LEBOR GABALA ERENN
THE BOOK OF THE TAKING OF IRELAND

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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.

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306. So that they were the Tuatha De Danand who came to Ireland.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Badb and Macha and Anand, of whom are the Paps of Anu in Luachar

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Badb and Macha and Anand, Badb and Macha [the Morrigu], and Anann of whom are the Two Paps of Ana in Luachair

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To memorize that, the poet Eochaid sang the following composition —

1. Ireland with pride, with weapons,
hosts spread over her ancient plain,
westward to the sunset were they plunderers,
her chieftains of destruction around Temair.

2. Thirty years after Genand
goblin hosts took the fertile land;
a blow to the vanquished People of Bags
was the visit of the Tuatha De Danann.

3. It is God who suffered them, though He restrained the—
they landed with horror, with lofty deed,
in their cloud of mighty combat of spectres,
upon a mountain of Conmaicne of Connacht.

4. Without distinction to discerning Ireland,
Without ships, a ruthless course,
the truth was not known beneath the sky of stars,
whether they were of heaven or of earth.

5. If it were of diabolic demons
the black-cloaked agitating expedition,
it was sound with ranks, with hosts :
if of men, it was the progeny of Bethach.

6. Of men belonging to law
(is) the freeborn who has the strong seed :
Bethach, a swift warrior-island (?)
son of Iarbonel son of Nemed.

7. They cast no assembly or justice
about the place of Fal to the sunset :
there was fire and fighting
at last in Mag Tuired.

8. The Tuatha De, it was the bed of a mighty one,
around the People of Bags fought for the kingship :
in their battle with abundance of pride,
troops of hundreds of thousands died.

9. The sons of Elada, glory of weapons,
a wolf of division against a man of plunder :
Bres from the Brug of Banba of wise utterance,
Dagda, Delbaeth, and Ogma.

10. Eriu, though it should reach a road-end,
Banba, Fotla, and Fea,
Neman of ingenious versicles,
Danann, mother of the gods.

11. Badb and Macha, greatness of wealth,
Morrigu — springs of craftiness,
sources of bitter fighting
were the three daughters of Ernmas.

12. Goibniu who was not impotent in smelting,
Luichtne, the free wright Creidne,
Dian Cecht, for going roads of great healing,
Mac ind Oc, Lug son of Ethliu.

13. Cridinbel, famous Bruinde,
Be Chuille, shapely Danand,
Casmael with bardism of perfection,
Coirpre son of Etan, and Etan.

14. The grandsons of the Dagda, who had a triple division(?)
divided Banba of the bugle-horns;
let us tell of the princes of excellence of hospitality,
the three sons of Cermat of Cualu.

15. Though Ireland was multitudes of thousands
they divided her land into thirds :
great chieftains of deeds of pride,
Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Greine.

16. He swept them clean from their land,
did the Son of God, from the royal plain which I make manifest :
for all the valour of their deeds, of their clear division,
their seed is not over Ireland.

17. It is Eochu without enchantment of leapings
who fashions the distinction of his good quatrains ;
but knowledge of the warriors when he relates it,
though he enumerates them, he adores them not.

18. Adore ye the name of the King who measured you,
who apportions every truth which he [Eochu] narrates :
who hath released every storm which we expect,
who hath fashioned the pleasant land of Ireland.

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.

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So to memorize that, the historian Tanaide sang the following poem

1. The Tuatha De Danann under obscurity,
a people without a covenant of religion;
whelps of the wood that has not withered,
people of the blood of Adam's flesh.

2. Nobles yonder of the strong people,
people of the withered summit,
let us relate, in the course in which we are,
their periods in their kingdom.

3. A space of seven years of Nuadu noble-stately
over the fair-haired company,
the rule of the man large-breasted, flaxen-maned,
before his coming into Ireland.

4. In Mag Tuired, heavy with doom,
where fell a champion of the battle,
from the white defender of the world —
his arm of princedom was lopped off.

5. Seven years of Bres, which was not a white space,
through its fair prospect for the song-abbot,
in the princedom over the plain, generous in nuts,
till the arm of Nuadu was healed.

6. Nuadu after that twenty years,
he brought the fairy-folk a-hosting,
till Lug the spear-slaughterous was made king —
the many-crafted who cooled not.

7. Forty to Lug — it was balanced —
in the kingship over the Palace of Banba;
he reached no celestial bed of innocence;
eighty to The Dagda.

