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KlTTaHii.l?-

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Darlington JVlemorial Ldbrar'

-v. 'IT

'*

PART

I.

REEIQES

IRISH JACOBITE POETRY;

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OP THE AUTHtoS,

iNTERLINEAK LIBERAL TRANSLATIONS,

AND HLSTORICAL ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES,

BY JOHN DALY:
TOGETHER WITH

METRICAI YERSIONS BY EDWARD WAISi.

"

'^Y ]feA6 ba bl<\*DA, b<v coeAf&A, bA ^'foii-lfomrA,

0]lce, bA A^ce, bA cApA a n)-b|if5 bj^-juyb ;

b*
bA

foA^gce, bA ftAfslAfrie TtACA^iieAcb ^AOif-lAO^ce,

'f T^lA^AiimeAC njAlUijce ^]i b-]:ioii-t3A]iT)Oe.

N| b-ioT)A^

THE IRISH LANGUAGE.

Unlike the jargon of our Saxon.Toe,
On raptur'd ear it pours its copfoHis'flow,

Most feeling, mild, polite, aiid polish 'd tongue.

That learned sage er spok^, or poet sung
!

Denis

Mahony

the Blind.

DUBI.1M
MACHEN, 28, WESTMORELAND-STREET,
:

AMUEL

J.

AND ALL BOJOKSELLERS.

44.

y<

CONTENTS.
Page.

Address to the Public

...

Language

Introduction to the Irish

Biographical Sketch of John

of the last century

Mac

...

...

...

...

...

...

iii

Donnell, a Munster Poet

...

...

...

John Mac Donnell's Vision on Ireland

...

...

...

Translation of the Vision

...

...

...

...

...

The Cruel Base-Born Tyrant, by John Mac Donnell

...

10

Translation

...

...

11

...

...

14

...

...

15

...

...

18

...

...

19

Donnell

...

26

20ac

At)

...

...

Translation

...

...

Peril of Britain, by

The Lady

...

...

Cbe<M)A]5e, by John Mac Donnell

Translation

The

...

...

...

...

John Mac Donnell

...

...

...

of Albany's Lament, by John

Mac

Translation

...

...

...

27

Reply

Lament, by John Mac Donnell

...

...

34

...

...

...

35

to the

Translation

...

Biographical Sketch of

Poet of the

last

The Expulsion
Translation

century

Gentlemen

Owen

...

may

the Red, a Munster

...

Owen

of Ireland, by

u;ho

...

...

...

...

The Expected

...

of the Saxon, by

...

...

Owen O'SuUivan

Captivity of the Gael, by

Translation

...

...

O'Sullivan the

...

Owen

...

O'Sullivan the

...

...

Red

...

40

...

44

...

45

Red

...

54

...

...

55

...

64

O'Sullivan the

Red

have in their possession, or could easily procure

copies of songs, elegies, or metrical compositions of any kind, which

they may wish to see in print, will confer a signal favour on the Editor,

and aid in an important national labour by communicating them. The

name of every such contributor will be publicly acknowledged, and he
shall be entitled to a copy of the number in which the communication
appears.
Those who may not have an opportunity of sending direct to
the Editor, may forward their communications to the Publisher.

to

*^* Editors of Papers, who may

send copies of the Paper direct to

notice these Songs, are requested

the Editor.

IRISH SONGS.
" Dear

The

Harp

of

my

Country

cold chain of silence

in darkness I found thee,

had hung

o'er thee long

When proudly, my own Island Hai-p I unbound thee

And gave all thy chords to light, freedom, and Song !"
!

Moore.

^ cAO|t)-c|iu]c

n)o t>]cce! 4 t)-&<b-ceA|-&

?V i)-&ut-ceAi)5Al t)UA]|tc]]-

5<vt)

bo

puA]|i cu,

puAfjA^lc le

j-caI;

Uc, 50 n)l5]tAc n)o c]u]t)-c|ioc, ^-jAOjlpeAb le |*UA||tceAi*

Do ceA&A cvLxx) gluAif&e, 5At) buAi|teA, 5AI) ccaI
" Give me the Songs of
her People."

my

Country, and I will give you the hearts of

TO THE PUBLIC.
am now about laying
countrymen, I do not feel influenced by any other
motive, than that of a sincere desire of preserving our old and
soul-stirring Songs from decay and destruction ; and though
it must be admitted that very many of them are now extinct,
yet, by your patronage, I trust I shall be able to pubHsh many
of the beautiful Songs of Ireland in their native language and
original purity, and leave them on record to posterity.
Centuries of oppression and direful persecution have now
rolled away, and the " cold chain of silence" which hung over
us during these years of Saxon misrule and unrelenting tyranny is now for ever broken. During this period of treachery
and tumult, at the hand of the "Saxon," the "Foe," and
the " Stranger," Ireland's brave and patriotic Sons severely
felt the gall and bitterness of mahcious rancour
\k\.Q pitch- cap
and the triangle their Clergy doomed to take refuge on
the liills and in the valleys, where they patiently endured all
the privations they had to undergo, without any other comfort
than what the consolation of religion afforded their bards
ever ready to expose the cruel deeds of the " Invader," were
hunted like wolves, till their race became almost extinct, and
now, very few remain to tell the sad tale, or lament over the
In undertaking such a work as I

before

my

wails of his country.

At
made

moment

like

the present, every exertion should be

and pathetic Songs of

to restore, if possible, the sweet

Ireland

the

Songs written by her bards

bitterest woes,

too long neglected

at the period of her

too long forgotten, and

give them to the people and the land they belong to,
Ireland indeed stands indebted to Mr. Hardiman for rescu-

ing very many of her Songs from obHvion ; but, Mr. Hardiman's collection was published in such a manner, as to put it
entirely out of the reach of the parties for whom such a work
should be intended, I mean, \q Irish j^ecisantry.
In bringing out my httle work the plan which I intend purThe work will be printed in numbers, of
suing will be tliis
:

good paper, and beautiful clear type, at the

small price of one penny.
The first number will be an introduction to the language, comprising a series of short and
simple rules, by wliich any man of common understanding
after one or two careful perusals,
be able to read any
Irish book with ease.
Each succeeding number will contain,
at least, two Irish Songs, with short notes and literal translations
also, biograpliical notices of the writers, when practicable.
With the last number will be given a title, index, and
a general preface to the work, so as to enable purchasers to
bind up their volumes at the close of its publication.
The
price charged will hardly realise the expense incurred by such
an undertaking, but Ireland's Sons must feel proud of such
an opportunity as the present affords, for possessing themselves of the songs of their country.
On the whole, it shall
be conducted in such a manner as to render it in every way
pleasing and satisfactory to the pubHc, to whom I shall at all
times feel thankful for any suggestions they may give, or alterations they may deem advisable
because in carrying on
such a work, I do not consider myself any more than the
servant of the parties for whom it is intended.
Persons having manuscript Songs or Poems in their possession, which they would wish to see in print, will be pleased
to have them duly forwarded.
Such contributions shall be
thankfully received and acknowledged by me, and tlie names
of the contributors shall be mentioned in the number, in wliich
the ai'ticle appears.
An Elegy on the death of the Kev. Nicholas Sheehy, who was executed in Clonmel, on the 15th of
March, 1760, with historical notes and translation, is in
preparation, and shall appear in due com'se, with such other
favours as the pubUc may think fit to place at my disposal.
eight octavo pages,

mU

JOHN DALY.
KilJamiii/, Nov.,

1843.

OTRODUCTION TO THE IRISH LANGUAGE.

CHAP.
Of

i)A

'^it)

c-4t> C^)ht))Ol.

the Letters or Alphabets, called by the Irish, ?V|b5ic]ii

5A0]e]l5e.
In the Irish language there are but seventeen letters, viz.
Figui

same ai-e aspirated, or either alter or lose entirely their pronunciation, are wme in number, viz., b, c, o, p, 3, ri), p, f, c.
The Immutahles are such as always retain their own sound,
and are three in number, I, n> ^t, but are sometimes doubled,
thus, U, x)\), Tt|i, and always carry a strong force and sound.
further explanation of the nine Mutable consonants that
When b is aspirated, or
are often aspirated, and first of b.
mortijied with a pip over it, thus, B, it has the force and
sound of F, in the Enghsh language, as, a boOAjj bo^cc, yow
When c is
jooor Clown, a fcuACAiU B]3, yo /i7/^ -'^oj/, &c.
mortijied, it caj-ries the force and sound of gh, in the Enghsh
word. Lough, as, n)o co]-, /wy /i-^, n)o coftp, my body, n)0
c]aII, wy sense.
But when c, is 7iot mortified, it carries the

and sound of a K, or Q, as, 20ac Ca|ica oa fuise ai|i

CAol CAn)n) c6n)t)A]3i M^ff^ Carty, sitting on a slender, crooked, mossy hill.
When 6, is morticed in the beginning of a word, it has the
foi'ce and sound of a Y, as, a D[A|tn)u]&, you Darby, a
force

c)OCAi)

ninAill, you Daniel, a Dot)CAt>, yow Denis.

When p is mortijied, it has no force or sound at all, but
just as if omitted altogether, as, a piti, jAt) pu]l, jAt) pAUu]t)5,
5AI) peo][il]r)5) you Man, ivithout Blood, without Mantle,
without a Farthing.
When 3 is mortijied in the beginning of a word, it sounds as
does in the English language, as, a SeA|ti&, yoi^ Garrett,
A S|teA30]it, you Gregory.
and 5
further explanation of
When o and 3 aspirated in the beginning of a word, or in the
Initial of the second part of a compound, each do pronounce
as Y, as, oeAt>u]t)e, a Good Man,t3&iib 3010111, a Good Deed.
But when or 3 aspirated falls in the body, or latter end
of a word, it hardly bears any sound at all, but divides the
syllable, or close the word, as, buA, Victory, 2Dot>A, Slave,
T0A, Choice, CttuA3 Pity.
When n) is aspirated it pronounces like V, or somewhat
broader, like W, in the Enghsh language, as, a 9t)^]|ie, you
Mary, a 2t)^|3&eAi)? you Virgin, &c.
When p is aspirated, it pronounces, or sounds hke F, in
the Enghsh language, as, a P<Ct)[iAi3, l/o^^ Patrick, a Pilib,
you Philip, A Poll, you Paul, &c.
When f is asjyirated, it sounds in Irish, as H, does in the
English language, as n)o Sa^l, my Eye, ti)o SaI, my Heel,
vi)0 SpjAi), /;?y Bridle, n)o Seorr)|iA, wy Chamber, &c.
When c is aspirated, it sounds also like /i, in the
English language, as, a Ci'>tT)'||-, you Thomas, a CAit)3, you

Timothy, &c.

CHAP. 11. Ut) ti^p^

Cxtibmjol.

Influences, or Eclipses, is a primary or radical Initial consonant, by some other Intervening consonant, quite extinguish
tlie power of the other letter, as a^i sCjaU, Our Sense, a|i

5CA]|ie,

The

Our

Friends.

radical, or possessive

C,

in either of the foregoing

words is extinguished by the 5, immediately preceding.

There are seven consonants that suffer Eclipses, b, c, &,
p,

Ti),

p, f, c.

And

the learner is to take notice that,

when

two of these seven consonants come together in the beginning

of a word, that it is the flrst that pronounces, the second
maintains the primitive sense of the word, as, n)b, being met
together in the beginning of a word, its n), that carries the
force, the b, maintaining the primitive sense, because it being

Our Life,
&c.
5C, being met together in the beginning of a word, 5,
carries the force, the
maintaining the sense, because it is the

the radical or possessive letter, as, A]t n)t)eACA,

A|i TT)t)A|,

Our Death,

CapaiU, Our Horses, A|t

jCAO^ite, Our Sheep, &c.
nO, being met together in the beginning of a word, i)
carries the force, the
maintains the sense, being the radical
or possessive letter, as, A]t DOorcuf a dOja, Our Hope in
God, &c.
bT, being met together in the beginning of a word, both
letters pronounce hke V, in the EngHsh language, notwithstanding it is the p, that maintains the sense of the word,
because of its being the radical, or primitive letter, as A|t
radical or possessive letter, as, a|i 5

BTleA, Our Banquet, ati ljTeo]l, Our Flesh, &c.

n'3j being met together in the beginning of a word, is called
by the Irish diacaI, though they both be not of the same
kind, yet they make a sound by blowing the breath, as if
they were but one letter. i)> that carries the force, though 3,
maintains the sense, because it is the radical, or possessive
letter, as aji o'S/ft&A,
Our Guard, Afi t)5Ai]t&|t), Our
Garden, &c.
bP, being met together in the beginning of a word, it is b,
that carries the force, though P, maintains the sense, being
the radical or possessive letter, as, Aft bPeACAA, Our Sins,
Aft bPin)p, Our Pomp, &c.
cS, being met together in the beginning of a word, r, that
carries the force, though S, maintains the sense, because it is
the radical ov possessive letter, as. At) cSlije, the Wat/, ad
cSjl, the Eye, ai) rSiiAfO, the Street, &c.
ob, being met together in the beginning of a word, it is &,

maintains the sense, because

that carries the force, though
of its being the radical ovjwssessii'e letter, as, a|i bCeAOjA,

Our Tongue, A|t &Cao!, Our

Two cc, being met together

Side, &c.
in the beginning of a word,
both pronounce like 3, but, the last is the maintaining letter,
being the radical or possessive, as, A|t cceol, Our Music, a|i

Our Friend, &c.

cC, meeting together in

ccA|iAi&,

the beginning of a word, have the

force of a &, onlt/, as, Ajt cc5eA|ti)A>

Our Lord,

aji

ccaoB,

Our

Side, &c.
When o, is written before I, in the middle of a word, it is
I, that pronounces always, as cooIa? sleej), sounds coUa.
To&Ia, a name given to Ireland, sounds ToU, &c.

When

comes before

I,

or end of a word,

it is

n?

and both joined in the middle

the force of U, they always have, as,

Thus ends a true and

like coUa, &c.
of all the consonants, both single and double,
plain, and aspirated.
The tliree letters I, n? jt? are never aspirated, but are always
pronounced as in the English language, as you have been taught
colt)A,

Body, sounds

full description

in the first Chapter. The double letters are termed ceAt)t)) i. e.

strong, as II, in poll, bAll, jcaU, &c., no, in cjiAnn? peAt)t)
SCAnt)) 3At)t), ccaoDj &c., ii|i, in cIa|1|i, bA]t|i, lA|t|t, |eA|t|i,
&c.
Now, I shall treat of the nature of the five vowels, called

by the

and will show how they sound their

and how they are to be pronounced severally in

Irish sucAje,

quantities,

the Irish

language.

They

are as follows: a, e,

],

o, u,

whereof three are pronounced broad, a, o, u, and two, small;

e and ], as is mentioned in the first Chapter.
The learner must observe, that the vowels are always of a
short quantity when mthout an accent or long stroke, thus(')
set over them, but when this stroke is placed over a vowel in
any syllable, it gives it a long "sound, as bcAl) Mouth, Scai),
Prosperitij , &c.

From

these five vowels being joined,

or united together,

Dipthongs, and five Tripthongs. The Dipthongs are called from having two vowels in one syllable, and
are called in Irish OeAJpojiiACA, are as follows
ao, ac, a|,
arise thirteen

CA, eu, eo, e], ^a, ^o, ]u, ua, u|, O].

The five Tripthongs are called by the Irish CitCAJpojitACA,

on account of having three vowels in one syllable, are as
folloAVS, AO],

The

eO|, ]A], lUJ, UA].

Grammarians distinguish these Dipthongs and

Tripthongs. by names taken from the leading vowel of each
Irish

class, as, ?Vii)A|ico]ll, G'AbAtJA? jpit)]t>e, U]ll]otjAj Asui-Oiit.

The four that begin with ?V, should be called Anthony

those wliich begin with 6-, Epthong ; those which begin with
), Ipthong ; those which begin with 0, Oj)thong ; and those
which begin with U, Uptliong.
These terms of art and Initial of each class, are to be understood by the following two Irish verses

CeiCjte

bATT)A]tCOlll |t]OTt)CA|t At),

C]3 aBaoa pof 50 co]cceAi),

GUIS Jpinie n)U]t) Aijt n)^^),
Cft] buiU]Ot)A A3U]- 0|TI

t)A bAOl)A|l.

A bCU)]* JAC aIJAA A) I),

), A DC]]- 3AC Ipin ]on)U|!);
U-, A &c]f 5AC UilleAi) u]l,
6",

?i, A bcu]]-

The

5AC ?^n)A|tcO|ll.

sounds hke e in the EngHsh language,

Caoc, Blind, Saoji, Cheap, ^lOXiX^Bald-pated.

?^TT)A|tco]U AO,

as ?^0i), 0^,

?Vn)A|tco]U A], It is the a that pronounces mostly, but the |

helps to pronounce the word, as C<C|l, Fame, T^|5, Prophet,

C]t^I5, Strand.
This Dip thong sounds always short without the fii)e pADA,
or long stroke, as, Sa^I, a Beam, Da]|Ij Oak, Caiixc, a Lease,
Ta^I, a Pig -stye.
?!ln)Aiico]U AC, pronounces as it comes, and, is always
long, as Hac, Moon, Cof)CAe, County, a Wac, Yesterday.
^TbA|tcO]ll AC], sounds hlce ee, in the English words, see,
hee,Jlee, as, Sao]|i, Carpenters, CAOjt), ilfeV^, &c.

The Five Epthongs

"Na c]3 aBaoa.

B-aBa^a ca, pronounces hke a in the Enghsh language, as,

SeAfic, Zoz;^, TeAfic, Grave, MeA|ic, Strength.
But by placing the fine pA&A, or long stroke over the e,
it alters the sound, and makes it long, as,TA]t,^/ass, ScaC),
a jewel, SATT)U]-, James.
OaBaa eu, is always long, and never requires the long
stroke, as Sjeul, Story, beul. Mouth, Cjieui), Mighty.
GaBaa CO, pronounces both together in the word, asCeol,
Music, Ceo, Mist, Seol, Sail of a Ship.
GaBaoa eo], the three pronounce in the word, as, Teojl,
Flesh, C|teo]|i, Guide, beoifi. Beer.
6"], are sounded short when without the accent or long
stroke, but long, when the accent is set over the Dipthong,
as may be understood from the following examples: be] ft,
said, (short), ce]l, conceal, (short), c] ft,
(long).

wax,

l]n),

a leap,

The Five Ipthongs

)fi]i) ]A,

tain, S|i]At), Bridle, bit]At),

]p] ]o,

and

is

Ma

c(i|5

sounds like ea in dear, fear,

it is

the

Jpjoibe.

&ic., as,

Moun-

Sl]Ab,

Bryan.

that pronounces mostly in the word,

naturally long, as, Cjo]-, Rent,

Tton, Wine,

Sioj-,

doion, &c.
)p]f) lu,

both

a Kinswoman,

letters

sound in the word together,

as, Siu|t,

C|t]U]t, Three, &c.

as,
J Fit) ]A], the tlu"ee helps in the word together,
Battle, 0]A]5, After, i-iAjj, a Physician.
jp]t) ]u|, the three sounds in the word together, as,
a helm, c]Vi\x), silent, S]ui|t, the River Si/ir.

The Three Upthongs Ma

UiUeA UA, both pronounces in

c|i|

31 ja],
^-ciujii,

T)uiU]Of)A.

the word, as ^-UAt)? rest,

buAt)? lasting, puA|i, cold, ^tuAt), r^i?, &c.
tt]lleA) u], short, as, pu]l, blood, cu]l, aflie, cu^lc,
quilt, rnujlc,

Wethers, &c.

UjlleAO UA], the three sounds in the word,

pleasant, OUAjt)) a poem, &c.

TAe Opthong
Opthong, or

?Vt)

as,

fUAittc,

0]|i t)A l)AOt)A|i.

always short without the accent,

as, co]fi, crime, co^t), a hound, &c., but with the accent it is
long, as c6]\it justice, |]|i, help), n)]i)5 ^w//, &c.
The reader is requested to take particular notice of the long
and short quantities of the Dipthongs aud Tripthongs, as
they are noted in the foregoing examples.
It must be always
observed by the learner, when the long stroke, (') wliich is
called in Irish, Sjne }a>a, comes over any single Vowel or
Dipthong, naturally short, the syllable where any, or either
of them are so marked with the said accent, or stroke, shall
be always pronounced lojig, as, b^]*, death, c^f, reason, Hof,
Rose.
Examples of long and short sounds
Tliis

0]|t, is

CAO]t), mild.

Do

UataI, generous.

Oj

M^ljiCAC, bashful.

Jonjo^cAc, inconstant.

ri^ojoce,
li^eA]-,

unapt to be taught.

disregard.

SDj feur), misfortune

2t)|i)ce, mannerly.
Cl]eAn), sword.
StJcA]-, regard.
3A]i-56eAc, champion.
Dipthongs and Tripthongs shall never be divided, so you
are not to write pj-Ai) for the word yi]i^), pain, &c.
By a careful perusal of this short Introduction, the learner
will be able to read any Irish book with ease.
OeiTT)]t), certain.

The next number will contain an Ode to the Irish language,

and an elegant Irish Song, with literal translations.

li^n'^m 5^ioit>en5e.
" Let the simple songs of our sires be tried,
to the heart
and the heart is all."

They go

Furlong.

The spirit of nationality which now leavens the entire mass

of Irish society, was, during- the last century totally unknown.
At that time sprung- up a crop of strange names in the land
and rock and valley were made vocal by mongrel sounds, in
which Celtic roots were squealed forth in due accordance to
English euphony, while more daring spirits, renouncing- the
wretched subterfuge, flung off their Irish coil, as the serpent
doth his slough, and became more English than the English
themselves.
It is painfully ridiculous to observe, how some
sons of the soil, whose ability and enterprise have enabled
them to emerge from their native glen, will, even now,
squiny in affected wonderment, when Irish sounds invade their
'*
ears polite," as if they had never mottled their shanks at a
turf fire, or luxuriated over a well-roasted Brohogue.
Amid the universal abandonment to which we have referred,
arose a band of faithful men to decry the apostacy to shame
the servile
to proto warm the cold
to kindle the valiant
claim ceaseless enmity to the Saxon oppressor.
Brooding over
the wrongs of his native land, the Jacobite bard seeks the
deep silence of a romantic vale, where bursts upon his eye the
ideal being of his evocation, invested with all those attributes in
which genius loves to clothe the personification of female
beauty. The pomp of his alliterative tongue of harmony is enrolled to paint, with all the glow of oriental imagery, her golden
hair, her swan-like neck, her swelling bosom. This embodiment
of beauty he calls ERIN.
The imaginative peasant beholds the
divine emanation
worships her beamy loveliness burns at the
recital of her wrongs, and swears eternal hate to her false
oppressor.
His country is Erin, and Erin a beauteous queen

2
Here lay the secret of the poet's mastery over the
in bondage
heart of the Celt thither every note of freedom sped, and
there found ready admission. At the head of this gifted band
were John O'Twomy the Gay, John Collins, Tieg O'SuUivan,
(Thaddeus Hibernicus,) Owen Roe O' Sullivan, and last but
chief, the subject of our present sketch, the celebrated John
!

Claragh M'Donnell.

What an interesting production would be the lives of these

what a mine of adventure, and humour, and
Jacobite poets
frolic would the erratic wanderings of Owen the Red present,
as he strayed, in his triple capacity of poet, potato-digger,
and pedant or the eccentric life of the witty Mangaire
Sugach, who perambulated the " five provinces" in his profession
whose bardic qualities procured him
of travelling merchant
ready admittance to all tables to that of the hospitable and
to that of the
free, by the charms of his wit and humour
churl, because of the dreaded severity of his caustic wit
!

What records must have remained of John O'Twomy, whose

public-house was, for many years, the very court of Apollo,
the resort of all the bards, idle gentlemen, and strollers of
beneath whose humble roof assembled more learnthe South
ing and genius and wit than all the clubs and coteries of high
How varied between good
life could produce for a century
and evil was the life of M'Donnell hunted in his early day by
the squirearchy, Avho took to the chase of the priest and the
poet with as keen a zest as did their descendants of later times
or seated high
to the less exciting pastime of fox hunting
among congregated poets, in his native town of Charleville,
presiding over the bardic session, where the candidate for admission was obliged to furnish extempore proofs of his genius,
and to receive on his shield the arrowy hail of threescore wits
John M'Donnell, to a profound knowledge of the history,
antiquities, and legendary lore of his native land, added a
familiar acquaintance with that Greek and Latin erudition,
then studied with so much avidity in the wilds and fastnesses
to which persecution had driven the poets and instructors of
O'Halloran, in his introduction to the History of
the people.
Ireland, makes honourable mention of this gifted man, and
affirms, that he proposed to some gentlemen of the county
Clare the project of translating Homer's Iliad into Irish. The
reader will perceive the unconquerable genius which this proposal displays, when he remembers that the priest, the poet,
and the literary teacher, were men hunted beyond the pale of
society, and priced with the felon wolf of the hill.
O'Halloran
adds, " From the specimen he gave, it would seem that this
of
prince
poets would appear as respectable in a Gathelian as
in a Greek dress."
It was reserved for a kindred genius, Dr.
M'Hale, to produce the proof!

M'Donnell was the author of many beautiful Jacobite pieces,

The few
displaying his varied powers of composition.
which appeal* in the present collection will bear testimony to
for instance, the " Lament" unites
the truth of this assertion
all the tender simplicity of Goldsmith with the sweetly-sounding versification of Pope while the " Peril of Britain" exhibits an outbreak of glorious energy well worthy of Homer.
Other poems, that may yet find a place in our collection, depict
all

his bitter,

caustic irony

his

mellifluous

elegiac strains re-

sembling the best efforts of Gray.

Touching the cognomen, Claragh, the writer of this hasty
sketch, shall practise that silence which best becomes him on
Crofton
a subject where men of learning have been at fault.
says, that Shane Clar'agh means John the Minstrel,
while every Irish scholar knows it does not and Mr. Hardiman, in his " Minstrelsy," says, that his family were called
Claragh, from a mountain of that name between Charleville
and Mallow Claragh is a romantic hill between Mill-street
and Killarney, and thirty miles, at least, from the locality in
which it has been placed by the writer of the note in the

Croker

Minstrelsy."
John Claragh M'Donnell was born in the year 1691, and
lies interred in the old church-yard of Ballyslough near Charleville, where the flag-stone, that covers the mortal remains of
this gifted child of song, contains the following Latin inscription

:
I.H.S.

JOHANNES M'DONALD,
vir vere

Catholicus,

et

Grseca, Latina et Hybernica

tumulatur

ad huuc

cognominatus CUllA^l),

quibus linguis ornatus,

:

Cippum.

nempe

non Vulgaris Ingenii poeta

Obiit ^tatis

Anno

63.

Salutisl754.

ReauiESCAT

in Pace.

His Elegy was chanted by his friend and brother bard, John
in strains well worthy of the vehicle of his verse,

O'Twomy,

and the genius of the departed poet.

;;

0)t)ce biov

"Oo

f IT)

lv,Je

'^tvi

<4tii

-dr) c-|*')-lje-4i%

f u^n,

T:'f)t\e^c, z-fu^)\ic,

c^ol ^ com, ^ cft^olj-fiojlu rttotn,

^i^ c^cD ^o bOT) li 'T)xi f ttxt^jje

t>^

'S b^ pie

OO

COT)^t^C

-4

5|iu^t) 'T) T)^ T)-^U^lJe.

^n^O) ^4T)

J|tU^11t),

be^l

cUoT^.fi'Vj-f ^ tif ir)e |*^

c^T),<tie

^ miot)
cftviiv^e^l, cfiu^i,
tr)r).c)ejf fru^ft, )^c 13-f v;l i:e^f ^i^e
^ Vi-^oVcopp Te^r)^, ^ ftei^-cttolj le^lj^ift,
c'joci),

^i^ljt -4

'S ^]op ^uft b'aoBin lji)r)

Xf]oc ^ujt jiu^J me -a^

yvn-dt>y
^-clext^^^jje.

-at)

Wti^l|t t>e^|ic^|*

Jo

lj-^)or)^)r)

1, t)0 bio^^i* rti^f

u^iCi c^t^ b'^i* ;

Hio\i ^ftioc^l I*), t)0 y^emr} y) u^im,

'S bio|* ^0 t)U^Jttc t>'it* mo t^^ajt^i^e
P'eije^^ ^0 lom, t)^ t^e^lj^l^ le ft)T),
Mjotit .40T)c^ liom, 'T trie ^i|t me-aft^l^e
!

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

0i6ce

h'\ox AT17 luije aid

fuAt)
I was
lying
in slumbers

Night
^3'^r rn^

And

Do
Did

(heavy sleep)
buAtfieA c|te t)A cacaijc
in
trouble
by the
wars (temptations)
At) cf5-beAt)
cfc-leA cfUAiytc

^11^

f ft)

stretch the fairy

CAOlb

l]0t17

]*UAf

woman

A5

peaceful

polite

CACA15e

b&At)Al7

by me up to form
acquaintance
CAol A corn
A C|tAob-poilc z\\.n)
Slender her waist her branchy-locks heavy
Side

bA

^Vj

ceAcb

Reaching

bA

\rbe

7;o

boij

\or)A

\^\

the soles (feet) by her

Blacker her

31111^15 joniv

hair

at)

than the

in

juaI
coal

^fiACAis
wreaths

A VISION ON IRELAND.
One night my

eyes in seal'd repose,

Beheld wild war's

terrific vision

When, lo beside my couch arose

The Banshee bright of form Elysian
Her dark hair's flow stream'd loose below
Her waist to kiss her foot of lightness
The snows that deck the cygnet's neck,
Would fail to peer her bosom's whiteness
!

saw

hei'

mild her angel mien

Her azure eye was soul-subduing

Her white, round breast and lip were seen
The eye of wonder ever wooing
Her sylph-like waist her forehead chaste
Her ivory teeth and taper finger

'Twas heaven, 'tis true, these charms to view'Twas pain within their sphere to linger
!

" Fair shape of light ! thy lowly slave

Entreats thy race thy travels' story."

Her white arm gave one beck'ning wave

She vanish'd like a beam of glory
!

