Filidh Éireann go haointeach
The poets of Ireland go to one house
§ 1. The poets of Ireland go to one house tonight; it will not be miserly! What poet has not been snatched from sorrow by the man of the house into which they come?
§ 2. If their coming is desired--all the poets of Ireland together, how shall we be happy thus? We have often been dissatisfied
§ 3. Tho' they were few it would be oppressive, more and more numerous are the people of art; our invitation is thus troublesome as it is a demanding company to invite.
§ 4. The greater part of the men of Ireland are opposed to us, although it is ignorance: pleasant is the time which is at hand, considering that everyone else is unfriendly towards our art.
§ 5. William, the chief of Eamhain's plain, a man who never made a stanza, issues the summons of the bardic college--astonishing tidings--as tho" he were a jurist of the schools.
§ 6. William O'Kelly-graceful form-is above the petty kings of Ireland ; his generosity quenches their fame ; there is a gathering summoned towards him.
§ 7. Because of the summons we have received, their own poets -I expect-will not remain with the tribe of Niall during this Christmastide.
§ 8. From the amount that will go to his royal fort during this coming Christmastide, when the nimble folk of Munster feast it will be a feasting without a man of.
§ 9. The learned of Blod's race responding here at Christmas; from the number of the School coming into his house every other place will be solitary
§ 10. It has never been a custom with the hospitable race-the greater their blame for William-that the Clan-Carthy should be without bards at the approach of such a festival.
§ 11. Throughout this day in Leinster, or in Meath of the gentle rivers, no note* of music will be heard, save the voice of the sweet bird from the trees.
§ 12. Being with him, beyond all trouble, is most fitting for the Craftsmen; at his banquets throughout the day, it will be a feast of age for the poets.
§ 13. The poet-companies of pleasant-meadowed Fódla [Ireland], and those of Scotland – a distant journey – will be acquainted with one another after arriving in William’s lofty castle.
§ 14. The seven ranks who shape the genuine poetry will come here; the seven true ranks of poets, their entrance (into the house) is an omen of expenditure (of gifts).
§ 15. Many are coming to the son of Duncan from the north, no fewer from the south: an assembly of scholars; a billeting from west and east, a company seeking cattle.
§ 16. There will be judges who make legal decisions; there will be “druids” and good poets; the authors of Ireland, those who compose the battle-rolls, will be in his dwelling.
§ 17. The musicians of Ireland – vast the flock – every sort of craftsman, the flood of companies, side by side: the entire gathering is going to one house.
§ 18. In preparation for those who will come to the house – it is right to boast of it – a castle fit for apple-treed Emain has been built according to the desire of the lord of the house.
§ 19. There are sleeping quarters for the company, made of woven branches on the bright surface of the pleasant hills.
§ 20. The poets of Irish soil are prepared to seek O’Kelly: a mighty company is approaching his house, an avenue of peaked hostels await them.
§ 20. The poets of Irish soil are prepared to seek O’Kelly: a mighty company is approaching his house, an avenue of peaked hostels await them.
§ 21. Close to that – pleasant is the appearance – a separate street has been set aside by William for the musicians so that they may be ready to perform before him.
§ 22. The historians of lovely Ireland form a gathering of a mighty host: the company is in the town; Where is the street of the historians?
§ 23. The fair-coloured, generous-hearted host have another spacious avenue of white houses for the bardic companies and the jugglers.
§ 24. That is paltry, considering the number of pleasant streets the people of the warrior of Ervallagh possess around O’Kelly’s castle.
§ 25. They are arranged so that there are ample paths between them; similar to letters that have been lined up in a crowded, (?) avenue. § 26. Two rows of smooth, conical roofed houses are on either side of each thread of bare, smooth, straight, firm road.
§ 27. The ridge of the bright-furrowed field is a plain crowded with houses; behind the crowded plain is a fortified residence, resembling a capital letter.
§ 28. The fortified residence of fair Gaille’s chieftain is a capital letter of lovely stone; the fortified residence is strengthened by the lake which lies behind the stone.