8. Ten years to vehement Delbaeth
till one wise in course and royal (?) arrived,
faultless over the brink of the ocean —
ten other to Fiachna.

9. Twenty-nine years, I have proclaimed it,
over every peace-land of Ireland,
in the kingdom over Banba enduringly great
had the grandsons of The Dagda skilled in denseng.

10. Thereafter the sons of Mil came,
they arrived to redden them —
children of the great hero who burst
out of Spain without growing cold.

11. Till the deedful Gaedil wounded them,
without a troop, through their cunning,
it is not a matter of fable or of folly
that small was the weakness of the Tuatha.

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Fiachna s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net
Ai s. Ollam s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada.

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Midir of Bri Leith s. Indui s. Echtach s. Etarlam.
Dagda, Ogma, Delbaeth, Bres, Delbaeth, the five sons of Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net s. Indui s. Tat s. Tabarn.

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Fiachu s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Ai s. Ollam s. Delbaeth s. Net s. Ogma s. Elatha s. Delbaeth.

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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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Ernmas had other three daughters, Badb and Macha and Morrigu, whose name was Anand.

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Of them the poet sang the following

1. Ethur lofty, who gained dignity,
rough was the man;
Hazel his god, grandson of The Dagda who was not black,
Banba his wife.

2. Cethor pleasant, fair his colour,
free was he;
Eriu his wife, a generous woman she,
Sun his god.

3. Tethor strong, strong in strife
keen the champion;
Fotla his wife, a great story he accomplished,
Ploughshare the god which he believed.

4. Manannan mac Lir from the lake,
eagerly he sought for an abundance (?)
Oirbsen his name, after hundreds of battles
death snatched him.

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Her three sons were Glon and Gaim and Coscar.

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The three sons of Ernmas were Glonn and Gnim and Cosear.

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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,
hosts spread over her ancient plain,
westward to the sunset were they plunderers,
her chieftains of destruction around Temair.

2. Thirty years after Genand
goblin hosts took the fertile land;
a blow to the vanquished People of Bags
was the visit of the Tuatha De Danann.

3. It is God who suffered them, though He restrained them —
they landed with horror, with lofty deed,
in their cloud of mighty combat of spectres,
upon a mountain of Conmaicne of Connacht.

4. Without distinction to discerning Ireland,
Without ships, a ruthless course,
the truth was not known beneath the sky of stars,
whether they were of heaven or of earth.

5. If it were of diabolic demons
the black-cloaked agitating expedition,
it was sound with ranks, with hosts :
if of men, it was the progeny of Bethach.

6. Of men belonging to law
(is) the freeborn who has the strong seed :
Bethach, a swift warrior-island (?)
son of Iarbonel son of Nemed.

7. They cast no assembly or justice
about the place of Fal to the sunset :
there was fire and fighting
at last in Mag Tuired.

8. The Tuatha De, it was the bed of a mighty one,
around the People of Bags fought for the kingship :
in their battle with abundance of pride,
troops of hundreds of thousands died.

9. The sons of Elada, glory of weapons,
a wolf of division against a man of plunder :
Bres from the Brug of Banba of wise utterance,
Dagda, Delbaeth, and Ogma.

10. Eriu, though it should reach a road-end,
Banba, Fotla, and Fea,
Neman of ingenious versicles,
Danann, mother of the gods.

11. Badb and Macha, greatness of wealth,
Morrigu — springs of craftiness,
sources of bitter fighting
were the three daughters of Ernmas.

12. Goibniu who was not impotent in smelting,
Luichtne, the free wright Creidne,
Dian Cecht, for going roads of great healing,
Mac ind Oc, Lug son of Ethliu.

13. Cridinbel, famous Bruinde,
Be Chuille, shapely Danand,
Casmael with bardism of perfection,
Coirpre son of Etan, and Etan.

14. The grandsons of the Dagda, who had a triple division (?)
divided Banba of the bugle-horns;
let us tell of the princes of excellence of hospitality,
the three sons of Cermat of Cualu.

15. Though Ireland was multitudes of thousands
they divided her land into thirds :
great chieftains of deeds of pride,
Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Greine.

16. He swept them clean from their land,
did the Son of God, from the royal plain which I make manifest :
for all the valour of their deeds, of their clear division,
their seed is not over Ireland.

17. It is Eochu without enchantment of leapings
who fashions the distinction of his good quatrains ;
but knowledge of the warriors when he relates it,
though he enumerates them, he adores them not.