My questioning call unheeded all,

My cries above the breezes swelling,
INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
?V

Her
?V

Her

bent-eyes
njor)

^
^

Her

cfoc

C|iuit)-5e<vl cttuAjO

small breast round white

^]\i A

On

b&A caimis
^'5^V a
thin
green (blue) and her mouth

clAOT)-|aoi]'5 iiA]tr)e

TT)it)-c!)eif

^uAjt

T)v

hard
bp\?l

ceAfA^se

her smooth skin cool not is

heated
])Aol-coitp |*eAD5 A iii5-c|iob leAbA^ft
pure body slender her fair hand
long
CAol-c|toi5 ceAi)

fc>]b

Her slender foot stout her

iV'l* ^Ojt 5tt|l Ab AO^b^^

fA

TtjAilfge

teeth and eyebrows

Iji)

A f t)UA6

'Tis true that delightful with us her

t))Oc

Though

5u]t cjiuAs
that pitied

rt)e

shape

A5 ad 5cleA|*Ai5e.

me by the play-mate.
MuAi|t 6eA|icAf ]
bo bi05Af |*uAf
When I beheld her I started up
'5o b-p|Ot)Al^

To enquire

uA]r|

cii|t

bA

a]*

from her whence came she

Miofi ^|i|ocaI ri ^o VTi^^ n
UAim
Not reply she did fled she from me
bo
n)o
j-caivaisc
^5uf bior 50 buAijic
ell"
And I was gloomy after my narrator

Jo

>*ic r)^

rpm ^

n-^ttu^^^ich, ce- ^uft b-f ^t)^

r)Jov

.<itr t>o

pn^)i,

Jo j^i Cjtu^cT)^, Y ^<^ TJ Se^t)4J3e

Jo vie 40j13ir)r), aojje^jt^, iiti^o,
W-d\i A m-h]ty i)4i j*lu44 jte ^^o)^ r)^ De^n^lje
Jo h-^iolt^to^ t)jr), ^or)34ir 615,
^^ yiACA)V jietrMm '|* ^^ t>4T)4n) ^e^j^c^j^e;
^ct)

t>o

50

^ptti

lu4jf e^ct) rtt

Jo x^tcv0^c f IRIWM,
'S ^oiBiU

Uu^
o^

T)j c-dt) be^r)

T)4 De-dlxtj^e.

llU, t)4 ^Xfiuacl),

|*')c ifijc

|ie

b^.

^u^jt,

^oijjnr),

c^oib

f itrie

Ct-4)5e

r)-<i

clofeh,

U ^-xocA)\\ "^oilJjU, Y l^ot^4 t:u<db-it)ttn)4)t),

Do b)
Do

4t) x:-|*)tje-<t)

z-x^tXe^c r-vu^iji^c,

hnA)\iz

|t4.4jJe ;
mir)-e4l, fu^f
t)Uoj-cu4Cv4 le) ^o })-A\zA)%e

cvjfi' -<t)ft

iti ^tti

W^ V^jS^ ^*^ ni40iT)e4c,

'S

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
b<V CUAf
bOT)
C|t

pursued her to the country northwards

3o y\t i)<v Tj-5TiuA5<\cb ce 5u|i b-pA&A j.
though distant it be.
iPairies
To mount of the

5uiV

leAOAI*

Till I

Ci5ltD At)ior Apir 50

come up again of a

'5o

C|tu<\cr)A

(c

To mount

30

Tiw<>^13

flight

of Cruachna and

to

AO)b|t) A0l5eA|l&A

X\t

To mount

gentle

|*ic

SeADAiTje

mount

Senai

A5uf 50

haunted

|lUAb
red

cAO|b HA bcAOAlse
Boyne
meet the hosts by side the
3o bAol-bii05
boll) UonsAir O15
To white mansion Boyne Aongus Oge
2t)<\|i

tT)bi& i)A |*luA5A lie

Where

U5

pACAif; |ieotT)An)
before me

Looking

M] jtAlb A
Not was her

CUAlit1l*5
tidings

A5UI'

and
fjOf

A5 feeAtjAii)
making
l)iV

f-UAr

below or above

V^*^rc<'^I5<

festive

As,

fiU'd

with woe,

To Grugach's

northward go,

distant, fairy dwelling

Senai through Crochan's hall

I wildly chase the flying maiden ;

Through

fair

By fairy fort by waterfall.

Where weir'd ones wept with sorrows

My

laden

roam great Aongus' dome,

Boyne a structure airy
and moat these wild words float,

footsteps
Above the

In hall
" She onwards treads the haunt of Faery

Mac

Lir, I sought thy

!"

proud abode

Through Creeveroe my question sounded

Through Temor's halls of state I strode

And reach'd Knockfeerin spell-surrounded

By Aoivil-Roe, 'mid wine cups' flow,

thousand maids' clear tones were blending.

And

armed

chiefs o' the Gael, in

At

tilt

The Smooth-skin

Had

mail,

and tourney were contending

lured

fair,

whose witching eye

me from my

pillow dreamy,

Mid shadowy hosts was seated high,

Her coal black tresses wild and streamy.
INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
mansion Mac Lir of the Cruachs
3o CftAOjb Uu^N A5U]' cf5ir!) 50 CeAn)i|x
To Branch Red and I come to Temor
So fjc-cnoic
Ao^bin fruAjt
Tit^ii)

come

To

to

fairy hills

of Firinn gentle breezes

?^5uf ^oibiU TiuAO

And

Tie

cAo^b

r)A

side

of the

Red by

Aoivill

c|tAi5e

rock

05 bA firt^e cl
bf
Were hundred woman young of mildest shape
^^5 ]]-ceAc& ceoil
A5Uf A5 beAtjAii) A|]*c5e
Listening
playing
to music and
pastime
?V bpocAi^i ^oibiU Ajuf |t105|tA CuAb-rbTAio
Aoivill and
kings
With
of Thomond

cAb

^3"r
And

Do
Do
Did

Wa

sl le 5Air5it>e.
pure with valour.
CfiC-lcAC C|*UA||IC

"^e

^\^^^'5<^c,

thousand

wizards

Cfic-beAl)
the fairy-woman

b] AT)

Was

beAt)

peaceful

Am

cuiit Ai|i buAiTic nje

put in trouble me in

my

polite

|iACAJ5e
rambles

fujse 50 n)A0it)eAc mftj-seAl

Sitting
with hosts smooth-white

i'u<xp

up

\>A lift t ^)\\ b^lt

W^ UJ
^^
Do
'S

nie t)0 le-4T)

-^v\i

J^oieil ^o b]iom^tt,

<i)t^

t)j^r),

fj^6-pvc 6 )-4 -^lUoj ?

^ beol, t) t)l3^]|ii; )jY ^^

t)b)|iu

OUT)

r)'l

i^)

^of

cur)u^|*

^^t)4)]tr

le^

^-coiit,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do

^&Ac

Ar)All

Did look

50

over

'Twas manifest to her

Said she

njAll

ti7A0]i6a

modest

stately

on spot that

with us thy

pity

did pursue her

visit

C15 Ar)uAr ^3iif ^irc ^Tt 5ceArr)Ai5e.

Come down and hear our afflictions.

Do
I

CIA f
^lA^lt^vijeAf i)i
of her what
inquired

Do

Of the age

Ma

Ci3eAitr)A

of the

Lord

bliA5Ain
year

beA

At)

peAjt sito^be

would the man

valiant

^Aoioe^l 50 b|ito5rbA|t iad

actively
severe
over
Gael

ttis A]\i

King

U|5

jbific

Expelling

Do

AH

AOj]"

At)

60

t)A bAlAie
^i^AOA-puic
wild bucks from her halls

beol

t)]

Closed she her mouth not

Seo

Ai^t *iubAl

Off she

Uju]*

And

Ca
What

njl

mA]i ceo

cncA^

p|* le

not account yet to

i>o

buf mo
any more

ijf

t)0 rnA)v

like mist she or

goes

b-A")
time

febAiitc
said

as

fise-SAO^c
whirlwind

tAbATftc A SCOjit
injustice
give

^ijipijeAii Aii A|t r)eA|-bAi5e

from our wants.
relieved

!
!

At Aoivill's rocks* no more she mocks

The ear and eye that long pursu'd her
I

list

her tale of the

The
<*

Say,

cliainless

Gael

slaughter of the fierce intruder

say,

thou heing bright

When shall the land from slavery waken ?

When shall proud Stuart claim his right,
tyrant hearts be terror-shaken ?"
the form divine
Pass'd like the winds by fairies woken
in
Time's dark folds.
The future holds
The despot's chain of bondage broken

And

She gives no sign

At the suggestion of some friends I have altered my original

plan, in order to facilitate the reading of the Songs to those
who do not understand the Irish language ; and, in the present
is given an interlinear translation on the Hamiltoniau
second
system, from which I shall not depart in future.
edition of the second number will shortly appear in this form,
numthat
and, as the literal translation, which accompanied
ber is now dispensed with, I have engaged Mr. Edward Walsh,
a writer thoroughly conversant with the legends and manners
of the peasantry of the South of Ireland, and a principal contributor to the " Nation Newspaper," to furnish the metrical

number,

version which now appears, as well as that which will appear

hereafter ; thus making my penny publication suit the views
and wishes of the community.
The patriotic little melody which appears on the next page
claims precedence.
The poet personifies a struggling farmer,
or, to use a common phrase, " one who has been wrestling with
the world," plagued by the moans of a starving family, which
he can neither feed nor clothe, from the exorbitant demands
of an unjust and oppressive landlord, as the reader will easily
perceive. He also brings before us a picture of the spoliation
and ruin of our unhappy country, and characterizes the rude
barbarian adventurers that from time to time made predatory
incursions into Ireland ; and shews with what intrepidity they
were repulsed by bands of Irish heroes united. The Song is
written to that beautiful and well-known air, the '5<\bA]T)
"Se^sl h'^xx), which I shall have great pleasure in laying before

my

readers in a future number.

I have to thank P. F. White, Esq. Illustrator of the Bards
and Ancient Music of Ireland, Wexford ; Messrs. Michael
O'Sullivan, and Martin Griffith, Kilrush, County Clare ; for the
valuable collection of manuscript Songs they have sent me,
from which I shall make selections for my next number.
* Celebrated fairy haunts.

10

Se^tJ^t) Clp^c}),

Do

ljn) t^]i

%z^

zepum

^r)-f jj ^j^t nio

|i6,c.4).

uutH^^lc,

t>o

tiv;|ie^t|t,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
^ GO leoAi
'Tis he that wounded
?V

The footman

mo curtxxf
my power

hunting-folk wandering

Oo

lim cAjt ceofiuif) bo cu|t|tATC

Did leap over bounds did push
l-e

Aji

rnille<\ le

By whom wasted

'

on

at) tt)iv5A
ci<m)
for long time the plain

boiJA'ltie, a footman, or, one

who has been

constantly travelling

the word p^j<\-|T), (wandering J would indicate.

TlAA-pviC, tyrants. I am told that the literal translation

foot, as
"^

is

hunting- folk, from Priest-hunting, or Bard-hunting; but the general

acceptation of the word is tyrants.
^ IpAol-coit), wild-dogs, blood-hounds ; means also brave ivarriors

which is that intended by the poet.

* CfiAlb, a pair ; perhaps his wife and
5

child.

'^uicii), (from tujc, rags of cloth,) covering, heat, shelter.

if^om CU1t)3, a yoke,) a pair of horses, or oxen.

CuiUSni)

Ti^t*) growth, increase.

Ta oums

t)<v

r)5All biv b|tT;A

Under Saxon yoke

severely gored.

50 ceA^.

*
!

11

THE CRUEL BASE-BORN TYRANT.

JACOBITE RELIC,)

(a

Closely translated from the Irish.

What

withered the pride of

The

my

vigour ?

lowly-sprung- tyrant train

That rule

all

our border with rigour,

And ravage

the fruitful plain

Yet once when the war-trumpet's

rattle

Arous'd the wild clansman's wrath,

They, heartless, abandon'd the

And

fled the fierce

battle,

foeman's path

The loved ones my life would have nourished

Are foodless, and bare, and cold

My flocks

by their fountain that

Decay on the mountain wold

flourish'd.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Wild-dogs oppressive with

Did

vigour

on (him) from design

break

custom

his

Do

|n)i6 f corbft<xc tjat) ri^iftjeAC

Did quit he conflict without courage

^5ut* bo

And

iit)ci5

Are my
?V5ur TDO

pair

<v

i)ivrt)<xib

5An

^eutt

5A0

paj-

yoke without grass without increase (growth)

Arj-f-otj Af^i n)o tr)ui|teA|i

Are misery
^Vjui*

And

T^lAt)

without shelter

cuit)5i|i

And my
?VcA

did evade from track (of) his enemies.

<v

on

my

i)-u]llii)

family
5Ar)

AbAc

yV^x)

their elbows without clothes sound

* Wold, signifies a plain open country, from the Saxon polb,

plain

and a place without wood. Gibsons Camden.

12

"b'f ejMjt i^oi* le

50

U) Weitne,

Uoc

t>-i:ioc'(.it> -dt)

^t^

V-^^'

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

^CA

AT)

C|Jt

A1|I

mO

rbullAC

Are the pursuers on my

3o
Very

top

(of

r5eAttT)A
ad
often from
lord
(of) the

n)]x)]c

^Vju]- AcXv

mo
my

b|t65A-t*A

my

state

b|tf]-be

And are
shoes own broken
bpiACA
^S^r 3<'^^ P]^'5^^ ^^
And without penny of (their) debts
Jf

lift

head)

|*cvtc

DTjle

cnoic

liv]rt>.

Atr>

in

(my) hand.

7^n\i

'Tis manifest in (the) fight (of the) hills that

SioUA]Tt|6e
Clans

"

ctieui) Atii

brave

cuiceA}5A|i
they fell

licit

on middle (on the ground)

S|ollA]|l|6e, dmts, yovths,

sap/itigs.

13
]\Iisfortune

my

temper

is

trying

This raiment no shelter yields

And

chief o'er

The
Alas

my

evils

tyrant that rules

on the red

hill

undying,

my

fields

where perish'd

The offspring of heroes proud,

The virtues our forefathers cherish'd,
Lie pall'd in their blood-stain'd shroud

And O

for one hero avenger,

With aid o'er the heaving main,

To sweep from Clar-Fodhla the stranger,

And

sever his bondage chain

MAC AN CHEANAIGHE.
(a JACOBITE KELIC.)
Translated from the Irish.

vision bless'd

my

eyes erewhile,

Revealing scenes sublime and airy

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

%r Sn
And that
Courage

beA5-cut)Ait3
^tti5 x^^ mtt-cuib
forsook us great share (of) good fellowship

and protection and

Perhaps

come

Will

Do
Will

ii|5peAt5
_

by King

yet

3o bciocpA

free

V&Ia 50
Fodhla all

Vision empty did

me
I

Heaven

Iaoc cA|i
xi<]\e
the hero over (the) sea
At)

CutlCACAfb bAO}t
From
Turks
guilty

LeAbAt) A5UV
Bed
and

(of)

love

behold

Ijujle

over
At)

(of)

1 (self)

50 lA3-bftj5eAC
very

A1tl|t.

the slaughter.

feeble

on

14

^i

^Uf ^

f vjle
%i

Dxi

com b^

ttivje^i)

^i bel

b^

cul rm^,

c-tol,

^o

tt-4)lj

W),_'<^

cei

?0o li|-c|ie^c Mt)

h-a c^ojt),

v^jct)

Y
:

b|^t5 ^o ce^f),
cvjlfrjOT) r-ve-4T)3, Yttio^e4t)-'5^oit)eil,

t^i f*vj|xil?

?to

^^U-

c-dyti^i,

tn^llje ;
^^ rje<4ct) 'n^ ^^ji,

-^i

t)iv

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Ui) Ainpllt firb bo Ajt bA Ainitt)
f|te
The damsel mild
whose
name (was (Eire)
?^3

ceAcb

AID

Approaching me

5A0|i ai|i n?A|icAi5eAcb

near on
horseback
(riding)

ya^e

?V

Her

^
Her

31a|'
a cul
cjub CAfbA
eyes green (blue) her head (hair) thick twisted (curling)

c5ii) bA CAol Asu]- A

tDAilfse
waist so slender and her eyebrows

Oa

rbujeATb 50 iiA]b A5 CI56AC& ma t^a^i

Proclaiming there was
nigh her
coming

'

from

ad CeAr)Al5e, a poetical allegory for the king of Spain,

whom the Irish expected aid to shake off the Saxon yoke.

SJac

^
Ta f iii|*CTb 5aII, a metaphor taken from threshing corn, shewing that the Irish were so severely bruised under the tyrannical lash
of the Saxon, as the straw is beneath the flail of the thresher.
^ SppeA^, withered, diminutive.
By this passage the poet implies that this kingdom would be reduced to such a state of misery
and ruin, as not to be worth fighting for, when the expected aid

would

arrive.

15
The genius
Stood by

Her blue

And

of green Ei'in's

my

isle,

couch, a gorgeous fairy

her ringlets' flow,

eyes' glow,

pure, pale

brow exceeding any,

Proclaimed, with pride, that at her side

Would

sit,

her true-love, 2^ac

ai)

Her voice is sweetest music's sound

To us who for her love are dying

C})er)A]-^e.

Proud spouse of Brian, conquest-crown'd,

I

\\

mourn the doom

hen Saxon might

thy right,

queen, belov'd of many.

I dread, fair

That

that leaves thee sighing

assails

thy brow dark sorrow's plough

o'er

Shall come, ere cometh

2Cac

CbeArjAjjje

ai)

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Le

bio5(tAi[' 2^xc

With diligence

"^

bel

Her mouth

b<\

Son

Spouse

bitiAjT)
(of)

Bryan

213o lit-jteAc

My

open

bfi)

woe

Ta

fi|*cib

Under

flails

Al)

to

cel
b<v CAO|t) Ajuf
music (voice) so mild and

CAll(T)

the

bo

Merchant.

the

so melodious her

U-feA|lC
Ifi)
Very love with us

C]le

At? C\)ei\\).x)-^e.
(of)

girl

A]t

whom

5iUi

"Will

So

she

^\a\)

a 1)A|ci&
6iAr)
severe her disease

'5aU bA bit5A6 50 ceAi?

Saxon pressing her fiercely

2t)o cuilpioi) c|*eAt)5 a5u|- r^o

fair one slender and my

My

at)

yielded the hosts (armies)

beAi)-5AO]6eil

Idns-woman

be withered the princess beautiful

AT) CbeAt)Ai5e.
bf'iUpi6 2t)<\c
Till returns
Son (of) the Merchant.

16

H'l i^^ef ]om re^^U ^^ z)ie<xcz

CoT)r)

-<i|*

"^Vjiu,

3f l^li

't)^ ^^jt,

lonni^ |ie^cc

t)^

tti^c cjT), ^T)

^e^t^ ^ttoie

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Hundreds

are in

3eu|i-feA]tc

pain

fivrb

of

love

&a

with

cnen*

tijn

Sharp aifection tranquil to (her) skin smooth

ClAr)r)A

Sons

T^IS^e
(of)

kings

SDjleAO

iiaca

sons (of) Milesius

DitASoin lotT)c<v A5ur 5Air301cc

Dragons polished and champions

Frown

in her countenance not

^3"r C5
And Cometh

bubAC

5o

r5<3r

<^n CAjlit)

sorrowful under fatigue the

tij bpii^l |Aef]ort)

Not had

|:a

awakens she

ease

feAl

le

a-while to

girl

cijeACb iot)a tjaiv

come
her nigh

bpU^^ 2J5ac
ad CbeAt)Ai5e.
Till returns Son (of) the Merchant.

17
Myriads languish for her

And burn

to clasp her

love,

form of beauty

For her have kings and heroes

strove.

Rivals high in love and duty.

But

joy's bright trace ne'er lights her face,

She fears her foemen

No

Will come,

"

fierce

and many

hope-fraught ray to cheer her w^ay,

My
"

till

coraeth 2t)Ac at) Cl)eAr)A]5e.

brethren," said the beauteous maid,

Were

kings supreme and chiefs of glory,

Conn of the blood-red

battle blade,

And Art, the theme of

And o'er the deep, where
Shall heroes

Alas the day

ancient story.
tall

barks leap,

come renown'd and many."

thy charms' decay

Shall come, ere cometh 2J3ac

ad

C\)eAr)<s.-\^e.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

^ bbA^ftc
Said

jujt
i3-ber)
rbfn
A^ff Aij
again the youthful-woman smooth that

S]\i\i

Niece

t)A ttfsce

(to) the

bA

Cor)r) A5U]* ?V|tc

Conn and

bA
Whose

cleAcb

y)

kings practised she

neAcb

loi)rbA|i

Art whose powerful

5IAIC A
froslAc
destructive hand in

John

combat

ca^

'5o b-Z]oc\:A3 SevjAt)

laws

T)5leAC<xi6eAcc

c]x)

Ais^r)

deep

Till

comes

^Vjuf

C^T) Ai) |:eA|i 5|toi6e

W<sc
Lughadh son (of) Cein the man mighty

And
\)e]i>

i-vsb

y]

Will she
'5o

across ocean

le |:eA|i
lii]5e
jai)
lonA |*p]teA|*
be withered without espousing with man

bti%i6

Till returns

2I3ac

Son

(of)

ai)

CbeAtjAise.

the

Merchant.

18

Tlt) D^t^

e'jft)!^ le

eu^'

t)0

'm ltvc4

cle4ct) v

i6fi-f l)oct)

Wuexmy,

l-40C|l^t),

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
'^ bbA(tc-f A

Said

l)

to her

A r3^1^ S^t^
clof
on hearing her tale that

A]|i

Rut) x)5x]i 6U5

bo cleA& ff
Secret not perished did practice s' e

Went

Spain

to

and

Mfoit cttuiv5 le ciich

Not

pitied

aX

by others her

she

died

ceAfi^Aije
afflictions

^ RO l)^fl 6U5,
a project which fails not ; or, in other words,
her going to Spain will eventually be the means of restoring her to
the possession of her kingdom ; but her dying, and few pitying her
complaints, shew her fruitless expectations (the Armada excepted)
of succour from that quarter.
1 This sublime song is a poetic translation of an article
which appeared in a newspaper in 1744, relative to the difficulties England
sustained at that period from foreign powers; and, for the better
understanding of the song, I would refer the reader to some diffuse
history of the period.
^ LerAlt), Uons, allegorically used by poets to mean the bravest
the lion being the fiercest of the tribes of the forest.
of their heroes


19
" There's glory for thy future day,

The banner green

I

cried

but

be flying,"

shall yet

'neath the vision's sway,

In distant Spain

saw her dying

As burst my cry, she gave reply,

One shriek the wildest far of any

My

bitter grief found

no

relief,

Till fled thy keener, 2)<\c

Cl)eAi)<X]5e.

<xt}

THE PERIL OF BRITAIN.

Ye offspring of heroes through centuries olden,
Lend an ear to the tale which the muse hath unfoldenThough landless your nobles your chiefs lion-hearted,

From

Inis-Fodhla for ever are parted

fair

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

5UCA A bpo5uf

n)o

clof

?V]|i

On hearing my

Oo

5(05

Did

start

her

^Vjui*

And

cttie A5uf bo ^-jfieAb \\

heart and did shriek she

bo eAlo^b
did

steal

2Do leur)-fA
My woe

At)

beAt)

50 n]n)-n)b|i5eAc.

the

woman

powerless.

Art)

my words you

sljtcA

buf bibj-e bA eoi)AC

'Tis to you I am willing
Your

ce leorjA

chiefs tho'

3~cttioc

In the

kingdom

Aif*ce

of one-bounce out of her

soul

Gn'bi5 le

brit j-Aoice

bo AOT)-piteib

At) c-APAri)

the

Listen

to

t>]

to her

nigh

voice

rn|i-f-liocb

ti)o

]*5eol

my

tale

bo V5<^1P^
to

bji lesAit)

wounded your

lions

unfold

A5ur

b|i lAOjtAb

and your heroes

_^eA|tAt)
):5b 3At)
Inis-Fail without sod without inheritanci

}x)\x -y:t)\'S 3At)

(of)

20]lpuj'

noble-posterity (of) Milesius

20

pz

X')

Dei6

cvjttine

bjtift>e, beoit)r;e,

^o beo ^c^

^ijt

Y ^l'^ t^6ic|tlt)

^leo C^ftc^^r)^,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
le P}\}h ai|i rnu^ji A5uf ai|i cffi
goal with Philip on sea
and on land

?Vcv A1) bv|fie

Is

the

And

not worse to others of (his)

be|6
There will

|"5in)le
terror

A5m*

]'55ll<x6

party

aco

if

^\]x

true
-pi|tr)eAc

and heart-rending have on (the) hordes

of oppression
^Vju^-

And

&o5AlcAf
leA5<\6
At) CrbAccAi5 5AC l
6v
vengeance (of) the Almighty
each day laying them low

^cv
):|t-i)eA|tc A5Uf ^6|t|*A rlttfe A5vj* i-]&e
There is oppression and force bustle and blowing

lt^;e A

C 5 brigands.

21
There's Philip victorious o'er wide earth and wave

His

allies death-dealing,

Wild havoc and ruin

And

To

By

shall seize the oppressor,

God's red right

Whole armies

unsheathed the glaive

arm

are banded,

shall

be Erin's redresser

and heaven their protector,

scourge the vile soldiers of George the Elector

the wrath of the Lord, o'er the wild billow driven,

His

fleets

seek their harbours,

His thousands that march'd

Have

pil'd the

sad

all shatter'd

to a far,

and riven

foreign shore,

fields of defeat in their

gore

Carthagena's dire day gave his brave a red pillow,

And

his sails sought Sebastian, in vain, o'er the billow

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

pAbA
bpolAt) 5A l le
severe-cutting (of) bowels each day this long time

?\.5uf &]f)-5eAnt<\6

And

^5 V^^^^'t^^^^^ Seoi|t|*e 50 ctteo|tA 5AT) r|tAOA

Constantly whipping George most active
without cessation
UcA Ar)
The
?Vt)

^Ifc

bji^fbe bfteoice 5U|* n bp\7l pit|iit) co

broken sickly
and not relief have they

fleet (are)

Ti)jb

The number

x]^ ^^ bpujIieAi) bo in)ci5

that their troops
did went

a 3ca)
afar off

leijeA aoi? bu^rje aca v]^\i

)y
'Tis manifest not permitted any man of them back (the west)
l|]i

T)v|t

cyjnjxje
50 beo aca A^fi "S^^o
Will remember for ever they on battle

be^ft

^Vjuf

Aijt

And on

fliobA ba
hoisting their

]-eolcA
sails

50

(of)

CAticAjetjA
Carthagena

pottc

for (the) port (of)

Sebi^j-CAi)
Sebastian

22

Sjt)

le

coice

cer)cjlj,

le

i^lioct)

leopolt) ^xio) ceo t)^ m^l-

te c6i|ir)e^c, le uofim^c, le c|tejf)e,

le floi^uib, le reolc^jb c^t^-.

|*^oj)l?,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
?Vcv

Is
?K.

bAbAjtiA c5ti)<xc&Ac A 5cojt]t) A5uf A 5Ctn)ll>

Bavaria
mighty in crown
and in dignity
T)-iti7pi|te i^A i^-Sojivip fit)

Their emperor

^5

in

his

?Vciv At) jtis-ber)

Is

the

queen

fseol
tale

a floijce aj bojtbAib

t*iit5e<scAr)

Encamping

Europe that
hosts

at

t)^^

njeAfAO

not expected
bietj-ijA

borders (of) Vienna

cApAt)
50 &eo|t-pl)uc T At) coiji feiv
and the pursuers are routingher
tears

in

Ce^bftj-bulleit, Count Khevenhuller ; a distinguished Austrian

who took a conspicuous part in this campaign.
^01)cet1)A]1., Duke de Montemar, who
commanded the Spanish
army assembled at Rimini, and being joined by the Neapolitan
forces, amounted to sixty thousand men, furnished with a large
train of artillery, but sickness and desertion made him afterwards
run into Naples, where he was followed by the king of Sardinia, as
far as Rimini, when he resigned his commission to Count Gages.

general


2S
Bavaria

The

mighty in greatness and glory,

is

Europe

Sultan's in

the story

-who'll credit

Vienna's proud ramparts his horsemen beleaguer,

Its

empress

tearful,

is

its

foeman

Khevenhuller exiled has from Sicily

Fierce war crush'd his power
Silesia

And

With

With

and

to the field is advancing

with long lances glancing,

lion-like leaders,

fire

infliction

thy race feel the Lord's malediction

De Montemar proud
With

his bandits are dead.

knows Prussia and Poland's

licopold

eager.

is

fled

fierce slaughter,

with Mars' mighty thunder.

war's meetest music, with hosts without

number

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Uciv Ce^bttJ-bttlleii 5AI)
curf)Ap 5^1)
cfifc
Is
Kheven-huller without power without country

^5
At

Sii^^lfOe cu]|ie<\6 aij b|tife<\6

aiji a bu60
Sicily
sent
the destruction on his troops

P\iuy-x^A A5uf PoUt^b a bpjtcAib

S^lef^A
Are Prussians and Poles in the ports (of) Silesia

?Vc4v

S]r)

Then

coi8ce

|*l|oc6

Leopolb

for ever(the) race (of)

ceo

}:ao]

r)A Tt)AllAcr.

Leopold under mist of malediction.

Uciv 2t)oi)cerDA]t ii)|tA 50 c|teojiAC A5 c^A]tr)Ari7

Is
Montemar noble
actively
approaching

^o

lAi^|*eAC 30 leiT)At)bA 50

With

spears

lion like

ie

cei3cjb

le cfTitjeAc

With lightning with thunder

?-e

fAoicib

le

i"l5i5cib

With

nobles

with

hosts

loi3ri7A|i

Uf pA]t

powerfwl glittering

le

le z\in)^c
le c]t|i)e
with increase with power

celcAib

with music

caca

(for) battle

24

tfijU

t>4 5T))oiti4c

t)ejt)

r)-3leo-ct)Oic,

C4fit)4 '^ut*

4 ^-c6m^)p\e ^

coi^^^ifn:,

(^o^^

't)4

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
2^Ar)cuv

A5uf

Mantua

and

^Vjuj'

And

6a bu^Oit?
2t)]Ut) <\c^ cu]lce
Milan are flooded (full) of his troops

Cui^CAinige
Tuscany

A5

^Vjdf CAjtoUt]- cftA

And
h<s.

