LEBOR GABALA ERENN
THE BOOK OF THE TAKING OF IRELAND

Third Redaction
Book of Ballymote & Book of Lecan
[ ] = glossarial matter in text

SECTION VII
THUATA DE DANANN

356. 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.

They came from the Greeks, and took territory and land in the north of Alba, at Dobur and Ordobur. And they were four years there, with Nuadu s. Echtach in kingship over them.

357. The four cities in which they were acquiring knowledge and science and diabolism, these are their names; Failias, Goirias, Findias and Murias. From Failias was brought the Lia Fail which is in Temair, and it would not utter a cry but under every king that should take Ireland, but [read and] from it is Inis Fail [and Mag Fail] named : unde dicitur

The stone on which my heels are standing
from it comes the expression "Inis Fail" :
between two strands of a mighty flood,
"Mag Fail" [is a name] all over 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, and no man would escape from it by reason of its venom, and 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 : Morfessa who was in Failias, Esrus in Goirias, Usicias in Findias, Semias in Murias. Those are the four poets, with whom the Tuatha De Danann acquired wisdom and knowledge :

wherefore this was said

1. The Tuatha De Danann of the rich treasures,
"Where got they learning ?
They reached sound wisdom
In druidry, in demonic art.

2. Iarbonel the white, a prophet with excellence,
son of Nemed son of Agnomain,
whose was the wanton son, Beothach of tricks,
he was a hacking warrior, fully active.

3. The descendants of Beothach, lively their fame,
reached a very great hosting-place,
after distress and after heavy weariness,
was the tally of their voyage to Lochland.

4. Four cities — rightful fame —
they took in a course with great strength ;
pleasantly would they wage a combat
for learning, for true knowledge.

5. Failias, and clean Goirias,
Findias, Murias of great acts of valour;
a rough instructor of their outbursts (were)
the names of the lofty cities.

6. Morfhis and Erus lofty
Usicias, Semias continually rough;
before a calling of mentions of their palace
the names of the sages of every free palace.

7. Morfhis the poet (in) Failias itself,
Eras in Gorias good as to disposition,
Semias in Murias, a fortress of sword-points,
Uscias the white poet (in) Findias.

8. Four gifts with them from yonder
had the nobles of the Tuatha De Danann :
a sword, a stone, a cauldron of bondmaids,
a spear for the fate of lofty champions.

9. Lia Fail from Failias yonder,
which used to cry under the kings of Ireland;
the sword of Lug's hand which came
from Goirias, choice, very hard.

10. From Findias far over sea
was brought the spear of Lug who was not insignificant :
from Murias, a huge great treasure,
the cauldron of The Dagda of lofty deeds.

11. King of Heaven, king of weaklings
the great family of kings of the royal divisions :
one who has endurance of hatreds
and the power of the fair peoples.

358. 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 Soothsayer. 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 the Mountain of the sons of Delgaid in Conmaicne Rein, or Conmacne Cuile.

The Fir Bolg were there, and they saw a great cloud of mist upon the Mountain of Conmaicne. It settled down on the mountain a day and a night, [Such was the greatness of the mist that they fear]ed greatly before it, and not a man dared to go near the mountain. They approached it afterwards on the second day, and saw the troops on the mountain after that cloud, and their number was greater than was apparent.

But another company says that the Tuatha De Danann came in a sea-expedition into Ireland, and that they burnt their ships thereafter, and that it was owing to the fog of smoke that rose from them as they were burning that others have said that they came in that fog. 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 not find them to flee from Ireland, even though the rout should fall upon them at the hands of the Fir Bolg.

The third reason was, lest Lug should find them, to do battle against Nuadu son of Echtach, king of the Tuatha De Danann. So that of those reasons the learned sang

1. Each warrior of them burnt his ship
when he reached Ireland in a fog :
it was a powerful fight being set,
the smoke of the ships as they burned.

2. The reason why they burnt the ships
was that they should never retreat;
and that the host of tuneful Balar should not come
in them to settle in Ireland.

Thereafter the Tuatha De Danann brought a fog over the sun for a space of three days and three nights.

359. They demanded battle or kingship of the Fir Bolg. Thereafter a battle was fought between them, to wit, the Battle of Mag Tuired. They were a long time waging that battle, and it went 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.

