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

XXVI. Sé lá gus an dé

MS p. 294, column 1

Autor huius Ossane mcfinn etc

[1.]   sai la gus in dei
        (cha nak mai) ⎡foo <nt> vaga⎤ fin
        cha nak(im) ⎡a⎤ rem rai
        sai boo ȝad lym

[2.]   mak ney’ ee heik
        Ree nyt wollyt trom̄
        meddi is mo raich
        mo cheyl is mo chon̄

[3.]   Fa fille fa flaa
        fa ree er gi re
        Finn flȧ re no vane
        Fa treat er gyt teir

[4.]   Fa meille mor marre
        fa lowor er lerg

MS p. 294, column 2

        fa schawok glan geit
        fa seit er gi carde

[5.]   fa hillanit carda
        fa markyt nor verve
        fa hollew er ȝneit
        fa sceit er gi scherm̄

[6.]   Fa fer chart a wrai
        Fa tawicht toye
        Fa hy’seich naige
        Fa bratȧ er boye

[7.]   Fa hai i’ techteri ard
        Er chalm is er k<eil>
        Fa dwlta ny’ dawf
        o ȝaig graig ni glar

[8.]   A knes mir I galk

MS p. 294, column 3

        A zroie myr i’ ros
        bi ȝlan gorm a rosk
        a holt myr in toir

[9.]   Fa dwle dawf <is> d<oyn’a>
        Fa haryt ny’ aw
        Fa hollew er ȝnee
        Fa meine re mnâwe

[10.]    Fa ⎡hai⎤ meill mor
           makmvrna gi myġ
           bar lynyt ny’ land
           In cranna os gyt Ig

[11.]    Fa seywar in ryg
           a vodla mor ȝlas <ma  >
           din ȝort ȝair ȝerve<  >
           Terf notcha <th>ra<i  >

MS p. 295, column 1

[12.]    <   arf     vii bach o / gi brow <v>ane>
           <  i  f    flat… in tloye
             <cha re croy> / chane

[13.]    fa chos<nw> ni greit
           fa va’ve ni bann
           gin dug <fi’> flat
           tre chaid cat fa chann

[14.]    Er s<c>ra<tt>yt o ȝea
           mckowle nar chail
           Id deir<ir> fa ȝoo
           ne clos goo na vail

[15.]    neir ear ne er nat
           ȝar air<’> voo ynd
           cha royve at re grane
           re reyve vas a chynn

[16.]    neir aik pest in lotht
           na arryt <a>n noef
           nery’ ny’ neve
           nar varve i’ seir soyve

[17.]    ne hy’nasse ȝneve
           a beiine gin de bra
           ner y’nasse voyn̄
           trane a voy (si waa) ⎡mir haya⎤

[18.]    at is olk id tam̄
           i’ dei ind ni vane
           di quhy les in flat
           gi mat wa na ȝei

[19.]    gin angnow i’ var
           gin a’nit glan get
           gin n<o>r i’ <nui>e ree
           & gin wre i’ leich

[20.]    Is tursyt id tam

MS p. 295, column 2

            in dei chinni ni gaid
            is me i’ crann er creit
            is me keive er naik

[21.]    is me chnoo cheit
           is me i’ teach gin schrane
           achadane mi nor
           is mi i’ toath gin treat

[22.]    Is me ossin mcfynn
           er t<ra>ne y’ ȝneit
           nad bi voa finn
           di bi lwme gi neit

[23.]    vii slis er i hyġ
           (ac) mckowl gy’ blyġ
           vii fytit skae ċlis
           er gi slis dew / sen

[24.]    kegit y’me oole
           i’ dy’chale mi ree
           kegit leit gin (dymmi) ⎡ym ȝwn⎤
           syt git (tymchil) ⎡y’me⎤ (d<i>ew) / ȝeive

[25.]    x ⎡c⎤ pley bane
           na hallit re hoil
           x ⎡c⎤ vrskir gorm̄
           x ⎡c⎤ corn i’ noor

[26.]    at bi wat i’ traive
           a wag finni ni vane
           gin dochil gin drow /
           gy’ glw is gy’ gley /

[27.]    gy’ talkis ind
           er i’ err ȝa ayne
           ag dol er gi nae
           di we cat ȝa rair

MS p. 295, column 3

[28.]    finn flat in tloye so<thc>an̄
           er a low / m m m
           re ny’ vlle oig
           roy ȝwneni neir ȝult

[29.]    neir ȝwlt finni roe nat
           ga bi veg a lynn
           char churre as i heach
           nat ȝar danyg ann

[30.]    mach in donna finn
           mach i’ donna ai
           not chair helic nat (l)
           lai ȝar h<e>lic sa     sai  l <   >


Restored text:

Au[c]tor huius Oisēan mac Finn etc.

