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p. 88

From MS. Laud 615, p. 18.

Mongan cecinitdo Colum Cille.

Caomh-Colum cáidh ciuin cubaid cobsaid comdalach com ramach cumachtach Cille mirbuilech,

[5] ag nach fail gradh ilṡelba,
cabras da mainib gan dimda
gach dam imda ilarda,
nach fail tarut na 1 fich na ferg,
gnais derg lethan lainnerdha,
[10] corp gel ar n-derbad a rúin,
ocus clú gan imharbus,
rosg glas gan locht is gan lasg
ocus folt cas coinnelda. 2

Foghar gotha Coluim Cille,
[15] lor a binne os gach cleir,
co tend cuig fichet déc ceimenn,
aidble remenn, sedh ba reil.

Mac Eit[h]ni is Fei[d]limid finn
cuigi romcinn Dia do cein
a Tir Tarrngaire na finn,
[20] mar a cantar fír gan bréig.

Tri caoguit inis rea rim
ma docuired on rig réd, 3
in gach innsi dar mo leighend
tri coibheis Eirenn fodein.

[25] Mar domsdíur mac De gu haghmar,
om tir fein tang ane
gu Carraig Eolairg gan mebail,
cu bord Locha Febail fein. p. 89
Loch Febail fial nocho míbladh
ag dílad aidhed 1 o Néill.

Colum Cille cáin gan gó,
briathra an laoich gersat ra ló,
anté nach cabair na fainn [5]
noca carann 2 caom-Choluim.
           Caomh-Cholum caidh.

Beloved, chaste, gentle, just, firm, disputant, combative, powerful, miraculous Colum Cille,

'Who loveth not many possessions, [10]
Who with his gifts without displeasure
Helpeth every numerous multitudinous band.
Over thee there is neither wrath nor anger.
Red broad radiant face,
White body that hath proved mysteries, [15]
And fame without sin,
Grey eye without fault and without . . .,
And curly luminous hair.

The sound of Colum Cilia's voice--
Abundant its sweetness above every train, [20]
To the end of fifteen score paces,
Vastness of courses! it was clear. 3

The son of Ethne and of Fedlimid the Fair,
To him God sent me from afar,
From the Land of Promise of the blessed, [25]
Where truth is sung without falsehood.

Thrice fifty isles are counted,
As they were set by the bright King;
In every isle, by my lore!
There is three times the size of Erin herself. [30]

p. 90

As the Son of God directed me prosperously,
From my own land I have come yesterday
To Carraic Eolairg without disgrace,
To the edge of Lough Foyle itself.
[5] Loch Foyle, hospitable without ill-fame,
Contenting the guests of the Ui Néill.

Colum Cille, fair without falsehood,
Though the words of the warrior were . . .
He that doth not help the weak,
[10] He is no friend of beloved Colum.'

 

Footnotes

88:1 This na is superfluous; it spoils the metre.

88:2 [30] In the notes on Féline Oengusso, p. ci., these lines are as follows:

"Colam cáincruth cumachtach,
drech derg lethan lainderda,
corp geal, clú cen imarba,
folt cass, suil glas chaindelta.

88:3 Read réil.

89:1 Read áighadh.

89:2 Read cara.

89:3 This quatrain is also found in Three Middle-Irish Homilies, p. 102, in Félire Oengusso, p. ci, and in Goidelica, p. 163. Instead of cóic fichet déc read cóic cét déac. Déac having become a monosyllable, cét was changed into fichet to make up the seven syllables.