Legends of Saints & Sinners. Collected and Translated from the Irish

FOOTNOTES:

[1] And "Teig O'Kane," which I translated for Mr. Yeats nearly twenty years ago.

[2] See "Religious Songs of Connacht," vol. II., p. 52.

[3] Pronounce Ussheen and Cweeltia. OisÍn is better known as Ossian in Scotland.

[4] Now Loch Carra, in Co. Mayo. The bottom of this lake consists of white marl, which gives the water an extraordinary light green appearance; hence it is called in old Irish documents Fionnloch Ceara, or the "white lake of Carra." The metrical Dinnsenchus, however, calmly ignoring this obvious physiological reason, evident to anyone who had ever examined the lake, gives a fantastic account of the white wings of angels, from which it says the water derived its name.

[5] I am not quite so certain about this last having never been practised in Ireland, but I have certainly never been told any story about it, nor seen it mentioned in MSS.

[6] I wrote down this from the recitation of an old man near Monivea, Co. Galway. I have not seen it in MS. Literally, "In hell of the pains in bondage is the gentle man (Fionn) who used to bestow the gold. You will go as the Fianna have gone, and let us talk about God yet awhile."

[7] See my "Literary History of Ireland," pp. 84-88. Also Stokes edition of the "Tripartite Life," p. 92.

[8] See the paper read by Sir Samuel before the Royal Irish Academy, April 28, 1873.

[9] Lower means "northern." It means round the Lagan, Creevagh and Ballycastle.

[10] Literally "doggish." The meaning is rather "snarling" or "fierce" than cynical.

[11] Pronounced like "Cunn eetir" and "sy-ha soory"—hound of rage and bitch of wickedness?

[12] Linnaun shee, a fairy sweetheart; in Irish spelt "leannÁn sidhe."

[13] Rather "the space between the toes."

[14] A variant of "it was well, my dear."

[15] See the story of Mary's Well, p. 17.

[16] Apparently tell it with your complaint added to it.

[17] This idiom, borrowed from the Irish, is very common in Anglo-Irish. It is not governed by the rules of English grammar.

[18] Pronounced "Paudyeen."

[19] The word "prÉachan," though it usually means crow, is applied to the seabhac or hawk in this poem. In Co. Roscommon I always heard the Marsh Harrier (or Kite as they called him in English), termed "prÉachan gcearc" in Irish.

[20] Literally "of the world."

[21] Literally "limb."

[22] See my "Literary History of Ireland," p. 351.

[23] i.e., Clonmacnoise.

[24] Literally "especially."

[25] In West Clare.

[26] i.e., Clonmacnoise.

[27] Apparently "the little grey one," from "liath"-grey; pronounced "Lay-heen." I have made her feminine and called her "she" in the translation, but the Irish makes her masculine.

[28] i.e., one of its own young eagles, or nestlings.

[29] Now Ben Bulben in Co. Sligo.

[30] i.e., "As old as the deluge."

[31] Or, "a cargo of five hundred years."

[32] Literally "second."

[33] Perhaps "Cluansost." There is no Berachan in Clonfert in the martyrologies. See "The Death of Bearachan," p. 63.

[34] Literally, "I never got on sea or land a knowledge of that lay of Leithin's."

[35] This is an old poetic word for a salmon.

[36] Literally "eagle," but this is a mistake, it was not an eagle.

[37] Literally "eagle." MSS. reads "fiolar"—"the eagle," which is evidently a mistake.

[38] Literally "Bell-house."

[39] Pronounce L'ock-na-weel.

[40] Literally "it's badly I'd believe you."

[41] Literally "now itself."

[42] Notice the use of the definite article.

[43] Literally "thickly."

[44] Literally "little bog-berries"

[45] See the story of "The Old Woman of Beare."

[46] See also O'Curry MS. Materials p. 412-418 and 432. Fer-da-lethe, or the "man of two halves," was another name for him, "because he spent half of his life in the world and half on pilgrimage ut ferunt periti." An old rann runs:

[link to transcription]

i.e., "Four prophets of the clean Gael. The country from which they sprang was the better for them. Columbcille, full Moling, Brendan of Birr and Berchan."

[47] Near Killarney in Co. Kerry. But, as I have shown, he was probably Bearchan of Cluainsosta. There is no Berchan of Glenflesk in any of the Irish martyrologies.

[48] A common proverb.

[49] Westport.

[50] "A cleric without a bell," and "the forgetting his bell by the cleric," are common proverbs in Irish.

[51] Biastaide luathe na mara.