1.    Sé lá gus an dé
       chan fhac[a] mé Fionn;
       chan fhaicim rēm ré
       sé budh fhaide liom.    (4)

2.    Mac nighean uí Thaidhg,
       rí na bhfoghla trom,
       m’oide is mo thriath,
       mo chiall is mo chonn.    (8)

3.    Fā file, fā flaith,
       fā rí air ga[ch] rígh;
       Fionn flaithrí na bhFian,
       fā triath air gach tír.    (12)

4.    Fā míleadh mór mear,
       fā lúthmhor air leirg,
       fā seabhac glan gaoith,
       fā saoi air ga[ch] ceird.    (16)

5.    Fā h-iollānach ceard,
       fā marcach nār mheirbh,
       fā h-ollamh air <ghnaoi>,
       fā <saoi> air ga[ch] seirm.    (20)

6.    Fā fírcheart a bhreith,
       fā tábhacht[ach] tuath,
       fā h-ionnsaightheach n-áigh,
       fā bráthach air buaidh.    (24)

7.    Fā h-é an teachtaire ard
       air chalm[a] is air chiall;
       fā diúltadh nan dámh
       ó dh’éag grádh na gcliar.    (28)

8.    A c[h]neas mar an gcailc
       a ghruaidh mar an rós;
       bu ghlan gorm a rosg,
       a fholt mar an t-ór.    (32)

9.    Fā dúil dámh is <duan>,
       fā h-aireach na n-ágh,
       fā h-ollamh air <ghnaoi>,
       fā míne rē mnáibh.    (36)

10.   Fā h-é [a] míl[eadh] mór
        mac Muirne go miodh,
        barr Laigh<ean> nan lann,
        an crann ós gach fhiodh.    (40)

11.   Fā saidhbhir an rí
        a bhFódla m[h]óir ghlais;
        <don ghort ghéar gharbh>
        [fā] tarbh <nochar thais>.    (44)

12.   <[T]arbh & vii bá
        ó gach brugh[aodh] bhán>
        <[go] Fionn flaith> an t-sluaigh,
        <cha rí> cruaidh [a] cháin.    (48)

13.   Fā chos<namh> na gcríoch
        fā Bhanbha na beann;
        gun dtug <Fionn [an]> flath
        trí chéad cath fā cheann.    (52)

14.   <Fhir scredaigh> ó Dhia,
        mac Cumhaill nār chéal;
        adeir<ear> fā dhó
        ní clos gó ’na bhéal.    (56)

15.   Níor éar ní air neach
        dhār iarr[adh] bhó Fhionn;
        cha roibh ach rí grian
        rí riamh uas a chionn.    (60)

16.   Níor <éag>péisd an loch
        nā arracht a n-uaimh
        [a] nEirinn nan naomh
        nār mharbh an saor suadh.    (64)

17.   Ní h-innis<ead> [a] ghníomh
        [d]ā beinn gon dtí bráth;
        níor inniseadh bhuainn
        trian a bhuaidh-se bha.    (68)

18.   Ach is olc atáim
        an déidh Fhinn na bhFéin;
        do-chaidh leis an f[h]lath
        ga[ch] math bha ’na dhéidh.    (72)

19.   Gan eangnamh an bhfear,
        gan aithne g[h]lan g[h]aoth,
        gan <ór a n-úidh ríogh>
        & gan bhríogh an laoch.    (76)

20.   Is tuirseach atáim
        an déidh chinn na gcéad;
        is mé an crann air crioth,
        is mé <ciabh> air n-éag.    (80)

21.   Is mé [an] chnó chaoch,
        is mé an t-each gan srian;
        achadán, mo nuar,
        is mé an tuath gan triath.    (84)

22.   Is mé Oisean mac Finn
        air <trian [dh]e m[o] ghníomh>;
        [a]n fhad bu bheó Fionn,
        do bu liom ga[ch] ní.    (88)

23.   Vii slios[a] air a thaigh,
        mac Cumhaill go<m> blaidh;
        vii fichead sgiath chlis
        air ga[ch] slios díobh sain.    (92)

24.   Caogad iomdha óil
        an dtimcheall mo ríogh;
        caogad laoch gan dtiom
        seach gach timcheall díobh.    (96)

25.   X c[éad] bleidhe bán
        ’na thall rē h-ól;
        x c[éad] usgar gorm,
        x c[éad] corn a n-ór.    (100)

