Book of the Dean of Lismore Book of the Dean of Lismore Fian-lays and other heroic verse
University of Glasgow

VII. Lá dhán deach[aidh] Fionn do dh’ól

MS p. 114

A houdir soo –

[1.]   Laa ȝane deaċ finn di ȝoill in nalwi as neir ymmit sloyġ
        Sessir bann as sessir far Iyn ȝil is a’neir wċt ȝaall

[2.]   Finn feyn is dermoit gin on / keilt is ossain is oskir
        Con̄an meitl ġom ṁȧȧl er myġ / agis mnâ ni’ vi leichsen

[3.]   Myġin <a>s ban einn bi ȝane is a’nir vct ȝall mi wan feyn
        Gormlay (ȝall) ⎡aelli⎤ <a>s dow ros neaof as neyn̄ Enneis

[4.]   Nor a ȝoyf meska no mnâ tugsiddir in gussi rȧȧ
        Naċ royf er in doytin teg sessir ban in goyt Inrylk

[5.]   A dowirt an ny’nilt ġyn on̄ as Cwlyt carnich in doytin
        Ca maċ sewsse is y’mich ben̄ naċ drynn fes aċ re In ar

[6.]   Gerrid er vi ȝawe mir sen tanik In van dar rochtin
        Einwrata vmpa gyn ȧldȧ agis E na Iẏn nayġ

[7.]   Tanik ney’ a wrot Inn an vaenissi vckowle
        Ba’nichis din re gin non agis swis (so<i>s) na arryċġ

[8.]   Feafryt finn skail zẏi din nėẏn lwċhir lawȝill
        A wan̄ a wrot gin ȧlde keid a rad ow <a>s teinnayġ

[9.]   As gis dym wrat gin ald ban ann aċ na EInayġ
        Noċt chay nayġ (schee ȝin) ⎡dein fame⎤ wrot aċ ban In Ir gin
                                            (aynlocht) ⎡<râlocht>⎤

[10.]    Tawir ym / ⎡brat⎤ dym wreit feyn̄ a ter con̄ane m<a>r gin chaell
           Co westmist i’ brear mir a twg ni mnâ wo chanew

[11.]    Gawis ben̄ ċonnane y’ brat is curris vmpa la rachta
           G<o>m bea sin an leyth locht dar lek ryf wlle a gall ocht

[12.]    Mor <a> chon̄ik con̄ane (mȧȧle) meil y’ brat er cassyt fa teyf
           Tawris in chreissych gin neaf agis (i’ neyn̄) marweis i’ neyn̄


MS p. 115

[13.]    Gawis ben dermoit (y’ brat) a ȝeil y’ brat wo wrei con̄ane m<e   >
           Noċ char farr a wassi ȝyi cassi y’ brat fa keiẏf

[14.]    Gawis ben̄ oskyr nȯ ȝey ym brad cooadda coyveray
           Ga loyvir skoyt a wrot Inn noc char ally a hymlyn̄

[15.]    Gawis myġi’nis / ⎡gi’⎤ ȧȧl y’ brad as di churri fa cann
           Di chas as di chwair mir sen ym brata gi loa fa clossew

[16.]    Tawir ym brata er mcrȧȧ dy’ wneisi ⎡is⎤ ne cws clae
           Go vestmost in nes gon non̄ tres elli da hymlitdewe

[17.]    Di wary’si brair ris agis ne brair eggis
           Naċ darnis di weis ri far aċ dol dutsi i’ neis le’n<e>w

[18.]    Noċtis ben̄ vek rėė a teef curris vmpi i’ brata feirc<h   >
           A saych eddir chos is lawe na gi ley er a lwdignane

[19.]    Ane phoik doaris i’ braed o wak eȝwyne (daȝ) dar<m  >
           Di reissi ym brad owm laar mor wea ssee na hy’nirran<  >