18. Adore ye the name of the King who measured you,
who apportions every truth which he [Eochu] narrates :
who hath released every storm which we expect,
who hath fashioned the pleasant land of Ireland.

Tanaide cecinit

1. The Tuatha De Danann under obscurity,
a people without a covenant of religion;
whelps of the wood that has not withered,
people of the blood of Adam's flesh.

2. Nobles yonder of the strong people,
people of the withered summit,
let us relate, in the course in which we are,
their periods in their kingdom.

3. A space of seven years of Nuadu noble-stately
over the fair-haired company,
the rule of the man large-breasted, flaxen-maned,
before his coming into Ireland.

4. In Mag Tuired, heavy with doom,
where fell a champion of the battle,
from the white defender of the world —
his arm of princedom was lopped off.

5. Seven years of Bres, which was not a white space,
through its fair prospect for the song-abbot,
in the princedom over the plain, generous in nuts,
till the arm of Nuadu was healed.

6. Nuadu after that twenty years,
he brought the fairy-folk a-hosting,
till Lug the spear-slaughterous was made king —
the many-crafted who cooled not.

7. Forty to Lug — it was balanced —
in the kingship over the Palace of Banba;
he reached no celestial bed of innocence;
eighty to The Dagda.

8. Ten years to vehement Delbaeth
till one wise in course and royal (?) arrived,
faultless over the brink of the ocean —
ten other to Fiachna.

9. Twenty-nine years, I have proclaimed it,
over every peace-land of Ireland,
had the grandsons of The Dagda skilled in denseng.

10. Thereafter the sons of Mil came,
they arrived to redden them —
children of the great hero who burst
out of Spain without growing cold.

11. Till the deedful Gaedil wounded them,
without a troop, through their cunning,
it is not a matter of fable or of folly
that small was the weakness of the Tuatha.

Fland Mainstrech cecinit

1. Hearken, ye sages without sorrow,
if it be your will that I relate
the deaths yonder, with astuteness,
of the choice of the Tuatha De Danann.

2. Edleo son of Alldai yonder,
the first man of the Tuatha De Danann
who fell in virgin Ireland,
by the hand of Nerchon grandson of Semeon.

3. Ernmas, high her valour, fell,
Fiachra, Echtach, Etargal,
Tuirill Picreo of Baile Breg
in the first battle of Mag Tuired.

4. Elloth with battle fell —
the father, great and rough, of Manannan —
and perfect, fair Donand,
at the hands of De Domnand of the Fomoraig.

5. Cethen and Cu died
of horror in Aircheltra :
Cian far from his home
did Brian, Iucharba and Iuchar slay.

6. Of a stroke of the pure sun
died Cairpre the great, son of Etan :
Etan died over the pool
Of sorrow for white-headed Cairpre.

7. In Mag Tuired, it was through battle
Nuadu Airgetlam fell :
and Macha — that was after Samain —
by the hand of Balar the strong smiter.

8. Ogma fell, without being weak
at the hands of Indech son of De Domnann :
breasted Casmael the good fell
at the hands of Oichtriallach son of Indech.

9. Now of painful plague
died Dian Cecht and Goibnenn the smith :
Luighne the wright fell along with them
by a strong fiery dart.

10. Creidne the pleasant artificer was drowned
on the lake-sea, the sinister pool,
fetching treasures of noble gold
to Ireland from Spain.

11. Bress died in Cam ui Neit
by the treachery of Lug, with no fullness of false-hood :
for him it was a cause of quarrel indeed
drinking bog-stuff in the guise of milk.

12. Be Chuille and faithful Dianann,
both the farmeresses died,
an evening with druidry, at the last,
by gray demons of air.

13. He fell on the strand eastward
in the trenches of Rath Ailig,
Did Indui the great, son of pleasant Delbaith,
at the hands of Gann, a youth bold, white-fisted.

14. Fea, lasting was his fame, died
at the end of a month after his slaying
at the same stronghold — we think it fitting — .
for sorrow for Indui the white-haired.

15. Boind died at the combat
at the wellspring of the son of noble Nechtan :
Aine daughter of the Dagda died
for the love that she gave to Banba.

16. Cairpre fell — remember thou !
by the hand of Nechtan son of Nama :
Nechtan fell by the poison
at the hands of Sigmall, grandson of free Midir.

17. Abcan son of cold Bic-felmais,
the bard of Lug with full victory,
he fell by the hand of Oengus without reproach
in front of Midir of mighty deeds.

18. Midir son of Indui yonder
fell by the hand of Elcmar :
fell Elcmar, fit for fight,
at the hands of Oengus the perfect.

19. Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar there,
the three gods of the Tuatha De Danann
were slain at Mana over the bright sea
by the hand of Lug son of Ethliu.

20. Cermait son of the divine Dagda
Lug ...(?) wounded him
it was a sorrow of grief upon the plain
in the reign of Eochu Ollathair.
[* This quatrain is. in the upper margin of L, not found in the other mss. nor in K. *]

21. Cermat Milbel the mighty fell
at the hands of harsh Lug son of Ethliu,
in jealousy about his wife, great the fashion,
concerning whom the druid lied unto him.

22. By the hand of Mac Cecht without affection
the harper fell :
moreover Lug fell over the wave,
by the hand of Mac Cuill son of Cermat.

23. Aed son of The Dagda fell
at the hands of Corrchend the fair, of equal valour ;
without deceit, it was a desire of strictness,
after he had gone to his wife iniquitously.

24. Corrcend from Cruach fell —
the harsh very swift champion,
by the stone which he raised on the strand
over the grave of shamefaced Aed.

25. Cridinbel squinting and crooked fell —
the chief spell-weaver of the Tuatha De Danann
of the gold which he found in the idle Bann,
by the hand of The Dagda, grandson of Delbaeth.

26. As he came from cold Alba
he, the son of The Dagda of ruddy form,
at the outlet of Boinn, over here,
there was Oengus drowned.

27. The only son of Manannan from the bay,
the first love of the aged woman,
the tender youth fell in the plain
at the hands of idle Bennan, on the plain of Breg.

28. Net son of Indui and his two wives,
Badb and Neman without deceit,
were slain in Ailech without blame
by Nemtuir the Red, of the Fomoraig.

29. Fuamnach the white (?) who was wife of Midir,
Sigmall and Bri without faults,
In Bri Leith, it was full vigour,
they were burnt by Manannan.

30. The son of Allot fell, with valour,
the rich treasure, Manannan,
in the battle in harsh Cuillend
by the hand of Uillend of the red eyebrows.

31. Uillend with pride fell
at the hands of Mac Grene with pure victory :
the wife of the brown Dagda perished
of plague on the slope in Liathdruim.

32. The Dagda died of a dart of gore
in the Brug — it is no falsehood —
wherewith the woman Cethlenn gave him mortal hurt,
in the great battle of Mag Tuired.

33. Delbaeth and his son fell
at the hands of Caicher, the noble son of Nama :
Caicher fell at the idle Boinn,
at the hands of Fiachna son of Delbaeth.

34. Fiacha and noble Ai
fell before sound Eogan of the Creek :
Eogan of the cold Creek fell
before Eochaid the knowing, hard as iron.

35. Eochaid of knowledge fell thereafter
at the hands of Aed and of Labraid :
Labraid, Oengus, Aed, fell
at the hands of Cermat of form all fair.

36. Eriu and Fotla with pride,
Mac Greine and Banba with victory,
Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht with purity
in the battle of Temair of clear wave.

37. Mac Cecht at the hands of noble Eremon :
Mac Cuill, of perfect Eber :
Eriu yonder, at the hands of Suirge thereafter :
Mac Grene of Amorgen.

38. Fotla at the hands of Etan with pride,
Of Caicher, Banba with victory :
Whatever the place wherein they sleep, those are
the deaths of the warriors; hear ye.

Those are the adventures of the Tuatha De Danann.

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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,
with him there first came a lofty assembly :
after the coming of Christ, it is no idle proclamation
Conchobar the wise and violent died.

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.
Fiss, Fochmarc, Eolas, their three druids.
Dub, Dobur, Doirche, their three cup-bearers.
Saith, Leor, Linad, their three apportioners.
Feic, Ruse, Radarc, their three sentinels.
Talc, Tren, Tres, their three henchmen.
Attach, Gaeth, Sidhe, their three horses.
Aig, Taig, Tairchell, their three hounds.
Ceol, Binn, Tetbinn, their three harpers.
Gle, Glan, Gleo, their three well-springs.
Braid, Ordan, Togad, their three foster-fathers.
Sid, Sairae, Suba, their three foster-mothers.
Cumna, Set, Samail, their three goblets.
Mell, Tete, Rochain, their three game-fields.
Aine, Indmas, Brugas, their three ridges.
Cain, Alaig, Rochain, their three forts.

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,
if it be your will that I relate
the deaths yonder, with astuteness,
of the choice of the Tuatha De Danann.

