : no man would escape from it ; when it was drawn from its battle-scabbard, there was no resisting it. From Muirias was brought the cauldron of The Dagda ; no company would go from it unsatisfied. There were four sages in those cities : Morfesa, who was in Failias, Esrus in Goirias, Usicias in Findias, Semias in Muirias. Those are the four poets, with whom the Tuatha De Danann acquired knowledge and science. |
L 306. So that they were the Tuatha De Danand who came to Ireland.
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F Thereafter the Tuatha De Danann came into Ireland. |
Their origin is uncertain, whether they were of demons or of men; but it is said that they were of the progeny of Beothach s. Iarbonel the Giant (sic). |
In this wise they came, in dark clouds. They landed on the mountains of Conmaicne Rein in Connachta. |
In this wise they came, without vessels or barks, in dark clouds over the air, by the might of druidry, and they landed on a mountain of Conmaicne Rein in Connachta : |
that is on the Mountain of the sons of Delgaid in Conmaicne Rein; that is, <Conmaicne Cuile>. Another company says that the Tuatha De Danann came in a sea-expedition, and that they burnt their ships thereafter. It was owing to the fog of smoke that rose from them as they were burning that others have said that they came in a fog of smoke. Not so, however : for these are the two reasons why they burnt their ships : that the Fomoraig should not find them, to rob them of them; and that they themselves should have no way of escape from Ireland, even though they should suffer rout before the Fir Bolg. |
and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights. |
Thereafter the Tuatha De Danann brought a darkness over the sun, for a space of three days and three nights. |
307. They demanded battle or kingship of the Fir Bolg. A battle was fought between them, to wit the first battle of Mag Tuired,
L in which a hundred thousand of the Fir Bolg fell. Thereafter they [the TDD] took kingship of Ireland. Those are the Tuath Dea - gods were their men of arts, non-gods their husbandmen. They knew the incantations of druids, and charioteers, and trappers, and cupbearers. |
F and they were a long time fighting that battle, and it went the against the Fir Bolg, and the slaughter pressed northward, and a hundred thousand of them were slain from Mag Tuired to the strand of Eothail the wright. |
308. There Eochaid s. Erc was overtaken, and he fell there, at the hands of the three sons of Nemed s. Badra, namely Cesarb, Luach, and Luachra. Howbeit the Tuatha De Danann suffered heavy loss in the battle. Everyone who escaped of the Fir Bolg and of any of them (?) who had no desire to be in servitude to the Tuatha De Danann, went out from Ireland in flight, and came into Ara. and Islay and Rachra and Man and islands of the sea besides. They were in those islands till the time when the provincial kings ruled Ireland, and the Cruithne drave them out of the islands. Thereafter they came to Coirpre Nia Fer, and he gave them land : but they could not remain with him for the severity of the tax which was imposed upon them. Thereafter they went in flight from Coirpre under the protection of Medb and Ailell, and they gave them land. That is the wandering of the sons of Umor. Oengus son of Umor was king over them in the east, and from them are named the territories, to wit Loch Cimme, from Cimme the Four-Headed, son of Umor, was it named, and Rind Tamain in Medraige from Tamain, and the Fort of Oengus in Ara from Oengus, and the stone-heap of Conall in the territory of Aidne from Conall, and Mag Adar from Adar, and Mag Assal in Mumu, further, from Assal; Maen son of Umor was the bard. The sons of Umor were in those places and in the islands round about Ireland till the Ulaid accompanying Cu Chulaind quenched them. |
309. It is the Tuatha De Danann who brought with them the Great Fal, [that is, the Stone of Knowledge], which was in Temair, whence Ireland bears the name of "The Plain of Fal." He under whom it should utter a cry was King of Ireland; until Cu Chulainn smote it, for it uttered no cry under him nor under his fosterling, Lugaid, son of the three Finds of Emain. And from that out the stone uttered no cry save under Conn of Temair. Then its heart flew out from it [from Temair] to Tailltin, so that is the Heart of Fal which is there. It was no chance which caused it, but Christ's being born, which is what broke the powers of the idols.
