XIX. A Chonaill, cá sealbh na cinn?
MS p. 205
A houdir soo ċonnil carnych mceddirschoil[1.] A chonnil ċa
salve no kinn devin linn gyr ȝerkgis tar<m>
na kinn di chẇ er a ȝad slontir lat no fir foo fyve
MS p. 206
[2.] <A>
neyn orġil ny’ nach a Evir oik ne b<
>
sanna i’ nerik con̄ ni gles hugis loym
i’ nes no kinn
[3.] <k a>
i’ kenn mallytȝou
mor derkgyt
nay’ ros a ȝroy ġlan
< s> sai is gir ȝin lee clea a kenn deive ne/raa daiċ
[4.] kenn
ree mee ny’ nach loaiċ arce mccarbre ny’ goich camm
In nerik mo ȝaltan fen hugis lwm i’ gay’ a kenn
[5.] kai
i’ kenn oid er mye haale go volt fand gi malle sle< >
Rosk mir erre dait mir vlai alda no cach ċrwt a k̇inn
[6.] Man̄e
boe fer non naċ makmeyf ȝi ȝrach
gyt goyn̄
dagis a ċollin gy’ kenna is di hwt wlle lam̄ a loye
[7.] ka
in ken so ȝawis tow id laive a con̄il voir ne bae linn
Onac marrin kow ny’ gles keid verre how er les a kinn
[8.] kann
vcarris ny’
nacht ⎡vc⎤
vurreyt a c(<l>)reaith
gyt gvrt
mcmo fayr in
tur hang di skarris a k̇enn ra chwrp
[9.] ka
in kenn od hear in nolt Inn da greddyt no kinn ga le< >
hurris a’nit
er a ȝan̄ gy’ roveddir sal da rair
[10.] les
a sowd di hut i’ kow / di rad a chorp fa wrow das
low mcconna
re ny’ rann hugis lam a kenn tar ais
[11.] ka
i’ da ken so is fadde maċ a ċon̄il vor a vraa by<i>
Er ȝraiġ te’ne na kel orn̄ a’nym no v<a>r a ȝon ne h<e>rm̄
[12.] kenn leyirre is clair ċwlte in da kenn di hut lam̄ ȝin̄
MS p. 207
< > chullin ċarn sw<in> ȝargis merm na w<u>ll
[13.] kai
i’ da kenn so is fadde s<e>irre a con̄il vor gi gal ȝnee
Enny’ dae er volt ni verr derk i’ groye na ful leyc
[14.] Cwllin
brey is cwnlic croye deis di verre boye lai fer<k>
A Evyr seid so a kinna dagis a gwrp fa linna derk
[15.] ka
na vi kinn so solk maine de chewe feyn er mye hoyc
gvrm i’ nye dow a volt o hilla rosk (ċw<nn>lai) con̄il croy<e>
[16.] Sessyr
ȝascardin a ċon ċlann ċallidtene a m<w> ȝnais
Is said swd i’ sessir byve a hut lom̄
sin nerm̄
no laive
[17.] A
ċon̄il vor (ay<ir> rea) ⎡(aa) aichir ree⎤ keyn i’ ken od da gallit cacht
gin oir fai treilsew a keynd gy’ codyt slem̄ ġardyc van
[18.] kenna
vcfinn vcrosse roye vcnecnee hor bas lam̄ nart
a Evir is sai so a chend ardree layyn̄ ny’ land brak
[19.] A
con̄il vor mvg a skail creid a hut lad laive gin locht
Din tloe (eyncyt) ⎡eignyt⎤ a veil sinn a deilteis k̇inn na ċon
[20.] Deachnor
is seaċt fyċid kead derym peyn is ayr sloye
Di hu<t> lwmsa drwme er ȝrum̄ di neve mo cwlk cvnlaa cro<y>
[21.] A
con̄il (vor) ky’nis taidda mnâ Insse fail desne con̄<na>
Cowf vchowalte
hayve na vil agga fein ar for
[22.] A Evyr keid di
(ȝeyn fein) ⎡ȝarna mai⎤ gy’ mo k̇ow y’ reir fan sacht
Gyn mo ȝaltan fai mȧȧ / croẇ a dol voym a mvg so <ma>
MS p. 208
[23.] A
ċhon̄il tok me so vert tok mo lacht os lacht no con
Osda ċoẇf rachfen ayk cwr mo vail re bail no con <A >
[24.] Is
me Evyr is keyn dalve ne feine sarve daylta ȝoive
Di ȝerr no cha nvl mo spes troe mvreich er es a ċonn <ch >
Restored text:
A <h->ughdar so Conall Cearnach mac Eidirs<g>eóil1. “A Chonaill,
cá sealbh na cinn?
deimhin linn gur dheargais t’airm;
na cinn do-chiú air a’ ghad,
sloinntear leat na fir <fō bhaidhbh>.” (4)
2. “A nighean
Fhorghaill na n-each,
a Eimhear óg na <b[reith binn]>,
’s ann a n-éiric Con na gcleas
thugas liom andeas na cinn.” (8)
3. “<Cia>
an ceann malachdhubh mór,
deirge nā an rós a ghruaidh ghlan?