Everyone who escaped of the Fir Bolg, and any of them who had no desire to be in servitude to the Tuatha De Danann, — they went out from Ireland in flight, and came into Ara and Islay and Rachra and Man and islands of the sea besides. The Fir [Bolg] were in those islands to the time when the provincial kings ruled Ireland, and the Cruithne drave them out of those 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 that was imposed upon them. Thereafter they went in flight from Coirpre under the protection of Medb and Ailill ; and they gave them land. That is the wandering of the Sons of Umor. Oengus s. Umor was king over them in the east. From them are named the territories, Loch Cimme, from Cimme the Four-headed s. Umor was it named, and the Headland of Taman in Medraige from Taman s. Umor, and the Fort of Oengus in Ara from Oengus [s. Umor] and the stone-heap of Conall in the territory of Aidne from Conall, and Mag Adar from Adar, and Mag Assail in Mumu from Assal. Moen s. Umor was the bard. So the sons of Umor were in those islands round about Ireland, till the Ulaid in the company of Cu Chulaind quenched them.

361. It is the Tuatha De Danann who brought with them the Great Fal that was in Temair, i.e. the Lia Fail Fis, whence is "Mag Fail" the name of Ireland. He under whom it should utter a cry was king of Ireland : till Cu Chulaind struck it, for it cried not under himself nor under his fosterling, Lugaid son of the three Finds of Emain. And the stone made no cry from that out, save only under Conn. Its heart burst forth from it from Temair to Tailltiu, so that is the "Heart of Fal." However it is not that the idols broke, and that Lugaid obtained no kingship, but Christ being born at that time.

Though Lugaid Red-stripe was foster to Cu Chulaind, he was older than Cu Chulaind. Lugaid Red-stripe was a pupil in martial matters of Cu Chulaind.

362. NUADU AIRGETLAM, he it is who was king over the Tuatha De Danann there, seven years before their coming into Ireland, till his arm was cut from him in the battle of Mag Tuired. Eidleo s. Aldai he is the first man who fell in Ireland of the Tuatha De Danann, by the hand of Nerchu grandson of Semeon, in the first battle of Mag Tuired : and Ernmas and Echtach and Etargal and Fiacha fell. BRES s. Elada took the kingship of Ireland thereafter, till the end of seven years, until the arm of Nuadu was adjusted. NUADU Argetlam was king thereafter twenty years. He had a silver arm with full activity in both finger and joint. Dian Cecht the leech adjusted it, and Credne the wright was helping him in the matter of that silver arm. But Miach s. Dian Cecht set joint to its joint and vein to its vein in his own arm, and it was healed in thrice nine days; and he gave his silver arm to him as reward.

363. As for Tailltiu daughter of Magmor king of Spain, queen of the Fir Bolg, she came, after the setting of that battle of Mag Tuired against the Fir Bolg, to Coill Cuain, and the wood was cleared by them, so that it was a clovery plain by the end of a year. This is that Tailltiu who was wife of Eochu s. Erc, king of Ireland, till the Tuatha De Danann slew him,

in the first battle of Mag Tuired, and he is the first man who died of a spear-point in Ireland at the beginning, ut poeta dixit

Eochaid mac Eirc who had no groaning,
better than every king except holy Christ;
He is the first king, who got his death-wound
with a point, in white Inis Fail.

It is Eochaid s. Erc who took her from Spain from her father—

dwelt in Tailltiu, and slept with Eochu Garb s. Dui Dall of the Tuatha De Danann : and Cian s. Dian Cecht — Scal Balb was his other name — gave her his son in fosterage, namely Lug.

He was son of Ethne daughter of Balar of the Strong Blows : the Illdanach. Whence it is said, if one have many arts, let him merit many recompenses.

So she died thereafter in Tailltiu, and her name was given thereto, and that is her grave which is north-east from the Seat of Tailltiu, so that her games were celebrated every year by Lug, a fortnight before Samain {read Lugnasad) and a fortnight after, so that thence comes [the word] Lugnasad, i.e. the nasad of Lug s. Ethliu [is] the name of that festivity.