2. Edleo son of Alldai yonder,
the first man of the Tuatha De Danann
who fell in virgin Ireland,
by the hand of Nerchon grandson of Semeon.

3. Ernmas, high her valour, fell,
Fiachra, Echtach, Etargal,
Tuirill Picreo of Baile Breg
in the first battle of Mag Tuired.

4. Elloth with battle fell —
the father, great and rough, of Manannan —
and perfect, fair Donand,
at the hands of De Domnand of the Fomoraig.

5. Cethen and Cu died
of horror in Aircheltra :
Cian far from his home
did Brian, Iucharba and Iuchar slay.

6. Of a stroke of the pure sun
died Cairpre the great, son of Etan :
Etan died over the pool
Of sorrow for white-headed Cairpre.

7. In Mag Tuired, it was through battle
Nuadu Airgetlam fell :
and Macha — that was after Samain —
by the hand of Balar the strong smiter.

8. Ogma fell, without being weak
at the hands of Indech son of De Domnann :
breasted Casmael the good fell
at the hands of Oichtriallach son of Indech.

9. Now of painful plague
died Dian Cecht and Goibnenn the smith :
Luighne the wright fell along with them
by a strong fiery dart.

10. Creidne the pleasant artificer was drowned
on the lake-sea, the sinister pool,
fetching treasures of noble gold
to Ireland from Spain.

11. Bress died in Cam ui Neit
by the treachery of Lug, with no fullness of false-hood :
for him it was a cause of quarrel indeed
drinking bog-stuff in the guise of milk.

12. Be Chuille and faithful Dianann,
both the farmeresses died,
an evening with druidry, at the last,
by gray demons of air.

13. He fell on the strand eastward
in the trenches of Rath Ailig,
Did Indui the great, son of pleasant Delbaith,
at the hands of Gann, a youth bold, white-fisted.

14. Fea, lasting was his fame, died
at the end of a month after his slaying
at the same stronghold — we think it fitting — .
for sorrow for Indui the white-haired.

15. Boind died at the combat
at the wellspring of the son of noble Nechtan :
Aine daughter of the Dagda died
for the love that she gave to Banba.

16. Cairpre fell — remember thou !
by the hand of Nechtan son of Nama :
Nechtan fell by the poison
at the hands of Sigmall, grandson of free Midir.

17. Abcan son of cold Bic-felmais,
the bard of Lug with full victory,
he fell by the hand of Oengus without reproach
in front of Midir of mighty deeds.

18. Midir son of Indui yonder
fell by the hand of Elcmar :
fell Elcmar, fit for fight,
at the hands of Oengus the perfect.

19. Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar there,
the three gods of the Tuatha De Danann
were slain at Mana over the bright sea
by the hand of Lug son of Ethliu.

21. Cermat Milbel the mighty fell
at the hands of harsh Lug son of Ethliu,
in jealousy about his wife, great the fashion,
concerning whom the druid lied unto him.

22. By the hand of Mac Cecht without affection
the harper fell :
moreover Lug fell over the wave,
by the hand of Mac Cuill son of Cermat.

23. Aed son of The Dagda fell
at the hands of Corrchend the fair, of equal valour;
without deceit, it was a desire of strictness,
after he had gone to his wife iniquitously.

24. Corrcend from Cruach fell —
the harsh very swift champion,
by the stone which he raised on the strand
over the grave of shamefaced Aed.

25. Cridinbel squinting and crooked fell —
the chief spell-weaver of the Tuatha De Danann
of the gold which he found in the idle Bann,
by the hand of The Dagda, grandson of Delbaeth.

26. As he came from cold Alba
he, the son of The Dagda of ruddy form,
at the outlet of Boinn, over here,
there was Oengus drowned.

27. The only son of Manannan from the bay,
the first love of the aged woman,
the tender youth fell in the plain
at the hands of idle Bennan, on the plain of Breg.

28. Net son of Indui and his two wives,
Badb and Neman without deceit,
were slain in Ailech without blame
by Nemtuir the Red, of the Fomoraig.

29. Fuamnach the white (?) who was wife of Midir,
Sigmall and Bri without faults,
In Bri Leith, it was full vigour,
they were burnt by Manannan.

30. The son of Allot fell, with valour,
the rich treasure, Manannan,
in the battle in harsh Cuillend
by the hand of Uillend of the red eyebrows.

31. Uillend with pride fell
at the hands of Mac Grene with pure victory :
the wife of the brown Dagda perished
of plague on the slope in Liathdruim.