§ 29. It is visible from far away, the star-stone above the waters of Loch na nÉigeas [“The Lake of the Scholars”], though the fortified residence is lovelier on the inside, its outer smoothness is like vellum.
§ 30. The castle on the bank of the lake is the sign of a mighty chieftain; the scion of Bregia is to be praised on account of the castle; bright is its stone, ruddy is its timber.
§ 31. The woodwork and the lime-washed stone are perfectly joined together; there are no large gaps between them; the work is a triumph of art. § 32. No other timber has been crafted as beautifully as this woodwork; lime has not covered the face of a castle as beautiful as this great stone.
§ 33. The spacious court of the “spark” of Cúala is (made of) the (finest) choice of stone and timber; the beams of his arched court are (made of) tightly-joined, unspliced oak.
§ 34. There is artistry of the smithy on the shining woodwork; on the smooth part of each brown oaken beam carpenters carve animal figures.
§ 35. On the smooth side of the warm dwelling – it magnifies its beauty – the trace of a narrow, pointed, slender, fresh, narrow pen.
§ 36. This high tower in front of us is similar to the Tower of Breoghan, from which the best of spears were thrown, from which Ireland was perceived from Spain.
§ 37. (The tower) from which the great offspring of Míl of Spain won the land with sharp spear points – a favourable enterprise – so that they became people of Ireland.
§ 38. From which Fódla [Ireland] of the jagged trees – after the combat of the “branches” (warriors) from Síodh Breagh destroyed the Tuatha Dé Danann – is in the possession of the offspring of the Sons of Míl since their death.
§ 39. They went from Greece to fair Spain, from Spain to Ireland; (this is) the journey of the mighty offspring of Míl, the troop of the “old” (time-proven), finely-wrought weapons.
§ 40. Éber and Eremon were the two most powerful of the gathering; O’Kelly is of the blood of their lineage (just as) every hound resembles its breed.
§ 41. The grandson of Conchobar of Glandore is not merely an Irishman; William, with his curly, ringletted, spreading locks of hair, is also Greek and Spanish.
§ 42. Woe to him with whom the chief is angry, even if it takes a long time for his anger to be aroused; it is difficult to reduce the displeasure of Maine’s descendant; his wrath is all the greater from its rarity.
§ 43. The extent of the (people of the) Uí Maine is held by Duibh Easa’s son of the bold weapon; from Grian to old Cora in the east is in the possession of the man of the undulating, curly locks.
§ 44. His country lacks nothing; he has both smooth [domesticated] and rugged [land]; I perceive in the possession of the chieftain of Lí some of every kind of land around him.
§ 45. Athenry, broad Athlone, Áth Liag – the three magnificent fords are the least trouble (to add to?) the bodies of water of the king of Ráth Sleachta.
§ 46. Loch Derg – a cause of pride – Loch Lee of the green-sided marshes, these blue bays on which the sun shines brightly are the “pillars” of William’s land.
§ 47. Maonmagh, the territory of the Sons of Morna, was subject to the generous heroic one; his share would come to the chief of Codba even if the Children of Morna remained.
§ 48. That plain had long gone out of their patrimony until William grew up; Maonmagh had expectant interest in the member of (the tribe of) Uí Maine after being occupied by foreigners.
§ 49. Since the Vikings [i.e., foreigners] were banished from there by the son of Duncan of Dun Maigue, the Uí Maine occupy the smooth face of Maonmagh, under the sway of the king of Ruide.
§ 50. He will divide the plain amongst the Uí Maine, since his people have earned it; the descendants of noble Maine are not angry as a result of the distribution of Maonmagh amongst the Uí Maine.
§ 51. Although many offerings and tributes come to his joyous countenance – which is like a blazing ember – there are even more poet bands coming to Clan Kelly to get cattle from William (as gifts).
§ 52. William, the white-toothed son of Duncan son of Conchobar Chobhartaigh; their judgment in his house is not rewarded, a house in which I will find poets.
from the edition of Knott, “Filidh Éireann.”
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