XXI. Innis dūinne, a Fhearghuis

MS p. 230

A houdir soo farris fill –

[1.]   Innis downi a erris Ille feynni Errin
        ky’nis tȧrle ȝevin in gaċ ȝawryċ ni beymi’

[2.]   Ne mach vckoule mo skael o chaċ ȝawriċ
        Chȧ warr oskyr Invin hug mor coskir calm̄

[3.]   Cha warr seachta vec k̇eilt na gasre fean alwe
        Di hut oyk in feani Inn i’ neyda arry
t

[4.]   Di marwe mclowyt si vi mek sin tachryt
        Di hut oyk ni halvin di marwa fayn brettin

MS p. 231

[5.]   Di hut mcreloċlin fa linnye veit chonyt
        Bi chre fael farri bi lawe chalma i’ gony
t

[6.]   Innis doif a Ille mc mo vec is marrwm̄
        ky’nis do we oskyr scolta ni gachwarri

[7.]   Bi ȝekkir a Innis di bi wor in nobbir
        Ne royve marve sin gachsin hut la armow oskyr

[8.]   Ne loych as oyvin na seyawok re eltow
        Na re vwnni sroych na oskyr sin gachsin

[9.]   Weitsay ma ȝerri mir willit ra trane ȝeit
        Na mir chran voas ewee si wew gi a nanetee

[10.]    Mir ċonnik re errin voȧ er lar a chȧȧ
           hug oskir na chonew mir harwe twnni traa

[11.]    Mir chon̄ik sen carbre di chraa in tlye ha’tyċ
           Gir chur treit a chu’bir gir bea in conva cadna

[12.]    Neir ympoo sen oskir gin dranyt re Errin
           Gin dug beym gin deichi<l>l gir ȝeichin ay gairlyn̄

[13.]    Bollis art maccarbre er in darna bulli
           Sawle a wei
t in fer sin si winn reit vm̄

[14.]    Is me ferris filli ḋar hwil gyt Innis
           Troyg er esni feyny
t my skaell re Innis / Innis

 

Restored text:

A <h->úghdar so Fearghus Fil[e]

1.    “Innis dūinne, a Fhearghuis,
        fhile Féine Eireann,
        cionnas tarla <dheimhin>
        an gcath Ghabhra ne béimeann?”    (4)

2.    “Ní math, [a] mhic Cumhaill,
        mo sgéal ō chath Ghabhra;
        cha mhair Osgar ionmhainn
        thug mór cosgar calm[a].    (8)

3.    “Cha mhair seacht a mhic Caoilt[e]
        nā gasraidh Fian Almha[n];
        do thuit óig na Féine,
        Fhinn an éididh fheardha.    (12)

4.    “Do marbhadh Mac Lughach
        ’s a vi mic ’san <tachradh>;
        do thuit óig na hAlmhan,
        do marbhadh Fian Breatan.     (16)

5.    “Do thuit mac ríogh Lochlann,
        fā linne bhí [a] chómhnadh;
        bu chridh[e] fial feardha,
        bu lámh chalma an gcómhnaidh.”     (20)

6.    “Innis domh, a Fhile,
        mac mo mhic is m’anam,
        cionnas do bhí Osgar
        [a’] scoltadh na gcathbharr?”    (24)

7.    “Bu dheacair a innis,
        do bu mhór an obair,
        na roibh marbh ’san gcath sin,
        thuit lē armaibh Osgair.    (28)

8.    “Ní luaith[e] eas <abhann>
        nā seabhac rē ealtaibh,
        nā ríoghbhuinne srotha
        nā Osgar ’san gcath soin.    (32)

9.    “Bhí sé mā dheireadh
        mar bhile rē tréanghaoith,
        nā mar chrann bhuas fhiodhbhaidh
        ’s a bhiodh[aidh] ga[ch]a n-aontaoibh.    (36)

10.    “Mar chonnaic rígh Eireann
        bhuaidh air lár a’ chatha,
        thug Osgar ’na choinneamh
        mar tharbh tuinne <treathai[n]>.    (40)

11.    “Mar chonnaic sin Cairbre,
        do chrath an t-sleagh shéanta,
        gur chuir tríd a chumpar –
        gur b’é an conbhfadh céadna.    (44)

12.    “Níor iompuigh sin Osgar
        gun d’ráinig rígh Eireann,
        gun dtug béim gon dícheall,
        gur dhíthcheann é géarlann.    (48)

13.    “Buailis Art mac Cairbre
        air an darna buille;
        ’s amhlaidh a bhí an fear sin
        ’s a mhionn ríogh uim[e].    (52)

14.    “Is mé Fearghus File
        dhār h-umhal gach inis;
        truagh air éis na Féine
        mo sgéal[a] rē innis.”    (56)
                              Innis

 

Translation:

The author of this is Fearghus the Poet

1.      “Tell us, Fearghus, poet of the Fian of Ireland, how did matters really turn out in the battle of Gabhair of the blows?”

2.      “My tale from the battle of Gabhair is not good, Son of Cumhall; beloved Osgar who caused many a valiant slaughter no longer lives.

3.      “Seven of the sons of Caoilte are dead, and the youths of the Fiana of Almhain; the warriors of the Fian have fallen, O Fionn of manly attire.

4.      “Mac Lughach and his six sons have been killed in the <encounter>; the warriors of Almhain have fallen, the Fian of Britain have been slain.

5.      “The son of the king of Lochlann is dead – he gave us his support; he had a generous manly heart, and he always showed a valiant arm.”

6.      “Tell me, Poet, about my precious grandson; how did Osgar perform when splitting helmets?”

7.      “It would be difficult – a truly great task – to recount how many of the dead in that battle fell by Osgar’s weapons.

8.      “No waterfall in a river, no hawk swooping on bird-flocks, no might rushing stream was faster than Osgar in that fight.

9.      “He was finally like a great tree in a tempest, or like a tree towering above a forest, with his enemy on every side.

10.    “When he saw the king of Ireland some distance from him in the middle of the battle, Osgar set off to meet him like <a massive stormy wave>.

11.    “When Cairbre saw that, he brandished his charmed spear and hurled it through his breast with the same amount of ferocity.

12.    “That did not make Osgar turn aside before he reached the king of Ireland and dealt him a blow with the utmost effort, so that a sharp blade decapitated him.

13.    “He struck Art son of Cairbre with the second stroke; that man was wearing his royal diadem at the time.

14.    “I am Fearghus the Poet, to whom every island once submitted; now that the Fian no longer live, my news is sad to tell.”