364. Nuadu Airgedlam fell in the last battle of Mag Tuired, and Macha daughter of Ernmas, by the hand of Balar of the Strong Blows, in that battle. Ogma s. Elada s. Net fell at the hands of Indech the Great, son of De Domnann, king of the Fomoraig. It is in that same battle that there fell Bruidne and Casmael [the two satirists] by the hand of Oilltriallach s. Indech. Now after the death of Nuadu and of those men in that battle, the Tuatha De Danann gave the kingship to Lug; and his grandfather, Balar grandson of Net, fell at his hands by a stone from his sling. Many were slain in that battle, both Tuatha De Danann and Fomoraig, and Bres along with them. As Indech the Great, son of De Domnann, the king said — he was a man with arts of poetry and craft — when Lug asked of him, How many were there who fell in the battle of Mag Tuired! — Seven men, seven score, seven hundred, seven fifty, fifty, nine hundred, twenty hundred, forty with Net, ninety — that is, with Ogma s. Elathan s. Net. Wherefore this was said in confirmation.

Seven men, seven score, seven hundreds —
That is its truth and no lie —
Who fell in the hard battle
In Mag Tuired with strong victory.

Lug s. Ethliu was forty years in the kingship of Ireland after the last battle of Mag Tuired. There were twenty- seven years between those two battles of Mag Tuired.

365. Eochaid Ollathair, the Great Dagda s. Elada, was eighty years in the kingship of Ireland. He had the three sons, Oengus, Aed, and Cermat the fair. Upon those four did the men of Ireland make the Mound of the Brug.

366. Dian Cecht had four sons, Cu, Cian, Cethen.

Cridinbel and Bruidne and Casmael, the three satirists.
Be Chuille and Danand the two she-husbandmen.
Three sons of Cermat s. of The Dagda, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Greine — Sethor, Cethor, and Tethor were their names : Fotla, Banba, and Eriu were their three wives.
Fea and Neman were the two wives of Net, a quo Ailech Neit.
Badb and Macha and Morrigu and Ana, of whom are the Paps of Ana in Luachair, the three daughters of Ernmas the she-husbandman.

That Dana is mother of the gods, and these are her daughters, Airgden, Barrand, Be Chuille, Be Thete.

Goibniu the smith and Luchne the wright and Creidne the carpenter and Dian Cecht the leech, the four sons of Esarg s. Net s. Indai.

To memorise the above the poet Eochaid ua Floind 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 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.

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 in Caendruim, that is in Uisnech. Eighty had the Dagda, till he died of the gory javelin wherewith Cethlenn mortally wounded him in the great battle of Mag Tuired.

367. Delbaeth after The Dagda, ten years in the kingship of Ireland till he and Ollam his son fell at the hands of Caicher s. Nama, brother of Nechtan. Fiacha s. Delbaeth took the kingship of Ireland after his father, ten other years, till Fiachna and the son 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, Mae Cecht, and Mac Greine. They divided Ireland into three parts between them, and left no children. To them did the Gaedil come to Ireland, so that they fell at the hands of the sons of Mil of Spain in vengeance for Ith s. Breogan, and Cualnge and Fuad — those were three sons of Breogan.

And these are the nine kings of the Tuatha De Danann, and the length of their computations, to wit Nuadu and Bres and Lug and Dagda and Delbaeth and Fiachna, Mac Cuill and Mac Cecht and Mac Greine.

So to memorise the above the historian, Tanaide o Dubsailech, sang the 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.

368. The Genealogy of the Tuatha De Danann here below. Nuadu Argetlam s. Echtach s. Etarlam s. Ordan s. Alldai s. Tat s. Tabarn s. Enna s. Baath s. Ibath s. Beothach s. Iarbonel the Soothsayer s. Nemed s. Agnomain s. Pamp s. Tat s. Sera s. Sru s. Esru s. Brament s. Echat s. Magog s. Iafeth s. Noe.

Net s. Indai s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Eladan.
Midir of Bri Leth s. Indui s. Echtach s. Etarlamh.
Dagda and Ogma and Alloth and Bres and Delbaeth, the five sons of Eladan s. Delbaeth s. Net s. Indai s. Alldai s. Tat s. Tabarn.
Lug s. Cian s. Dian Cecht s. Esarg s. Net s. Indai s. Alldai.
Fiacha s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elatha s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Ai s. Ollam s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Caicer and Nechtan, the two sons of Nama s. Echach Garb s. Duach of Temen s. Bres s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Sigmall s. Cairbre Crom s. Elcmar s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Oengus mac in nOg and Aed Caem and Cermat Milbel, the three sons of the Dagda s. Elada, here below.
Cairbre the poet s. Tuara s. Tuirell s. Tat s. Conatcend s. Ordam s. Alldai s. Tat.
Gaelo s. Orbsen s. Allot s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net s. Indai s. Alldai.