310. Now Nuadu Airgetlam was king over the Tuatha De Danann for seven years before their coming into Ireland, until his arm was hewn from him in the first battle of Mag Tuired. Eidleo s. Alldai, he was the first man of the Tuatha De Danann who fell in Ireland, by the hand of Nerchon ua Semeoin, in the first battle of Mag Tuired. Ernmas, and Echtach, and Etargal, and Fiachra, and Tuirill Piccreo fell in the same battle. Bress s. Elada took the kingship of Ireland post, to the end of seven years, till the arm of Nuadu was healed: a silver arm with activity in every finger and every joint which Dian Cecht put upon him, Credne helping him.
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F But Miach son of Dian Cecht fixed joint to joint and vein to vein of his own hand, and it was healed in thrice nine days ; and on that account his silver hand was given as his guerdon. |
311. As for Tailltiu, daughter of Mag Mor king of Spain, queen of the Fir Bolg, she came after the slaughter was inflicted upon the Fir Bolg in the first battle of Mag Tuired to Coill Cuan, and the wood was cleared by her, so it was a flowering clover-plain before the end of a year. This is that Tailltiu who was "wife of Eochu son of Erc king of Ireland until the Tuatha De Danann slew him. It is [Eochu] son of Ere who took her from Spain from her father, Mag Mor the Slow, King of Spain. As for Tailltiu, she settled in Tailltiu, and slept with Eochu Garb son of Dui Dall of the Tuatha De Danann : and Cian son of Dian Cecht, otherwise called Seal Balb, gave her his son in foster- age, namely Lug. Eithne daughter of Balor the Strong Smiter was his mother. Thereafter Tailltiu died in Tailltiu, and her name was imposed on the place, and it is her grave which is north-east from the Seat of Tailltiu : and the games were made every year by Lug, a fortnight before Lugnasad and a fortnight after Lugnasad. Lugnasad, the "assembly" (?) of Lug son of Eithne, is the name of the games.
312. Nuadu Airgetlam fell in the last battle of Mag Tuired, and Macha daughter of Ernmas, by the hand of Balar the Strong. Smiter. In that battle there fell Ogma son of Eladan son of Net at the hands of Indech son of De Domnann, king of the Fomoire. Bruidne and Casmael fell at the hands of Ochtrilach son of Ninnech. After the slaying of Nuadu and of these men in that battle, the Tuatha De Danann gave the kingship to LUG, and his grand- father [Balar] fell at his hands with a stone from his sling.
Now many were slain in that battle and Bress along with them, as said Indech son of De Domnann, the king and man skilled in arts and sciences, when Lug asked of him : "What is the tally of those who fell in that battle of Mag Tuired? — Seven men, seven score, seven hundreds, seven fifties : or nine hundreds twenty forties, ninety, [including the grandson of Net] [that is, including Ogma son of Elathan son of Net].
Lug ,son of Ethniu was forty years in the kingship of Ireland after the last battle of Mag Tuired : there were twenty-seven years between these two battles of Mag Tuired.
313. EOCHU OLLATHAIR, that is the great Dagda, son of Elada, eighty years in the kingship of Ireland. Over him did the men of Ireland make the mound of the Brug, and (over) his three sons, Oengus, Aed, and Cermad Coem.
L 314. Dian Cecht had three sons, Cu, Cehten and Cian. Miach was the fourth son though many do not reckon him. His daughter was Etan the Poetess, and Airmed the she-leech was the other daughter: and Coirpre, son of Etan was the poet. |
F Dian Cecht had four sons, Cu, Cian, Cethen, and Miach, and Etan the poetess, and Cairpre son of Etan, the poet; and Airmed the she-leech was another daughter to Dian Cecht. |
Crichinbel and Bruidne and Casmael were the three satirists.
Be Chuille and Dianann were the two she-farmers.
The three sons of Cermad son of The Dagda were Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Griene: Sethor and Tethor and Cethor were their names. Fotla and Banba and Eriu were their three wives.
Fea and Nemaind were the two wives of Net, a quo Ailech Neit.