So

Charles

til5

r)5|*tT?A|t i-Ai?

brave king formal

in

MAplei*
Naples

5r)iorbAC A i)5leo-ct)oic a 5-crbAiitle a t)-ACA|t

active
in
battle
in
council
of the father

Uca LAoifeAc
Is

vdo^X
cuiC]ro curt) Pjl^b tjat)
to Philip without delay

falling-

Louis

DA

litAD 50 lerbArj-ri^lleAc li|ieAc

(of) the torches

'5o bfciolUc
Diligently

boi-b|ttfbe

un-broken

lion-killing

a Dbccui* bAiDj^otj
in

hope

firm

destructive

25
All

Mantua and Milan

And Tuscany

And

mandates obey

his

crouches to Philip's high sway,

Naples hath yielded to Charles the glorious,

Prince sage in the council

The torch -tossing Louis

in battle victorious.

lion in danger,

.a

Sagacious, unshaken, to terror a stranger,

The

fierce

Gaul has led to the gates of Hanover

His heel crushes Holland

And now,

glory

its

is

over

while unsheathing his far-flashing brand,

Fell carnage, dark demon, starts forth at his

And George

is

the

game

There's an end to

hand

the wild war-hound's pursuing

my theme

.to

the Saxon red ruin

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

U5uf A. rbu^nc]^ le
And his people at the
?tc<v
Is

cuin5 Aifi b-^l^loob ^"^ry V]

Holland and not
yoke on

?^civ ]*e At)0]|^

Is

he

bei

now

X]r)e

A5Uf

Seo^tfe

jAt)

S^t) C|tjc Ajit

rt)o

|*5eolcA

end

my

tales

on
5

starting

co]*5Aiftc asui*
cutting
and

and

C05A6 iooa
war

|i-cuiitftft

Dealing with George without

Is

pjieAbA

attempt

nocb<x ua
Ui)
ready unsheathing the swords

cv|tr)A.

le

leri)<vip|b

olUm A5

Will be carnage and

D^

})-'^x)be\t Ajiir b|t<^b<\t)c

^}\iye
Brabant
doors (of) Hanover and

weariness

bej

at)

will be the

with

s-cjoij

them

r)&1')P1oc c

together

bftoo A^t b[ieACA|ij

Britain.
sorrow on

26

Dei

t^^l

t)|;iT)

't).t

i^ ^o leott

mo Uoc,

11D

tno ple, m'fre^^^

^^ot)^l, ttio ple, tti'f>e^]i

cum fm,

^ioi) t:-|*u^t)

V) 13-^uxt)|t-

e^f f iD,

Til

?^i]if

mo

Ctipit>

X^oc,

^o TvtMl ^

^-cl6t)h,

-].

INTERLINEAU TRANSLATION.

Not proclaim

bep

ori^

Will be

relating'

self

who

pray

to

dear (treasure)

only Son (of)

5o &c5eA6 wo
Doth come my

my

1*^"^^

'SuiOitT) cnrx) Aor)-tbtc

r

is

^eoji
^f 15 5*^
tales after hira
many

rS^I^

l<\oc

God

5^17

t)A 5-c5rt)<\cc
(of)

the

powers

bA05<xl be

hero without danger alive

1
I have transcribed this and the following Song from a manumade by Conor O'SuUivan, a Munster poet, and a
cotemporary of Seiv50ki} C\^]XAc}). 1'he date of the manuscript

script collection

(which is now hi my possession,) is 1754, and it contains many

beautiful songs, the joint production of the writer and a brother
The present Song is intended as the
bard, named Denis 'SuUivan,
lamentation of an Albanian lady for her f>r//t'i/ spouse, Hj^ SA]ilu|*.
It is written to the a/r of the Whife Cockade, and from the high
poetic talent of the writer Co\)c(ib^\i UA Sill^ob^m, whose
effusions shall see the light in a future number, I consider the version
J. Daiy.
quite correct.

27

THE LADY OF ALBANY'S LAMENT FOR KING

CHARLES.
my

not reveal

I'll

Betimes

O may

But,

true love's

'twill swell

my

heaven,

name

the voice of fame

grief to quell,

Restore the hero safe and well

My hero brave, ma ghile, m'fheaVt*

My kindred love, ma ghile, mfhear
What wringing woes my bosom

knows,

ma ghile, mfhear

Since cross'd the seas

I may compare
To diamond dews on rose-buds rare
And love and valour brighten o'er

His glancing eyes

The

my

features of

My

bosom's store

hero brave, &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

0!
Alas

Alas

tijo

Uoc

rtjo

my

hero

my

rt)0

5ao6aI

my

kin

rrjo

my

?Vor) cfUAT) curt)

One

repose

Since went

b^
Was

rbeAji

to

cu<v]6

^tjafif

Are Mars

\'e\x}

afar

and

person

The

fre^sft

my

spouse

bpuA^tieAi* pen)

my

r^]\e

brightest

Cupid

edge
l)n)Al

ttjo

Iao,

my

hero, &c.

found

mo
my

ad

\\

the rose

A 5cl&f)
in variety
xx)o

fcoji

my

dear

-\c.

English reader will pronounce the Irish here as

via yilli mar.

self

feAji.
spouse.

alive

T^c]\irx)is\x

pliant

be6

cheerful

t)5r)iq|'
lilt
Ajui* A
tender and in countenance

Alas

^eAji
spouse (husband)

njo

r)]

xx)il'\\\)el^c

A5uf Cpi) 50

^ bpeAjij-Air)
In

jjile

roo

f^l 51a|*
quick his eye blue

my

brightest

seep

tijo

prosperity not

^Iti 6aic At) bfiuccA A

On colour the dew in

^cv

5ile
brightest

if

written

^8

'S

^vjc ^^t)^t^

t)) b)f)

ttio

t))m

-4j|t bu<<i)ftu

^-c6iUr;i1J_CT)6t)),

X^oc, ic.

^^c u^ift

ttio

Uoc,

mo

l40c, ic.

b|i6)T)

-d

t)e

')

l,

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Ub^]tCA

'Nf

Not

At)

uAc

50

]'VA]|tc

Art)

speak (dumb) the cuckoo with pleasure to

^5!-

And

5U1C 5aai a 5cillcib ct)o

dogs in woods
nuts

bfi")

rjf

not melodious howl

H<v rtjAibiotj cfAitjfiA A U5leAt)CAib ceo

Or morning summer in
glens
mist

bo

As

iiA]X)[)e

irt)ci5

Alas

buAOAiU
boy

rrjo

Iaoc, ~|c.

my

hero, &c.

t)5|iD Aiji buAiitc

I

At)

did depart from us the

5AC

uAifv

do be in trouble each hour

eofT)

me agreeable

beo
(youth) lively

be

l
at)
of the day

U75 bpTfeAO crtojoe a5u|- A5 CAOf i)a i)&eii

Breaking
heart
and shedding the tears

29

No cuckoo's note by fell

No hunter's cry through
Nor mist-wrapt

hazel wood,

valley yields

Since cross'd the seas

My

or flood,

my

me joy,

royal boy.

hero brave, &c.

Oppress'd with grief,

hourly cry,

With bursting heart and tearful eye

Since we did thee, fair youth, resign
For distant shores, what woes are mine

My
The sun

his

hero brave, &c.

golden glory shrouds

In mantle sad of sable clouds

The

threat 'ning sky of grief portends.

Since through far realms our lion wends

My hero

brave, &c.

INTERLINEAK TRANSLATION.

bo

As

uA^ AO buACA]ll
be
us the
boy
(youth) lively

iii?ci5

did leave

^Vjui* r)AC

And

t:A5Aii} ao\) raA]]i]\-^

not find
!

Alas

Mf
Not

Ajt iii5|

did

^^iiy

And

arise

we one

tiding

rtjo

Iaoc, ic.

my

hero, &c.

Pboebu]*
Phoebus

uai5 n)0 bfioi)

from him my woe

!.

pelt) n7A|i Af c6]\i

self
is right
as

A ciiO]r)-ct)e]y it|6 aca bAol-bjiAc

b|t5(i)
on his gentle skin smooth are sable cloud (of) sorrows

A||t

^cv fAob

A||t l"pl|i A5U1- |-pi|il|i)5 n)\i

Are dim on

sky

and

disaster

great

c|llce A 5C|r) n)A\i bo eAlojo ai? leojAij

Under woods distant
as did wander the lion (hero)

fxx

Alas

rt)o

Iaoc, lc.

my

hero,

&c.

30

Ctoje 5^T) Jjtti^jni

If c-df

13^^f

t)^t

nio Utoc,

-|C.

Y -\V cujf ac

cul,

\x\\

Y T^-^^Pce ft)6t)

10

cotti it)o

ttio

Uoc,

cjii,

f roiji.

ic.

cof tivl le h-1iOT)^tir O^,-

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

The horseman noble

Cfije

5<M)

Heart without

"^onjuf' 5,

haughty youthful (young)

A]-

5fiuAiti)

surliness

fuAi|tce

^p

and most gentle visage

cannot find in Keating, or O'FIaherty's Ogyg.

only books of reference as yet in my possession ; I

obliged to any of my readers who would furnish his history, as I will have to introduce his name hereafter.
^
LJA&b rn^c Celt)? ^^^s twelfth king of Ireland, A.M. 2764.

vol.

2. the

would

His

feel

real

name was LJA LAiil-frAbA, but was called C]Dj f""!

and succeeded Mua, who fell in the second bat-

his father C]at),

tle

of 21)^5 Ciiin, anc^ reigned forty years.

He

instituted the

Tailtean games, to be celebrated every year on Tailtean mountain

in Meath, on the kalends of August, i.e. LiijijAl*, or the comme-

moration of

Lu^aS,

in

honour

to

Tailtean, the daughter of prince

||t bol5 ; who,

2^5^5ii7p, and last queen of the Belgians, or
after the battle of 21)^5 "Cixy^^x^ espoused Goa ^Ajib, the son
of OuAcb} ^ nobleman of the Danans, who educated LJA

From t)uA6 and l^IeA^<^

Lughadh's queens, Knockbua, and MeAj'A, (now Naas,) are called.
He died at Caco D|iuiri7, now Uj^rjeAcI), a mountain in A\^^est-

until he arrived at the years of maturity.

meath, A.M. 2604.

31
That haughty, noble, youthful knight,

Of

feature bland

of

spirit light

Strong-handed, swift, in war's wild throng,

To

chase to death the brave and strong

My

hero brave, &c.

His wreathed hair, in graceful flow

Of

ringlet rare falls full

His manly

below

waist, in yellow fold,

Like silken threads of curling gold

My
Like Aongus

Or Louis

hero brave, &e.

Oge he

bears command.

of the trenchant brand,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

luA^moeAC luAic a n-5le

Strong-handed nimble-footed swift in battle
CttbAijie

^Vt; rfte<vr5A]itc

Slaying
!

Alas

j-Iuaja A5uf
hosts
and

A5 jtuAjAO

r(ieo|r)

chasing

mighty ones

n)0 li^oc, "|c.

hero, &c.

my

^5111* ^r ciif AC CIJl

jf CAf A cl
Twisted his head (hair) and in tresses justly

felAOjceAC hl^c A5ut* Ay bclAC

^Vjuf

rr)|t

curls great
And (in) locks
close and in
^^ny peucAc pioi) a]\i Iot)|ia6 ad ]\i
And gaudy fair on tinge the gold
\i
6 bc^CAf
30 crt) mo ]-c|p.
From crown (head) tender to waist my dear
!

Alas!

Tt)0

Iaoc,

"IC.

my

dear,

&c.

bA co]*tT)il e le b-^ot)5iir
3
Was like he to Aongus young (youthful)
i)a rr)h]n)\o^)
Cell)
U5UT le L5A16 xve]c
And

to

Lughaidh son

(of)

Cein

(of)

the

cutting

mfi
great

32

mo Uoc,

ic.

le Coi)^ll Ce\i)^c]f t)0 13el]ir)4t> poftc,

le f e^ft^uf -f^iunr^c i^ioi) ifie)c Uoi^li ;'
le Coi)cu^-d\i c^it) tfiejc Me^f-<t' t)^ io6f

r^oif extc

^ojt3jr)i)

jt^ojje ^r) ceojl.

ttio l^,oc,

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

To

Curigh high

CAOife<Nc

son (of)

Dary

Gfjiioi) cfieut) A^fi

Chieftain (of) Elrinn valiant

!

Alas

in

(of)

the gold

co^ii

pursuit

rno Iaoc, Tc.

my hero, &c.

Le Coi)<\ll Ce^|tr)Ac bo beiv|ir)A6 pofic

With Conall Cearnach did breach
port

* CojtAO], or
Cufifjb ii?AC Oiv||ie, whose province extended
from beAUo Cor)5lAir "ear Cork, and westward from Limerick
He was treacherously slain, through
to the western shore of Ireland.
the intrigues of bli^ci;Al&, a lady of exquisite beauty, by Ci'i-

cullAif);

but, feijiceiitctje, Curigh's bard, followed

bUcrjAib

and CcuUait) into Ulster, in hopes of being able to kill her in revenge of Curigh ; and on his arrival found Conor, Cuchullain and
Blahnaid, with their attendants, at the promontory of CeAj
beAiiA, standing on the edge of a steep rock, ran towards her, and,
clasping her in his arms, threw himself headlong with her down the
Vide Kkating's Ireland,
precipice, and were dashed to pieces.
Vol. I. p. 405, Haliday's Translation, where the direful tale is
fully related.
^
CooaU Ce'iVftDAcb, was lord of a district in Ulster, and
cousin-german of the children of UiroeAcb, i" whose behalf he
fought against Coi^cubATi, J^'i'g ^ Ulster, where he slew jolUt)

TFlor).

The

reader will find a full account of

RuACA|i, an ancient
Irish Scholars.

historical tale,

which

is

him

in the

in

his

OeAp^

hands of many

33
Or

Daire's son, the great Conroy,

Brave

Irisli chiefs,

My

my

royal boy

hero brave, &c.

Or Conall, who strong ramparts won,

Or Fergus, regal Rogia's son.
Or Conor, Ullad's glorious king.

Whom

harp-strings praise and poets sing

My

hero brave, &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

he TeA]a5u]- ^|uocac

To Feargus
.6

To

worthy

^jor) ri7eic
fair

T^oisb

son (of)

Rogia

Coi)bA|i c^|6 rbe^c

Me^fA da oof
Conor
noble son (of) Neasa the customs

CAOji-eAC AO]bir) CjtAoibe ai) ceoil.

Chieftain gentle Branch the melodious.
rr)o

Alas

my

Iao, tc.
hero, &c.

A.M. 3934. He was

from his mother Rogia, daughter of OocA
?V||ieArb, then monarch of Ireland. Being dethroned and expelled
Ulster, he took refuge in Connaught under OiIioUa and 2t3e|6be,
where their royal residence at that time stood. He was a person of
consummate courage, and had exerted himself often with applause
in single combat and in the field of battle, and brought away many
rich spoils from Ulster; and ravaged and sacked that country, and
overrun the province with fire and sword. He afterwards met an
untimely death at the hands of Ollioll, through a fit of jealousy,
in consequence of 2l)eiba taking a swimming excursion with liim.
^

TeA|i5ur

suniamed

rr)AC \l)T^}), king of Ulster,

TJoit:!),

Keating.
^

CotKubAit n^AC WeArA, surnamed

l<leA|*A,

from his mother

"NcAl-A, the daughter of Cocao Sv]lbui6e, son to Taccda,

king of Ulster and Ireland, after the deposition of yeAitruf rt)AC
T615}), ruled the sceptre of Ulster, A.M. 3937, sixty years, and
died a natural death in the forty-eighth year of Christ.
O'Fr.Aherty's Ogyg. Paut 3, c. XLVIII. p. 1G3.

S4<

'S p.^ox)Z^]i zU)ze c)]iz -d)p

SU)r)ce

u<i)iYi t)Oi)

IJu^c-<ijU

bftt)

beo

mo ile, tn'^e^ft,
mo ^ot)^l, mo Jjle, m'f^e^ft
Wo c]\u^6z^i) ^ir) mo lu^itpe Xem
?i/^tt cu^jt> ^ ^cjr) mo pie, m'fe^ji!
it)o 1-40C,

Se^4it) CU]t^ci), ^lo c^t).

Do

c^o)

'I*

t)0

bu^jjiu 'f c^tu^t),

Y ^T ^1^^^

Jvibim ^0 cftu^it) ctim U^r) tm ^-com^cc,

f <d c)e^ct) -<ti|t cu^ittt) t>o 't) Bu^ic^jU beo.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
SejuccA]!
ceo|l
f5;\]|ic ai|i clivijif^cc
Strike up (a) burst
on
harp
melodious
?\.5m- 51ao6ca|i

Aud

let call

LfoDCAri
Let fill

]-UA|*

up

Sl^ince
Health

c^iDce civile

a]]x b|tb

many quarts on board

5<\c CUAC 30 AT) beoiji

(table)

each goblet of the beer

u<\]tD

bo'i;)

from me to the

buAc<\ill

boy

beo.
(youth) lively

This word, which is rendered "beer," in the inused by our native poets to express any highly
delicious liquor, in the same manner as the Avriters of Greece and
Rome used the term, nectar. The Beoir was made from mountain
heath ; and the sole secret of preparing the delicious beverage,
known only to the Danes, who, tradition asserts, divided the heathy
tracts between them, for that purpose, in preference to the arable
^

beoift.

terlinear translation, is

Tradition further has it, that sooner than disclose the secret
manufacture, the two last surviving Danes, father and son,
suffered death at the hands of the native Irish.
lands.

of

its

35
Wake, wake,

the wild-harp's wildest sound,

Send sparkling flagons flowing round

Fill

high the wine-cups' tide of joy,

my

This health to thee,

royal boy

My hero brave, ma ghile, mfhear,

My kindred love, ma ghile, rnfhear ;
What wringing woes my bosom knows,
Since cross'd the seas ma ghile, mfhear

REPLY TO THE LADY OF ALBANY'S LAMENT.

O

my

royal maid,

bosom's gold

None can unmoved thy griefs behold

And O may heaven's supreme decree
!

Restore the youth to love and thee

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
!

Alas

Uoc

xx)o

hero

my

njo 5Ao;\l

tt)o

my

kin

2^0 ctiuACAO

My

aflliction

2)a|i

As

?V ni05<vir)

Queen

Do
Thy
1

^it)
self!

5ile
bright

cua]6 a -^c'q\X)
went far away

u<\|*<xil

noble

my
x\)o

my

pray

50 cftuAl cum
fervently

cfgeAco Ai|t
For to come on (a)

\h-\x)

and

a f^ofi

my

dear

uAt)

A]* bjlt)
is

5-c5r7ACC

the

powers

to (the)

lamb

bo Ab buACAiU beo

(of)

to thy

mournful

1JA

cuAijit)
visit

doom (woe)

5|le WiO freA|i.

bright my spouse.

fu<\1|ac asui*

gentle

^eA|i
spouse

luAjcite
dust (eternal)

xr)o

mo
my

CAOl ASU]* bo buAlflC Af CjtUA A5Uf

lament and thy affliction is disastrous and

'^\\\6\vo

T^

5ile vdq fr e<\Ti

bright my spouse

my

Alas

rt)o

my

youth

alive

36

J^o zpe6\i^c, z]ieur}im\i, zvAze o ne^pz ;

Jo flu^^-^e^c, feut)iri^]i, '\^u^'op^c, -fi-aolj-

le

|*oie^tri r)^|^ti^J^ t>o

W't 6i^-frexijt

|*iffi t>o')

ei^m

T)'-fY,i

1^^ u^ltttn

^lu^ij^e^

^t) lej^t),

ce^pz,

fr^pe-dv)

^i^i^ ojice,

^it^^

t)0 cvjft 't)^ ce<dftu.

Y6%dc,

t)eit) 4r) t^^oj^l vtJ^ltii^e^, |*jot)4c,

Vfp) ?

5^T)

f f^oc,

s-^T)

^u^cz, z^v zpviol,

s^)

ceo

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do

beoir)

Bj (the)

3o

cfieottAC
Actively

5o

l-e

legions

(the)

citeiii)i7A|i

powerful

cioc^a8 CAjt
he will

cuilce 6o
full

Aif*

return

t)eA|tc

of strength

i-oiceAti)

^V^^u]" At)

the

propitious diligent

havens

With comeliness

And

Aot)-n)]c

i*lvAi5eAc I'eunrbAit ^'UAbitAC ^AobftA

With

To

At)

will (of) the only son

(of)

Failge and

fierce

Isle (of) Art.

DA ]*uA5A bo 5liiA]|*eA6 ad le5At)

the learned will proceed
the lion (hero)

|*eA6 buA|6pe a T)5le

rjirbjA buAijt
third
hour (time) will conquer in battle

AVill be separation

|tuA5A
uAiij 50 beo
and banishment from us for ever

^\n

UAbA||l

he]6

On

vjAOjle

bu|6]i)

At)

tribe (of) the

Ajuf

pride

CUA1C
Af
from territory

l.it]ftc ^rof

(of)

Luirc yet

37
From realms afar I see him come,
With might to right his injvired home,
To hush thy wail, to cheer the Gael,
And sweep the foe o'er ocean's foam.
Unfoil'd in

skill,

unmatch'd

in might,

He'll conquer thrice the foe in fight

And tyrants proud who swore us slaves,

By Tuaith Luirc's shore, shall find their
Each warrior

graves

brave, of ancient line,

Where Eogan, Airt, and Heber shine,

Would dare oppose a host of foes,
To gain his monarch's right divine.
Then

gentle reason's tranquil reign

Would bless the earth with peace again

And winter time and summer day
Would prove propitious like his sway.*

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Not

is

Co

young man mild of the

^u^l JAit) Aju]* 6)bi|i

tribe

just

o]\ze A-^ay ^ifir

Of blood Eoghan and Heber dreaded and

Mac

peio

5luAi]-i6

But

will

Ta

iut\-\\i]rr)

jAr)

pu<\]t<\6

proceed self without cessation

bo

cii]\i

]0\ja,

Art

a ^cji)
afar

ceA]tc.

In expectation him to place in his right.

bei8

Ar)

]'A05aI i-UAirbueAC ]*)Oac

fAc
tranquil peaceable prosperous

Will be the world

pli 5At)

'5ax)

buAiitc

3A0

3AI) bfii)

biiuijeAT)

Without spite without affliction without quarrelling without grief

t>ei6

Ai)

rP^l^

Z^^

buA|tcAr)

fu^m

A]\i

Will be the firmament without darkness much at

tjeoftj

noon

^tiAOc 5Ar) ]:uAcc 5At) ze]rv^ol 5At)

ceo
Without rage without cold withc'it eclipse without mist

^At)

The

old historians ai -'ays observe that

God

blesses the reign of

good princes by a succession of peaceful and abundant seasons. Vide

CeA5A|*5 TIaca. CA65 21)ac OA]|te, 2I)ac bjtuAbeAA,
]1 CAT).

38

50

t)e6

o s^tUf

^ vz^^^T

eil

Y ^^

'T 'ole^ct)

;'

Do c^jjotn ^f )4vc-)4\it^\i yiA t)-dott|*e cjtti^,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Copoit)

t)A Xte-^y

&o ljeA

at)

ceA|ic

Crown (of) the Kings did adjudge the law

'5o bed 60 SA|ilu|* ]y Ifrj Af ble<\cfc)
For ever to Charles by us is
due
DAfi OiiA]C

By

5<\T)

Jove without

b|ii5 i) c|iua6 frftjoro

pttj
lie
not pitied with (my) self

3<\c cii<\caI cfieur) 00 cu]]i <\ f ac.

Each clown strong to put in sack,
bej fcil5e tj<v nrr>A a t)5r)v6<vf* 50
Will be

laAv

Rome

of

tDfi

in practice very great

be]6 ?ia6ac A5uf \ib 50 b|tvc jau frnol

Will be divinity and order for ever without stain

^r

"?iO

And tame

Sad

beA Seoifife
will be

pior)

clivjc
A^t
|i&
George timorous on (the) road

5AI)

^60)1

5AI)

ft)<vice

Without wine without meat without thread

(of)

bti55
shoes

;
!

39
With royal crown

for

monarch meet

Shall Erin's sons great Charles greet

Each sturdy clown, by Jove, shall drown

We'll make a sack his winding sheet

And Rome

shall hold

Her laws and

her ancient reign,

lore shall aye remain,

And

abject

The

starveling boor that first he

George return with shame,

came
The priest that hides by cave and
!

fen,

Shall raise his honour'd head again

And to the skies shall hymns arise

From harp, and choir, and minstrel-men

The Stanming-iip.

May

heaven, in mercy to

The gourmands

quell

its

Crush, through the Avestern

And sweep

afar the

suppliant's call,

who hold

the Gael in thrall,

isle,

demon brood

their ruffian sway,

for aye

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

be^b

]*5p A5 cletji DA cftuii)e A5UI* jteACb

Will be scope to clergy the globe and power

?^5m*

And

1)1

not

leorbA^A AOt) ]0\)c^ 5C0|^e ceACb

come
dare
any against them

bei6 buA]t' 5^6 l^e <\ Iua 60 au i5i'e

Will be prize each day adjudged to the sages
Uc- buA]r) Aju]* &iiACc bo
But poetry and verse to
?Vo

The
^icc^ti) A]]x
I beseech of

Ma

j-ArijAicc

The

gluttons

0|A
God

]A|i)iAiiT)
1

ask

feir)|ri) ye^sl

sing

awhile

CeAr)5Al.

Summing-up.
A5ui^5ui6in7 50 CltUA1&
and I pray very hard (fervently)

bo piAt)
t:|Al-c|teAb
im \^'5c^o]be]\
that pained (the) generous tribe (of) the Gael

A i)5UAir
in jeopardy

Do

CA]C10rb Af

1AC-1A|ICA|1

^A

OAOHH^e CftUAf

To east from isle of the west under bondage hard

6ib||tc UAffj.
i)a T)b]AbAl uiAj-ACbA
Aicrne
^5Uf
And (the) sect (of) the devils foreign (to) banish from us.

/"

40

OvvEN O'SuLLivAN, a Munster poet of the last century

surnamed the Red, from the colour of his hair, was a native
of Slpb LuACtiA, a wild mountain district, situated east and
north-east of the town of Killarney in the county of Kerry.

He flourished in the latter part of the last century. The lot

of G^&X) nu<\6, as he was commonly called, was cast upon
evil days, and in an ungenial clime ; for, had he belonged to
any other country, or creed, or party, than that to which
through a life, in other respects Avild and irregular, he had
invariably adhered, his rare natural endowments
his fervid
poetic genius
his acquirements in the highest walks of classic
literature, would have procured him notice, and patronage,
and fame. The light of a patrons smile never cheered the
obscurity of the village bard but G5AI) Tua6 had his fame
his pastoral ballad of rural love, yet lives by the streams of
the South, at the cottager's hearth, and in the milking bawn
of the hamlet, and will live, till tenderness and feeling become
aliens to the artless heart of the village maiden.
His powerful satires, rife with scathing denunciation, and severe personal invective
his bold enmity to the Saxon his longings
for the I'estoration of the exiled Stuart
his love songs descriptive of his own irregular amours
these varied compositions,
preserved in the native tongue, ha^e cheered the
hospitable fireside of the cottier in many a aistrict of Cork,
Kerry, and Limerick, where his memoi'y survives, his poems
are recited, and the brilliant effusions of his happy wit, shine
familiar as household words.
There are, doubtless, many of my readers who now hear of
To them,
G'^AX) TvUA UA S|ll|obiio for the first time.
perhaps, it will be necessary to say, that G-^AX) Pu<\ was

to Ireland what Robert Burns, at a somewhat later day, was

to Scotland, the glory and the shame of his native land.
I
characters in my range of observation, that so
closely resemble each other as Burns and Oojao Hua
the

know no two

same poetical temperament the same desire of notoriety the

same ardent sighings for woman's love the same embracing
and the same fatal yearnings
friendship for the human family

" cheerful tankards foaming," alike distinguished the

Like Burns, OosAt) Tua first
heaven-taught minstrels.
tuned his reed to the charms of nature, and the joys of woman's love like Burns, the irregularity of his life obliged the
clergymen of his persuasion to denounce him and, like him.
after


41

he lashed the priestly order without ruth or remorse* like

Burns, he tried the pathetic, the sublime, the humorous and,
like him succeeded in all.
Nor does the parallel end here ;
they were both born in an humble cottage both toiled through
life at the spade and plough
and both fell, in the bloom of
manhood, in the pride of intellect, the victims of uncontrolled

passion.

Owen Roe O'SuUivan, like hundreds of his countrymen,

followed the occupation of an itinerant potato-digger, and
made periodical excursions into the counties of Limerick and
Tipperary, in pursuit of this servile occupation. On one of
these occasions, happening to receive employment at the house
of a farmer in the neighbourhood of Charleville, he was
brought into notice by his explanation of a sentence in some
Greek author, which had caused much dispute between his
employer's son, fresh from a French college, and the old priest
of the parish.
Owen remained here for some time as a teacher
of Greek and Latin, and received high applause in tbat capacity, till his evil destiny drove him in the way of Mary Casey,
a village beauty. The enamoured poet lost all relish for the
teaching of dead languages in contemplation of the living
charms of his mistress. The school was given up, and Owen's
licentiousness denounced from the altar.
But Mary lives immortal in the well-known English song (though that tongue was
"
the least of his acquirements,) called
Molly Casey's charms."
It is recorded that O5AT) HuA committed his first sin of
rhyme, while a bare-shinned stripling, at the school of one of
these hunted men, whom the severity of the penal code drove
for shelter to the fastnesses of Kerry, to teach Greek to cowboys.
Owen was mitching all day, and, as he entered the
hedge-seminary long after the prescribed time, the master was
about to proceed with the process of " hoisting" Owen, when
the truant begged and obtained one hour to render an account
of the peccadilloes of the day,
it was then that the embryo
poet produced a lyric in a fanciful dialogue between two married ladies, in which each is made to detail, with much dramatic effect, the failings of her spouse, and the various evils
to which matrimony links the wife, who would fain move with
her yoke-fellow in freer harness;

* Upon one occasion, Owen Roe's conduct had supplied the pastor
of a rural congregation with materials for a lengthened invective
against viciousness in general, and the unfortunate rhymer's frailties
in particular.
At the close of his pious discourse, tlie worthy priest
enquired in the native tongue if Got^vr) Uua6 were present.
^cvpi), replied the irritable son of genius, goaded by the clergy-

man's expose,

to all forgetfulness of the occasion

and the time, ?icii

G5<vr) HuA <xr'^ ^Tt^V ^'^^ freicj cu]*a ai) bACAt)]tt ?