26.   Ach bu mhath an treabh
        a bh’aig Fionn na bhFian,
        gan doicheall, gan dtnúth,
        gon gclú is gon gliaidh.    (104)

27.   Gan talcais [ó] Fhionn
        air aoinfhear dhā Fhéin;
        ag dol air gach n-ágh,
        do bhí cách dhā réir.    (108)

28.   Fionn flath an t-sluaigh,
        <so ceann> air a lúth;
        rí na n-uile óg,
        roimh dhuine níor dhiúlt.    (112)

29.   Níor dhiúlt Fionn roimh neach,
        gé bu bheag a <loinn>;
        char chuir as a theach
        neach dhār dtáinig ann.    (116)

30.   Math an duine Fionn,
        math an duine é;
        nochar thiodhlaic neach
        leath dhār thiodhlaic sé.    (120)

                                  Sé l[á]

 

Translation:

The author of this is Oiséan son of Fionn etc.

1.      It is six days from yesterday since I last saw Fionn; I shall never see in my time six that seemed longer to me.

2.      Son of the daughter of Tadhg’s grandson, he was a king of heavy forays, my foster-father and my chief, my source of good sense and my wise leader.

3.      He was a poet and a prince, a king over every king; Fionn, princely lord of the Fiana, was a chief over every land.

4.      A great spirited warrior, he was vigorous on a battlefield; a wise and bright hawk, a sage in every craft.

5.      Skilful in many arts, he was no feeble horseman; he was <renowned> as a chief poet, the <master> of every melody.

6.      Wholly just in his judgement, hew was the supporter of peoples, aggressive in battle, always victorious.

7.      He was a surpassing envoy in his strength and his wisdom; the poet-bands have suffered refusal since the death of the one beloved by bards.

8.      His skin was like chalk, his cheek like the rose; clear and blue were his eyes, his hair was like gold.

9.      He was the desire of poet-bands and <poems>, a leader in battles, a chief poet by <reputation>, and [the essence of] gentleness towards women.

10.    He was a great warrior, the renowned son of Muirn; pre-eminent in Leinster of the sword-blades, he was a tree above all other trees.

11.    As a king he had great wealth in extensive green Ireland; <when entering the bitter boisterous battlefield> he was no weak bull.

12.    <A bull and seven cows were brought from every fine landowner to Fionn, the prince> of the people; <he was not> a king whose tribute was harsh.

13.    He was the defender of the bounds throughout Ireland of the many peaks; Fionn, the prince, brought three hundred battalions under his command.

14.    <Noisy man> of God, <I shall not obscure> [the fame of] the Son of Cumhall; it is asserted twice over that no falsehood was heard in his mouth.

15.    Fionn did not refuse any man anything that was requested from him; no king ever surpassed him except the King of the Suns.

17.    His deeds could never be [fully] related although I should continue until the day of doom; we have not narrated one third of the qualities of this man who once lived.

18.    Alas, I am sad, following the death of Fionn of the Fiana; with the passing of the prince, every good thing that followed him has also departed.

19.    There is no prowess left in any man, no pure clear-sighted wisdom now remains, no <king has any interest in gold>, and there is no strength in any hero.

16.    In Ireland of the saints, the wise noble killed every monster that ever <died> in a loch, and every ogre that ever <died> in a cave.

20.    I am sorrowful now that the leader of hundreds is dead; I am [like] a tree trembling, I am [like] withered <foliage>.

21.    I am [like] a blighted nut, I am [like] a horse without a bridle; alas and alack, I am [like] a people without their lord.

22.    I am Oiséan son of Fionn, <reduced to a third of my vigour>; as long as Fionn was alive, everything was mine.

23.    The house of Cumhall’s famous son had seven sides; there were seven score shields for dexterous feats on every one of those sides.

24.    There were fifty drinking-couches surrounding my king; there were fifty fearless warriors spread over each of those benches.

25.    There were ten hundred pale goblets in his hall for drinking; there were ten hundred splendid jewels, and ten hundred horns of gold.

26.    Alas! Fionn of the Fiana kept a good mansion, without grudging or ill-will, but with renown and activity.

27.    Fionn did not despise any man of his Fian; entering every fight, each man obeyed him.

28.    Fionn, the prince of the people, <this puts an end to> his vigour; the king of all warriors, he refused nothing to any man.

29.    Fionn did not refuse any man, even although he should be <in slender circumstances>; he did not turn out of his house any of those who came in.

30.    Fionn was a good man – he was a truly good person; no one ever bestowed [as gifts] the half of what he bestowed.

 

Notes to Poem XXVI