L Flidais, of whom is the "Cattle of Flidais"; her four daughters were Argoen and Be Chuille and Dinand and Be Theite. The two royal oxen were Fea and Femen, of whom are the Plain of Fea and the Plain of Femen. Those were two faithful oxen. Torc Triath was king of the boars, from whom is Mag Treitherne. Cirba was king of the wethers, from whom is Mag Cirba. Math son of Umor was the druid. |
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L Badb and Macha and Anand, of whom are the Paps of Anu in Luachar |
F Badb and Macha and Anand, Badb and Macha [the Morrigu], and Anann of whom are the Two Paps of Ana in Luachair |
were the three daughters of Ernmas the she-farmer.
Goibniu the smith, Luicne the carpenter, Creidne the wright, Dian Cecht the leech.
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F To memorize that, the poet Eochaid sang the following composition — 1. Ireland with pride, with weapons, 2. Thirty years after Genand 3. It is God who suffered them, though He restrained the— 4. Without distinction to discerning Ireland, 5. If it were of diabolic demons 6. Of men belonging to law 7. They cast no assembly or justice 8. The Tuatha De, it was the bed of a mighty one, 9. The sons of Elada, glory of weapons, 10. Eriu, though it should reach a road-end, 11. Badb and Macha, greatness of wealth, 12. Goibniu who was not impotent in smelting, 13. Cridinbel, famous Bruinde, 14. The grandsons of the Dagda, who had a triple division(?) 15. Though Ireland was multitudes of thousands 16. He swept them clean from their land, 17. It is Eochu without enchantment of leapings 18. Adore ye the name of the King who measured you, Nuadu was twenty years in the kingship of Ireland ut dixi till he fell in the last battle of Mag Tuired at the hands of Balar. Forty years had Lug, till the three sons of Cermat slew him at Coem-druim, that is, in Uisnech. Eighty to The Dagda, till he died of the gory javelin wherewith Cetlenn gave him a mortal wound in the great battle of Mag Tuired. |
315. DELBAETH after The Dagda, ten years in the kingdom of Ireland, until he and his son [Ollam] fell at the hands of Caicher son of Nama, brother of Nechtan. FIACHNA son of Delbaeth took the king- ship after his father, other ten years, till Fiachna and the six sons of Ollam fell at the hands of Eogan of Inber Mor. Twenty-nine years had the grandsons of The Dagda in the kingship of Ireland, to wit MAC CUILL, MAC CECHT, MAC GREINE. They divided Ireland into three parts between them, and left no sons at all. Sethor, Tethor, and Cethor were their names. To them came the Gaedil, so that they fell at the hands of the sons of Mil of Spain, avenging Ith and Cualnge and Fuat; those were the three sons of Bregon.
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F So to memorize that, the historian Tanaide sang the following poem 1. The Tuatha De Danann under obscurity, 2. Nobles yonder of the strong people, 3. A space of seven years of Nuadu noble-stately 4. In Mag Tuired, heavy with doom, 5. Seven years of Bres, which was not a white space, 6. Nuadu after that twenty years, 7. Forty to Lug — it was balanced — 8. Ten years to vehement Delbaeth 9. Twenty-nine years, I have proclaimed it, 10. Thereafter the sons of Mil came, 11. Till the deedful Gaedil wounded them, |
316. Nuadu Airgetlam s. Echtach s. Etarlam s. Ordam s. Aldui s. Tat s. Tavarn s. Enda s. Baath s. Ebath s. Bethach s. Iarbonel s. Nemed s. Agnomain s. Pamp s. Tat s. Sera s. Sru s. Esru s. Braimend s. Rathacht s. Magoth s. Iafeth s. Noe.
Neit s. Indui s. Alldui s. Tat
L Fiachna s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net
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F Midir of Bri Leith s. Indui s. Echtach s. Etarlam.
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Lug s. Cian s. Dian Cecht s. Esarg s. Net s. Indui s. Alldui, he is the first who brought chess-play and ball-play and horse-racing and assembling into Ireland, unde quidam cecinit
1. Lug son of Ethliu, a cliff without a wrinkle,
with him there first came a lofty assembly :
after the coming of Christ, it is no idle proclamation
Conchobar the wise and violent died.