" Yes, Owen, the Red, is here, and may you never behold his dyer !"

42
Owen Roe

taught school at

Annagh

neaz* Charleville

while

engaged there he wrote satirical songs in ridicule of the

Irish volunteers, and lashed, with fearful severity, some village
rhymers who attempted to break a lance with him. He died
of a relapse of fever at Knocknagree, in his native district,
and was buried at Noboval. I have no means at present of
ascertaining the period of his death, but I believe it was about
the year 1784.
It was at Annagh, probably, that Owen Roe wrote the following beautiful lines addressed to the parish priest, requesting his Reverence to announce from the altar the poet's intention
The Irish
of opening school in the neighbouring townland.

reader will perceive that in these stanzas the translator has not
allowed the spirit of the poet to evaporate.
?t SA3A]|tc 6il ci\i6, f<\ bftivcAiti Well 'f ^It^c,
t)A t4s,]in)n]\o c-fivrb t)or) 0viti7, ']- ^]'SV\ *^ 5-ceAitr

^ 5-CACA

]iO]ny uvtTjAib,

Ujcft]]" iDO c'<\c

50

a n)-be$v]ii)A bAOSA]!

i)a b-cjigf,

&-cv|r)) n) 'i;a n^ftAfS-

ceA5Ai|*5 3<\c civin, a jtvice fiit) da ]*e<\t),

?-e Uibior) bo b' iv|t}*A, fA x)-h'^\)zo.]h 5Ao6Ail5e fCA^ii;
Sa) 5lA]:<,\|tt)Ac nivmAO yeo, b'i^]ibAi6 jtein? ']* ]ieAb,
?\- b-jieAitAOAjb Tivil,
'13A b-civ^ueAO 5c^obAil CA|t leAjt.
C])\xrx)

SjAipe

b-^eA^iAcon CAlrrjA, Cfi, cAOir),

b-plACA b<x ple<x5AC a t)-bi)A]b jAoieil;
?V it>-beACA 5<\r) ai^ioc A5 5AllAib le ^i]tTjeA|tc &l5e,
!)A

'S leA5Ab

Co

cui|i

T)A

fGAlAb

curt)

ceA5Aif5 50 3lAi|*e

t)a

CpAb

Sajaiixc jai) rbeAT)5 'f ceAijfA cAow-tfjeifjeAC,

5A|*bA 51^15 n)eAbAi|i a jtA) 5AC Iao] li5eAi7CA

SAf

^ir.]i]|*

f |j ?

n^o civil, o'x cejsx) Aifi pttjori^ clfjt cu,

'00 b-ceA5A]'5A]rt) cUi)

5AC

biteAti? r)A s-cp-cirtjib

Pure learned priest akin to Neill and Art,

Whose power protective cheer'd the poet's heart.
The first in danger's van (so bards have sung them,
Pray tell thy flock a teacher's come among them.
!

Well-skill'd in ancient Greek and Roman lore.

Fame-laden lays since Erin's days of yore.
And eke the foeman's tongue, upborne by Law,

Whose phrase uncouth

distorts the Gaelic jaw.

45
Upborne by Law which

exiles heroes tall.

Which dooms, by traitors' steel, the chieftain's

Dooms Erin's brave no refuge save their God
And me to wield the village pedant's rod

fall,

Mild man of God, and

fair religion's glory,

Deep read in holy tomes and tuneful story,

With thy sweet tongue consign to village fame
What learned lore enwreaths thy poet's name
!

one
I have two copies of the following song before me
from Mr. Michael O'SuUivan's manuscript, and the other from
a manuscript collection made by John O'Donnell, a wandering
scribe, of my acquaintance, for a Mr. Michael Cronin, of
Gnivgilleh, a townland of the county Kerry, lying westward of
Millstreet, and kindly lent by him for the purpose of transcribing any songs not already in my own collection. Wherever
these two copies differ, I have retained the words which I
thought better, and appeared closer to the original ; and for
this purpose, I would be glad to have many versions of a song
;

me when preparing it for publication, as the songs of

our bards, in many instances, have undergone various alterations
from the dilapidation sustained by manuscripts from damp and
other causes, particularly their falling into the hands of unskilful writers, who adopt what words or readings they please,
or which chime best to their ears, though at the same time,
before

differing essentially

from the

from the

original, as well as

spirit

of the poet.

Such of my readers as have copies of the following old

Songs, would confer a favor by forwarding them for publication.
"Sftivii^e 2i)<vol,

-^ir

bu^e.
3Ab<v|r) 56^1

JBubberro dedderro.

Se'Ai^Ar)
?Vt)

hixx).

Ur) CbtiAOibfr) AOjbiD.

Se^ij-beAr) Cbtiioi) av) Dfi<\Oca|i).
Ur) SpAilpii) F15DAC.
?Vo jAbAiij Oub-

2DAitbcAO]r)e l^ivbitAjS SAj|t|*eul.

^i) SttiAobfr) cttr).
Kilkenny, April, 1844..

J.

DALY

44

Do

poft Cfteoit),'

6-o^ir) ?i)oit^,

V ^-c^\iz.d,

Y C^i|tb|te

r)-^le

'r)

c^toj

t)S '^-c\it)-d, 'f t>S 5-c^ible

$]iir^^ip ce^l^^i^,
^ir) cjt)

b-4 c^Itti^

W^V^^m

iti^lUiiJce,

tuz iv^fUx

cip,

^5

o) |tt)

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Wandering by Blarney (one) day and

?V]}%

On

in deliberation

bpgitAcoi) fr^ilceAC
the
heroes
generous

^)^

!x\i

destruction

of

i:^.]\iy]x)-^

open-hearted

^ CJaiIc
tt)AC Cfteoir), the celebrated hero who pursued
"NiAri^-nuA-CftocAC into Ireland, and gave battle to T]oij n^AC
Cn)A]\, and the Irish heroes, under whose protection N^Arb placed
herself.
In this engagement CaiIc slew the most renowned of the
Fenians, but was afterwards slain by 0]*3U|t in single combat, after
five days' and five nights' severe fight, as may be seen by the fol-

lowing stanza

TeA C15

n-Ojce, ^eA& ct5

lv,

hx n^ri t\'A]t A5 sle^c,

^J^li beA5vr) fUA^o,
Uffi jc bf,
^iiit cuic CajIc le buA^S x\)o the^c.

bf

AT)

long days and tedious nights.

Both heroes contest dire maintain'd,
Their weary limbs not eas'd by rest.
Or fainting frames by food sustain'd.
'or five

Transactions of the Gaelic Society, Duh.

808.


4>5

EXPULSION OF THE SAXON.

Air

By

" Staca an

Varaga."

Blarney's towers I paus'd to ponder,

What deep dark

curse our land

lies

under,

Chain'd 'neath the foreigner foe

The homeless horde whose

guileful knavery

Coil'd the festering links of slavery

Round

From

sires,

hearts where pure pulses flow

whose sons are crouching

Or wanderers

wild, or outlaws

slaves,

gory

Mall-clad sires whose green flag waves

O'er blood- red fields of ancient story.

Where prone groan

their offspring of

woe

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Of
As

the tribe (of) Treoin (who) was valiant (in) battle

the brood this came from

nestled

Saxony

?V fci^ic A5u|* A bpeAfiAtjcAit*

rivilbe A5UI' ^Vn^eji^ft)
In states and in inheritances (of) Failhhe and Amergin

Ma

ao c--rl5
2t)iit A5Uf CAi|tb|ie
Eoghan Mot and Cairhre of the hosts
]:Iaca bA 5r)^cAc c^ficAc
cjteAyMi^Ail

The

nobles contantly

ogAir)

Div 5CAIICA

girded (for)

Pitch-forked preyed upon and

Ui?

530 Aibi5 pAO] 5t^v|t> A5U|* eAi^juine

that matured under hatred and anathemas

T)oc

civ]!)

The plunderers

ceAl5Ai5

S|tixf5Ai|i

Mobs

battle

5C^ible A5 pAtjAqcf
by fanatics
fettered

biv 5CVtT)A Asuj* &V

2t)ix,|tcAir)

treacherous Martin

r7AllAi5ce

accursed

CP CU5 tijAflA 60 At) ottt).

The swarthy tribe gave disgrace to the order
Ut)

c|i5r)

(creed.)

46

teAc
1f^ d\i6) lioft,

^s

T&-^]^^'

1110

JlO tf]6t)4.mV5l, b4. 4.J)) Office

eojt

clo

^i^ 1^e-4c^ 't* -^t f -d^* ^o -^iil, ^itt b^jUe-ct^j

%' US)t-fo)\z b^c-^iUc, t^^ine^c, cft^i p.-^jot)^,
;

^)ti cl

Do

Fi6 bexilfi^t) r)^ m-blij le r^^i^ ^^

'S
'B

s^) fs^^v^l, s^)

6i\i,

't)

-d

jtf -13eol

inxtl^ ^^t)

^^0

cm

te-aft^,

itioit)

im zmze fe^d^c
^ cl6t>

te^t)^)5

t)0

ti^6-ii6|t,

xi |*iifi-t3e4tc, -dibj^:,

'O'fSz zri-c le toe^fic^jtj,

50

^^n

irixi^^t),

^)]i

ce6

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
XDo CAfriof aS fp^f 30 cvfmA^ cAiciorAC
I spent
space in difficulty
fretful
^Ai) AiceAf 50 cftxice ceAt^DA^gceAc
3at)
!\^T}b
tormented
Without happiness without joy
afflicted

Tiv

b|ir)

rbft

a^

Under sorrow great

^eAtiA
shedding-

Suit 6eA)tCAfA liKfw lion? bivT)-ct)eiT*

nigh me bright-skin
Till I beheld
2t3vt)lA TT)AT|*eAri)A^l 5|iii&rbA]t

Comely

elegant

lovely

XI n)8Art)U|l

Very modest

bA

CAbAltj^AC

United

(in)

Her blooming

b<\T)Art7uil

modest

5eAT)Arbuil
amiable

bA cAicmorbAc
most acceptable

A5

pic]-

50

and growing to

bl<vic-froilc

eofi
tears

cl
features

CivblAC ^V]r)5eAC ^Ab<\ Club

wreaths ringlets long thick (heavy)

^^5 ^iCACAO A5u|*

Turning

trjo

my

bACAlAC

locks curling

x'A]l

Apt bAiUe-cttjc

heel

trembling

y^<i-\r)eAC

cjtAip-^ionA

splitting

spreading-fair


47
Louely and long that hour of weeping,
Hopeless, joyless, tearful

In

salt

steeping

streams mine eyelids of care

While thoughts came dark and dismal

me,

o'er

form of beauty stood before me.

White bosom'd, heavenly fair

Her thick, luxuriant ringlets fell,
Or stream'd, the soft-wing'd zephyr gracing,
Or cluster'd o'er her paps' round swell,
!

Like sun- wreaths

hills of

snow enchasing,

Light, bright, and beautiful there

Lily and rose, with rival power,

To grace her cheek,

Her vermiel,

And
Did

pale,

bestow'd their dower,

vowless

lip to

behold,

pure bi*ow, and ripe eyes' splendor,

love-lorn heroes hopeless render,

Slaves chained by tresses of gold

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

CikcUc

]*0Ati7A6cAc

Woven

?Vj|i

Of

cl5

bvii-ccf

bA]re

l|

top-twisted tinted (by) her

knotted
Ai)

1I

5AT)

Oo b)6 bgl|t<x6
There was refulgence

mblivic
the flowers

i)A
(of)

5^0 ceo.
cloud without mist.

fjAtD^l

tinge of gold without

le

y^'A]\,

with hue

b^ 66^(13
like

crimson

fODA leACAjt) b<v b]teA5CA6 Ia^a

iVithout weakness in her cheek most alluring
light
'5^1)

zliiY

^5"r ^
And her
5uy

A.

hjaIa

And her brow

Do

f:iv5

^hat left

lijAjA
^ad m]b
tif-bel 3<vt)
rosy lips without mockery without vow (guile)
5Ar)
c^]n) A]]t a ^vti)-eA|tc
without stain on her pleasant eye

A^bjj
full

grown

le beA|icA]b t)A civir)ce

zi^njAC
fCAbAC
motionless with darts
the hosts (of) heroes

So |to-rbfi bo
That too high did

5iif Ar)A]5

admire

a cl
her shape

48

COfip;

'S b^ f ti^^^c,

v;fi

ceo

1 6J^iriv,l, ^ UB^iv^ beoil!

^itt clot) i)^ tiixi|*^^Uc 6^

^e^r)^ti)v;l,
!

Do 13e^r)^it) ^o zlit-z^)y, ^^tjtie^c,

S^TO ze-ari-^^t) t)0 b'^^t-^^t) ^ ^-cUjMiB T:)^)^b,4;

le ^t^it) t)or) ^je^t'c ym, Utiqie^c p|ie4b^)iti,
1^101*

^i

i)-4j|*ciii, t)0t) B-i>cr)e]* ^icjtti

-<t

J^r)

itiojt-f 165 4j|t

e-4C4]B

't)4

coft

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

GaIa Aitt At) bC|t^15 A bflilJA|t) A5Ut* A 5eAlA-C|tUTC

Like a Swan on the beach her neck
and her bright form

SJjAfl

^Xjuf A

And

ttJAti^A

6eAT*

v^i^ T)oc t)0 ^ivj* A|it

her breasts neat high that

grew

on

feAr)5A-coiip
slender body

bo fri^jbAO CA||iAir)5ce
Fair fingers slender that left
drawn (painted)
bikr)-c]ioib leAbA^jte

bil^b

A^Uf bAltCAHA

Boats and
^V^u]*

And

bA ^AfbA bA
Skilful

CV5At) A511I' CeA|tCA-p|lAO]C

daws

barks

and

grouse

5leo

Cfieoirj Ajfi leACAr)-biiA]c

tnoiU
battles (of) Treoin on
broad sheets (of) silk.
ci>.\6

chaste

bA

f-ivtT)

bo Ar)A6

pleasant did

sing

00

A
bpjtAcuir) T)A i)biiin) ^An eA|-bA6
ptiAf
Lively
in the language of the bards without defect

^5uf bA fniA5A
And
mild

lAbAjtCA
beoil
f5Arbvil a
cheerful the words of her mouth

(lips)

49
She's fair as

swan by broad, blue

lake,

Like snow-hills rise her bosom's heaving

Her hand can heavenly music wake,

Or draw bright scenes in silken weaving,
Of sea, shore, or battle-field old.

Modest and mild, her words when spoken,

Seem ancient

strains that bards have

woken,

Strains that grace her soft liquid lips ;Faultless and fair, in beauty shining,

Her magic power

maidens pining,

left

Griev'd deep at their beauty's eclipse

Low-bending towards the form of

light,

lu Gaelic old, she lov'd the dearest,

" Fair spirit,

I said,

From

whence thy

flight.

friends that love to foes thou fearest.

Aidless far from soldiers or ships ?"

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

bACAf 30
From

head

c|toi5
foot

to

^iJAll

person

Cy]]\ ceo
Sent mist

beAOA^O

Did

salute

A]\i

fair

clot)

isot)

to

CiX]n}

\0t)\

AIT)|ri)

fault

or

blemish

^\y\j)

handsome

on the shape of the

50

bo Ba
most

neat (sparkling)

5e<xr)<vTt)Ail

gracefully

5clivftA]b
ancient on the
face
Aii]*<\&

advice

that

presently

I start

A]It

eAAlb

Without immense hosts on

steeds

bAt)Ab<xt>
of Banha

AjceAfc flO l^jcpeAC pfxeAbAin?

^iv|c
A bAi|*ci|i i)or) bivo-ctjeii*
T|Of
Knowledge reason her journey of the white skin

5At)

5
young

damsels

^<x]\xe^c
smilingly

clivic-cAi|*

5iieAt)c<x6

iD^rSAlAc

t)<v

timorous soft

Sa) ceAt)5A8
in the tongue

Le 5|tiv6
For love

not

peA]ifAir)-ciiic

iot)<v

To be found in her

t)o

bpvil

Tji

TDit-f-lg

A]C]xx)

IOt)<X

in

ask
COfl

her corp

50

Clot) '-^UY

f r)t)

Juji ru'T) tti^f ^^l^c

Cop

leoj-dt)

B-fe^c^i*^

f t*

^i|tt>e^c, Je^U-i

Y ^-<iU|tu^ ^leo ?

5-4C ^t-j^^ z^iYZ^

Wo'n 6^

t)i

tt)^r)t4t>,

f^eojt)

Zj^^^

^^^t

13it> -<t^

^<^i^ t>'^ftrij,

"U)cjll

f lot)

r)-4

D'fbjtexi^^Jtt li, ^^ p> bit) Ui:) t)0 iie^)-4itir)^t),

'r^lfii|*e ^^ t:xi|j-4)itt: ino li-jtii, r)4.|i t^c^ t)v;c
;

1^-40)

't)

^-fpmp, ^o

)-^ifi4|ic^it^

^leo

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

As

presume

Most

fair

person

ClD

and

babe

of

fair-headed

and most alluring standing feature(f]gure)

A5V|*

Shape and

bloom

1*006

toA

countenance that

b}:eACA|*A pof
have seen yet

5vft cv
AD njAfjAlAc tv'Ar)\A6 ^'A]]\be^c ^eAlA-coe]|That thou(art)the damsel
joyful bright-skinned
smooth

CvTjS A n^bAitcA^b
Divijie
rbefc
tP^r ^ ?^lbAit)
barks (of) Sons (of) Dary ofa time from Albany
Brought in

Cjt
Corps

No
Or

At)

le5A0 A5V| jAlAjtcA

5le
heroes and weapons (for) war

(of)

Air)5iit

cvj

Xvft

UA bcix^oce a rj-OArhAt^

the damsel brought destruction the

hosts

in

CA|t
across

|*ivile

bo

"No

AT)

bti:.ii)5ioll

i)A

3eoi5

Or

the

maiden

after

her

ocean did

Emania
cajiiiaii^s
pull

51

O
Who

be thy lowly slave forgiven,

'

hails thine eye as light

And

thou

now a

from heaven.

fay in disguise

Xhe maid mayhap whose charm ensnaring,

Led Dairy's Son to warlike Eriri,
His North Star the light of thine eyes-

Or
Or
In

To

ruin'd Eraania's hero host,

led brave Greece o'er ocean's water,

barks towards the Dardan coast,

tall

give proud Troy to flames and slaughter

Dear pledge

for Paris's prize."

Arise," she cries, " let joy possess thee

'*

Ere harvest's g-oiden glories bless thee.

Thine ear hears the battle-cry loud

Go

tell

To

teach their harp-string songs of gladness,

the bards

And

Vt'ho

pine in sadness,

proud

raise strains of victory

INTERLIKEAR TRANSLATION.

3ac

zlsxy
&o
r)oc
5^11*56
jAt)
valour without weakness whom did

v|if<N

Each hero
PftjAtl)

]*A

Priam

his

^jiimib
calculate

CACA bA biviM A tsz\ieX^]h

armies

Mo

fierce

battles

in

05 feo]h b A5 ?^icill t)<v

Or the young gem was with Achilles the
Ai)

Do

pite<\5<\]ft

i*i

Did

reply

she

^ci^]rn]*e
I

A3

A5 CAbA]]tc

am

giving

Taoj

ai?

Before

the

'^^uy

Ajcttii*

And

relate

1*1

you

bo

]ti

saying

bf
be

\^t)

bo

full

of

n)0 li\]th njAft

my hand as

zl'Ay
Sav)
bo
Without weakness I

rr)eAT)<\n)r)<^^

merriment

caca mc
surety to you

bp65rbAtt 50 t)AiT)AtiCAifi
harvest you will behold
'P^IBI^

to (the) bards (of)

CAijATit)

relate

|-l5

hosts.

5le
slaughter

Tvil At)

cAiceAfc

Fail the

admonition

le
piv^tc
with affection

a5u* cAicijeAn)
and
delight

t)-ue^cr;

^IVjIt

Vf^)le

.4

t)0'T)

bT).fUi |*eo ^^

le fel coift, ^o |e^|iv4t^c^|* e-o^^jt)

^ljt l^eoc cojp r)^ S^^l^^t) ^^t) ^tteo)|t

'UfzS-]z v^ Vf-)^e^p^r}z^)Y, ^o ^^ififee^c C4T)^i6,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Oo
To

le5At)
bo feAlbAi
wo 5<\cb
the youthful hero (who) did possess (enjoy)my virginity

A1)

^Ifi caIaii)
By land

A5Vf A]p
and

-pivile civ

by

sea

is

At) biviite CA|-feA

the goal

l^i)

turned with us

Mi bpvfl
Not

]-eA|*Am
v'^ c'^x le piv5Ail A5 5aIIapv?c
stand (footing) or pity extended to foreigners

^5"^r

^'I

t-*^5V^l^

Ainim

And

not

left

name

^11%

bceAcc

A bA)le

On

arriving

home

le

With

bo

bA
ax)

to the

coip 50

fel

sail (gale) fair to

DiV CAbAl|l
Assisting him

t)ivl

t)A

Britain

bixn-frUic i^eo A5 cAirbiol

fair hero who is approaching

^eA|tAncA|*

Go^a^v

the inheritance of

Sp<\|]5 CAlnjAb
are the Spaniards hardy

ACV

a mh\\e^zA]r)

of (their) brood in

Eoghan

53
Each chief shall wave a conqueror's blade,
"When war's fierce lash shall scourge the stranger
From Britain's isle his name shall fade,

When

comes old Erin's brave avenger,

To weave

When

"

Spain sends bravest heroes hither,

Oppression's

By

And

the foe a wide, bloody shroud

aiai shall

waste and wither,

by shore

sea,

the

reward

despot's

slavery's chain shall rive asunder,

When

Erin's brave, 'mid war's wild thunder,

In gore bathe the green battle-sward

No thought
By heart be
'Till

of ruth, nor
felt

quenched

word of peace

by tongue be spoken,

in blood, his light shall cease,

And Saxon power

lie

crushed and broken''

Amen

Shout loud

to the

bard

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
^111 n)^5A A5Vj* Ai|i ujACAffie bo ^^-^ pAO| CA|tCAicr)e
On field and on plain
did leave under contumely

peC C|p

^Ifl

To

wither

iVjuf CAicrbileAA

And

the soldiers

Do

^ixy

That sprang
^\)

The
Mf
Not

3o
'Till

At)

Clii]fi fto

of

Clar

t)A

feAOAfcoc

rt7b<M)<\b<\

^jafA

citeA|*An)>7l

Banba

ancient

warlike

caca

le55<\r) A5VI'

|:lio]-

and

princely hero

jtiv]'

of race of the ancient stock

in

li5pit) Attlls^ii
will

SA5fAt) 5AT) c|teoi|i

Saxon without strength

T)A

the

trilje

down

50

bftivjc

for

ever

their

i}5lAT)pAit> ]<xo]c-bvU

le

c^ji

support with pursuers

t)A|trt7A]b

<x6aI

arms
x)a

they sweep white-hall from brood the

r)&ArjAitA]!j

demons

Cfl^Ob A]|t CAfA t)V f-^SAll Aljt

AlflOC
Without thought of returning or chance of restitution

3aT)

ITixjc ^)''^ bpeAitADCA^I* 50 5^]]x&eAC c<xt;A]6

joyfully
sing ye
Their estates or inheritances

Le
With

xx)\

full

rs^ip

cAb

Ainct; le

scope hundred aniens with

b-Ooj^r)

Owen

64

-|Aof)

Oo

fe^ji^

mo

" Se^J^T)

t>v;t>e."'

t)i, 'y t)0 cjtt^)^

jit") ?

cl^or)<it>,

t>or)U|* le cejle t)^ o|ir4 ^-dc Ue

ce4r)^Ut> eiue- le Se^g^n t)vit)e

'S 4r)

oiitivii),

INTEKLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Wandering-

the

mountains

to nie

With long wearied tormented

while

v.'ithout

alone

desire facetious

^50]- n^e tDAcbtjAri^Aifi cl-beAHCA|b 3AT)5v?be At) c|*ao5\tI

And I meditating on evil deeds deceitfulnessfofjthe world

The Ai?- of this song is well known in the most remote district
of Munster, particularly Cork and Kerry.
It is foimded on a very
low version, of which the following stanza will suffice to form a just
idea.
Should any of my readers favor me v/ith a full copy, would
publish it in juxta-position with an able reply by l.l|ll|Arr) OaU,
a Tipperary bard, whom I shall soon ir.troduce to the notice of the
1

public.

" C\?it^eAOfA 'n ii5\T]ie |:eAft)A ^ l-*5V|tir,

j-CopcAc, A u-GocAjll
A b-Cp<\j5l/5e

?V

'S

Le

'(

\)]

lert)A]:A AOt) |5-beAi;

1)-eA5lA ao

|i5v?tte,

The term Sei\5<M) bvjbe,

saBa^I to\iryX)
Sea5At) bvjbe ?"

Yelloiv Jack, or

At)

bcA[i,

Orange Jack, was

first

applied to the followers of William Hi. and is now bestowed by the'

lower classes on such members of the various Protestant sects scattered over the face of this unhappy country, as are known to be most
inimical to the Catholic faith.
It is generally believed that the init'udorii oath of an Orangeman binds him to fight " knee-deep in Popish blood," and the furious and intolerant acts of these parties tend
to confirm this idea more and more,
'i'he inflictions endured under

55

CAPTIVITY OF THE GAEL.

Air

"

Shane Bui."

wander'd the moorland

Fell sorrow

all

my pathway

weary and worn,

pursuing

Revolving what fetters our chain'd limbs have borne

undoing

Sad

sighing" at Ei'in's

Our

princes' sad thrall,

and our

fair cities' fall,

And wide wasted plains did appal me

And my tongue curs'd that day of the

When

false Saxon's sway,

Erin was shackled by Shane Bui

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do

feAit5
Did wither

^\i bpACA

Our

5i)i

my

countenance

and

did

611^x6^15

torment

r\^
us

jaUa pv;c cUooa

c|ti5T0bA}t
forsaken (by) English bucks false-hearted

rr)A]i

nobles

A5vr bo

xr>o

as

^Vjm*

mbAilcepviiic

AoloA

n)A|t

^(:'4l.yx^'6e6.r^

And

their

fortresses

brilliant

made

desolate

^Vjvf

At)

t)or)Yf

le cjle

And

the

evil

together

ceAt)5lA
Since fettered

o|tc 5*6 Ue
shedding each day

bv

elite

le

Se^g^t)

Erin

by

Jolan

o\\\\r,x)

on us

t)\6e

Yellow {Shane BiiiJ

the penal code, elicited many of these Jacobite songs from the bards
of this period; and, imbibing as they do, the political sentiments of
persecuted people, are calculated to keep alive a glowing hatred of
the Saxon, which time can never efface.
In furnishing the present
version, I have had two copies of the song before me
one supplied
by Mr. Michael Browne, Lismore, County "\Faterford, and the other

from Mr. Michael 0' Sullivan's manuscript collection.

Let the reader pause to behold, how the inspiration of genius enables the poet to stretch his far ken into the dark vista of the future.
It is an historical fact, that at the Boyne, William's soldiers wore
green boughs in their head gear to distinguish them in battle; and
yet our bards quickly named them the Orange or Yellow race.
The
Upas tree of Ireland is of very recent planting, yet our gifted seers
had the heart of the nation prepared to pour forth the full measure
of execration at the advent of the oft-sung badge of Saxon ascendancy.

56

D<4tti f^ve^t)^ ^^t^xt t>-^v5^

^oit), c-d\it^r}4ic,

f jtt), ^^

zh^c

t^e^ct)

ym

Um

'

tin

t>^ c^Xf-dpY^c,t>V^)n)\ie^Cy'o^)ze, z)nd,p^pl^c,

IXTERLINEAR TRANSLATION-

Coif

AbAin

By

a rivulet

A 5C<\ol6oi|t
narrow woody
5A|iA b^>75

D<Mt)

]t>iceAn<N

Of my

excursions

LAr) bo AicjOf
Full of joy

Div rp|ieA5A
Bursting forth

Do
I

sliarp

left

le

with

on

awhile

riO
motionless us

listening
Aifi

rjiirbre

rested
civtr)AC

A5 eifbe^cc

CAijCAit)

im tAijUic

warbling of

birds

5a5a6 50

T)A

r^lji^o
the branches so very sweet (harmonious)

ArbAficAf t*p]|t bifvTi^sioll geAijAti^ijAC jb scaI

chaste
white toothed
beheld
a slender maid

Caoio

CA]tCAr)AC

Sweet tempered
?V

Her

t*c<vbA|*A

in

TDAife
gracefulness

|:vAi|t

bA]i]tA

Obtained sway
all

f]n)

and

her

5AT)

without

A5 ceACb

livirb Ij^

modest approaching nigh us

A5VJ*

b^eACA ^o

i)A

From

friendly

rr)AO]aACb
mildness

biA5t)A6
flattery

bicib A

Cvio
scl^ii
have seen of nymphs in territory of Conn


57
Where

trees woo'd the stream of a valley profound,

And woodbines

a bower had bound me,

Fair visions poetic came floating around,

As wild

Then

birds pour'd melody round

burst on

She smiles

my

me

eye a bright star of the sky,

and her white teeth enthral me

'Tis heaven I behold in her features' fine mould,

Though shaded with sorrow by Shane Bui !