32. The Dagda died of a dart of gore
in the Brug — it is no falsehood —
wherewith the woman Cethlenn gave him mortal hurt,
in the great battle of Mag Tuired.

33. Delbaeth and his son fell
at the hands of Caicher, the noble son of Nama :
Caicher fell at the idle Boinn,
at the hands of Fiachna son of Delbaeth.

34. Fiacha and noble Ai
fell before sound Eogan of the Creek :
Eogan of the cold Creek fell
before Eochaid the knowing, hard as iron.

35. Eochaid of knowledge fell thereafter
at the hands of Aed and of Labraid :
Labraid, Oengus, Aed, fell
at the hands of Cermat of form all fair.

36. Eriu and Fotla with pride,
Mac Greine and Banba with victory,
Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht with purity
in the battle of Temair of clear wave.

37. Mac Cecht at the hands of noble Eremon :
Mac Cuill, of perfect Eber :
Eriu yonder, at the hands of Suirge thereafter :
Mac Grene of Amorgen.

38. Fotla at the hands of Etan with pride,
Of Caicher, Banba with victory :
Whatever the place wherein they sleep, those are
the deaths of the warriors; hear ye.

1. Let the pleasant company of knowledge hearken,
With a warlike ship of learning,
till I have told, according to a course of reckoning
every generation that took Ireland.

2. Ireland, previous to princes of boundaries,
from the beginning of the firm world,
she was desert, according to the rule which I reckon,
till the year before the Flood.

3. There reached it before the frothing flood —
a collection without bad colour, unmeasured —
The warriors who refused their pallet,
Three men over fifty including Cessair.

4. Cessair, though far-off her days,
The good God sustained her :
She leaped ( ?) over the sea of Letha
the daughter of Bith son of Noe.

5. The strength of Partholon after the Flood
he smote it without a battle, it was skilful :
he was a prince over the shoulder sharp and stately
of Ireland, behind the borders of Cualu.

6. Till plague fell upon the princely band
there was no shame over their plain of strength :
nine thousand over Mag Elta
were there cut down in a week.

7. Thereafter was their right against separation;
A strong host smote it :
They were not gentle against an approach
wherein Nemed's nobles break forth.

8. After Nemed, the fame of every steading,
There was a strong host on the road ;
the land on which their troops multiplied,
four kindreds divided it.

9. The Fir Bolg, the Fir Domnann of earth,
The Tuath De of the heavy chambers of darkness,
The Gaileoin with assemblies of law,
They were of the noble kindreds of Nemed.

10. Till the pure great Gaedil took it
dark and hidden were her lands;
men who were not weak in respect to kindred,
progeny of Bile and of Breogan.

11. Breogan who was a king, let us reckon,
and his seed great in spears, erect and stately,
a land-company swift, slender-sided,
of the sons of Mil upon the plain of Ireland.

12. Pleasant Ireland after ages
about Temair white-sided, abounding in troops,
God revealed to their kindreds,
through a fitting time of the world.

13. David, who had a time of much renown,
famous, he bore it very purely,
her [Ireland's] border was divided in the country-side,
when he was making Solomon's Temple.

14. The seventeenth, a Thursday,
was found the battle-plain of warrior men,
they took, in an attack on the land,
on the kalends of May in the solar month.

15. Eremon took territory
the exact middle of lofty Ireland,
except Muma — no rusty wall
of [Inis] Elga to the borders of Alba.

16. Eber the youngest, it is certain to us,
Prince of Femen of a basis in blood-kindreds ( ?)
the land which he chose with its homesteads,
he took it over the balances of Muma.

17. The nobles of Ulaid, a pride of weapons
The Erna of Muma, noble and joyous,
The progeny of the smooth king of a forest of javelins,
Of Oengus Tuirmech of Temair.

18 Temair and Ireland of knowledge,
A troop of generations divided it :
Men with the clear branching of the Gaedil
The seed of Eremon son of Mil.

19. Though they were props of rapine,
the progeny of Rudraige king of Temair
[they were] the royal kindred of Ir of the weapons,
from whom are the true Ulaid of Emain.

20. Ireland of weapons, land of outcry,
princes took white plains;
there were heard to the hollow of Latium
their shrieks from the plain of Macha.

21. The sons of Breogain, the excellence of our foundation
to the dwelling of the tribune ( ?) of every steading
of the ancestors of the warriors upon the seas —
Brego who settled over Brega.