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F Fiachu s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net. |
Caicher and Nechtan, the two sons of Nama s. Eochu Garb s. Dui Temen s. Bres s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Siugmall s. Corpre Crom s. Eremair s. Delbaeth s. Ogma.
Oengus mac Oc nad Aed Caem and Cermait Milbel, those are the three sons of the Dagda.
Corpre the poet s. Tuar s. Tuirell s. Cait Conaichend s. Orda s. Alldui s. Tat
Galia s. Oirbsen s. Elloth s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net
L Orbsen was the name of Manannan at first, and from him is named Loch Orbsen in Connachta. When Manannan was being buried, it is then the lake burst over the land, [through the burial]. |
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The six sons of Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net, were Fiachra, Ollam, Indui, Brian, Iucharba, Iuchar. Donann the daughter of the same Delbaeth was mother of the three last, Brian, Iucharba and Iuchar. These were the three gods of Danu, from whom is named the Mountain of the Three gods. And that Delbaeth had the name Tuirell Bicreo.
Tuirill s. Cait moreover was the grandfather of Corpre the poet, and Etan d. Dian Cecht was mother of that Tuirill.
The three sons of Cermait, moreover, ut diximus; Mac Cuill - Sethor, the hazel his god; Mac Cecht - Tethor, the ploughshare his god; Mac Greine - Cethor, the sun his god. Fotla was wife of Mac Cecht, Banba of Mac Cuill, Eriu of Mac Greine. Those were the three daughters of Fiachna son of Delbaeth. Ernmas daughter of Etarlam s. Nuada Airgetlam was mother of those three women, and mother of Fiachna and Ollom.
L Ernmas had other three daughters, Badb and Macha and Morrigu, whose name was Anand. |
F Of them the poet sang the following |
1. Ethur lofty, who gained dignity, 2. Cethor pleasant, fair his colour, 3. Tethor strong, strong in strife 4. Manannan mac Lir from the lake, |
L Her three sons were Glon and Gaim and Coscar. |
F The three sons of Ernmas were Glonn and Gnim and Cosear. |
Boind daughter of Delbaeth s. Elada.
Fea and Neman, the two wives of Net s. Indiu, two daughters of Elcmar of the Brug.
Uillend s. Caicher s. Nuadu Airgetlam.
Bodb of the Mound of Femen, s. Eochu Gab s. Dui Temen s. Bres s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Abean s. Bec-Felmas s. Cu s. Dian Cecht, the poet of Lug.
En s. Bec-En s. Satharn s. Edleo s. Alda s. Tat s. Taburn.
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At Tat s. Taburn the choice of the Tuatha De Danann unité. Of that the historian sang - 1. Ireland with pride, with weapons, 2. Thirty years after Genand 3. It is God who suffered them, though He restrained them — 4. Without distinction to discerning Ireland, 5. If it were of diabolic demons 6. Of men belonging to law 7. They cast no assembly or justice 8. The Tuatha De, it was the bed of a mighty one, 9. The sons of Elada, glory of weapons, 10. Eriu, though it should reach a road-end, 11. Badb and Macha, greatness of wealth, 12. Goibniu who was not impotent in smelting, 13. Cridinbel, famous Bruinde, 14. The grandsons of the Dagda, who had a triple division (?) 15. Though Ireland was multitudes of thousands 16. He swept them clean from their land, 17. It is Eochu without enchantment of leapings 18. Adore ye the name of the King who measured you, Tanaide cecinit 1. The Tuatha De Danann under obscurity, 2. Nobles yonder of the strong people, 3. A space of seven years of Nuadu noble-stately 4. In Mag Tuired, heavy with doom, 5. Seven years of Bres, which was not a white space, 6. Nuadu after that twenty years, 7. Forty to Lug — it was balanced — 8. Ten years to vehement Delbaeth 9. Twenty-nine years, I have proclaimed it, 10. Thereafter the sons of Mil came, 11. Till the deedful Gaedil wounded them, Fland Mainstrech cecinit 1. Hearken, ye sages without sorrow, 2. Edleo son of Alldai yonder, 3. Ernmas, high her valour, fell, 4. Elloth with battle fell — 5. Cethen and Cu died 6. Of a stroke of the pure sun 7. In Mag Tuired, it was through battle 8. Ogma fell, without being weak 9. Now of painful plague 10. Creidne the pleasant artificer was drowned 11. Bress died in Cam ui Neit 12. Be Chuille and faithful Dianann, 13. He fell on the strand eastward 14. Fea, lasting was his fame, died 15. Boind died at the combat 16. Cairpre fell — remember thou ! 