Thick, fragrant, and fair

Rare

fell

her bright, shiny locks.

tresses in beauty contending,

Whose long-wreathed

To her

ringlets all rivalry mocks.

exquisite ancle descending

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
4^b<V]irA bt]tt)ltgc bA^ce c|ub pAtiUc*
braided odorous highly sparkling
closely

<\

05 bAOAlUc t)TArt)AC
>ft

curled

brilliant

CA|tl)frolc

t)A

cvcIaoi

in

tresses

CttAobAC A le<VCA

er flowing locks branijhy

)

bAcuf 50

:om head to

ri)eu|tAib

toes

tot)

folding

bivt)
a
her white

in

A I'lAObA
wreaths

z\iO]-^e.

feet

Decorated with pearls, or other ornaments, which shewed

illiancy almost equal to the rays of the sun.

58

t^u^ c^litf

114C 34|*oi:) t)o b^jt clojjit).

40l-'D4.),

'S i)4 fxtttiv^l le c^ol-ftvibe 4 t) b|t40),

r^tifi^^in^e 4i|t |tjl-e4|C4, ^i^w^p^, p)i

Ce^lZ t)^ ce^tiz-d le Uinac |*-<i]Je4t)

'M4 le4C4 4 i^leijie^cc Bj U|*4 r)4 ^.C40[i^
rjte f i^e4ct)4 1)4 -fl-iBce ^o |*4n\ t<^4c
^ ye ce4l5 ^0 h-40t)4ilj ttie, i)U4ifi I3e4ftc4i
;

^ Dej |*i)4tr)4i6ce 4 ^-cl)te4t),

le Se4j4i

t)v;t)e

%i

pe^pY-d b4

f^eitne,

ir)4iii4

b4

jfie,

'S 4 t*e4i)4-C0|ip 40lt)4 ^41) f^44jl Cejti1)0l

Wi'l 54r)3v;t>, ^4 cl4oi>l?e4|tc, 4 t)-C4||*^e 'i)4
J!

'S

C4on%c|tv;c,
4^ C4)Cr)e4lil4C,

f 40tt-3l4t), 4 CM)t)eACZ

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Confirmed by bards on beholding' her beauty
'5u\i fArbujl

That equal

in

VSV]
^"S^V <v 5Cvil6eAcc
countenance and in appearance (fame)

Leir

AT) lon^jiAO

With

the

fleece

A 'SC^]n le 5Air5e
afar
by valour

boi) ^ftis
to Greece

Cuj CAlroA rbAC

Jaj-od bo b^|i
Obtained mighty son (of) ^son by point

cloi6|ri)

sword

bA

rijA^reAC A beAbAtj cAif cr)eA|*bA A^fi Aol<ivic

on lime colour
So graceful her forehead soft modest

^5U|* bA

And

f-Arbuil le

equal

to

CAoljiuibe
A 6iv b|tAO]
slender hair her two brows

CATt|tA-())5ce Ai|t iteiloeAjtcA ]tAr7AtiA ji&ijIai'a

clear blue
Painted
on starry eyes
stately

"

59
And

thus wake in song, to these bright tresses long,

Harps warblingly wild as the Ceol-shee,*
'' More
rich than the fleece brought by Jason to Greece,

The golden

Shane Bui

hair sullied by

The arch of her brow is a soft silky hair.

Her forehead with modesty brightening
To meet the dread light of her blue eye forbear
;

There's death in the flash of

The red

its

lightning

berry's glow, lofty Mangerton's snow,

Ever change on her cheek

to enthral thee

And my

when I thought of her

Shane Bui !

heart rent in twain

Fast knotted in nuptials to

chain,

Sprightly, yet mild, her fair countenance shone,

Her
The

breast heav'd like billows of ocean

heart that throbb'd

Never bounded

warm

'neath her emerald zone

commotion

to passion's

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
eAl5

cAbCA

i)<,v

yAfjeAb

le l<vr7AC

ierced the hundreds by casting

IgCAb A pllJteACC

Ot)A

varying

her cheeks

foeAC&A

Cfie

snow

hrough

t)A
i*l|bce 50 f^ri) ^oac
of the mountains tranquil peaceful

x^ ceAl5 50 l)<\oAib

It
\.

pierced to the livers

be]c
be

xr)d.xx}A]'bte

fettered

arrows

UfA

T)A 5CA0j1a
was blush (hue) the grapes (berries)
0'\p

xx)e \)iio^-\]\

beoiftcAf

me when

a 5cliiteA?
in

nuptials

judged

le

with

]onA|7; y\r)
afterwards

SeA^At) bu]6e.
John
Yellow.

rt^AitjA h\ jljte
feiri^e a
so gentle her breasts so pointed

\ peAjVfA bA
er person

ce^rijeAl
]-eAn5Acofip AolbA 5*0
5U|* A
p^5<^1^
Lnd her slender person bright without appearance of gloom
j

bp\?l3Ai)5vi& T)^ clAoobefic <\ &cAii*5e \o\)a caoit) cfi^ic

venom or false action in store in her mild countenance
is

Tot

15UT
(ind

Aj*

CAlCljeAtTJAC |*AOft5lAt)

most acceptable

noble

A cajljOeACC
her appearance (fame)

* Fairy Music.

60

cm

'f t)^ he^pz^i

'U 1v^it)]n) le ))-)^e^cz,

jte-jlciot),

'S ^e^itt)

^4c

Cui"^ C4ie

40) r)e4c t>'\i M^^VffbeAX

liT) lioii^, 410

'I*

ftt)4Ct),

Uiji cl4t)n4 li)]\x]ux

^4C

ce4)^4l x-

Ct5)tt)

t>40|t-j

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

On

Do
Did
?V

beholding her beauty from head

to slender

foot

-piApitAiseAj' y:'e\\)\i> be ai) bivibft)

myself of the babe
inquire I
boijoi")

^s

Her name vth

04v

I'Arbuil

Her

equal

b&1Fi<5cc A5UI* T)A beA]icA c"vTit iteilcfoi)

effect
and the deeds sent a star

A 5061

1)

afar

leA]i
distant

i;a jvouiseA

wanderer

bo -pftejAUt At) fixeifibeAi)

CAiiAr)<>c beu|*Ac Oah)
polite to me did
reply the heavenly maid en
'Tis friendly
?\.f

Tioj*

njo

c^]^)\x^

Knowledge my name
^j*
I

tt)e

beAr)CA|tA

am

niece

bo bA^tAb Sujc 50 ]-iv|ic|iuiij

accurately
I will give to you

CJn\x) caIh^a A5Uf Me^l bu^b

Aongus Conn mighty and Neil dark

'^or)T^\i\x

to

61
As my greedy eye stray'd o'er the beautiful maid,
" Queen of beauty," I cried, " O recall me

Thy fortune's dark fall that consign'd thee a thrall,

To the cold-hearted Sassanach, Shane Bui /"

"

My

grief," said the

" Reveals thee

Dark

my

maiden of heavenly mien,

sorrowful story

Niall beheld me, a diadem'd queen,

And Conn

added rays to

my

glory

But red torch and glaive sweeps the land of the brave,

And

horrors unceasing appal me,

That give the proud dome

And

"

for the Sassanach

the fields of our fathers to Shane

And O

the deep gloom of

That men who should

die to

my

Bui

home.

.'"

wild-throbbing breast,

avenge her,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
uAjji 5ft<\bo.tr)

r)<v

\)Q\]x\oi)

Had dominion

of

Erin

a bp4viiac|5eAcc

cAOb^it C115 n)-\x^

the cause brought me

eo

Ai)

his

unity

in

50

b<^11^5ce

plundered

Am

AotjAji
desolate
(lone)

a nbAO|ib|t\?b ij:ao-\ i),\\b c)oy^

l|Ocb Caii'iU
bondage under high rent(crownrents)
Tribe of Cashel in

^5 'SAllAlb
Saxons

3y

iVju]^

AT) 13&a]iIa t)0 feAlbA] Aolbfioi5

the English did possess mansions

|eA|ir)

And

5AC

Aor)

inheritance each one

C]Y

cAjce

A5m*

^ause of blemish and

ijjt

cIaua

On

sons

leui)

woe

ib^^^rvj^eAy
rjeA bo Alt
person that I have mentioned

l^on) At) c1)5<nI, t*a bAopfiTMCb

me the fetters and captivity

to

5<xc Uv cjo^rt)
of Milesius each day 1 see
2l)]lfju|*

* The head-rentj or tribute paid the reigning monarch, and

y the subject, as crown, or quit-rents.

named

62

'

liiejc,

ejne,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Da r)5iieAb<\
Scorched

bA sceAj-A &a 5CA|ica bA bcfiAocA

tormented

pitchforked

subdued

Tao] Al) ArnA A5 b&A]l<\|b At) jijiv^c

V^i'll
of constant treachery
Under the yoke by boors
'Tis

bcAjib 5UIX bAOJAlAC bfb peA|t5 at) AOt) rbejc

true that threatens you wrath the only son

Do

bull 5C0ri)Arr)

?V|*

To you

protect

50 bA3
timely

^5ui* OAC I'jAiiyAit nje

And

not

divorced

A^fi

at

tT)Alt

as

ACAC<XO]
ye are

Aoncoji ye
all

'tis

bo
A^b^O njo
what matured my

A]tA
tears

leAbAjo AU n^iiile rin SeA5Ai) bui6e.

From bed
of churl
that John
Yelloiv.
i-e

63
See

Erin smitten, evicted, oppress'd,

fair

In chains of the treacherous stranger

And O

doom

that the

of the tyrant were come,

And

the salt drops were dried that

And

a proud nation's force could procure a divorce

From

heard the sad

tears' briny

tale of the

And

Erin of love,

And

maiden

its

Bui

/"

distress'd,

at the telling

stream had

Where shame and

From

fall free,

the dull, plodding plunderer, Shane

Woe-burden'd and weak

My

now

source in

my

breast

wild anguish were swelling

may

the Father above

the plague of the tyrant recall thee,

thy young heart rejoice with the spouse of thy choice,

When

sever'd, for ever,

from Shane Bui

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
XZ^]^ T\^ 5^^' blAb<\|i bo ai? |i&ilciot)
relating the tale this without flattery to the
star

i]|i Aicftii*

On

AT)

CACAc

?Vr

bo& CAonjAc

Tis mournful poor

Xjuf

rt70

sickly

eA]tCA A5 x^o\x

And my

bo

|:l]uc

-piij y\x)

tearful did part us

lACbA

file

free shedding streams

eyes

cjub bA]tA
heavy tears

5o bAib(3 A5u|* t)io|i bpeibfji a bcfi^5A

\}\)
Quickly
not possible to
and
dry
with us
iV^cciti)

50 bA5r)AC

beseech

5o fSAipe

fervently
At)

A^|t ?VcA^|t

da

tjAorr

DjeAl

on Father the saints bright

bAOti-j-SAn^Al plivi5 '^V^

cloud plague of us

To

scatter the black

Oo

^reAttfiAt) Aiit

on

3A0ft)e]lib A^uf
Irishmen
and

50 bt:Aicin)ib jiie

may we behold Erin

That

poured

^5

ACA|XAC cile
cA^t SexjAt) bu]6e
a different spouse from Shane
Bui.

A'^ith

64

Cojf

>4l3^i)

Vje%

tie

^^ c^jf t))ol

^^ t)|itnt))iti
^l*

t)eiiti)r)

^tn ^jce t)O:) ftu^)^ |ir)

^utt De^^tiu^f r)^c bjUjnJe^U
!

t)<4C4.U^C, lOI^-ttl^C, feU^U^C ;

t)^ t)-)ze 'Via 'Vj x-t) le ^xtjf^e

Cu^

^-cit),

4.

c^lir)' ^\)-c

l^f or)

b^

t>^ oili:e, b4. ^ice,

u-<t]t3ticc

tt^i|*le

t)0'r)

t>e')

S^^l^

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Co-\x

AbAjn

By a

1)61

river yesterday

A5Uf

rne

and

A5

cA)|*biol

a sctu

wandering

afar

3o

3AI)
^Abciini|*eAC IA01)
fiiAi]iceA|'
feeble without
mirth
Long- wearied

"Do ArbAjicf \>'e\t iotjA ttACA-fb A5 cAcb

beheld a nymph in haste
approaching
I
t)A 5eAnAtT)iiil

So

bA
So

51)61
'^Z^X
graceful countenance and

ri)it<^&

6|ieAC

visage

f Ul^eAli)All CApA b<V ]t)5eAlc4k, cA^'biol

nimbly approaching
lively so
firm

?\.3 b|tui&iit)

Moving

^5uf Af
And His

Ati)

to

A^ce

me nigh

6ot) v-^^]'5 t*Ti

of flight that

beirbiu

511)1

beAiicA]*

truly

that

t)<s,c

judged not

bitvt)5ell

a maid

bo

ai)

AjcrDe

of the tribe


OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
hcs and
already noticed the collection of Jacobite
numbers by Mr. JJaly
songs in course of publication in penny
without any dimiKilkenny. It has arrived at the fifth number
Each song is accompanied by an interbnear
tion of interest.
Walsh, the writer
Edward
Mr.
by
version
Llation, and a metrical
notice it, at present,
some popular poetry in this Journal.
last number.
a favorite relic of great beauty from the
"

We have

ler

We

extract

reading of the
Nothing can be better calculated to promote the
a publication, so popular in
sh Language among the people, than
the TeetoUl
and
Clergy,
Catholic
ce and spirit ; and we trust the
Nation.
cieiies will put it in their wAy."

f'

Daly, for the

think the public are deeply indebted to Mr.
of its value as
)ductionof this National Work independently
influence in a political
addition to our national literature, its
He was a
incalculable.
nt of view will be very great, perhaps
making of a Nation s
)found Statesman who said, "Give me the
Journal.
Kilkenny
Uvi^r
her
care not who makes

"

We

ngs,

and

Literature, and
service will thus be rendered to our National
will be
sweetest compositions of our ancient bards,

ny of the

which they were hastening,

icued from that everlasting oblivion to
country. These Songs for
lother service will be rendered to the
and their im' most
part, breathe a spirit of holy patriotism ;
the flame of nationality,
rtance, at the present moment, in fanning
1

"

hardly be over-estimated."Lmertc^- Reporter.

Mr. Daly

of Kilkenny, has published the third

number

of his

word for word, accomlection of Irish Songs, giving translations

by Epwarh Walsh.
nied by truly beautiful poetical translations

of some of the most admired Songs

to
the Nation Newspaper, and was previously known
possessing in a high degree, the talents and ac Irish public, as
From the
poet.
irements necessary to constitute a successful
that, in conjunction with
cimen<5 before us, we would anticipate
acceptable
truly
and
Daly, he will be enabled to make important
music, available to the
iitionsto the stores of native poetry and
The Songs hitherto given are
Ferent classes of the Irish people.
breathing the genuine spirit of Ireland. Wexford
'

Walsh has been the Author

Wished

in

:ellent,

iependent.

Argus,
'
agree with our excellent contemporary, the Drogheda
thinking that they (the Songs) may be rendered subservient to a
learning
help
rther purpose, and would aflford the most valuable
Speaking of one of the Songs,
time.
e language for the first
' It is like the rest a Jacobite pro'he Peril of Britain,' it says,
of the enslaved and
ction, breathing forth the burning soul
indered Irishman, wrapped in his maddening dreams of liberation
" ibid.
d vengeance.'

We

'

Songs publislued by Mr. Daly,

we would

earnestly re.

the perusal of men of all classes those who can sympatl

sentiments expressed, and those who cannot those
y
understand the ancient language of our country, and those wh<)'
not ; all can derive from them instruction not elsewhere
attainal
and food for thought not otherwise readily acquired." if^.r/brrf

dependent.

" If we Wei-e to judge from the excellent arrangement

and
beautiful form
which this work before us is brought out, higl
creditable to the taste and enterprise of the writer
and publisher/
shall say .that the matter is worthy of the manner,
and the maifr
of the matter a rich Substance clothed
in rich garments; ev
Irishman should subscribe to the work, it is exceedingly
cheap."

Kerry Examiner.

"Among the 'Signs' which indicate the growing spirit

Nationality in Ireland, not the least worthy of note
is the pttblicati
of various relics of ancient Irish Poetry.
have before US'
series 0 'Penny Numbers,' of old
Irish Ballads> collect^ *
Mr. John Daly of Kjlkenny.and furnished with interlinear
tramsl

We

tions, for ju^pc^tiGjr^

EDWAiLD^WAfs^,
to the

witli

ivhjois,

Natnm Newspaper.

an English metrical version hw

we believe, one

desirous to acquire a knowledge

of the poetical coutribiito

a valuable help to persoE
of the Irish LanguaRe,"-,)TO '

Dot

They form

rg-us.

'

We sincerely

wish every success to Mr. Daly's creditable effbi

growing spirit of Nationality, by giving us a
collectioi
our vernacular tongue, which
is not dead but speaketh
notwi hstanding the efforts of foreign tyrannv
to extinguish
altogether.
The bongs ar^, on the whole, excellent, and affoi
satisfactory evidence to the facility with which
the Irish Languaa
can be brought into poetical or musical composition.
The translatioi
are good ; and the historical expositions and
illustrative notes, at cm
entertaining and instructive." C/ironicZe and
Munster
'

to sustain the

of Songs

'

Advertiser.

We have so

often expressed our approbation of

the manner
" P^';!^''ty''^"'^'^ in getting out the admirable Irish Song
\
n
collected by Mr. Daly, perform their
respective duties, that we nee
now scarcely repeat it. In justice to Mr. Walsh, the
'[

poetical tranj

ator, however, we feel bound to say

that, in the lasf number W
have received, he affords one more convincing
proof ofva^gflmu
equal if not superior to his original, and
this is no meaii praise
rhe Sopg commenced in the previous number,
under the title o
Captivity of the Gael'-though for brevity's
sake, and ?or diiferer

continued in the present, a

'^^'
w^Si -P s'"^^-'"i^f"""',^"'-''
Ml. W^lsh
version fully realises the highest anticipations
we couh
form frointhe.hjppiest and most vigorous of
his foregoing efforts."Wexford Independent.
^:

to

Gentlemen requiring rare Works on Ireland,

or hiivi%.,svJ
d.spose.9f, w^l hnd the covers of this
publication amoste^^lW

medium

Qr.A(tertising.

Terms

will be

the san,e as the pihei

PABtli,

iim

IRISH JACOBITE POETRY;

v n

II

is'i

mI'h

.\]

M,;

:-'!';:

vr!\

j-

;.

<

*1'!,;..

BY joi:n da.v

METlUCAl

bA

i)A 0|lce,

bA

]^DA)5ce,

Mf b-]onA)

Vi',i;s()\s

A]c-

b^

;y

I/A rAp-,\6

IHWARD WlLSll

nj-bjifj bj-5a]b

]'i)Ar5U\ii)e |tA0<\i|ieAc5

'r TjlAf A^pneAC

rbAlU^Sce

K]i

Dor)CA6 C.or

5-]:oTi-])A]Tbb'
u<x '2D,^r7;Ari)?).

rilE IRIS1[ LANCaJAr.l

iibke the jargon of our Saxon foe,
On raptur'd ear it piours its copious flow
Most feeling, milO, polite, and polish't] tonani
I

i;i,i

'""Iv .SELLERS.

(^

gAOTf-Uo^ce.,

CONTEJTS.
The Expected

of

"SjobA

Air

Ireland;

Page,

'civ'&

65

bAlUic"
T)lleA6

fo

SA]tUr.

Xl\%

6^05^1)

"bforii? ^uAct^Ab"

Tua&,

|io

...

...

cai^.
...

Keturn of Prince Charles (Translation) Air

" bfufit) Z.ua|ia6"
...
...
...
?Vt)

Seoc.

6'55<\t)

Huxn,

|io at)

...

...

The

...
Lullaby, ( Translation) Original Air
Biographical Sketch of William Heffernan, (U|l-

l]An)

DaU)

CAO]i)e

a Munster Poet of the last century

t)A \)'5^o\Qey\.

Ujll^Ari)

DaU,

roi_ SeivsAD b>T6e"

Seiv5Ao tDuie, (Translation)
'be

x)-]\-\r)

'be

t)'i|ii^

UA.1II-5UIC

UilliATt)

f.

A9

OaU,

|i CAT)

TjA

...

UjUjAn^ OaU.

!"
Toi) " 2J)AUAi5e beA3
The Voice of Joy (^ 2>aw/azowJ
l-1|ll|An) DaU A5U]- Ai) Civiliuiit, To^

80
81

92

cad.

]to

...

97

...

104

...

105

catj.

...

...

106

...

...

107

"buAcAiU
...

...

110

the Tailor ( Translation)

...

Ill

n}-b fA ginjlec"

The Bard and

73

96
...

(Translation)
^ojbijfi'.

ft

72

...

Gentlemen vjho may have in their possession, or could easily procure]

copies of songs, elegies, or metrical compositions of any kind, which'
they may wish to see in print, will confer a signal favour on the Editor,
arJd aid in

an important national labour by communicating them. The

contributor will be publicly acknowledged, and he
a copy of the number in which the communication
Those who may not have an opportunity of sending direct to

name of every such

shall be entitled to

appears.
the Editor,

to

may forward

their

communications

to the Publisher.

*^* Editors of Papers, who may notice these Songs, are requested,
send copies of the Paper direct to the Editor.

65.

THE EXPECTED OF IRELAND.

Air " Sheeda had vallet."

By a green-margin'd stream, at evening,
(Poets are

wont

roaming

to be

stray'd

O'er the dew-sprinkled sward came tripping a maid

Whose charms gave

'

;)
I

through the gloaming.

light

'

Air-lifted

and light sped the beautiful

sprite,

Bearing joy to ray breast overladen.

I

thought, by

my

fay,

no earth-tainted clay

From Adam had moulded

Her long flowing

the maiden!

hair swept her ankle of white,

Golden-ting'd, ringleted, braided

tresses, before whose rich light
Proud Jason's fam'd treasure had faded
she was the fairest, the brightest, the

Odorous

The gentlest,
The tunefullest,
For poet

rarest,

the simplest, the mildest,

sweetest, the noblest, the meetest

in vision the wildest

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do 5eir)eA6
tVas conceived

a-\\i

caIat)

on

earth

At)

the

vcuAi|te,
heroine

3a CAbA|t|*AC

li 50 b^lcAib A C|iAob-^olc
closely with her to ankles her branchy-locks (flowing locks)

>o

^acaUac

iJiArbAC

&vaUa

Curled

brilliant

plaited

bA

OA^ce ^ooA

T^ub le SAifse
More odorous than the treasure by valour
At)

boi) 3|t]5
to

Greece

Cuj

caIuja ii)ac )a|*oi) uAibfiicc

Brought mighty son Jason haughty
^1* ^ye bA
5A|*bA bA
bA f i)|*bA
fnujoce
Tis she was ingenious was well featured was comely
bA dice bA A^ce bA uAi^-le
Was well bred was cheerful was noble

bA
Was
bA

bji)e
bA blA]*bA. bA cltf&e bA ci)eAfbA
melodious was tasteful was active was meek
fuijce bo ATI eAjtCA]* Att)
cuAitbA^b.
Best formed of all I beheld in my sojournings.

The

present Song was supplied by C. M'Sweeny, Esq. author of

Irish."
Another copy appears in Mr. Michael

"Songs of the

O'SuUivan's collection.

10

.^

66

hjdi

w^U tye^Y c^oh

^ift

p^th^n.novT:

cUor

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
blender

Lomely

pure

mild to

Do

Or

rluAijce

brightness of the swan

'^o riormA A5U,.

Vie.ng
and

Xm/

m her

hosts

with

A5 CAirmeffic
contending

n^t a!ljlt:S
ci 'juot-ea To
to

a place

her forehead (face)

countenance bright discreet

ceAls le s^vicib
1 hat pierced with arro\ys

The

behold

(myriads)

shade in flu'h'Jwgated)
fot^A 5ftu<x6,M
in her cheeks

"^^^'"^
titW
either ^f'f
of them respect

face

to

depose

Vst)

'^^

31-b.^

or

esteem

67
Her

ample forehead

mild,

fair to behold,

v.-as

Beautiful, polish'd, and tender

ripe eye beneath the arched

Her

brow

roU'd,

arrowy splendor
The swan's virgin snows, and the hue of the rose,
In her soft, peachy cheek, were contending
Darting

its

white rules alone now red holds the throne

And now in rare beauty they're blending

Now

Her bosom

of white, her waist of delight.

Ne'er glow'd to the clasp of a lover

From her

hair-wreathed crown to her glancing foot down,

She triumphs

all rivals

over

Her race and her name, her ancestral fame,

Her heroes, for valour's proud duty,
Her history's pages, the laws of her sages,
I question the flowing-hair'd beauty.

INTERLllSJEAll
.^vv

TRANSLATION.

a nj^mA A5ur ^ ^^\^

Ajuf bA 5A|i
bright and so pointed her breasts and her teeth

c<xilce

3o

iXjur A |-eAT)5A. copp

i-eim D^ti ctiuAiUeACC
And her slender person tranquil not polluted

Her person

altogether from head

^AU

eA]-bA

Without

loss

TlOUAItt)

Ajur

I ask

and

5A17

biti)

to grass (ground)

5AC

buA

without blemish each victory

fius

won

A blOHAi) A5Ur A })^Vr\^

A]C]n)
entreat her home and her name

A CAjtAlb ASUI* A CAblAC&

Her ancestors her friends and her race
'^

U
Her

Oe
Of

cine

punxeAf)
tribe

A bliTJce A5tir a iteAbAi'

peAttAf)
A
her inheritance her laws and her statutes

bjiuiDseAll
(the)

maid

(of)

da

t^c^]\x)

yoXz ubuAlUc.

the flowing locks

curling.

SPI

68

INTERUNEAR TRANSLATION.
Answer thou me are you the

Of

the

city

all

over made

fair^one

from

ashes

(dust)

0X1^

bA^ut,eAn,uTl pe^Tts a bruAjts^x^,

Vigorous

as ruined

warlike in contention
in

Emania

on

protecting

her friends

69
" Less fair

was the Beauty the Phrygian boy

Had stolen from Menelaus' bower,

For whom gallant heroes contended with Troy,
Till flames

The

wrapt

its

ultimate tower.

bosom'd maid in Emania betray'd

fair

By wiles
And bright

of a treacherous foeman,

ones that long rais'd the rapture of song.

Should yield to thee, beautiful woman

" Alas

!"

that the lover his love should not know,

Though sorrow her beauty faded

Forlorn,

wander, o'er-burden'd with woe,

Swayless, unhonoured, unaided

Poor, shackled, and prone 'neath the tyrant

While sharp lash and goad ever rend me

And

brave hearts are

Who'd pour

still

groan,

(they died on the

hill,)

their last life to defend me."

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
CAjtA
larling

mo lib
my bosom

ceAc&<\|t

be

A^cne

known

6uic njQ
you me

to

Iuaoa^I* nje
these you mentioned me

At) n)b]t) |-eo

of the

ot neither

i)f

(heart) not

all

le |:<\&a
c^ bpiij
io ]'eAcrr)^]i\e fCjiAe
a forlorn wanderer a long time in pain
it

5Ar) 5|iA&ArT) 5AI)

ithout esteem without

5<\r)
fuAntceAf
iiitT)
sway without merriment

5<vt)
ceAr)Ai* aid ^ceAb ^-^uy ah) 3Sn^<^^
cif-be
lacerated
ithout treasure without favour devoured and

5Ar)

rv]oy^c^}X
Spitefully

^5
by

ad uAbAijt
Saxons the haughty

^^l-l'^^ll^

5AI)
5AI)
CAireA
ctnje
"u5 n)]\\^6 A5ur n)A]*lA
ought ruin and disrespect without dignity without restitution
rt)Attbi\6

inislxment

A5Uf rs^Nlpe

Ajii 1170

cAbUcb.

my

followers

and dispersion on

(lleets.)

'

70

^m i^jue^t, n^ r^,,^^c ^nt bunie cum c^e.

ttiujf,

biolUjtte, re^ratti^c, roj)e.i)t,^,

Ovme
fc>

lUc^r le nmpp^m t>o f^rfiv;!,

cum ^^lUju bo cu^ftb^c.

t>o

z^

re^tc4tf)^j

clif be

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
lAbrb<vit

\^^^^^^

,^r

lis with lances destructive

CfieAUrbAc

cfieui)

Warlike

mighty

CAIt|tA,i;5

^5

to

S^AjpeAb

6<xn7

Uispel

my

nuicpjo iM
Fly will the

^r

numberless

furious

a bruA|i5A]n
in

conflict

KAOt AH) iD

Approachmg-

[[

pTt^vrSA^JAC >-jtAocb^

my

^^cn)e bo

Aij

aid the

tribe

bAupAb

will

give

piu A5UI- puArsA^lc

pains and
release

0<xD<vi,t Atft TDtpe iot)A

rjscAlcAib
Saxon with fury and insanity

lOHAb

r)^

bpUcA bo bA

1-rom habitation of the chieftains

most

uAtrle
noble

PftAr5Ai)AC, inflockii.
^\"- This
-'"^ word
"^i' 1
I have substituted fro
V^W-'J''
Gaehc
Dictionary published by the
Highland Society, fi
PltAp5O0AC, piiArsODAC, which appear in every
version of th
bong I have yet seen.

1,^
the

'

NuA^Uic,

iL?v

/Ti

copy; appeals,

.\

./7

^''^''''

Ar,,^^-/e,

^^"^^-

m O Sulhvan'y

brotlicr bard to

collection.

whom

tliis

Sc

imperfect version of Nagl

71
"

Lance-bearing warriors numberless, bold,

Death-dealing in hour of danger,

Shall burst, in red battle, the fetters that hold

Our

When

limbs for the Saxon stranger

the national sword sweeps that tyrant abhorr'd

From

And

the halls whence our chiefs were driven.

the chieftains returning, for fierce conflict burning.

Shall raise our proud glory to heaven

!"