[20.]    Tawrew mi wrat doyf a wnȧȧ as me nei’ i’ derg ȝran̄<a>
           Notcha dernis di locht aċ fes re finn fyvirn̄ot

[21.]    Ber mo wallyt is y’mt woẏgin se der mccowle gi’ <b>oy<r >
           A dagis fa ṁaalych ir mnâ na tyir hwggin ane lay
                                                                                Lay

Restored text:

A <h->ughdar so –

1.    Lá dhán deach[aidh] Fionn do dh’ól
       a nAlmhai[n] ’s níor iomad slóigh,
       seisear ban is seisear fear,
       aon ghill[e] is ainnear uchtgheal;    (4)

2.    Fionn féin is Diarmaid gan on,
       Caoilt[e] is Oiséan is Osgar,
       Conán Maol <go moill[e]> air moigh
       agus mná nan vi laoch-soin:    (8)

3.    Maighinis bean Fhinn buidhéin
       is Ainnear uchtgheal mo bhean féin,
       Gormlaith áille is Dubh <Ros[g]>,
       Niamh is nighean Aonghais.    (12)

4.    ’Nuair a ghabh meisge na mná
       tugsadar an guth ’s a rádh
       nach roibh air an domhan <t[r]ic>
       seisear ban an gcoimhionraic.    (16)

5.    Adubhairt an innilt gan on,
       “Is cúileach cearnach an domhan;
       gē math sibhse, is iomadh bean
       nach d’rinn feis ach rē aoinfhear.”    (20)

6.    Goirid air bheith dhaibh mar soin
       táinig aoinbhean dār rochtain,
       aonbhrat uimpe go n-áilde
       agus é ’na aonshnáithe.    (24)

7.    Táinig nighean a’ bhruit fhinn
       an bhfiadhnaise Mhic Cumhaill;
       beannuighis don rígh gan on
       agus suidhis ’na fharradh.    (28)

8.    Fiafruigh[idh] Fionn sgéal[a] dhi,
       don nighin luchair láimhghil:
       “A bhean a’ bhruit go n-áilde,
       ciod a rad thú as t’aonshnáithe?”    (32)

9.    “Is geis dom bhrat go náild[e]
       bean ann ach ’na aonshnáithe,
       <nochan fhaigh> síoth dhan bhrot
       ach bean aoinfhir gan aonlocht.”    (36)

10.   “Tabhair am brat dom mhnaoi féin,”
        adeir Conán <mear> gan chéill,
        “go bhfeasmaois an briathar mir
        a tug na mná bhō chianaibh.”    (40)

11.   Gabhais bean Chonáin am brat
        is cuiris uimpe lē racht;
        gum b’é sin an léigheadh locht
        dār lēig ruibh uile a gealocht.    (44)

12.   Mar a chunnaic Conán Maol
        am brat air casadh fā taobh,
        tabhrais an chraoiseach go nimh
        agus marbhais an nighean.    (48)

13.   Gabhais bean Diarmaid a’ ghaoil
        am brat bho mhnaoi C<h>onáin M<haoil>;
        nochar fearr <a bha sí dhi> –
        casaidh am brat fā cíochaibh.    (52)

14.   Gabhais bean Osgair ’na dhéidh
        am brat comhfhada coimhréidh;
        gē leabhar sgoth a’ bhruit fhinn
        nochar fhalaigh a h-imlinn.    (56)

15.   Gabhais Maighinis gan fheall
        am brat is do chuir fā ceann;
        do chas is do chuar mar soin
        am brat gu luath fā cluasaibh.    (60)

16.   “Tabhair am brat,” ar Mac Reithe,
        “dom mhnaoi-se, is ní cúis cleithe,
        go bhfeasmaois an nois gan on
        treas eile dā h-iomlaoidibh.”    (64)

17.   “Do-<bheirim>-se briathar ris
        agus ní briathar éagmhais,
        nach dearnas do <bhf>eis rē fear
        ach dol duitse a n-aois leinibh.”    (68)