17. Abcan son of cold Bic-felmais, 18. Midir son of Indui yonder 19. Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar there, 20. Cermait son of the divine Dagda 21. Cermat Milbel the mighty fell 22. By the hand of Mac Cecht without affection 23. Aed son of The Dagda fell 24. Corrcend from Cruach fell — 25. Cridinbel squinting and crooked fell — 26. As he came from cold Alba 27. The only son of Manannan from the bay, 28. Net son of Indui and his two wives, 29. Fuamnach the white (?) who was wife of Midir, 30. The son of Allot fell, with valour, 31. Uillend with pride fell 32. The Dagda died of a dart of gore 33. Delbaeth and his son fell 34. Fiacha and noble Ai 35. Eochaid of knowledge fell thereafter 36. Eriu and Fotla with pride, 37. Mac Cecht at the hands of noble Eremon : 38. Fotla at the hands of Etan with pride, Those are the adventures of the Tuatha De Danann. |
F At Tat son of Tabairn all the Tuatha De Danann, as an elite, first unite. That is the genealogy of the Tuatha De Danann down to this. 317. Brigid the poetess, daughter of The Dagda, she it is who had Fea and Femen, the two oxen of Dil, from whom are named Mag Fea and Mag Femen. With them was Triath, king of the swine, from whom is Tretherne. Among them were heard three demon voices in Ireland after plunder, to wit, whistling and outcry and groaning. Cirb king of the wethers, from whom is Mag Oirb. With them was Cermna Brecach. Flidais, from whom is named the kine of Flidais, her four daughters were Ardan and Be Chuille and Danann and Be Tete. Among the Tuatha De Danann there came shouting and outcry and barking. Shouting for fear of capture, barking against mischief and plunder, outcry for a fitting lamentation of their affliction (?). Math son of Umor, the druid of the Tuatha De Danann. Lug son of Ethliu, lie is the first who invented assembly and horse-racing and combat of horses, as one said 1. Lug son of Ethliu, a cliff without a wrinkle, Those are the Tuatha De Danann : gods were the people of art, but non-gods were the three gods of Danu, from whom are named the husband-men .i. the gods. These were the three gods of Danu from whom they were named, to wit the three sons of Bres son of Elatha, or the three sons of Tuirell Biccreo, Brian, Iuchar, Iucharba. Rabb, Brott, Robb, their three buffoons. 318. Others say that they were demons, for they knew that human bodies were around them, which is more correct : for their genealogies are reckoned back, and they were in existence at the time of the coming of Faith. So that of their fates Flann Mainistrech sang the following song, in testimony thereto 1. Hearken, ye sages without sorrow, 2. Edleo son of Alldai yonder, 3. Ernmas, high her valour, fell, 4. Elloth with battle fell — 5. Cethen and Cu died 6. Of a stroke of the pure sun 7. In Mag Tuired, it was through battle 8. Ogma fell, without being weak 9. Now of painful plague 10. Creidne the pleasant artificer was drowned 11. Bress died in Cam ui Neit 12. Be Chuille and faithful Dianann, 13. He fell on the strand eastward 14. Fea, lasting was his fame, died 15. Boind died at the combat 16. Cairpre fell — remember thou ! 17. Abcan son of cold Bic-felmais, 18. Midir son of Indui yonder 19. Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar there, 21. Cermat Milbel the mighty fell 22. By the hand of Mac Cecht without affection 23. Aed son of The Dagda fell 24. Corrcend from Cruach fell — 25. Cridinbel squinting and crooked fell — 26. As he came from cold Alba 27. The only son of Manannan from the bay, 28. Net son of Indui and his two wives, 29. Fuamnach the white (?) who was wife of Midir, 30. The son of Allot fell, with valour, 31. Uillend with pride fell 32. The Dagda died of a dart of gore 33. Delbaeth and his son fell 34. Fiacha and noble Ai 35. Eochaid of knowledge fell thereafter 36. Eriu and Fotla with pride, 37. Mac Cecht at the hands of noble Eremon : 38. Fotla at the hands of Etan with pride, 1. Let the pleasant company of knowledge hearken, 2. Ireland, previous to princes of boundaries, 3. There reached it before the frothing flood — 4. Cessair, though far-off her days, 5. The strength of Partholon after the Flood 6. Till plague fell upon the princely band 7. Thereafter was their right against separation; 8. After Nemed, the fame of every steading, 9. The Fir Bolg, the Fir Domnann of earth, 10. Till the pure great Gaedil took it 11. Breogan who was a king, let us reckon, 12. Pleasant Ireland after ages 13. David, who had a time of much renown, 14. The seventeenth, a Thursday, 15. Eremon took territory 16. Eber the youngest, it is certain to us, 17. The nobles of Ulaid, a pride of weapons 18 Temair and Ireland of knowledge, 19. Though they were props of rapine, 20. Ireland of weapons, land of outcry, 21. The sons of Breogain, the excellence of our foundation 22. Bile of the manifold prides, |
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23. The death of Eber through an hour of weakness 24. Dug by him two forts of a great lord, 25. It is in their time of wisdom 26. The building of a causeway of a flood-tower 27. The founding of fair Carraic- 28. The bursting of Eithne over the forest of Bith ; 29. Loch Laiglinne, Loch Baath, 30. The queen of the host over the great sea, 31. The serfs of the right lawful king cultivated 32. Aidne, Ai, Odba, Aigi, 33. Asal over against our many lands, 34. The princedom of Eremon the perfect, the youthful, 35. His sons, it was no weakness, marked limits 36. Irial possessed the land of the chieftains, 37. He was a chief prince to all Ireland, 38. Mag Rechet with truth of knowledge, 39. The death of Irial in Mag Maigi 40. Ethriel of the order of every victory-vaunt, 41. Tendmag, broad Mag Lugaid 43. Conmal son of the prince Emer 44. There broke before him five battles 45. The death of Conmael under a change of form, 46. Good was Tigernmas who suffered plague, 47. He was the keen hospitable prince 48. Of him is the free joyful seed 49. He is the Tigernmas whom we choose, 50. Of him is every famous wright, who fashions( ?) 51. Iuchdan the wright of Cuan Claidfind, 52. Above the posts of a compact mansion of combat 53. Loch Aillind after victory it burst forth 54. It was he who convened a feeble assembly 55. For a space of seven years Ireland was 56. There came to her, though it was a life of danger, 57. It is he who won a victory-battle out of it, 58. Cleared in the fastnesses of the world — 59. Mag nAidne, Mag nOdba of order, 60. Eochu after upright stately ages 61. Fiacha prince of a family took 62. The burst of Labrainn of sorrow (?) 63. Slain after great fierceness of an assembly 64. It was he who slew him, without shame, 66. Eochu the grey, the martial, died 67. Oengus, who was the teacher of (Inis) Elga, 68. Though I should be reckoning the very pure kings 69. It is time for us, after a space of seasons 70 It is Patrick at the right hand of the Rewarder 71. Though they be high kings of the false world, 72. Though these be the tales published 73. The elders enumerated to the saints 74. Sun of the Gaedil, brightness of our progeny, 75. Finntan saw it, who was the greatest, 76. Findia the very great, from whom it is known, 77. The authors of Ireland stitched it together, 78. Eochu ua Flainn the man of caution |
création : 30/08/2009
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