Go, lead o'er the land a white-bosom'd band,

Proclaiming thy advent regal,

And

bring the fair dames to thy true

Sweet bard of the line of Nagle

James,

lover,

His heavenly songs speak thy glory and wrongs,

Thy

hate of the false Saxon's power,

Or should

beauty's bright

He charms

wing hover mute

o'er the string,

the dear bird to his bower

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
^jlleA
curt) caca
VA i^eAbAC Ajfi bu^lle
n return of the heroes maddened (eager) for battle

ad not single

CAb 5eAl
orty bright

my sway

charmer
niv

,\iX

nd dont

let

beAitrtjAb
forget

bo

sIaoa co^x
calling

eA|*5Ant

10

bloomed of the prime

pfiiri)

feAfAmAc

Stout

uy

nd

SAnjvf

fl^ocb NUA65IAIC
of Nagles

stock

feA|icArbu)l

j-oiijeAtjbA

le

receives with

civ cl]|*be curt)

is

curt)

affectionate

blA|*bA blecb 6uAr)CAc

sweet
kind
poetical

bo 51aca^*

]X)e

man who

AbA^t)

foot of a rivulet to

ripling persevering well-tempered

Le<MT)A]l

this

leAC
uAim
from me with you

>o

ollAi]t

moment

b^c
jao pAfce A||t a bCAob
nymphs without nought on their side

tT)A1*5<\.lAlCC l&)51tD

at

active

to

H)vnt|iAip bo f-Atbuil
caresses your equal

bAllA]c bo
wallet

to

cuA^bAC
search (develope)

James

72

%i t>zn)Y 6]t)ce,

50

Utti 'ioT)f^it6e

r)-^^o|t^

|*iit) ^)|t

ceo

-^eol

U cil3 ^it^ f^t> 'D^ bttcUoj,

t>^ CIVJ)

Y ^^ f

?>4|t xy\x\xcz %V\V)V)

%' fcejt)

54T)

tti4|t

vtr)v?c,

4^

t)4^4t) rp6)|tc

C4)lc VjA

t?jt)

cl

it) 4.

V)-t>l\]t c'joft,

^o v^z-d 4 ^-coijt

Wil|t t5l4t)e4^ le cjle

^ 6|*.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
awhile

Alone

bcuTi*

Early

(in the)

Le AH) cAob
By my side

walking

was

ofe A

i)5AO|iCA.

ceo

night in

a valley

misty

5u|t oeAitCA]* |:|oi3|tui5uin

that I beheld a fair queen

Uft) ioi)]-A|e

50 x^]^

Approaching me

mildly

'^]V' V^oi
with speed

?V cib ^]\i pAb t)A bclAO|

hair altogether in buckles

Her

U5

cAbAiitc rfor

Reaching

down

<^1T^

T5^T^

adorned

^*^^

iji

like

gold

'5o ctiAobAc CAf&A civrbAii' bv?6e

edge
yellow
In ringlets twisted

Ma

pr)|*Ai6ft

In

bands

30 bAl A bfi5
to meet her shoes (bAl, mouth.)

73

RETURN OF PRINCE CHARLES.

Ail

^'Binsheen Luachra."

Alone as

By

{Bunch of Rushes.)

was roaming,

misty vale of beauty green,

amid the gloaming

I spied,

Approaching, a

fair

young queen

And as she mov'd in lightness,

Her wreathed ringlets' flaxen flow.
Swept

o'er

her foot of whiteness.

Like gold wreaths on virgin snow

She mov'd, a beauteous maiden,

With mild grace and modest mien,

And

blue eye laughter-laden,

Like dew-drop on rose-bud seen

And cheek of peachy splendour,

And chalk-white teeth of stainless
And form of beauty slender,

hue,

That clasp of lover never knew

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

bA

ri)A0|i6A

n)A.-\\eA.c

Gentle

bA

beautiful

A5U]1
she and

ciu|r)

Silent

bA

CAOrt)

Kind
2t)Ati

Like

U
Her

hts x^\vi)

mild

jlji)

n7A|t

ffillC

^3ir

And

stain

doing

cAilc

teeth like chalk

^Al)

cl6

her features

Aj b<xnA6 fpjitc

dew bright

Without

A beAjtc A5U]* A fu^l 5tt5

her eye
and her eye mirthful

6ttcc

&i&

n7V]t)ce

well-bred she

sport

t)A t)blir
(of)

the

close

cjoft

combs (honeycombs)

bj 50 TJ&ACA A 5Cirt
were
neatly
arranged

b<^oicoiip

her bright person

"Nivii

blcAieAT!;

Not

pressed

feArsAijt rbAc n^jAc

pure
cheerful tranquil

le cfle
p|-.
by a spouse yet.

74

S ^_bejim bUrt)^, bu^^c,

bnl
Ce^t)f4)e r)p ob^ mom.

O^m

lotnvime

4t> J40t,

^ooxx ^itome

bit)

'D^'t) rlt5 ?

cft^t)

<t)|t eift,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATIOJ.

Are

hemes

Na

and

(red)

3f,^

,^j,j

In her eountenance
smooth

Her

forehead broad

snow (white) in\Xn'c'on'stant

bA rh^OrtA moAmuil
gentle

mUd

fresh I proclaim

5At)

rmlC

puii3

Without

stain

any
J'

l)A

A0I A

30

rADrijAlt
|-r<,c
nronitinuQ
r...
/
propitious
prosperous
(sumptuous)

UJaU blue

violently

in love

who

CAOIt)

blender her brow close mild

' I cannot
ascertain
the poet alludes to

'

the

"

fair v^'

%o,pe dauThte"
with r,w 'll

-luring

'%''"''^

a"^"""'"' who
I'SSeime,

,Lti,nehewa'stu.i''relL::'orr";
an heroine who resided
in Scotl n
buf

''

,f

fell

f"^

"'f 'f^
"'"'"
^3^15.

a^KpXrh::^*"-^'^"''"^^
-.hchKrc's;^:!Ls.'r/rlrr,^'r/;r-*''^^^^^^^

75
She mocks the vermiel cluster

That forms the quick beam's coroual

The

snow-flake's virgin lustre,

Ere on earth

No

its

whiteness

fall

swan, such neck revealing,

Has

No

o'er his

watery mirror hung

fairy strain soft-stealing,

Like music from her warbling tongue

"

beauty-clothed creature

What star thy dwelling-place

Or can I scan thy feature,

hath been?

Unscathed by thy beauty's sheen

Art thou the fair one burning

With

fiercest love, that burst

her bower,

IXTERLI>^EAR TRANSLATION.
^5u|* A leAbA]|i \>']h tDAit self
And her long neck like swan
iVjHj*

And

bejlfD
bUfbA
her small mouth sweet

Ce^vV^]^^

^'^V'

]*^l|tbeAt)

Fair one

Ca
Mo

driven

Ai) l&]tt

DAtt)

For me

it

(on lake)

buAAC

bj^
winning melodious

rno|b.

vow.

CO^AfftA

Aft T-ciuftAieAj

is

fel

sailing

C|Uin CAOID
mild

affectionate silent

Whence

Or

obA

not refuse

Chaste

A^fi

A 3C|t)
afar

t>o y\ic

thy sort

A rbeAf 5Vfi bA ]Ot)CAO]b

expected that 'tis
safe

Ab 5A0|t t)a Ab l
approach you nigh or thy person

ior)fA^6e
to

T^t)
cu At) b|c cut; reA^tc Ajuf |io cttofbe
Art thou the nymph gave affection and secret of heart

Do
To

Cv

5^01^

Cuchullaln heroic

cftAt)

A bciit

was mighty

in pursuit

b|

7(3

50
^r)

t>l3-c|o'je^c le ^ill t)OT) i^poftc

ru

Dj|t)|e tfi-djve^c, bc, Bin,

W'T) tJj' le'it c^iUe^t) Cujt^i^li,

J^T) jon^-toi^ 4^ t>^t)^t> 'r) -pifi^

INTEBLIAEAtt TUAPJSIiATION.

t^juf A

And her

cile ceA|tc juit ^aj rj

spouse just did leave she

5o

btibcrto|6eAc le 3iU bo ad j-pofic.

Dismal-hearted to yield to the sport.

^t) cu D^iiibjie
Art thou Deirdre

Oo
Whose

rT?A]reAC
b
bfi)
blooming- mouth melodious

c]5 bo pft]TT) DA le^Af?

cfiv
root
blood sprang of
of heroes

MuAifi C|tAOCA ]:l.^t A5U|* Ttot) Hfj;

^\'hen conquered chiefs and Fionn King

The

lady mentioned here by the poet

is

blivrnAib, daughter u

the governor of the Isle of Man, who surpassed all the women
her time in exquisite figure and beauty ; and though obtained as
prize by CufiAii^b 2I3ac Dau>, 011 account of the assistance h

rendered the heroes of the Red Branch in plundering the island, and
the dire contest he had with Cuchnllainn. afterwards on i)er accountjwhen he tied him neck and heels and left him shackled like a captive after cutting off his hair with his sword ; yet her attachmeni
so warm towards CvcbiiU<V|r), that she contrived the following
stratagem to enable him to obtain her.
She persuaded CufiiMTjb, that he ought to erect a palace for him
self that should excel all the royal palaces in the kingdom, and that
he might do so by sending the ClAonA De^5A to gather and col-

was

lect all the large

Her reason

upright stones in the kingilom

for this was. that the

to

form

this palace.

CIa)a DevtA might be dispersed

77
And left her lone one mourning,
To share Cuchullin's blissful hour

r"

Or Deirdre, beauteous rare one,

The curse of Ullad's land of grief,
Where for the fatal fair one
Were strewn, in battle, king and chief ?
Or left the great Mac Dary

"

Beside his recent fortress low

Or

laid

Low

green Erin weary.

chain'd beneath oppression's blow ?"

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
hub
cito^eACc A}) i5ioi)
By dismal heart rending in violence

Mo

i\r)

Or

the

h^]t

le

5leo
of battle

CAjUeA

A\i

nymph by whom

slain

CupAtsb
flost)

|or)CAOib <\3 b<M)cs6 At)

Without reliance in making the
'Oai)

Curaigh

pojric

bank

fp^fibeAf) cijeAf&A bAOieAc

'No

At)

Or

the fair

Na

xxx)i\]t>

In

vapour

woman
jtiii)

artificial

doubled

mild
A||i

on

Eitin mist.

distant parts of Ireland, far from

cuUai^ should come

i-med that the

to

ceo.

Gitte

carry

Cu|iA]5b) *' '^ ^^ *^**

off.
CculUiij, being in-

her

CIa)a Oei5A were scattered over the kingdom,

out privately, and soon arrived at a wood near the seat of

ufiAi5b, ^"'i sends secretly to inform t)likcr)Ai& of his arrival,
ts

body of troops along with him. She sends him word

would steal CufiA^rj)']* sword, and then as a sign of attack,
at she would spill a large vessel of new milk that was in the house
to the rivulet which flowed from the castle through the wood where
ucuHaiO was concealed. Having heard this, in a short time he
Tceived the stream white with the milk, when, sallying out, they
reed into the palace and slew CupAi5), vvho was alone and unraed, and took bli^cnAib away with them to Ulster. This river was
en called TlonjlAlf, from beingmade white with milk. Keating.
For the fate of bl^Ci;A|b see note at page 3'2 of this work
th a large

at she

78

"

Wi

^ot) t)0't>

^f b) me
Jo

^m

'S

T))

-d

13)t>

T)^ -fH^ot)

U^

leur) l)om

5^c cjm^J

r)-t))^jj ttio

le^-4t)

ct*^'<i<^^' ^Jt^

fj-t

]tvr) y)],

t^)Ytol t>u^it>e,

fei-cttoie^c

mo

'S

tiext|*

^^

^m

lej^r)

bvjjtjlj,

eol

!"

^^r) lv, pv;f),

t)1o13 r)^t^

J)U

t)or) ojtt)."

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

^f bATc

blftj-bA

^Tis well-bred tasteful

Said

she

bc
bi)
mouth melodious

mildly without doubt (deceit)

Mj Aot) bo Ab
1176^1*
A |tir) Tii)
Not one of thy expectation my dear me

^5uf biulcA]5im 50 bA5 bo aD

And

renounce

^y h'e]t
A nymph
5o

am

CAifbiol

bCicAibe

kingdoms

bi'ib-cfioioeAc

Dismal-hearted

^juf n)o
And my

CfieAccA
person

Un? f5A

Me

thy

travelled

rne
I

at once

f|tc
sort

a DbiA^j n)o leJAi)

after
my hero
A]ti

leACA A5 bv]iiib
by boors

spread

b(b
DA
rl^ob aid el.
soaking they are the nmrderers me sucking.

79
As strains by haunted fountain,
Thus broke her magic melody
" The frail ones thou'rt recounting-,
:

Sweet

no mates for

poet, are

me

O'er wilds I roam forsaken

To

find

my

royal love again

While woes my plaints awaken,

And tyrants draw my dearest vein

**

But Charles

is

returning,

With warriors brave, and flowing

To
To

ease

my

sail,

bosom's burning

free, in battle fierce, the

And when

!'

we've quell'd the

Gael

caitiffs

That made our holy priesthood

Green Erin's glorious natives

die,

Shall swell the song of triumph high

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATIOiV.
CA S|tU|*

rt7eA|i

Charles

;s

A^uf A

swift

and

o Ajt t)ioof Ai6e 50

us approaching in

b^AfSA

nd

my

awhile

will free

haste

5 cuiiApib le ^AobAft
heroes

in

fierce

cfiip

his troops

jjioie
valiant

Ai|t |*el

on

sail

afflictions

(sailing)

(ways)

5leo
combat

e^O
fibe cajica A5U]- b|titic
f*(0(i
ill be blowing tossing
and crushing constant
||i

bitAiib
boors

5ur

x)i

leui)

6v

bcpAOCA A^t

|:eo6

conquered

decayed (withered)

\]ow

3Ar)

1^5

li

y>Y,n

nd not woful with me weak without nimbleness much

c|iuA5 8iob r)Aft 5ill bo ai) fxb
ch wretch of them not obey to the order (creed)

<vc

so

%-$ \xp-thYit)e^m

Dej6

't)

At) AO)

yo

i:|t^t)

weK

cfie^t^^-ditt

5^10 lior)U4it)e, ^^t) fie^f t)'

W^ t)-t)uc^lt>e

Seoo

Do

^^

W)

^t)

coil

c6)\i

t>uB^c

fir),

-ii|t boftt)

50 f ^r)m4|t, fluaj^c

301I

^0 ^6il

?'*

at> fit^fe^jt 11)0^04.,

t^otf)4t)

emiMH u-uir umw

Seo
Seoc

eoSun

'r

vS ^ojl ^o foil ?
leir)13, ^ cutn^inr) y^ fci|t,
?Do cvj^ ce^t) cuih^t) ^0 toub^c f 401 b|t
Tu ^5 file *r)4 fl *Y t)0 cotti ^^n lot)
oil,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
T)v\
3ceAc& 5At) pvjcjn
Will be clergy of the lessons without mask (hinderanc

beib

clifi

U7; ^n)ii\6eAn) At)

aoxj rve^c c||i
Exulting
in the only son
just

^5"r isre ceA|tc 6iv hCAbAnic nof

And poets true
giving
down
5aC VlOi) IaO] 50 t)&ACA A Tjcl
Each

fair

bei6

AH

lay

neatly

cjiAC)

ro

in

form

^tie<^r3<'^11^

nB

bbAC

Will be the drove this conquered sorrowful us

^At)

lioncApe

Without liquors

jAr)

pAfbA

without feasts

on table

^5ur 5A0i6e]l 50 i-eAj-jAiit T^t^c

And
Gael
comfortable prosperous

Wa

T)bucAi&e

In their territories

50

T*Ai7n)A|t

happy

A]it btib

fluAi^AC.
populous.

ffocAC
tranquil

'

81
The priests in dark caves hiding,
Shall altars raise to heaven's

The

wake sweet music's

Again

shall

When

from our

We

King

bard, with vpolves abiding,

string-

fierce oppressors,

free the land of saint

and sage,

Green Erin's bold redressors

Shall hold their fathers' heritage!"

THE LULLABY*
Original Air.

Hush, baby mine, and weep no more,

Each gem thy regal fathers wore,
When Erin, Emerald Isle, was free.

Thy

poet sire bequeaths to thee

Hush, baby dear, and weep no more

Hush, baby mine,

My

my

heart-wrung sigh,

Thy

treasur'd store

my

grief,

tearful eye, thy hunger's

my

moan

groan,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
eoc cojl T)iv 50tI 50 ^il
lush dear not cry for awhile
3AT)
)o 5eAb<V]ti
''ou will get without

be<v|in7Ab

mistake

a bcA]f5e jac fe]b

as a treasure each jewel

)o b| A5
Ab fi^reAji |ifo56<v |trbAb
hat was with your ancestors kingly before you
^t)

lACsUir tuyx)
green Conn

iti^

Erin

A5U|-

isle

Seoc to]\.
Hush dear not
Seoco le^ob a
x)i>,

Hush

child

my

and

e5A^n
Eoghan

50^1 50 fjoil
cry awhile (yet)
curtji^ y^ fcofii
darling and treasure

2t3o

c]5

cAb

My

five

hundred

cvriA 50

woes

bvbAO

gloomy

|fAOi

bpr>

under sorrow

The " Lullaby" had its rise in the following circumstance

In one of these seasons of fixedness which would sometimes occur,
*
It

irregular intervals, in the life of the itinerant, potato-digging poet,

82

Do
Do

je^b^ljt
Jt)

<x)\x

a^ an

'o-zy)Y ^t) zU^-dl at) t)6it>,

t)-cttiuii

^-clvit)

^aoi coiweatl

a^ P'UM, ba i^xe^vz^'v) zYeo]\

'S an c-ri^^ t>o F)t> a^ ?0'ii.ois, jnit) t))on t
^tt)

i^caf t)0

bit)

Y ctteojt^.

Seoco

coil! ir.
j

Do Jeal3a)fi' an caojl eac, at)ftotn, 05,

Do ^eabaitt an f jtian Y ^^ l^Uaic 6i|V

ba eat) ai|t oit^,

^i^ tiua^at) Danajti Caif eall na n-0|tt).

a^

t>it>

^^lltje- ^ion,'

Seoco

to)l

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do

jeAbA^ll

You

will get

Do

b6

A5

Al|l

&C]f

at

first

AT) CttbA Ab
the apple in

Ai) br|tiu|x

That was with the three

61&
band

)o

tliy

a jcliiib

p<voi

cfrbeAb

in secret

under

care

A5 pAi) bA 5|teA)c<\ At) rfeojb

The staff that was had Pan most brilliant the jewel
cfieon
?5Uf At) c|*lAcbo bf A5 2t)Aoi]-5i)t) bjot) bo
And the rod that was had Moses made shelter tohimand guid'
Ui) fCAp bo

bj

"]

Owen Roe had

squatted down, as our transatlantic brethren woul^ term it, upon the verge of a bog in a rural district of the CountJ
Limerick.
When the many-tongued monster, whose wonderouj;
attributes Owen often rehearsed from the classic page of Virgil, tj
many a red-shinned student, had announced the poet's intention J
opening the stores of ancient literature in that locality, the Greelo
and-Latin-loving g-orioo?i- hailed with a joy which Irish striplin
alone can feel, and when felt can only properly express, the adveni
I(
of so much wit and learning to their favoured neighbourhood.
was but the work of an hour to raise a turf-built college, some sixty
feet long and twelve feet wide, furnished with ranges of seats cut
from the neighbouring bog, on which the numerous students might
extend their breechless shanks, and luxuriate in all that freedom of
motion so utterly unknown amona: the unhappy worshippers of wisdom at desks and forms. Here the poet continued to tear up ig
norance by the roots to the satisfaction of the entire parish, includin
the priest himself, when on an unfortunate day, entered one of th
frail divinities of Owen's adoration, in the shape of a fair youn
woman who had come to seek him from the last district in whicl
he had been " sereTiading." She approached the master of the hedgi
academy, and reproaching him as the author of her shame an(

ni give the

fruit the

Phrygian boy

Bestow'd on Venus, queen of Joy

The

And

staff of

Pan, the shepherd's god,

Moses' wonder-working rod.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

The

steed of golden housings rare

Bestrode by glorious Falvey Fair

The

chief

who

at the

Boyne did shroud,

In bloody wave, the sea-kings proud

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

INTERLINEAR TUANSLATIOPi.
o 5eAbA]|t At)
)u will get the
o
3u
16

as

cAOjl

eAc

slender steed

<sb]tort)

fleet

05
young

]\i
5eAbAttt At) ri^l^n ^^'^y ^^^ l<^UA1c
will get the reins and the saddle of gold

A5 Ti^ilbe

|:iot)

had Failvy

fair

bA

ceAT)

powerful

Aijt
cijt
in
pursuit

CAiJ-eAll l)A t)-0|l>.

5 |tUA5A OAt)A1It O
expelling
Danes from Cashell of the Orders.

gave one wild cry, and one enduring kiss to a beautiful babe
hich she had borne at her bosom, and now laid on her seducer's
The reader can conceive the
|iee, and departed in audible grief.
elings of the unfortunate father, exposed to the jibes of the boys
3es which no magisterial authority could restrain
and the certain
enunciation of Father John on the next Sunday. The Scholars
and anon as the day was wearing late, the
id an early dismissal
ijung pledge of Owen's licentious love, having missed his mamma,
t up a squalling which rung shrill and ominous through the deThe poet, to still its infantile clamour, administered
;rted hovel.
le extemporary stanzas of the Lullaby,, until the weeping mother,
rged by maternal affection, returned again to claim the child, and
d poor Owen of a heavy load of affliction.
'
Tiillbe Tjoi), a distinguished Irish Admiral, who gave battle
and rescued CeAllAO^n, king of Cashel, whom they
) the Danes,
ad taken prisoner, and tied with cords to the main- mast of one of
leir ships ; but after making great havoc amongst the Danes, he was
Before he took the command
t length overpowered and slain.
f the Munster fleet, he was successful in several engagements with
tie Danes, who at that time made great ravages in Munster.
irrow,

84

Do

Ijj

^z ^T^l^M,' ^^

t^l^t^ T)^

Seoo

oil

vlw^S^

].

loUjji Yl)de, c-dol cjtoic ceojl,

Seoo

Oo

ojl

TC.

Je^ljxt)]i loftijtat) f^iptifi' ^) i]t,

t^u^

l^j^ot) zp-dr) t)0')

Sjie)^

Seoo

^iljt bdftt)

oil

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do
You

5eAbAi|i clieAtb t<'^iiir a'> boitftcujl

i|t
will get
sword
hilt
illumined the
of gold

Do bj A5 bftiAn A5 Tti<xTv i)<v |*Iu5a

That was had Brian slaying the hosts
bo5A bj A5 2l3u|tCA6 At)
The bow had Murrough the

Ut)

tVj cAic CluAT)cA|ftb

In battle of Clontarf

A5

u|icat|i

aim

ti)5ifi

expert (great)

ctieA|*5Ai|t T)A bcjieoiD.

slaying
the mighty.

^
Tradition says that the sword di
bfilAi), Brian Boroimhe.
Brian, besides having a golden hilt, was so highly ornamented wit
precious stones, that its refulgence gave light to all around.
^ 2l3u]tcA, Murrough, Brian's son who was one of the mos

expert bowmen of his day, and made great havoc at the battle o:
Clontarf.
^|t&cu, Swift hound. Tradition states that this hound was ii
the possession of one of the kings of Cashel, and was so well trained
that it used to run from Cashel to Bunratty, and bring news of the
approach or landing of an enemy in the harbour.
j

''

85
Brian's golden-hilted sword of light,

That flashed despair on foeman's flight

And Murrough's fierce far-shooting bow
at Clontarf laid heroes low.

That

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

The

courier

From

hound that

tidings bore

Cashel to Bunratty's shore

The

eagle from the hill of song,

And

Skellig's

hawk, the

fierce

and strong.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

I'll

give besides the golden fleece

That Jason bore

The harp-sung
Cuchullin's

to glorious

Greece

steed that history boasts

mighty chief

of hosts

Hush, babv dear, &c. &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Aij
o CA]feAl 3a bcfieot)
C
cAiftJil
hound that journeyed from Cashel the heroes

le5Ar) ^A^cce but>fiAice t)a |*el

plain
Bunratty the sails (shipping)

n hero

c<\ol

^-leibe

]|t

jtoic

f ]*eAb<\c

hawk

5eAbAifi
will get
ut;

t)A

r^l^

of the chase

o
"^
-^5*^1^5
from Skellig of the

lortiiiAO j-AiOb^ft

fleece

At)

tales.

|it

jAfor) cjieAD &or) '5\i^]'^ a]\i bftD

cjtt)

d the mighty

it

ad

t*5el.

the gold

rich

ught by Jason mighty to

I]*

ceoil

mountain slender plover melodious

^le

Greece on board (shipboard)

n7eA|i cunj^y^c
steed prancing swift powerful

eAc

CUCA1P5

05
young

bf A5 CcuUat) ceA0uit|tA6 i)a fluA5A.

was had Cuchullain chieftain of the hosts.

86

Do ie^d^\t Yle^i'd ^Kll,

b^

c^ltti^

t)-^l

OMM^illt, t)0 Vup^Y^t) le rjieom,

fp^i Je^l M^iOIS, cftxioib r)^ |*lU4^
Seoo oil 10.

jt)e

'S

Clo^^t) cutWT)c^

OSJUITI
Seoo

po
'S

Je^B^itt

leir)13 iii^|t

COhilUO u^r^l,

oil! ic.

cuille leo

o^

U4iilj|e^c,

Beoto

Do ^e^d-d)]^ ^41)

ttioift,

ojl

')

c-^e

10.

nie4ttb^U^4|t|i4i ^ac |*ec

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do
You

5eAbAi|t |*leA5A ^|cill

b^ c<\lrt)A
will get
spear of Achilles powerful

Usm*
And

Tjo

javelin

Cot)Aill

battle

moill a&
i&
Fionas without delay in your hand

c\iA0]yeA6

B\be

a r)^{eo
in

50

bA

Armour Conall who was

^ai)

u|ifA6 le cjieoit)
intrepid with heroes

^5u|- tSlAic 5eAl Maoii*

And

Go
You

shield bright

o cfiAOjb t)a ]*Iua5a.

Naisi from branch the hosts.

5eAbAi|t clibeATT) Tj^ bA Ifori^cA a x)-^\eo

will get
sword
Fionn so keen in battle

U3ur
And

Ar)

5A1C bf A3 OiAtitDui& cft^Aic

the spear was had

Clo5Ab
Helmet

cu|tAt)CA
heroic

Dermot

Orsu^ft n)\\i
Osgar
great

t)A le5At)
chief the heroes

87
His spear who wrought great Hector's

fall,

The mighty javelin of Fingal,

The coat of mail that Connal wore.
The shield that Naois in battle bore.
Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

Fingal's swift sword of death and fear,

And

Diarraid's host-compelling spear.

The helm

When

that guarded Oscar's head,

fierce

Mac Treoin beneath him

bled.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

Son of old

chiefs

to thee is

due

The gift Aoife gave her champion true.

Which seal'd for aye Ferdia's doom,

And gave young Conlaoch

to the tomb.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

Nor shall it be ungiven, unsung.

The mantle dark of Dulaing young.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
frA|cce

plain

ir><\c
T]x)e cfiAoc
Cite|D.
of the Fenians subdued son of Treoin.

t)A

f^e^h^]]}

A le]nb

will get

child

tt)A]t

as

cuiUe

le

A17

Cfeoib

addition with them the jewel

c'\nj )o at) leos*!)

5 ?Votpe )o|f 5<vc
after each dignity to the
hero
Aoife

re

A\i

rijAijib

^hich he slew
iif

TeA^i&iAJA bA 6i<\t) a bc|fi

in pursuit
Ferdia
severe

CoIjIaoc ua]*aI uAibfteAC 03.

noble
haughty young.

d Conlaoch

5AU rt)eA|xbAU
5eAbAiii
will get without
mistake

|;A|iftA]6

5AC

ye\t3

besides

each

gem

nbjtAC bubjiAO
DblAit)5
6^5
ilantle
dark
of Dubhlaing young

88

'S

Uoc

^t^ i^lofi-cvjii

30 ^^or) ^

Seoco

Do

%e-dXf-d)\i

50

b^)

Do

^e^b^Jit

5loir)e

Do

T).4

ito^^m

Tft^oj, z^t) z]w, ^^t) c|ieoitK

Seo o)l! ic.
t)^t) ^)\i

t)0'T) frlor)

imt)e^Y opz ^f

f o-^tf^vjl

bftio^tti^it,

z^pr\i^mier^c T^eV^er ^t) f^llulor) 63,

lupiren uoc v^

tuti

t)-t>)te a)\ boftt).

Seoo

Do

w6t)^h'd]\,

r-dji*,

tti),

t)-ctteoiji.

oil! ic.

to)l

je^b^jjt cvlle Dft 1t)yje^|*

Do it)^c c^ltn^ Ul
?^^|t

b^

iiir)ic

4t)

^of

^ t))O)

t^UJtjMe-,

fi^T) ^o

ic.

t)j^i) 'r)4

Seoco

ojl

A)\i uoiji,

e^B^i^.

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do

eileA

That concealed

jnir

<x

his shape

5c5rb5fiAc ]*Iua5a
nigh
to hosts

^5u|* e A5 T-foficu^it Uod 50 |:aod

6iv
&cfte|ft.
And he depriving heroes feebly of their might.

Do
You

jeAbAi]!
will get

]tj05Aii)

rbiD

cAif rbAmuil
modest

a princess smooth soft

AiltJe
SHAO]
^S^r ^r cAo^ne ft)uA5A
mild
So handsome countenance and so
visage

U|*

W'A

AD

Than the

3o

ItllceAl) ^ltjf)
mirthful
star

CU5

P|t]AmA5U|*A fduAJA

brought by Priam and his hosts

To

5Ar)
bAt) t)A CtiAOi
5A0 cjteoift.
cfrt)
Troy without dread without guide.
plain of

Do

5eAbAiti

You

will

i)a6

ijA^fi

get honour not

ri^uioeAf

boasted

o|tc

pf

on you yet

89
That viewless

Whole

left

who

the chief

laid

hosts beneath his battle-blade.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

And

eke a maid of modest mien,

Of charms beyond the Spartan queen,

Whose awful, soul-subduing charms
Mov'd Priam

to

dare a world in arms

Hush, baby dear, &c, &c.