Or perhaps this is the Genealogy of Manannan : Manannan s. Elcmar s. Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.

Gaiar s. Manannan, and Orbsen was another son of his: or perhaps Orbsen was a name for Manannan himself.
So that Loch Orbsen and Mag Orbsen were called from him.
Uillend Faebarderg s. Eochu Garb s. Dui Temen, by him was Manannan slain in the battle of Cuillenn in Connachta.

The six sons of Delbaeth s. Ogma s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net were Fiacha, Ollam, Indai, Brian, Iucharba, Iuchair.
And Danann daughter of Delbaeth himself was mother of the last three, Brian, Iuchair, Iucharba. Those were the Three Gods of Danu, from whom is Sliab Dee : and it is of that Delbaeth that Tuirenn Biccreo was the name.
Tuirell s. Tat moreover, grandfather of Cairbre the poet, and Etan daughter of Dian Cecht was mother of that Cairbre.

Fotla was wife of Mac Cecht, Banba was the wife of Mac Cuill, Eriu was wife of Mac Greine : those were the three daughters of Fiachna s. Delbaeth.

Ernmas daughter of Etarlam s. Nuadu Airgetlamh was mother of those three women, and mother of Fiachna and 0llam. Of them the poet sang as follows,

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.

The three sons of Ernmas were Glonn and Gnim and Coscar.
Boind d. Delbaeth s. Elada was wife of Nechtan s. Nama.
Fea and Neman, two wives of Net s. Indai, the two daughters of Elcmar of the Brug were they.
Uillenn s. Cathair s. Nuadu Airgetlam. Bodb of the Mound of the men of Femen, s. Eochu Garb s. Dui Temen s. Bres s. Elada s. Delbaeth s. Net.
Abcan s. Bicfelmas s. Cu s. Dian Cecht, poet of Lug s. Ethliu.
En s. Becen s. Starn s. Edleo s. Adlai s. Tat s. Tabarn.
At Tat s. Tabarn all the Tuatha De Danann first unite as an elite. This is the Genealogy of the Tuatha De Danann down to here.

369. Brigit the poetess, daughter of the Dagda, it is she who had Fe and Menn, the two royal oxen, of whom is Femen, that is two oxen of Dil of whom is Mag Femen named. And with them was Torc Triath, king of the boars of Ireland, of whom is Mag Triathairne named. With them were heard the three demon cries in Ireland after ravaging — whistling, and wailing, and outcry.

And with them was Cirb king of the wethers of Ireland, of whom is Mag Cirb called. And with them was Cerman and Cermaid and the Mac Oc,

These are the first who *** into the mounds of Flidais, of whom is the cattle of Flidais named : or these were her four daughters, Arden, Be Chuille, Danann, and Be Thete.

The Tuatha De Danann first invented [battle] shouting and uproar : for this reason they invented shouting, for fear of taking ... on the place and plundering, uproar for lamentation at coining in pains.

Matha s. Umor, druid of the Tuatha De Danann.

Lug s. Ethliu, he is the first who invented an assembly and horse-racing and horse-combat, in the beginning, 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.

370. And it is they who broke the battle of Mag Tuired against the Fomoire, and the previous battle against the Fir Bolg : and in the first battle his arm was hewn from Nuadu, and his head in the last battle. Nine kings were there of the Tuatha De Danann : two hundred less three years were they in the kingship.

371. And though some say that the Tuatha De Danann were demons, as they came into Ireland unperceived, and they themselves said that they came in dark clouds, and for the greatness of their learning and their knowledge, and the obscurity of their genealogy being traced back- ward; howbeit they learned knowledge and poetry. For every darkness of art and every clearness of reading and every craft of cunning that is in Ireland, they are of the Tuatha De Danann by origin, and though the Faith came into Ireland those arts were not abolished, for they are good. And it is clear that they are not of the demons or of the sid-folk, for everyone knew that they took human bodies about them [by day, indeed, which is more accurate] and their genealogy is reckoned backward, and they were destroyed(?) at the coming of the Faith. So that of their deaths Flann Mainistrech sang the following poem —

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.

And the invasion of the Tuatha De Danann has been down to this : and on Monday in the beginning of the month of May, to be exact, they took Ireland.

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 was 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.

82. 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.

création : 30/08/2009