22. Bile of the manifold prides,
Cualu, Cuailnge, Ith the glorious,
Muirthemne who had the plain of salmon,
Warlike Blad from Sliab Bladma.

23. The death of Eber through an hour of weakness
By Eremon resplendent, brightly-expert,
By the lofty lord, very expert,
In the glorious battle of Argatros.

24. Dug by him two forts of a great lord,
in Argatros sharp and wild,
in the fortress of Crofinn famous,
Raith Aindind and Raith Bethaig.

25. It is in their time of wisdom
a building, with appearances of habitation :
Dun Sobairche with stateliness,
Dun Binne, and Dun Cermna.

26. The building of a causeway of a flood-tower
of a creek of a road and of horns :
with appearances, south of the road of Rairiu,
of Inber Mor in the territory of Cualu.

27. The founding of fair Carraic-
-Bladraide, of the sea-veil ;
the bursting of the nine Righs about Rosmag :
the bursting' of the nine Brosnas of Eile.

28. The bursting of Eithne over the forest of Bith ;
the bursting of the three Suc-rivers :
a binding of hostages under a law of streaming :
and the bursting of seven lakes.

29. Loch Laiglinne, Loch Baath,
Loch Cimme with hundreds of mists;
Loch Da Caech, fair without plunder,
Loch Ren of many salmon, Loch Riach.

30. The queen of the host over the great sea,
Of whom is the lasting fame of the seed of Conn the wounder
Although she died on Breg,
She chose the hill of Temair.

31. The serfs of the right lawful king cultivated
upon the deep land on which was division :
a road of a royal company over which they scatter
twenty-four chief plains.

32. Aidne, Ai, Odba, Aigi,
Meidi, Morba, Midi,
Cuib, Cera, Cliu of hundreds of ***
Life, Ligen, and Line.

33. Asal over against our many lands,
Adar, Deisi, Dul, Dela,
Slanga, ancient Sered,
Treg, Femen, Fea, Fera.

34. The princedom of Eremon the perfect, the youthful,
dug was his grave after the time of (his) death,
in the land of silvery Argatros,
on the same chariot-land.

35. His sons, it was no weakness, marked limits
from strong Torach to Dairbre
from Teach Duinn to Tuirbe—
did Muimne, Luigne, Laigne.

36. Irial possessed the land of the chieftains,
a true prince, who did not disturb it :
the Son of God, who fashioned him, vouchsafed to him
that he should be the noble eldest.

37. He was a chief prince to all Ireland,
rough and good, brightly tuneful, with brilliancy :
he sent the divisions of every steading :
by him were seven plains cleared.

38. Mag Rechet with truth of knowledge,
Mag Comair, a fine sweet profit,
Mag Slebe and Mag Sanais,
Mag Ele and Mag Inis.

39. The death of Irial in Mag Maigi
every generation thought it beyond calculation :
pure was his hand around a sunny dart —
his good son took the kingship.

40. Ethriel of the order of every victory-vaunt,
he was ever sharp, of a fortress with strife,
after his troops were in Temair,
he cleared many plains.

41. Tendmag, broad Mag Lugaid
Mag Geisli harmonious, of concealment ( ?)
Lochmag, no lake that sounds not,
Mag Roth and Mag Belaigh. 42. In the battle of Rairiu of the warrior-assembly
the stately-sided whiteskin died,
Ethriel the noble, of manifold rank,
who w T as not sound after Conmael.

43. Conmal son of the prince Emer
a warrior with a basal love of maintenance,
the first prince, with fame, it is said,
from Mumu who took Temair.

44. There broke before him five battles
before the battle of Macha, a greatness of shouting,
the battles of Ele and Ucha,
and of Cnucha of Sliab Betha.

45. The death of Conmael under a change of form,
he was not silent in the heavy shout of battle :
the pride of Tigernmas it was, that rent him,
in the lofty battle of Aenach Macha.

46. Good was Tigernmas who suffered plague,
he was a prince, wood-hard, (a) warlike:
a man who won, it was a royal grace,
thrice nine battles before the end of a year.

47. He was the keen hospitable prince
to whom the pure bright Gaedel submitted :
about a royal man's share he all but
exterminated the progeny of Emer.

48. Of him is the free joyful seed
of the troop of the strong kings in a course,
the progeny, just, plumed, famous,
of Ugoine the Great, son of Eochu.

49. He is the Tigernmas whom we choose,
with meditation, without discourse;
It is he who is harnessed about beauty of pure grace,
who found out many glorious ingenuities.