For thee

shall sparkle, in

my

lays.

Rich nectar from young Hebe's vase,

Who

fiU'd the cup,

For Jove amid the

in heav'n's abodes.
feast of

Gods

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

Another boon

Mac

grace thy hand,

shall

Duivne's life-protecting brand,

Great Aongus'

Pursued

gift,

when Fenian

his path with shaft

foe

and bow.

Hush, baby dear, &c. &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
5loiT)e &0 AT) bfjoo bfo b|ti05ri7Afi
Glass of the wine was powerful

Do

|-5<vrt)U]l

sumptuous

CA^<\it)5eA \)ehe ax) itilcpi) 05

star
young
Supplied
by Hebe the

Curt) )u|>ice|v Iaoc

To

Do
You

r)&]ce a]\k bfib

x)a,
Jupiter hero of the deities
on table

se^bA^ia cuille t)^\i

)r)f]6ec^x
will get
more not mentioned by

^t)

^A]b CU5 Uoi)5ut*

The

spear gave

Do
To

Aongus

rtjAC c<\lrt)<\ u]

son mighty

V^V

me

yet

cjiAT) ion<v 6]h

valiant in his hand

Du^bije

O Duinn

.-

A^t
ci|t
protecting him from pursuers
6iv ot)

20Afi bA rt)ir)|C At) T|AT) 50 b]At) ior)A 6eoi5

As frequently the Fenians severe after him (in pursuit)
13

90

Do

f^U U4W, for),

Je^b^tjt^

Y ^^o)t^,

'S at>4c 'r)4 t)^ice b^ tti4i|*e o t\ieo)t)

^ct) 6 am t>o tf)v,tiie cu^^tti -f^^t) ftot),

Seoco ojl r} 301I 30 -jil ?

Seoco lemb, ^ cutti^in v^ Tz6)p,
Wo cv;^ ce^it) cit^^t) ^o Dub^c ^40j ^ftot)
'Cn -<v^ Y)le Via, ynX Y t)0 com ^^t) tot)
!

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Do
You

jeAbAijt t*All
uA^ti)
^fot) A5tt|* beo]|t
will get dainties from me wine and
beer

?V3uf A&Ac looA t)Aice bA ri)A]fe 60 citeon)

And raiment witb them befitting a chief
Ut> o

But

Mi
Not

as

c\xx}
I

feo

see your

5eAll|:At)
will I

rbuittje

mamma
uA^ti)

promise from

me

c5An)
to

t>\x\z

to

|*Ar)

me on
you

ti5&

the road

buA^f
gift

i)iv

t*eo|&.

or

jewel.

91
And
And
But

dainty rich and beoir

I'll

bring,

raiment meet for chief and king

and song shall yield to joy

Thy mother comes to greet her boy

gift

Hush, baby dear, and weep no more,

Hush, baby mine,

My
Thy

my

heart- wrung sigh,

treasur'd store

my

grief,

tearful eye, thy hunger's

my groan,

moan

92

William Heffei-nan, more commonly known by the name of

U^UiAro OaU, was born at Shronehill, three miles west of
Tipperary, and flourished in the beginning of the eighteenth
He was of an ancient and respectable family, though
century.
placed in a low condition of life, which, added to his being
born blind, made him inherit largely those misfortunes to
which, it is said, the favourites of the muses are often subject.
He was the cotemporary of great names, though of very difHe was not less distinguished by the friendferent characters.
men whose memories like his
ship of Tuoray, and M'Donnell
own are embalmed in immortal verse than by his unmitigated
hostility to Damer the celebrated usurer, a name condemned
to the everlasting infamy that awaits the abuse of wealth and
power, when they are perverted to selfish and sordid purposes,

instead of being made subservient to the public good. This

man, the Rothschild of his time, on his first coming to this
country was accompanied by a colony from Scotland, brought
over for the double purpose of society and protection, but who
excited in the minds of the people those feelings usually provoked by the insolence of planters, and arising from the impression, that every such settlement is an unjust invasion of
the natural birthright of the original inhabitants, so frequently
and so forcibly denounced of late in the almost universal cry
of " Ireland for the Irish." These occasions were too tempting to allow the poet's fire to burn innocuously, and, accordingly, his most powerful invectives were directed against this
despoiler of the indigent and his Scotch retinue, who lived
and fattened on the patrimony of his ancestors, and gave no
return but insult and oppression.
It is to be lamented, that his great natural talents had not
the aid of early culture, and that a mind like his was not improved by education ; for how much soever it may have been
a question with the ancients, the judgment of mankind has
long since pronounced, that the praise of posterity does not
belong to the mere efforts of poetic inspiration, unless directed
and refined by the rules of literature and science. It may
seem strange, notwithstanding, that his compositions abound
with so many elegant sentiments and frequent allusions to
pagan mythology. But, besides that the language of nature
is not restricted to counti-y or clime, this is accounted for by
a tradition still common iu the place of his birth
that at
Latten, in his immediate vicinity, there was a classical school
conducted by a Valentine Roche, whither the blind wanderer
often found his way to listen with enraptured attention to those

93
sublime lessons of poetry and eloquence bequeathed to us by
the sages of Greece and Rome.
Of M'Donnell, surnamed Cliv^tAcl), he was the intimate and
bosom friend, by whom he was often visited, and to whose
bounty he was often indebted. Of their frequent contentions
in wit and poetry many anecdotes are recorded.
Of the former
the following conversation will afford an example
:

ClivnAC- Civ ^Aib

bAll ?

Clmo

UlUlATT).
Clv|t. ^r)

Ab aU

rbulUc

U|l.

CX)

bp-vfl

cu

Claragh.

t)<\U.

William.

ACV

<v

How

back are
you blind ?
far

CZar.

To my very poll.
How long are you blind?

50

Wil.

From head

Ab

Clar.

Are you always blind

Wil.

b^Ab

rno cjij

to foot.

hot).

^i) bpvfl

Clixji.

aU

C.

]ii<vrT)

Mj'l n)e jijArb

\}]\.

CUA cv fA

CliV|t.

Oa

Ujl.

at;.

am

not always
world.

ceAO|*Al) Clar. Being

cu be^c ?
n}'^eiv|]t bo bejp

T)^

peii||i

Wil.

such as you are

so

'tis

much the

were better

If it

be

in the

better.

would

so.

On another occasion, having undertaken for a wager to find

out Clii]tAcb on one of his visits to the neighbourhood, he
went about from house to house repeating these words
'S rni|*e At) ]:]le ceA^fA,
^cv ceAcb A 5-C]oi) ija i)bAoir)e

To which

ClicjtAcb replied

'S

y:\\e

cu b-^vfl b)teAll

Ai|t,

AD c-An7|*o b'oioce.
At another time coming suddenly on the blind man as he
was turning out manure, he addressed him in these beautiful
?Vciv 'n7U]5

lines

5AbAbAti t)A T'AOire bo bj '^^y^x) a 5-clivfi TbA,

Cfte^b Cati*]11 Cuific At) ^foijA, bo fioliiA^O 65At)

Civ'ji

'Na

^^5 oiDCA|t bA^jiA oIai5 l^ AOitje

To which
Civ'ft

5AD b|i5

the following extempore reply

5Aib

bfx]Ai)

biprbe

3-CAifn)eiitc luAit)
't) ceu|-bA

Mo
M

b-|:eicirr)fb At) pile liori)CA. b'f )0|i-^\?l |-eo S]tt)AiU,

At)

is

no

less elegant

le5At) bo cftAOCA
xx)o bpt)
A0(t)e

At) crt}|tAicc,

2t3u]icA6 bo leoAC |-luA]5ce nufi5riu]",

b-At)|tA0| bo c|5 le]f At) 'it]t) ua^^ a|* Gifie ?

Many

short distichs heard amongst the people bespeak his

poverty and his

afflictions,

such as

a ^-ChiUi^ '] n^'uiUi cjie'n) cc<v

n)]r)]c me a Laicioo A^fi u]|ieA]-bA b|t5<v
'S n)]j)ic rtje A SjxDAiU 50 )b<\c, 'f 50 bjttjAC
'S jiACAb A^ji bu]le ii?<vtx a 5-cloi|*|:e n)& corbti^s ?
'S
'S

n)]r)]c tije

At the period in which he lived, when the darkness of persecution overspread the land, and its sword was unsheathed
against all who adhered with devotional constancy to the faith
when the ignorance, which has been so often
of their fathers
made the subject of reproach against us, was created by penal
enactments, and the vengeance of the laws was sure to overtake those who sighed for the lost glories of their country, or
breathed sentiments of hope for her future liberty and independence ; it is not to be wondered at that of those qualified
by their talents for such an office, few were found so ambitious
of martyrdom as to undertake it.
It is otherwise difficult to
account for the scarcity of the compositions of this distinguished poet ; for the small number of them which have reached
us bear upon them evidently the impress of no ordinary mind.
Even Mr. Hardiman, the historian of Galway, states in his
" Irish Minstrelsy," that his Song of " ScixCA At) ri)A|i5A6,"

which

is

would alone rescue his

and stamp on him the name of poet.

published in that work,

memory from

oblivion,

also extant other pieces by him, which deserve no

His
less praise, and will be published in this collection.

There are

" Dialogue with David Cleary," a roving tailor, who

it

appears

led a frolicksome life, discovers an intimate acquaintance with

the history of his country, and abounds with elegant eulogies
on Irish valour through many a hard-fought field. His " La-

mentation of Eleanor Heffernan," a kinswoman, 1 knew to be

equally admired, though I have not seen it ; and his song of
"SeivJAt) bu|6e," which I first introduce to the reader under
the title of the " Lament of the Gael," will be recognised a
composition of much poetical talent, being a reply to another
of the same name which was rather popular with the opposite
party in his time. In it he speaks with enthusiasm of the
bards and heroes of antiquity, and inveighs against the Reformation and the " good Queen Bess" as the twin progeny of
Of his first essays there is one more popular
the same parent.
than the rest ^not for any intrinsic merit it possesses, but because it throws some light on the domestic circle of a man
whose life is much less known than it deserves I shall conclude
these quotations with it :

95
Se<vl A L^irtoi) b<vn), A^ny x&a\ a S|ii)a^II,
'S ye^l A njeilc b)t6r)A a n)-bAile /tov\iAO\ ;
3at) bo rbutnciji A5An) ac& CA65 'f WfiA,
'S r)i CAicnfseAi} le mA|t feo rbeilirt? ].

The

father of Greek poetry travelled through different

and celebrated in his inspired rhapsodies the names
of those who favoured him with their hospitality.
Without wishing to institute any further comparison between
an uneducated Bard and the Swan of Meonian verse, I shall
only observe, that the subject of this short notice also led an
itinerant life, though his excursions, far from comprehending
kingdoms, seldom extended beyond a circle of a few miles.
At one of those places frequented by him, the housekeeper
was less liberal than others, and, anxious to make her unkindness known to her master, on some occasion that he was reading, he took an opportunity of asking what advantage he derived from the use of spectacles ? To which the other made
answer, that small things viewed through them were much
" Well," said the poet, " if they possess such
increased.
virtue, I would feel obliged if you looked through them at this
morsel, which is much in need of being increased."
More than a century has passed away since the death of
Damer, as Dean Swift could write his epitaph :
nations,

" Know all mea by these presents,

By mortgage has subdued the body

that Death the Tamer,

of Damer," &c.

And

perhaps it is a century and a half since his Court at

Shronehill began to be built. Its history is a melancholy record of the vanity of ambition, and of the perishable nature
of every thing human, however magnificent. About seventy
years since, the work of dilapidation commenced the whole
structure was demolished to the ground, and its sculptured
Nothing
capitals and marble columns were sold for money.
now remains for the contemplation of the traveller or antiquary, but a range of offices, which, though in ruins, attests
The usurer's grave
the former splendor of the Court itself.
is shewn near the wall of the new-built Church, " without a

stone, a name," and the colony, which accompanied him, have

vanished, either by emigration, or intermarriage with the
Every thing that fired the poet's fancy, or roused his
natives.
passions, or filled his heart with indignant scorn of the miser
and his alien horde, has disappeared ; but the peasant's fame,
the smallest traits of his character, the most trivial incidents
of his life, and those rich and exuberant strains of Celtic
eloquence, which came with the force and copiousness of a
torrent upon his enemies, are remembered and recited by the
people as if they were the productions of yesterday.

96

b^

lift t)-^)|ttii

lit>tt)e^c

t)-r|tict)

VPt*

INTEULINEAR TRANSLATION.
2t)o

6<sii)fc

30

My

grief

that

bf6 Ajuii) 50

Was had
Dragons
7S.\i

Was

pjle

r)A

rbeACA

t)v|i

t)AijtTO

blAr&<v
sweet

bA

li&ri)eAc

so

famous

5AC beAftfA
each

verse

c|tic

Fail country

so hospitable not cowardly

Our arms

bA

A bTicjl

j-eAnri^Aji

so prosperous in

us

DttA5Aii)

T)&A3A]6 r)<v |:eA|t<tco|t) AO|-bA

perished the
aged
heroes

cuti)

Iaocau*

for

valour (slaughter)

bcTtiic ]-iof
in
story down
oil

that

bci^eA le belKlocb
came with effect

^
Fenius Farsa, king of
213 AC Al lie Set) Aft, Plain of Seiiar.
Scythia, being desirous of becoming skilled in the various languages
from
confusion
of tongues at the
that sprung before his tirae
the
Tower of Babel, dispatched at his own expense seventy-two persons
of learning to the several countries of the three parts of the world
at that time inhabited, and commanded them to remain abroad for
seven years, that each of them might learn the language of the
country.

97

SHANE BUL*
Air

" Shane Bui."

Alas for the records of ages afar,

The chiefs of our olden day's glory,

The shield of the stranger the valiant
The light of the Seanaclrui's story

in vvar-

When

billows of song

Pour'd their wild tide along,

And

minstrels'

gay

lays

might enthral thee

But our poets to-day

Have a new-fangled lay

They rhyme to the measure of Shane Bui

There's Greece and her glory, antiquity's star-

The Csesars of history's pages

The ancients that gather'd on far-fam'd Senaar,
Our guides through the gloom of past agesINTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Ujuf bA
And was

5fieAt)<M)<\]t

mirthful

XAotA]x ivji bpiv^sjoe

labour of our bards

Till

At) ^-AO^aI A^fl ACAtlAO C}l-\e

bartered the world for different deeds

And

not chaunted by any

Sutl mAlAj-lCA

ScA^rA^b
Stories

r)A '5it]5e

of

laws

cA]r)f]Oc

SAfA|iT &o bA

T3A

of the

Caesars

^VjUi- At) SAj-AjtAS lljeATjbA bf

And

John
le

Yellow.

b^lPiocb

Greece who would chaunt with

^5U|* jteAcbA^b

And

person but

5ib6

the multitude

learned

of

4v]tb

effect

5010?

high deeds

A1|l ti)ACA^]te

were on

plain

St)A(t
of Senar

^t) Aicrt)e CU5 f AOCA|t At) i|t^A5eAcb

antiquity
The tribe gave labour in

On their return to Scythia at the expiration of the seven years,

he went to the plain of Shenar, which, according to the book of
Dromsneachta, lies near the city of Athens, where all the youth of
the neighbouring nations assembled to be instructed in the languages.
VijiE Keating's Ireland, p. 225 ; alida\'s Trans. Dub. 1811.
* This Ballad seems to have been written in ridicule of the
rhymers of that day, with whom the air of Shajie Bui, was a
favourite vehicle of verse.

14

98

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

3Aif5e

T]x)e

t)<\

bf

fe^Ub 50

Or

the departure from Erin

U5ur
And

clokiJA

Lfit

Wj AiceAj*
Not joy

leo
to

truAifi

heroic

found

Ai)

them

made Dathi

AbAc

children of Lir

meib
all

]\]n)fiAC

uubounded

Valour of the Fenians was awhile

peAr)<M& I'At) c-fAo^ul

torment in the world

SeitJAt) biii6e.
3<^n
ri')
that without
John Yellow.

^
Daici. Dathy. Monarch of Ireland, A.D, 398, and last of
the Irish Pagan kings, was distinguished by the name of Dathy,
This prince received his death by
to signify his wonderful activity.
a thunder-bolt, as he was pursuing his conquests in Gaul, whither
he had carried his arms against the Romans with great success.
He died at the foot of the Alps, after coming off victorious in one

His army carried his body with

hundred and fifty battles.
them into Ireland, and interred it with great solemnity at l'oill5
r)A ni05, in Cruaghan, after he had governed the island for twentythree years.

death was a judgment for having violated the

and hermitage of Saint Firmin, tbe anchorite; who, according
book of Lencan, fol. 302, was a king, that having abdicated
his crown, devoted himself to God in solitude, and passed the
residue of his days in a turret, seventeen cubits high, at the foot of
It is said that his

cell

to the

the Alps.
^

L'.r

O'Flahekty's Ogyg. Vol.

ii.

p.

351.

The Legend

of the children of
has been since time immemorial in high repute, as one of the
tragic stories of the Irish," or the " Three Sorrows of StoryC\<>.ryx)\ l-ilt,

Children of Lir.

" Three
telling."

Their names were 'Uo,

TlonguAU, TfACftA, and

99
The

Fenians' high sway,

And the proud pahny day,

When Rome fled affrighted from Dalthi
Lir's off'spring of

wo

All forgotten I trow,

If

sung not in numbers of Shane Bui

The discord that brought Beney Briot to our shorcThe deeds of great Luigh the Long-handed,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION,
CU5
^1} cAii'mei|ic
h^\\)e o b|ieAC<sir) At) |'AO|tfrUic
hero
The contention brought Beine from Britain the

Oo

bA^f^e^vj

Surnamed

Coij.
their

It

cjtfTjeAcb

from

misrlit

of his

lvirb-SDfi)

hand deeds

appears that at the birth of the two latter, who were twins,
^ob died; and their father L]|i was persuaded to

mother

marry her sister ^io^fe, who, in consequence of the father's aifection

towards the children, became so enraged, that she brought the four
children to Lough Dearg, and sent them to bathe in the water,
where she touched them with a magic wand by which they were
immediately transformed into swans. By this spell she bound them
three hundred
to spend three hundred years on Lough Dearg,
years on the Irish channel,
and three hundred years on Jorruis
Doimhnon. On this subject we are favoured by some bard of the

period with the following stanza

CUi^A

Lfjv A 5-citocA]b eun,

213aIIa.c& Afji Ai) it)-beul tio Iua ;
Coi), fjAOItAO, T'lOt)5UAlA, \ Uo,
^^5 I'jt) 6ib AD b-CA]IA C1tUA5
!

Children of Lir in shape of birds.

Curse upon the mouth that pronounced;

Conn, Fiachra, Fionola, and Aedh,

There for you is the second sorrow
!

This lamentable tale is now preparing for the press with notes
and translation by a gentleman well qualified for the task. It will
be published uniform with the works of the Irish Archceological Society.
4 |3^r)e bnjor.
For the history of this chivalrous hero,
Keating's iRELANn, Voi.. ii. pp. yG3-4-5. Dub. 1841.

sec

100

ty-zpem-pp,
leij* ipo) ^^c tnr)^ o^,
^^T) 13|ti^ V5C )^c ;:^icr)e^tfi leo

^t) c^t) we^|*4t)

^e^lUim

'S

't)

melt)

|*ji),

r)4 tn-bewioi),

^r) ^if t)e le

'jt

f ^oji^

cm fm

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Cmfte<v feA]i-^\iy bubibeAc A3Uf a cAjtAib
Sent
Fergus black-toothed and his friends
'Uiy cftivjc

When

Do
Was

cuti)

6^5^

to

perish

5eAllA6 At) eifi^c o

at) iv^tb tt5
promised the reward from the high king

OAilleA Cuft5f*iuf a o-CeAtr>A]i r)A bcjtit) fri|t

lost
of the valiant men
Turgesius in
Temor

Ur) CAt) TTjeAi-Ab le\Y 615101) jac rnr)^ bfob

When supposed bj him ravish each maid of them

U5U]' jeAllAirt) 5Ar) b|i6i5

And I promise without lie

leo
^"1^ ^^<^ CA|ct)eArb
joyful
to them
you not

to

At) tD&tbrif)
all

that

TeAjl5Ut*

OubSlbeAC. Fergus

Black-toothed.

For the fate

of the Ferguses at the battle of Cri10!)A, where they fell by the

hand of Lu^AiS <Licri)pAb<x, see Keating, Vol. 11. pp. 268-69-70.

Cu|t5|*]Uf. Turgesius, the Danish tyrant who usurped the

sovereignty of Ireland, A.D. 866 ; and who inflicted the most exAfter reducing the country to
cessive cruelties on the Irish people.
the lowest state of vassalage, by rapine, plunder, and the sword,
this monster in human shape met an untimely death at the hands
'^

of Maolseachlain, king of Meath,

on whose daughter he cast an

101

When

Black-toothed Fergus lay bathed

That Eric the monarch demanded

in

gore

When

How

heaps of his slain

Taught Turgesius, the Dane,

fatal the wrath of the Ard-Righ
Go weave no sweet lay

Of green Erin's proud day,

Or measure your numbers to Shane Bui !

If heroes that perish'd at Clontarf of fame,

To gain their lov'd country's salvation

Or her who left Breifny to anguish and shame,
For Dermot the curse of his nation

INTERLINEAIi TRANSLATION.

Without

rhyming

some

on

John

Yellow.

'Sac A]! leA5Ab<x|i lAo|tA a sCluAijcA^jtb t)a n)h'e]n)yor)

heroes in
All that laid low
Clontarf
of the blows
?Vr)

The

civ]!)
y\r)
Aifbe le Att fAo^tAO o
feat by which freed from tribute us

?V5uf

Aft

CAiUeA

And

all

were

Do

cA^fbiol

TOtjA

lost after

t)

Did wander from

i5 y\^ ^^ 6eA|*5A t)<v b]ce

that
on account of the maiden

v)\)\i^\y:r)e

Brefny

le

rtj<\c

with son of

20^o|l

Maol

advanced period of his life. The particulars arc

related fully at pp. 99 to 108, of the second volume of Keating's
Ireland. Duh. 184.1.
7 The poet alludes to the celebrated battle of Clontarf, where the
heroic Brian Boroimhe put an end to Danish tyranny.
evil eye at a very

^ OeA|xbf:|t5uil, wife of Cf5eAfiijivr) ua UuAnac, king of

Brefny, who eloped with OfA|in)uib n)<xc 2t)u|tCA6, king of
Leinster, while her husband was on a pilgrimage to St. Patrick's
Purgatory, who, when he returned, and understood that she was
taken by force of arms, determined to be revenged on the king of
This event, which is fully related at p. 196, &c. vol. ii.
Leinster.
of Keating, first occasioned the arrival of the English in this
country, and to it we are indebted for all the slavery we have
endured for upwards of seven centuries.

102

1il^\i)0vi

"O

t)jl,

no jUt) c|iOjte

z-fu\z,
C4|*f4i5e-4]t le

T)o

f iljin

coj-^

le^f^,

r)

41|t ^to cr)ojc,

H6

4i|t itVic-<ii|ie,

^^ c-4t)4ti i4|t 'zMmt>

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Gl]|'<vbecA A5U]" a^ b-'^cAifi ?;u|t f-AijAbAii
did
renounce
Elizabeth and hex* father
Ut^it^^oi)

Mass

U5ur
And
Not
^

O
of

Oil

n)o

cIai) Olpitui* feo

clan
Oliver's did

is

c\\i\6

God pure my torment

in thy

use

ciieAf5A]|t
slay

tales

Oliver CnmiiueU.

Olive tiAt*.

Cfioie
heart
iv]t

without

We

5cliiie

our clerg-y

John

Yellow.

need not refer to the pages

of history for the cruelties of this sanguinary fanatic, as our Churches,

our Abbeys and Monasteries, sufficiently shew the marks of his
The eastern window of the Cathedral of St.
sacrilegious hands.
Canice, Kilkenny, contained the history of Christ from his birth
to his Ascension, in emblems of beautifully stained glass, for which

Riuuccini, the Pope's Nuncio, when he attended the meeting of the

confederate Catholics, ofreved 700 ; but neither the plenitude of the
power with which he was invested, nor the distresses of the times,
could prevail on the prelate, David Roth, or the Chapter, to comply
with his wishes this beautiful specimen of ancient art remained
standing until shattered by the usurper and his vile soldiery.
Ledwich's AktiquitilSj p. 3SS.
:

103
Henry

If

Or

Who

the king,

Eliza you sing

ma

levell'd our altars,

chra cree

Or Cromwell, whose horde

Gave our priests to the sword
them to numbers of Shane Bui!

You'll tune

Do strains from your harp through the heaving heart thrill ?

Or

are you a pastoral chimer

When elodpoles approach you by valley or hill,

When wand'ring as wanders your rhymer
Untaught

ev'n to say

Heav'n prosper your way

Or,

may

Charles our monarch again be

They'll aver by their God,

You're the soul of a clod.

If

you sing not the measure of Shane Bui

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
2Div|* ojiti-'ibeAc

Mo

bAnc<v cu

made you

melodious

If

jtACA||teAC& bjtACbA 50

Or low rhyming

Oo

CA|*]iAi5g|t

To

meet

verses

5<x <\ot) cftilc

caha]'
chaunt each one pleasure

to

so

i^iv^ixbiij

sweetly

ye^olin? co\\ leAfA x)o A^fi rAob cdo|c

hill
with Phelim foot rath or on side
le

Mo

A^a ir)ACAirte A3 reAftnAti? n}A|i AC<v]rr)i&

Or on a plain
sojourning
as
we are

Mj bpujl beArjACA
blessing
Not is

O
of

aca ija ]:|ieA3nA6 a

God have they or reply in

\^\ ^]t\i]X

A1|l SA]tlA|* AT)

Or mention

of

-p^UAI^e
Charles the wanderer (exile)

^pAlpAb DA
But swearing the

?Xci)

Mac

i^piieA^pA

Not

prompt

T)iv**^c)
effect

nJiice t)Ac

cui&eAcbA

deities nut

companion

|ia)

1511)

something

At)

is

x\x)

him

SexJAi) 5ui6e.
John
Yellow.
on

aiii

104.

rof^ " Jibe ).)tt)f) )."

f jif) n^ ll-ei j|*e Btn,

'^ tv^le^r)r)-i:4tit)

'b

le ^jt^

i^-i^iir)!-)

fno clj?,

'b
'S bfte^Ja, t>e^f

50

'b-

mo

t>ti^ii)jie^c, jiej^,
4i)ft

clilj, 'b v-i]t)vr)

'l)- )-it^ir)r)

"ic.

b^tt^i ^t) frj|t f)^ >^Uot>'

^l^ Jt^^

'b- )-^i|tjr)T)

v-^l^^mt)

i>jt)r)n

t)Uoj,

;'

ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
mild of the

In

valleys

In

a swoon

^0
The

c|*eAi)5beAf)
slender maid

Do

]*5<\^|tA

Did alarm
Mj cfti^cbA
Not mention

painful in

me
me

fetters

be

each day

5l b<v beAj-Ac 51)^0]

pure so discreet visage

5]b&

r)-Gifiii3

whoe'er in Erin

ID& A^|t

bards

the

is

f.

she.

cjle
Maoii*
spouse of Naisi

^
bij, ruin, dew. I have had two versions of this song before
me, in which I find the word bii* (which I do not understand) substituted for that which I introduce as the original.
The poet, when
speaking of the beauty and excellence of her hair, evidently means
that it swept the dew oF the grass.

105
'be M-e]n)MH
In Druid vale alone

Oppress'd with

My

death

I lay,

cai'e,

owed one

Of witchery

1.

to

weep the day

sylph-like she,

rare, 'be ij-Gijii^

't) D-eiti]^

The spouse of Naisi, Erin's wo

The dame that laid proud Ilium low
Their charms would fade, their fame would

my

Match'd with

fair,

'b& tj-^iili^

'be

i)-ei|tid

flee,

Behold her tresses unconfin'd,

In wanton ringlets

Or sweep

woo the wind,

the sparkling dew-drops free,

ii)

'b& V-]\i]r)

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Cu5
HA r)3Ao6<vl Atii oceAOfe boo C|iAO|b
^ft
Brought destruction the
Gael
on coming to the Branch
JoDA

Or

At)

bivb

i-e 5|tv

With

i>

D3|ti3 &o

cAf

At?

CtiAO|

the babe from Greece did torment the

love

njo cl]h
5ib 0-i|ij9
of my bosom whoever in Erin

U|* b|ieiv5A
Beautiful

beAf &itimiteAc
neat

plaited

Troy
f.

is

she.

|ii5 ^ bUo^
free her locks

"So b^i^t Ai) fri|t t)A f-Uo53<v Aiji b5

top the grass in ringlets on dew

To

clivc

^olc it]5

Her tender

locks

?V|ji

Ti)o

On

5niv6

love of my
15

free

lib

bo 6e<vl|iA6 ah
that

t:liof

excelled the fleece

5ib&

bosom whoever

t)-Gi]tip
in

Erin

f.

is

she.

106
'S cSfmii, C40t)4c, t>eu]i^c, bjm

^ii3n4c,

le

f 4or),

-j^r)

ciU

^)|t b^oij*

i]tt> t)Oi) Bi, 'J) n-^itij)

'l>t)-ei]tiT) )
nc.

^l(t

)e)r) T)U4itt ipt) 4j|i 4ot)

^cj) 'r
C)4 f'eolf 4t) 401)
1f:^ ^fiot)

S^^

^4C

^ict) frtt

v^jje

^*^^ ^^^ lJv5t))r)

D^4ti_riOT)

ttio cli13, 'be_t)-j|i)T)

'D- )-itiit)

W)>
!

ic.

UlUj4tti D4ll, fto C4r).