<is> é as giorr[a] dhan leith c[h]lí,
an ceann díobh < > dath.” (12)
4. Ceann ríogh
Midhe na n-each luath,
Earc mac Cairbre nan gcuach cam;
a n-éiric mo dhaltāin féin
thugas liom an gcéin a c[h]eann.” (16)
5. “Cia an
ceann úd air moigh thall,
go bhfolt fann, go mala sli<m> –
rosg mar oighreadh, déad mar bhláth,
áille nā cách cruth a’ chinn?” (20)
6. “Maine
buidhe, fear na n-each,
mac Meidhbh[e] dho <chreach> gach cuan;
d’fhágas a cholainn gan c[h]eann,
is do thuit uile leam a shluagh.” (24)
7. “Cia
an ceann so ghabhas tú ad láimh,
a C[h]onaill mhói? – ní báidh linn;
ō nach maireann Cú nan gcleas,
ciod <bheir> thú air leas a c[h]inn?” (28)
8. “Ceann
mhic Fhearghus[a] na n-each,
<mhic Mhuireadhaigh] a c[h]reach gach gort,
mac mo pheathar, an tuir <theann>,
do sgaras a cheann rā chorp.” (32)
9. “Cia
an ceann ūd thiar an fhuilt fhinn
dā gcreideadh na cinn go léi<r>?
<uras> aithne air a ghean
gun robhadar seal dā réir.” (36)
10. “Leis
a súd do thuit an Cú,
do-rad a chorp fā bhrúdh dtais;
Lugh[aidh] mac Con Raoi nan reann,
thugas leam a c[h]eann tar ais.” (40)
11. “Cia
an dá c[h]eann so as faide [a]mach,
a Chonaill mhóir a bhrath ba<dhbh>?
air ghrádh t’einigh na ceil oirnn
ainm na bhfear a ghoin na h-airm.” (44)
12. “Ceann
Laoghaire is C[h]láir[e] Chuilt,
an dá c[h]eann do thuit lēm ghuin;
<[do ghuin súd Cú]> Chulainn Chairn,
<suinn> [a] dheargas m’airm ’na bhfuil.” (48)
13. “Cia
an dá c[h]eann so as faide sear,
a Chonall mhóir go geal ghnaoi?
ionann dath air <f>olt na bhfear,
deirg[e] an gruaidh nā fuil laoigh.” (52)
14. Cuilleann
Breagh is Connla cruaidh,
dias do bheireadh buaidh lē feir<g>;
a Eimhear, [i]s iad so an cinn;
d’fhágas a gcuirp fā linn deirg.” (56)
15. “Cia
na vi cinn so [a]s olc méin
do-chiú féin air magh thuaidh?
gorm a n-aghaidh, dubh a bhfolt,
ō shilleadh rosg, C[h]onaill c[h]ruaidh.” (60)
16. “Seisear
dh’eascairdean a’ Chon,
<c>lann Chailidin a modh ghnáth;
is iad súd an seisear badhbh
a thuit leam ’s a n-arm ’na láimh.” (64)
17. “A
chonaill mhóir Ath Fhir-Dhiadh,
<caoin> an ceann ūd dā[n] <giall> cách,
go n-ór fā trillsibh a’ c[h]inn,
gon comhdach slim, ghearrte, bhán.” (68)
18. “Ceann
mhic Finn mhic Rosa Ruaidh,
mhic nic Niadh fhuair bás lēm neart;
a Eimhear, is é so a cheann,
airdrí Laighean nan leann breac.” (72)
19. “A
C[h]onaill mhóir M[h]oighe a[n] Sgáil,
créad a thuit lēd láimh gan locht
don t-sluagh eagnaidh a mhill sinn
a díoghaltas cinn na Con.” (76)
20. “Deichnear
is seachd fichead céad
[a]deirim féin ’s áir[eamh] sluaigh
do thuit leamsa druim air dhruim
do nimh mo c[h]uilg c[h]oinnligh c[h]ruaidh.” (80)
21. “A
C[h]onaill, cionnas [a]táid
mná Inse Fáil d’éis na Con?