[52] This passage about Bobhur is not in the R.I.A. copy only the part about the Duibhin.

[53] Mo chathair si agus mo thigheas easbogoidheacht in my MS. "Mo theaghdhais easbogoideachta" 23 M 50. 1758.

[54] Literally, "in the gallows."

[55] This story was told to me in the garden of Mr. Reddington Roche, at Rye Hill.

[56] Pronounced "Paudyeen CreeÖna."

[57] A poetess and the heroine of the tale, "The Meeting of Liadain and Cuirither," published by Kuno Meyer.

[58] A poetess who died in 932.

[59] See the story "The Adventures of Leithin."

[60] Literally, "He (i.e., God) is your life"; the equivalent of "hail!" "welcome."

[61] Literally, "the boiling of the angles-between-the-fingers was on me."

[62] Literally, "before her age being spent."

[63] Literally, "give it wind."

[64] The fairies ride their little grey horses, and stable them at night under the leaves of the copÓg or dock-leaf, or docking. But if they arrive too late and night has fallen, then the copÓg has folded her leaves and will not shelter them.

[65] Literally, "man's daughter."

[66] Literally, "I gave to the soles." Many people still say in speaking English, "I gave to the butts." The Irish word means butt as well as sole.

[67] Note the Irish idiom—the definite for the indefinite article.

[68] See Celtic Review, vol. V., p. 107.

[69] See Stokes' Calendar of Oengus, p. xcix. The fourth request is not mentioned, nor yet in O'Donnell's Life, where the story is much better told. See "Zeitschrift fÜr Celt. Philologie," vol. IV. p. 278.

[70] For Ciaran, see the story of the Eagle LÉithin.

[71] The Bodleian copy consists of 120 pages of vellum, each leaf measuring 17 by 11-1/2 inches.

[72] See Zeitschrift fÜr Celt. Phil. vol. III. p. 534, translated by Dr. Henebry.

[73] The "cockles of the heart" is a common expression in Anglo-Irish. It is taken from the Irish, cochall, meaning really a cowl.

[73a] Thather ag a leagadh. The autonomous form in Scotch Gaelic.

[74] Diabhac, pronounced in Connaught, d'youc; a homonym for the more direct diabhal—devil, as "deil" in English.

[75] The meaning seems to be, that the devil who lost his quarry would suffer the same punishment as was reserved for Friar Brian.

[76] Compare the story of the Tobacco Prayer, p. 244.

[77] = great Louth of the Friars.

[78] For the original, see my "Religious Songs of Connacht," vol. II. p. 66.

[79] The Mantle of Brigit is a common expression. Even in Scotland "St. Bride and her brat [mantle]" is a well-known saying.

[80] This obviously shows that the prayer was intended to be said at wakes.

[81] Or better, Buighdeach, pronounced Bweed-yach, i.e., Bweed-ya with a guttural ch (as in loch) at the end.

[82] Literally, "fort," pronounced like "dhoon." Usually a half-levelled earthen rampart.

[83] Literally, "do you our will."

[84] For this place, see the story of the "Friars of Urlaur."

[85] Here begins the half which I did not lose.

[86] The night is usually put before the day in Irish.

[87] In Irish "Grainne Oigh," pronounced like "Grania O-ee."

[88] Cnoc Meadha, generally called in English "Castlehacket," a hill to the west of Tuam, Co. Galway, reputed to be the headquarters of all the Tuatha de Danann and shee-folk of Connacht. There dwell Finvara and Nuala, king and queen of the fairies of that province. Many stories are told about it.

[89] This is the Irish word translated by "fairy," in Irish "sidhe": a common diminutive is sidheÓg "shee-ogue."

[90] Croagh Patrick or Reek Patrick is one of the highest mountains in Connacht. It is 2,510 feet high and difficult to climb. St Patrick is reputed to have driven all the serpents in Ireland into the sea down its slopes. It has always been a noted pilgrimage.

[91] "To bear alway the branch," is the Irish expression for having first place, or in English, carrying off the palm.

[92] Anglo-Irish very sensibly uses "ye" for the plural of thou in all cases, "you" having become ambiguous.

[93] Pronounce in-yaÉ.

[94] i.e., Field of Help. This is folk etymology. Now Aughagower, in Mayo.

[95] Ballina, Co. Mayo.

[96] i.e., Lough Derg.

[97] i.e., The High King.

[98] Pronounced "Foo-a." A weird shape, phantom, or spectre.

[99] Literally, "long-haired one." It is a term for a wizard or warlock.