1^00" ?D4U4)5e t)e4^

^Vj|i tj|tU4c t)4 Co)Ue-iti)iie/

Do f eoUt)

!"

cjtu^o-IJt^^-

f 40i

f U4)|ce

^v, <im ciu^f-dt), h-d

lion)

INTEKLINEAR TRANSLATIOiV.
c5v|-ti)A|t

'Aj-

cAObAC

'Tis mouruful

fierce

beii]iAc bDirt)
tearful I do be

'5o C|tivi&ce cpirneAC

wounded
Painful

T^SOAO
Wanderer

5AI)

^AOI)

ceii]-bA o
rbrxxoi
tortured from woman

Cejll

feeble without sense

A^ft bAOTI'
afflicted

Le st^a bo AD belt
5ib
t)-iittT3
"With love to the maid whoever in Erin
^]\i tjeojn nuA^jt i]-^\tn a]\i cAob fuise

At

noon when

go

on

side

seat

f.

is

she.
Tji)

Fionn's

resting place, or watch-tower of Fionn, who

of the chase, selected those hills which appeared to him
best calculated to afford a fair prospect of the surrounding country;
Hence, the numerous hills known by that name throughout Ireland,
particularly in Munster.
^
Colli liiofi, a g>'eaf wood, evidently refers to the wood of
^

Sy,te TiU.

being a

man

"^^"^

107
Fierce passions' slave, from hope exU'd,
Weak, wounded, weary, woful, wild

Some magic

spell she

wove

for me,

That peerless maid, 'be

rj-G^pTfj

'be

T)-e||iir)

But

To

one noon

sigh alone

And

My

clomb a

to weep my

hill,
fill,

there Heaven's mercy brought to

treasure rare, 'be u-G^ijiiu

'be

r)-e\\i\T)

THE VOICE OF
Air
By

Kilraore's

mc

'

JOY.

Molly beag 01"

''

woody highland,

Wand'ring dark and drear,

voice of joy

More holy

came

to

o'er

mine

me,

ear,

INTERLINEAll TBANSIiATION.

A 5cii) Asuj- 5<M) AOJ) bA

and without one of
afar

Ta

bfii)

Under

grief

C]A

fedX^c^b

Who

ADD 53ac

would steer only

But treasure

0&

aid

Son of God in

my bosom whoever

in

my

Erin

is

tiio b>T6ti)

my

tribe

Ifor)

net (way)

she.

bttfi)
b|tu<\,c n\ CoiUeiT^Tite ^ao] c)uia6 bjiACAib
of sorrow
veils
bounds the of wood great under hard
Do feU 3u|c AID cluAr'^t) bA piAiftce liotD pA _6o
ears more delightful with me twice
Did steer voice in my

Ui|i

On

Aherlow, which extends from Galbally to Bansha. It is not more

than two miles from Shronehill to the South, and fronthig the
Galtee-more, and the magnificent chain of mountains from Rlitchelstown to Cloghccn, presents a scene most beautiful and picthat the
It was in the seclusion of this immense wood
turesque.

108

Do

b^

b' cel

-4l^t) t)OT)

t?)r)e

,di|tcu^jfH) liom, t)i ^-cu^

z-fpz,

'M't) cel t)0 eu34it) TU4i]i.f)\i, e^ft moii-tivjv

6't) Tlitt),

Jo

r)U4t) coiv

Co)Ue 4

ttibjtu^c ct)01c

^uj cv;tt mo cu4)|tt) t)jom,

itibe^ ??4lUi^e t>e4^

'S ^4c

bfior)

muD^

S^je t)e4c

t)0

IU443

lfj,

^ift

eu^ittjf^ 4

t>zpe6my
%it)

fo^iuit

t)0

be^ ^o bu44|t4,

^lce^f 4)^e Se)

Y ^^^^

T^^-

?'

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
n<x
cel
Thau music of the

W<v

^5"r
And

cfiiiice

DA

harp

a fUAjroiD
so

tuneful

l?UA15l)eAr
]*A
the hiys of the blackbirds in the wilderness
t>^ S^Oft

loT)

Do bA e ceol bA b^oe Ajft cuAip'^ liotD biv jcuaIa

'Twas the music most melodious on visit with me that Iheard
bot) cffic.

of the

sort.

learned Doctor Keating wrote liis History of Ireland more than two
centuries back; and no doubt, our poet sought refuge in its silent
shade when composing the present song, in which he foretels that
the career of the tyrant Darner would not long survive ; and neither
did it for in a few short years after, the tyrant died, leaving the
immense wealth which he accumulated by fraud and usury, to scatter
and waste away like chaff thrown before the four winds ; or to
use an Irish phrase, " 21)^11 lA5Ai6 vbAi|x TM >)-<>^bAiV'
:

" as the meUuig of Ike JVoh of the river."

John Darner, Esq. the celebrated usurer.

literally,
*

109
Than

wild harp's breathings dreamy,

Or

blackbird's warbling streamy

No

seraph choir could frame me,

Such

soft

music dear

More sweet than anthems

holy,

Brought seaward from Rome,

Than

spells

by wizards spoken

O'er stolen maidens' doom,

Or cuckoo's song inspiring,

Where woods green hills environ
Save love for one

my

It banish'd

fair siren,

gloom.

The golden bees were ranging

The air for a chief,
'Twas freedom's trumpet woken,

And dark

tyrants' grief.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
cel
Or the music

Wiv

MiV

Or

At)

fc>o

cu^Aib

brought

|"ua|5^||i cAft m|t-rbiiit

by sages over

lofty

i)

ocean from

U|rT)

Rome

fpftC bo 6]T)1b 5|tUA5AtCC a JCItUA^O l)f AIJl fluAS

firm
raths on hosts
wizards in
the sport
made by
AT)

Miv

AX)

Or

the

'5o

ouAb

56010

Early

^5Uf 5AC
And each

co|]*

by a

5u|t cv^fi

bfin

SA^ce beAc bo
of bees

ll51b
fall

cuaca

from cuckoos

coiUe a n)b|iuAC coojc

wood on border of hill

sorrow did

i^AllAise beA5
Molly
little

Swarm

bo

shout that

put

wo
my

cuAi]ib bton) rrmiM rt)beAb

visit
of me were it not for

Iii<\6a5 IjD Aifi tuA]\i]y^

a
bcjieoii)
in search
of their chief

approached us

Ut) |:55rbA|i bo beAb 50 buAAficA ^^uy 5^17 |*uAilceA]*

and without
calamitous
joy
harvest will be

The

Ai5e SeT)
to
John

110

Ijow

'S

<iT)

nib|i6r).

<<i

i^^^l

fo cloy

tMtv

cu^Ut), ^o |*u^r)iti*t]t

^i) riiivjti.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
George

And
^At)

cip

the tribe

bo boc 50 buACA
who were exalted

bAjlce

i)^

oil

expelled

afar

^Vju]- At)

Without gold or townlands

l]On)

with

me

Sftr)AiU bv
In Shronehill if

bjb

A5U|'

i)/

them and not

c|tuA5
pitied

rt)bjt5o.

mbe^u
I

X\^K& V^^l c|tv<x6 leAc a 5Citt)eAb

were stretched under a hard flag
at rest

'^5"r ^^ VH^^^ V^
the

lasting to

their sorrow.

And

A}\i buAi)

tale

clof r!7A|tcuAlA 50 ^uAr)ii)A]t Ai|i j-eol

hear as heard so pleasantly
afloat.

this to

1 The hero of this humoursome little

melody is a David Cleary,
an eccentric knight of the Thimble, who wasted his earnings among
the fair sex till far advanced in life, when finding his expectations
fail, introduced himself to L1|11|ait) OaU, who composed the song

extempore.

Ill

And George,
His

and their danger,

Far banish'd

My

a homeless ranger,

the faithless stranger,

tribe,

glad heart's relief

If o'er

me

lay at Shronehill*

The hard

flag of

doom,

And came that sound of sweetness

To cheer the cold gloom
Death's darksome bondage broken,

My

dull,

And
I'd

deaf ear had woken.

at the spell-word spoken,

burst from the tomb

THE BARD AND THE

Air

TAILOR.'

" Buachail na mho gus a yhnlet."

THE TAILOK.
many a mile,

I've rambled full

And

misery ever pursuing me,

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Le
By

njo
5u<\ille
pfifA A5ur r)e<V|ic
force
and strength of my shoulders

^1) ^b 50 5CAICPIIJ yuAy

The sod I would toss up

Uju]-

Ttje

And

ceAci) cAjt tDO

coming

At)

r5e|l.

of the

tale.

?Vr bu^tje

person

so swiftly

fiubAA a

am

travelled

Tao^ cfiofAib
Under crosses

Aci^irt)

me

50 liiAjtUDeAc pAO|

A1]*

back

nje
I

biort)

of

am from

cuAfittt;

in expectation

ii^x)

afar

|iu5A
birth

ttje

me

* Shronehill, a parish three miles west of Tipperary and the place of

William Ball's nativity in this district stood Darner's Court, erected
by John Damer, Esq. more than a century ago. This magnificent
mansion was taken down in 177G. The property now belongs to the
;

Earl of Portarlington.

The

casion,

introduction of the tailor and his amorous woes on this octo have been done to furnish a vehicle for the display

seems

112

5^t^ Sojr)e4t)4| b^ifie 'y ^ice

U)lli4tii

ot^tt)

D4U.

C-'tt lj'lor)3r)4t) t)UjT)e e't) c)i,

Do viom 4
Cj

Ut^

}-d

1v-4jr)t)eive

le mniib,
D^jl?) ^utt tf)e4lUt)4|

if)jt> t)0 51105-dijt

'B SoUtti'

itiejc

Z^p\i^)ri-^

U c^t^
'S

^o

^-clo r}-d fe^v^c^t)

w^jt 5r)iOti 't)^ ') c-l,

bit)

fce^fij

c^ojt) ^t) |*^e6l,

;

leuc-|*4 S^mfor)^ b^ Jt^oie,

r>o le^^^t) r^r) m-bttv;pr) t)^ f>iiif at)f
le mit) 4 C4itr)iit) t)0 iw^o),
!

t:4]tt4)}^

^o C40 jt)

^t) i^jeol, ic.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Oft revealing

my

affection to

women

'Sun 50]oeAbA|t bivi|ie A5u^ t^icci& 0|itt)

they won a goal and twenty on me
Till
Civ Ajt bA ior)5T)A bun^e
wonder
a man
What

Do

cuidiD

To

fall

in the

livji

T)A

depth of

6e a&

civil

of thy fame
b^iniJeii-e

misery

of the poet's learning. This was a vanity quite common at that

period with men of the highest literary attainments ; and it is no
matter of surprise that our blind wanderer would follow their example. In this rapid sketch of female perversity, he displays a considerable knowledge of heathen mythology, and sacred and profane
To prove that HefFernan was a greatly gifted man, we have
history.
only to refer the reader to the songs preceding this poem, particularly
to " t) tj-Gi^iji) ," and the "Voice of Joy," which contain
passages of exquisite sweetness and beauty.
2 See the First Book of Kings.
3 Book of Judges, chapter xvi.

!!

113
Yet

my

still

chief curse was the guile

Of woman,

What

in treachery

wooing me

WILLiIAM BALL.
matters to tailoring youth,

A shot

from their wily battery,

And Solomon
Beguiled by

wisest, in sooth,

sly,

female flattery.

CHORUS.*

When

Avriting a stanza divine.

learning inspiring you

the false fiend of red wine,
Lest misery ever environ you

Have wisdom and

And shun

See Samson, the strong

man

of old.

Who
How
He

slaughter'd the Philistine foeman,

sad is his fate to unfold.
died by the wiles of a woman
When writing a stanza divine, &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Through

all

thy

with

flattery

women

SolArb rbeic Divibf 5u|t n)eA\l^b^]i

And Solomon son of David that they deceived
CAttit<vir;5 50 CAOjr) At) y^eol
smoothly the tale
Draw
?V CApA b^O
5CI6
1)A
fCAlJACA
the sages
Friend
be in appearance of

^5U]*

Uf

^ieivitfi rt)A|t 5t)fori)

Tis better

deed

as

col
100A At)
than the drinking

SeAAit) 50 tje t)A 5AlAlfl t*1T)

Forsake for ever the evils these

bA 5|ti6e
Samson the mighty
leAjA ]*AT) tt)bTtui5Ti)

TeACfA

SAttifot)

Behold

Do
That

fell

te njjb a
By excess his
"Suit

That

bA

in the

fight

CAics)]ti)

AD cflfse

miserable the

Pilji^c^Or

tjo tt)i)AOi

admiration to

Ati)ir

r)A

the Philistines

way

woman
ior)A|i tiDcij re-

did

depart he.

* This chorus has no immediate connexion with the poem, and it

seems to be the burden of some ancient song which has been lost.
However it deserves to be retained here, if it were only to show
how our moralists of old could anticipate the teaching of Father

Mathew
16

114

50

YWD

tt1t)e^t?

lilcjUet*,

Z\ie

Yp\viOY Y^)

^t^^^^c^

tt)jt)

zeme e

)oir)4|ic^c,

^ cuw^n)

le l)e),

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

TeucfA
Behold

The

most mighty had Jupiter

A curtjAii) le
excess his affection to
rbeji)

Through

3o

Hercules polished

child

Cjte

IforbcA

t3e|tcule|*

fiii^eAO X]c^h

fpniof

Did make they embers

Mic|i lt3ir

Have you not read

X)]

Had

A5 Aicme
the

Cjte

tribe

6e.
fAi) ceirje
in the fire of him.

-^IT^ CArAlfl
of the city

nA CllAO]
of Troy

5C|%Aoi|*eAC
spears

t)<v

the

t)&let) 5fteAt)Ait)Aiv

Through Helen

ii)t)AOi

woman

loving

jcumArAc
powerful

5111^

pleasant (elegant)

A5U|* cvUeA
aca.
milce
of them.
That perished the thousands and more

'5uii

cAilleA

TeucfA

At)

Behold the

r)A

leAT)b ri^Ac Cc^f

child son of Thetis

iV^cille^'

StiASA

iorT)AiiCAC

Achilles

Grecian

arrogant

115
See Hercules/ Jupiter's son,

His

fall

every reader remembers

Dejanira soon

left

him undone,

When roasting his carcass to embers

When writing a stanza divine, &c.
You've
Its

listen'd to stories of

Troy,

heroes and pi'oud pavilions once,

How

Helen,^ the giver of joy,

Gave death

When

to its

mighty millions once.

writing a stanza divine, &c.

You've heard of great Achilles' fame,

As you have abroad been travelling,

And how fair Polyxena^ came
And guided young Paris' javelin.

When

writing a stanza divine, &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.
Cjte

A curoAii) le belt
excess his affection with maid
ti^eib

Through

'5ii]i 1IT)C15

Did

go

A||i

cAob

on

side

r)A ciubA]t*be
the misfortune

4 When Dejanira found that Hercules had forsaken her for the
love of another, she sent him the fatal shirt which, the Centaur
Nessus had assured her, possessed the power of restoring his former
love.
The poison of the Hydra of Lerna, with which this garment
was impregnated, soon pierced the marrow of his bones. In his torture, the hero raised his own funeral pile, and burned himself upon
mount Oeta in Thessaly.
5 Helena, the daughter of Jupiter and Leda, the most beautiful
of her time, eloped from her husband, Menelaus, king of
Sparta, with Paris the son of the king of Troy.
This act of female
frailty occasioned a ten years' war which ended in the destruction
of that most famous city.
It however produced the
Iliad of

woman

Homer.
6 Polyxena was the daughter of king Priam.
Achilles, the scourge
of Troy, and the slayer of Hector, became enamoured of her
beauty, and claimed her in marriage. During the ceremony in the
temple of Apollo, he was treacherously slain by Paris. Polyxena
was afterwards sacrificed on the tomb of the hero.

IK)

Tl^^

Jufi' tt^-^^

rtt ipoT)

-^

5^t)^j|t T)^ J|ie^iti<iT)

cle-df-d)Xf 4r) tlij,

Cor))tt40i n&^^cm^jt liieic "Oijte,

r).t)vce U) t)e^^4, b^ c^ltv^ ;

5u|i cu^

r- t>Ur)4jt)

^lb^tjt)

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

TeucfA

Aeteon

Behold

Do

^Vjcceot) sitoje

f AC]
That went under

valiant
At)

]n)t]-^

(to) the

3C01II

wood

t)A

beA)Apoc

as a

stag

(horned buck)

cleAfAjb D|<sr)A
t)<v
fAfscAb
Through intrigues of Diana of the arrows

Cfte

^uit fllAC fiAb A jAAiit TorjA

Did tear they his dogs into

TeuCfA
Behold

5fieArT)At)
bits

him

U||-r)eAC
cIa^
})'a\i
i'C|tioc
children of Uisneach not surrendered

&IIDC15

le

That

went

with

m^AO] 50

woman

}j-?XlbAii)

to

Alba

Ufj
Through wise intrigues of the king
3iiti CAjUeAb le b|t<\0T5eAc& a i)-&ai7A) lAb.
by witchcraft in Emania them.
perish
Did
C\ie

CooitAOj
Conroy

]5ioo cleAfAib

T)eAitctr)A|t

powerful

Uj
Dbiiicce
In the country of O

Arj

rbefc O^^pe
son of Dairy

OeivgA bA
Deagha so

CAlrt^Ab
valiant

117

How
When Dian

Actseon'' died a wild deer,

with antlers adorned him

Some whisper 'twas meant

To prove 'twas in wedlock

When
You've

oft

she horn'd him

writing a stanza divine, &e.

heard a Senachui sing

Of Deirdre^

How

for your ear,

the sorrowful story

for her great Connor, the king,

Left Ullad's three champions gory.

When

writing a stanza divine, &c.

See Conroy,^ the chief of his clan,

The highway

of glory pursuing,

Never met with

his

match

Till Blanit consigned

When

man,

in a

him

to ruin

writing a stanza divine, &e.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION,
Putfi

r)]0]\

Treachery not
Till

cv]|teA
sent

^onA

l^ji

in his middle (heart)

brought he Blahnaid from

Alba.

Actseon, the son of Aristaeus, turned into a stag, and devoured

by his own dogs, for accidentally seeing Diana naked, as she bathed
in a fountain.
7

8 Deirdre was a beautiful young lady, who was, from the period of
her birth, kept confined by Connor, king of Ulster, in a fortified
tower, because a Druid foretold that she would cause great disturbances in the kingdom. When Deirdre had arrived at womanhood,
Naois, a young gentleman of Connor's court, and one of the sons
of Uisneagh, aided by his two brothers, found means to bear off the
beautiful captive to Scotland.
The king of that country received
the fugitives with great honour, till smitten by the fatal charms of
the lady, he formed a plan to take away the life of her lover. The
sons of Uisneach were forced to flee, and Connor learning their distress, by promises of pardon allured them over to Ireland, where
the three brothers were treacherously murdered by his order. For
this act of perfidy, Connor, abandoned by his own nobles, saw
Ulster ravaged from shore to shore, and bathed with the blood of
its

bravest warriors.
For the story of Conroy, or

35 of

this

translation.

Cupfsb

work, or Keating's Ireland,

tijAc Dvfte, see page

vol.

i.

page 405, Haliday's

118

VeuC'X^

5uf^

Z^)\c

c^ille-dt)

tfieic

i^-4r)

Z\ieom,

T)-^leo le lvO|^^utt

Ce^p co^4)^4
lit)

'T <^l^ ^^ t>4r)b4 ;

c'eut) t)-U4iit lJtio|*t)41^ 4 pYjPy

rut3|*)Uf b -4C4

Z^pp^mz

'r)4 n^jj,

4t)

30 C401}

v^^^^j

1^^-

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

TeucfA CajIc
Behold

Tailc

C|te(t)
rbejc
son of the mighty

C115 cuftAf
5<\t) 5
50 bAT)bA
Gave journey without doubt to Banba

Mi<\m
Ctt
Through Niamh
5u|i CAiUeA

That

slain

t)A

of the

fAi)
in the

ca|*
v]\i
T)blA0i5 frolc
hair locks twisted golden

Dsleo

le

fight with

b0f5A]x .
Osgar him.

TeucfA. T]0\) 2t)AC Ctn)A-]l

Behold Fion Mac Cumhail

CeAp COfADCA A5Uf clu r)A bAt)bA

Bulwark protective and fame of Banba
ceub DuAiji b|iOf&Ai5 a pujfi
^1)
The jealousy when hastened his wrath
C]\ bo bA freAjijiA Afje
'5tt]i ri)Aitib At) yec^i
he had
best
Did slay the man behind that
i)5A0]eil
"S le^bri^eAC pcAjtAjb t)A
Gael
Tho' victorious
men of the

CiMucA DA

2l)6e t)o|t

Territory of Meath not

5lAt)AbAi
cleared they

119
See the powerful Talc-mac-Treon"^

by Nea-Nua's tresses,
Beneath Oscar's battle-axe prone,

Allui-'d

Died

cursing' sly Cupid's gesses

When

writing- a stanza divine, &c.

There's Fionn Mac-Coopi the boast

Of

Erin's ancient chivalry,

Destroy 'd the best

Through

man

of his host

jealousy, green-ey'd devilry

When

writing a stanza divine, &c.

There are the warriors of Meath

Submitting to rapine and slaughter.
Till Turgesius'2 met with his deatli,
For love of king Malachy's daughter

When

writing a stanza divine, &c.

INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION,
Cuiajefim* bib ACA T)A n5
Turgesius had they as a King
Suft CAiUcAO le
Till perished

bl')5on

by daughter

^DAOil^-eAcUtt)
of

Malachy

The story of Tailc-mac-Treon is already told at page 44 of this

work.
n Fion-mac-Cumhail, the general of the Irish soldiery in the
reign of Corraac, monarch of Ireland, to whose daughter, the
princess Graine, he was married.
Graine forsook her husband Fion
for love of Diarmid O Duibhne, whom the injured Fion afterwards
'0

slew.
12 The people of Ireland suffered the most galling oppression about
the middle of the ninth century, from Turgesius the Norwegian.
After many bloody engagements, the Irish in despair resigned the
At length,
struggle, and yielded to the swarms of fierce barbarians.
Malachy, the king of Meath, fired with the insulting proposal sent
by Turgesius, demanding the princess of Meath as his mistress,
contrived to introduce by stratagem fifteen beardless youths disguised
This gallant band, having
as females into the castle of the tyrant.
slain the chief officers, opened the gates to Malachy, who, with a
chosen body of men, put the garrison to the sword. Animated by
this event, the Irish rose upon their enslavers, and cut them off in
every part of the kingdom. After this great deliverance, Turgesius,
who was reserved for the hand of the executioner, was publicly

drowned

in

Lough Annin.

U)\i

120

t)Yii)e t>e f>6]t r)4 t>tte4C4ir)r)e

S]t) tti4|t t)0 v5ue4t)4|t

if)exin4t>4f

^i

Jaoieil,

Dice z-dc^\i^t)

c^t^^t) bi ^-clot) )4

f e4r)4C4t>

'S ^e\i\i tv^p imow 'T)4 'T) z-61,

Se4C4it) ^o t)e r)4 ^^Ujii f)r} ?t
INTERLINEAR TRANSLATION.

Le 23u|ic<N tjuAtti li5eAbA]t 2t36i|t

With Murrough when they allowed Moir
Sjeul cu|]tA]r)5eAc bfi|T) bo bAijbA.
Story

woful

mournful

to

Banba

* This line runs thus in every version which

I have yet seen

2t)ui|ii|* nuAift cu5AbA|i 2)||i," which must be entirely
wrong, as the English could never sway the sceptre of Ireland had
it not been for Oe<v|vb^ti5Vil, whom the poet calls 2)i|i, wife
of C|5eA|ipivr) UA nuAijic, king of Brcfny, who eloped with

"0

Or perhaps the
0|A;in)Ai& IDAC 2t)u|idA6, king of Leinster.
is made to the Enghsh general Maurice Fitzgerald, who,

allusion

with Robert Fitzstephen, rendered important service to the cause of

Mac Murrough, who offered his daughter in marriage to either of
them as a reward for their zeal and faithful services ; but they had
too much honour to accept of the lady, because she had been formerly contracted to the Earl of Strangwell, when Diarmuid solicited
But the lady's name
his assistance from the crown of England.
appears to be ^o^^e, and not 2C||t.
f Our Irish poets always had a fancy for giving a chorus, which
and our
is called in Irish " Cufi piv," to their humorous songs,
blind bard swayed the palm in this respect. When any of these
songs were sung at the hearth of the cottier of a cold winter evening,
as was usually the case, the assembled multitude joined in the chorus,
a custom prevalent this day throughout Munster. I have in my
possession a large collection of Songs of this class.

^,

A-^"

OPINIONS OF THE >RESS.

We

"
have already noticed the collection of Jacobite relic
other songs in course of publication in penny numbers by Mr.\Dal
of Kilkenny. It has arrived at the fifth number without any dimiEach song is accompanied by an interlinear
nution of interest.
translation, and a metrical version by Mr. Edward Walsh, the writer
notice it, at present,
of some popular poetry in this Journal.
to extract a favorite relic of great beauty from the last number.

We

Nothing can be better calculated to promote the reading of the

Irish Language among the people, than a publication, so popular in
price and spirit ; and we trust the Catholic Clergy, and the Teetotal
Nation.
Societies will put it in their way."

We

"
think the public are deeply indebted to Mr. Daly, for the
independently of its value as
production of this National Work
an addition to our national literature, its influence in a political
point of view will be very great, perhaps incalculable. He was a
profound Statesman who said, ' Give me the making of a Nation's
"
Kilkenny Journal.
Songs, and I care not who makes her laws.'
:

"A

service will thus be rendered to our National Literature, and

many of the sweetest compositions of our ancient bards, will be
rescued from that everlasting oblivion to which they were hastening.
Another service will be rendered to the country. These Songs for

the most part, breathe a spirit of holy patriotism; and their importance, at the present moment, in fanning the flame of nationality,
can hardly be over-estimated." Limerick Reporter.

" If we were to judge from the excellent arrangement and the

beautiful form in which this work before us is brought out, highly
creditable to the taste and enterprise of the writer and publisher, we
shall say that the matter is worthy of the manner, and the manner
of the matter a rich substance clothed in rich garments; every
Irishman should subscribe to the work, it is exceedingly cheap."
.

Kerry Examiner,

"Among the 'Signs' which indicate the growing spirit of

Nationality in Ireland, not the least worthy of note is the publication
have before us a
of various relics of ancient Irish Poetry.
series of ' Penny Numbers,' of old Irish Ballads, collected by
Mr. John Daly of Kilkenny, and furnished with interlinear translations, for publication, witli an English metrical version by Mr.
EuwARD Walsh, who is, we believe, one of the poetical contributors
They form a valuable help to persons
to the Nation Newspaper.
desirous to acquire a knowledge of the Irish Language." Drogheda

We

Argus.

We

"
sincerely wish every success to Mr. Daly's creditable effort
to sustain the growing spirit of Nationality, by giving us a collection
hi our vernacular tongue, which ' is not dead but speaketh,'
Songs
of
notwithstanding
altogether.

the efforts

The Songs

are,

foreign tyranny to extinguish it

on the whole, excellent, and afford

of

*'*
.aeriSS 'to ftie facility with which the Irish Langffagejeiif.j
OB brought into pbfetical or musical composition. The translations
good ; a^id* the historical expositions and illustrative notes, at once
Chronicle and Mtinster Advertiser.
"entertaining and instructive."
-

^Srl

'/ ^Fe have so often expressed our approbation of the manner in

which all parties, concerned in getting out the admirable Irish Songs
collected by Mr. Daly, perform their respective duties, that we need
now scarcely repeat it. In justice to Mr. "Walsh, the poetical translator, however, vve feel bound to say that, in the last number we
have received, he affords one more convincing proof of a genius
e(iual, if not superior to his original, and this is no mean praise.
The Song commenced in the previous number, under the title of
' Captivity
though for brevity's sake, and for different
of the Gael'
is continued in the present, and
reasons, we may call it Slume Bui
fully
realises the highest anticipations we could
Mr. Walsh's version
form from the happiest and most vigorous of his foregoing efforts."
Wexford Independent.

We

"
understand Mr. Daly purposes editing his songs for the
future in monthly, instead of weekly parts, as he finds they do not
corpay the outlay upon their publication in the latter form.
dially invite public support to his patriotic undertaking.
The Engare highly
lish versions of the Songs, by Mr. Edward ^\^alsh,
We think them much better
creditable to his abilities as a poet.
than those furnished by Furlong and others for Hardiman's ' Irish

We

Minstrelsy.*

"

Belfast Vindicator-

" This is an extremely interesting publication of Irish Songs.

They are given in the Vernacular with an interlinear translation, and
There are historical
also translated into beautiful English verse.
illustrative notes

by Mr. Daly.

The

publication as a whole, nation-

ally speaking, is a great credit to the country.

Many of the songs
are written in a spirit of true poetry. But, instead of a critique,

we shall give one or two of the songs at random, which

more than any thing we could say." Cork Examiner.

We

will speak

"
have received a number of
Reliques of Irish Jacobite
would wish to have those reliques preserved, but with
a spirit and sentiment less reprehensible, and not so likely to foster
a bad feeling amongst an irritable people, as we Irishmen are. Tin
Poetry."

*'

We

Sketches' could do all that can be required by the most ardent

of Erin's sons, ind yet advocate a spirit of peace and reconciliation
One good, however, will
to the rising generation of both countries.
be effected by their publication ; and we say good, for we xvould wish
to have it preserved/ namely, the desire of learning the Irish language. Is it by their publication that Mr. Smith O'Brien has been
induced to stuiiy, at this advanced hour of his day-life, the Irish
shall be glad to receive the remaining numbers."
language ?
'Vare Journal.
'

We

t^ Gentlemen

requiring rare

Works on

Ireland, or having

10 dispose of, will find the covers of this publication a

medium

for Advertising.

Terms

will be the

same

as

the other

periodicals.

Goodwin,

So-n a-

.,..n.^

most excellent

Xethercoii Priaiers. 75, Marlborovgh-st. Sub!