cumh[a] mhic Shubhaltaigh shéimh
<na> bhfeil aca féin air for.” (84)
22. “A
Eimhear, ciod do-ghéan féin
gan mo Chú [d]am réir <fā> seach,
gan mo dhaltān fā math cruth
a’ dol bhuam amuigh<’s amach>?” (88)
23. “A
Chonaill, tōg mé ’sa bhfeart,
tōg mo leacht ōs leacht na Con;
ō ’s dā c[h]umh[a] rachainn éag,
cuir mo bhéal rē béal na Con.” (92)
24. “Is
mé Eimhear as caoin dealbh;
ní fíon searbh [a] dáiltī dhomh;
do dh’fhear nochan fheil mo spéis;
truagh m’fhuireach air éis a’ Chon.” (96)
[A] Ch<onaill>
Translation:
The author of this is Conall Cearnach son of Eidirsgéal 1. “Whose heads are those, Conall? I am certain that you have reddened you weapons; give the names of the men <who lie under scald-crows> and whose heads I see on the thong.”
2. “Daughter of Forghall of the [many] horses, young Eimhear of the <sweet-sounding judgements>, it was in compensation for [the death of] the feat-performing Hound that I brought those heads from the south.”
3. “Whose is the great dark-browed head, whose bright cheek is redder than the rose? It is the nearest [to me] on the left – that head <which has not changed> colour?”
4. “That is the head of the king of Meath of the swift horses, Earc son of Cairbre of the curling locks; it was in compensation for my own foster-son that I brought his head from afar.”
5. “Whose is that head yonder on the field, with soft hair and smooth eye-brows, with eyes like ice and teeth like blossom – that head whose form is fairer than all the rest?”
6. “Yellow-haired Maine, the horse-owner, the son of Meadhbh who plundered every company; I left his body without a head, and all of his host fell by my hand.”
7. “Whose is this head which you <take> in your hand, great Conall? We have no pity for it. Since the Hound of the feats no longer lives, what <do you bring in exchange for> his head?”
8. “That is the head of the son of Fearghus of the [many] horses, <the son of Muireadhach> who plundered every land; [he was] the son of my sister and a <firm> pillar – I severed his head from his body.”
9. “Whose is that fair-haired head behind, to which all the heads used to give allegiance? <It is easy> to tell by its grin that they were obedient to it at one time.”
10. “It was by him that the Hound fell – he left his body crushed and wet [with blood]; Lughaidh son of Cú Raoi of the spear-points, his head I brought back with me.”
11. “Whose are these two heads furthest out, great Conall whom the scald-crows noticed? For your honour’s sake, do not hide from us the names of the men whom the weapons wounded.”
12. “The heads of Laoghaire and Cláire Cuilt are the two heads that fell by my wounding; [they wounded Cú] Chulainn of Carn, and they are the warriors in whose blood I redenned
my weapons.”
13. “Whose are these two heads furthest east, great Conall of illustrious fame? The hair of both men is the same colour, and their cheeks are redder than calf’s blood.”
14. “Cuilleann of Breagha and hardy Connla, a pair who would angrily win a victory; these, Eimhear, are their heads – I left their bodies in a red pool [of blood].”
15. “Whose are these six heads of evil disposition which I see on the plain to the north? Their faces are blue, their hair is black – [that is apparent] from a glance, hardy Conall.”
16. “These are six of the Hound’s enemies, customarily known as the children of Cailidín; those are the six scald-crows who fell by me with their weapons in their hands.”
17. “Great Conall from Ath Fhir-Dhiadh, <beautiful> is that head to which all the rest <pay homage>, with gold about its tresses, and a smooth covering of white silver.”
18. “That is the head of the son of Fionn, son of Ros Ruadh, son of the daughter of Nia, who perished by my strength; Eimhear, this is his head – the high-king of Leinster of the speckled blades.”
19. “Great Conall of Magh an Sgáil, how many of the skilful host which we destroyed fell by your flawless hand in vengeance for the Hound’s head?”
20. “I myself declare that ten men more than fourteen thousand was the number of the host that fell by me one after another from the venom of my hard flashing sword.”
21. “How do the women of Inis Fáil now fare, Conall, after the death of the Hound? Grief for the gentle son of Subhaltach is all that they speak about.”
22. “What shall I myself do, Eimhear, when my Hound is not there <to take his turn> in obeying me – when my own foster-son of fine form does not go in and out of my house?”
23. “Lift me into the grave, Conall, and build my tomb above that of the Hound; since I would die from grief for him, place my lips against the lips of the Hound.
24. “I am Eimhear of beautiful form; it was not bitter wine which used to be apportioned to me; I have no interest in any other man; it is sad that I survive the Hound.”