Uncial1

I n-ifreann na bpian ar lÓiÁmh
AtÁ an fear sÁimh do Bhronnadh an t-Ór,
ImtheÓchaidh tusa mar d'imthigh an fhiann,
Agus trÁchtamaois ar Dhia go fÓil.

Uncial2

Dodhach BerchÁin da friot go nuaide in UÍb FÁilgi i bhferonn Ó Ui Berchain, an maidi fÓs timchiol an uisge. Ann sin atÁ cluainsosta agus ann sin atÁ tempall BerchÁin acus do bhÍ,

Uncial3

Tig raoirse andiaidh rÓ-bhruide,
Tar Éir dubhuig tig soineann,
Fuilnge feadh an Órlaigh-si,
Mar do caitheadh an choineall.

Uncial4

DÁS BHEARACHÁIN NA RÁRDHTE GCLISDE.

BhÍ sean-draoi ann, fad Ó, gur bh'É ainm a bhÍ air nÁ BearachÁn, agus tÁinig Fionn Mac CÚmhaill agus righ eile d'Á fhiosrughadh, oidhche airÍghthe.

Do bhÍodar ag caitheamh na h-oidhche leÓ fÉin ann—ag dÉanamh gach aon chaitheamh-aimsire d' fhÉadadar dÓibh fÉin.

I gcaitheamh na h-oidhche dhÓibh d'iarr Fionn de BhearachÁn an fada an saoghal a bhi gearrtha amach dÓ nÓ an raibh aon fhios aige air.

Dubhairt BearachÁn d'a fhreagairt go raibh, go maith—go mairfeadh sÉ go brÁth chun go dtiucfadh trÍ righthe gan cuireadh chum a thighe i gcÓmhair na h-oidhche,—ar an oidhche sin go dtiucfadh mac tÍre chuige do mhar'ochadh É.

"BÉan t'anam, mar sin." arsa Fionn, "mar tÁ trÍ righthe gan cuireadh ann so anocht."

"Cionnar a bhÉadh"? arsa BearachÁn, "agus gan ann acht beirt agaibh."

Uncial5

"TÁ," arsa Fionn, "mise righ na FÉinne, agus É seo lem' chois righ cÚigeadh is eadh É, agus Bran atÁ 'na righ ar ghadharaibh an domhain."

"O! Dia le m'anam"! arsa BearachÁn, "tÁ mo ghnÓ dÉanta mar sin."

"Ni baoghal duit anocht pÉ sgÉal É," arsa Fionn, "no teipfidh sÉ orrainn-ne."

SÉ rud do dheineadar, nÁ É do chur fa bhÉal tobÁin, agus an bheirt eile bheit ag imirt fithchille ar thÓin an tobÁin ar eagla go dtuitfeadh riad 'na gcodladh an fhard do bheior ag faire ar BhearachÁn. Do dhÍodar ag imirt leÓ.

Budh ghairid dÓibh gur airigheadar an t-iarmhar a' ladhairt amuigh, agus d'iarr sÉ ortha go h-iairmhÉileach É do leogaint isteach.

Dubhrodar leis go doithcheallach, i mbasa, nÁ leogfaidis.

Do lean sÉ orra, fharo gach n-fhaid, agus É niosa truarghmhÉilighe gach uair 'nÁ a chÉile.

Dubhairt Fionn fÉ dheireadh thair thall gur chÓir gur chuireadar dÍobh cathanna ba chruardhe 'na pÉ iarmhar a bhÍ amuigh do smachtughadh go maidin.

D'osgladar an dorus agus do sgaoileadar isteach É, agus do shuidh sÉ sa' chÚinne agus do leog (leig) sÉ air do bheith dÁ leigheadh (leaghadh) ag an bhfuacht. Is gearr gur tharraing sÉ chuige pÍob, agus do thornaigh sÉ ar an gceÓl do spreagadh do b'uaibhrighe agus d'airigh aon neach riamh. Agus da ghearr 'na dhiardh sin gur thuit duine aca na chodladh thall agus duine eile, abhos, agus ap maidin nuair dhÚisigheadar ni raibh fe bhÉal an tobÁin acht cairnin cnÁmh. Sin É bÁr BhearachÁin agaibh.

Uncial6

Cheithri fÁidhe Gaidhel n-glan
feirdi an tÍr a dtangadar,
Colum cille Moling lÁn
Brenainn Biorra agus BerchÁan.

Transcriber's Note

Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error.

There are several blocks of Uncial text. These have been included as images. Links are provided below the images to transliterations, primarily for systems where images are not supported.

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