18.   Nochtais bean Mhic Reithe a taobh,
        cuiris uimpe an brat fíorc<haomh>,
        a s[h]aich eadar chos is lámh
        nō go laigh air a lúdagnán.    (72)

19.   “Aon phóg d[o] fhuaras a<m> braid
        ō Mhac Uí Dhuibhne, [ō] Dhiar<maid>,
        do r<ei>seadh am brat <um> lár
        mur bheith sí ’na h-aonarán.”    (76)

20.   “Tabhraibh mo bhrat domh, a mhná;
        is mé nighean an Deirg ghránna;
        nocha dearnas[-sa] do locht
        ach feis rē Fionn faobharnocht.”    (80)

21.   “Beir mo mhallacht ’s imthigh bhuainn,”
        ’s é [a]deir Mac Cumhaill gan <b[h]uairt>;
        ō dh’fhágais fā mhéala ar mná,
        na tair chugainn[e] aonlá.”    (84)

            Lá



Translation:

The author of this is –

1.    One day Fionn went to carouse in Almhain with only a small company of six men and six women, a man-servant and a fair-bosomed maid-servant;

2.    Fionn himself and flawless Diarmaid were there, Caoilte and Oiséan and Osgar, Conán Maol who was slow on a field, and the wives of those six heroes:

3.    Maighinis, Fionn’s own wife, and my wife, Ainnear of the fair bosom; beautiful Gormlaith and Dubh áRosgñ, Niamh and the daughter of Angus.

4.    When intoxication took hold of the women, they started to declare and state that six women as virtuous as they were not to be found <frequently> in the world.

5.    The blameless maid-servant said, “The world is full of nooks and crannies; good though you may be, there is many a woman who has slept with only one husband.”

6.    Shortly after they had been in that condition a woman came to meet us; she was clad in a single beautiful cloak made from a single thread.

7.    The maiden with the fair cloak came into the presence of the Son of Cumhall; she greeted the king faultlessly, and she sat down beside him.

8.    Fionn asked tidings of her, the shining white-handed maiden: “O woman of the beautiful cloak, how has it happened that you are clad in a single thread?”

9.    “It is a magical quality of my cloak [that it can accommodate] a woman within only a single thread, but that it gives peace to nobody except the blameless wife of one husband.”

10.    “Give the cloak to my own wife,” said <rash> senseless Conán, “that we may ascertain the truth of the reckless word that the women spoke a short time ago.”

11.    Conán’s wife took the cloak and put it angrily about her; that was quite some revelation of faults, when it exposed her white bosom to you all.

12.    When Conán Maol saw that the cloak had rumpled up about her side, he drew his spear with venom and killed the girl.

13.    The wife of amorous Diarmaid took the cloak from Conán Maol’s wife; she was no better served – the cloak rumpled up about her breasts.

14.    The wife of Osgar then took the cloak which was so smooth and flowing; although there was ample room in the lower edge of the cloak, it failed to cover her navel.

15.    Maighinis, without deceit, took the cloak and put it over her head; it quickly rumpled and crumpled up about her ears in the same way.

16.    “Give the cloak,” said Mac Reithe, “to my wife – it’s not a matter to be concealed – so that we may now experience without hindrance another turn of its tricks.”

17.    “I give my word to that, and it is not a word spoken in absence, that I have not slept with another man since I went to you in my youth.”

18.    Mac Reithe’s wife bared her side and put on the truly lovely cloak, which flowed down over her hands and feet until it rested on her little toe.

19.    “A single kiss I stole from Mac Uí Dhuibhne, from Diarmaid, and were it not for that kiss alone, the cloak would reach down to the ground.”

20.    “Give me back my cloak, ladies; I am the daughter of the hated Dearg; my only misdemeanour has been to sleep with Fionn of bared sword-blades.”

21.    “Take my curse and depart from us,” said the Son of Cumhall unperturbed; “since you have brought disgrace on our wives, don’t return to us another day.”


Notes to Poem VII