50. Of him is every famous wright, who fashions( ?)
a covering of just purple— who works
cups fitting, of wonted beauty— who forms
pins of gold and of silver.

51. Iuchdan the wright of Cuan Claidfind,
the first who separated with a hammer, I relate ;
by his pure pleasant dexterity
was gold smelted in Ireland.

52. Above the posts of a compact mansion of combat
long-blasting bags were blown
by the famous one, with declining (?)
in the Foithre of Airthir-Life.

53. Loch Aillind after victory it burst forth
Lochs Ce, Uair, Febuil,
Lochs Silend and Dabal,
Loch Gabair between the Bregas.

54. It was he who convened a feeble assembly
who was of high fame after nobles,
without a battle, after horrible acts of slaughter
he died in Slechta of Breifne.

55. For a space of seven years Ireland was
without a king of administration of the laws of anyone :
there was not *** (?)
more than a fourth of the people.

56. There came to her, though it was a life of danger,
Eochaid of weapons who was a warrior :
a mighty company was brought into our lands
by the son of Conmael son of Eber.

57. It is he who won a victory-battle out of it,
the battle of Luachair with multitudes of [blood-]drops ( ?) :
the deedful battle of Fosad Da Gort,
And the battle of the Meeting of the Three Waters.

58. Cleared in the fastnesses of the world —
no strength of a mean warrior or of one unworthy
after they were separated in Temair,
were Mag Smethrach and Mag nlnir.

59. Mag nAidne, Mag nOdba of order,
bare Mag Luing, Mag Lemna,
Mag Da Gabal, of the regions of Connla,
Mag Fubna in the land of Mide.

60. Eochu after upright stately ages
not dangerous were his true deeds —
there slew him, over the hurdle-brow of Carman
Fiachu Labraind son of Smirgoll.

61. Fiacha prince of a family took
Ireland to the trace of its extremity
in his surname, without slothfulness
is the burst of Fleisc and of Main.

62. The burst of Labrainn of sorrow (?)
a wood over Cuailnge without desertion :
a great history of our prince
is the burst of the wild Loch Erne.

63. Slain after great fierceness of an assembly
was Fiacha Labrainne : relate it !
a cause of old complaint of the septs of Eber
In the battle of victorious Belgadan.

64. It was he who slew him, without shame,
Eochu the rough, a cry without lamentation;
on his royal roads, on his plundering —
Eochu Mumo from Mumu. 65. About Temair the land of the Seat
impetuous were his shears :
he fettered them with a battle, without lapse of time,
which broke before the son of Mofebis.

66. Eochu the grey, the martial, died
in the battle of Cliu, the famous king of Temair :
over the sorrow-heaps of Bodb
was Oengus Ollmucach the glorious.

67. Oengus, who was the teacher of (Inis) Elga,
on every side to the movement of the sea;
he fought the battles of Clere and of Cuince,
the much-discussed battle of Sliab Cailce.

68. Though I should be reckoning the very pure kings
over the land of the assaults of mighty deeds,
though I be relating tales of princes of Temair
it will make me joyful and worthy of praise.

69. It is time for us, after a space of seasons
to put trust in Christ our Creator,
the Good One greater than every lord,
the Prince that dieth never.

70 It is Patrick at the right hand of the Rewarder
who hath in possession our gentles and our simples :
it is he who serves us until that day,
he is the king save that King.

71. Though they be high kings of the false world,
with poet-power and with treasures,
they are dead after the time of its youth,
with pride and with trappings.

72. Though these be the tales published
to people of the world of generations,
their truth is known with witnesses
according to rules and catalogues.

73. The elders enumerated to the saints
before the scholars of the world of fortresses :
as it was woven and verified
it was written upon their knees.

74. Sun of the Gaedil, brightness of our progeny,
the famous white Colum Cille,
Patrick for the attainment of heaven,
the apostle of our white family.

75. Finntan saw it, who was the greatest,
it was for his love with which he would relate ( ?)
Tuan son of Cairell of hundreds,
so that Findia came to him (??).

76. Findia the very great, from whom it is known,
and Colum by whom it is composed,
they are the persons to whom it will be traced,
it is not concealed from every author.

77. The authors of Ireland stitched it together,
they made mention of learning that they forsook not ;
the rule of every saying which they uttered,
let them not neglect, and let them hear.

78. Eochu ua Flainn the man of caution
who guards the clans of every assembly-place,
to heaven is the shout which he sends forth
according to the choice of youth and age.