Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry

SELECTIONS FROM

ANCIENT IRISH POETRY

Selections from

Ancient Irish Poetry

TRANSLATED BY

KUNO MEYER

LONDON

CONSTABLE & COMPANY Ltd

10 ORANGE STREET LEICESTER SQUARE W.C.

1911

TO

EDMUND KNOWLES MUSPRATT

THE ENLIGHTENED AND GENEROUS PATRON

OF CELTIC STUDIES

IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

A SMALL TOKEN

OF AFFECTIONATE REGARD AND GRATITUDE

CONTENTS

MYTH AND SAGA—
		PAGE
	THE ISLES OF THE HAPPY	3
	THE SEA-GOD'S ADDRESS TO BRAN	7
	THE TRYST AFTER DEATH	9
	DEIRDRE'S FAREWELL TO SCOTLAND	15
	DEIRDRE'S LAMENT	17
	THE HOSTS OF FAERY	19
	FROM THE VISION OF MAC CONGLINNE	20
RELIGIOUS POETRY—
	THE DEER'S CRY	25
	AN EVEN-SONG	28
	PATRICK'S BLESSING ON MUNSTER	29
	THE HERMIT'S SONG	30
	A PRAYER TO THE VIRGIN	32
	EVE'S LAMENT	34
	ON THE FLIGHTINESS OF THOUGHT	35
	TO CRINOG	37
	THE DEVIL'S TRIBUTE TO MOLING	39
	MAELISU'S HYMN TO THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL	41
	THE MOTHERS' LAMENT AT THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS	42
SONGS OF NATURE—
	KING AND HERMIT	47
	SONG OF THE SEA	51
	SUMMER HAS COME	53
	SONG OF SUMMER	54
	SUMMER IS GONE	56
	A SONG OF WINTER	57
	ARRAN	59
LOVE POETRY—
	THE SONG OF CREDE, DAUGHTER OF GUARE	63
	LIADIN AND CURITHIR	65
BARDIC POETRY—
	A DIRGE FOR KING NIALL OF THE NINE HOSTAGES	69
	THE SONG OF CARROLL'S SWORD	72
	EOCHAID'S LAMENT	75
	LAMENT ON KING MALACHY II.	77
MISCELLANEOUS—
	THE MONK AND HIS PET CAT	81
	COLUM CILLE'S GREETING TO IRELAND	83
	ON ANGUS THE CULDEE	86
	COLUM CILLE THE SCRIBE	87
	THE LAMENT OF THE OLD WOMAN OF BEARE	88
	THE DESERTED HOME	92
	CORMAC MAC CULENNAIN SANG THIS	94
	ALEXANDER THE GREAT	95
QUATRAINS—
	THE SCRIBE	99
	ON A DEAD SCHOLAR	99
	THE CRUCIFIXION	99
	THE PILGRIM AT ROME	100
	HOSPITALITY	100
	THE BLACKBIRD	100
	MOLING SANG THIS	100
	THE CHURCH BELL IN THE NIGHT	101
	THE VIKING TERROR	101
FROM THE TRIADS OF IRELAND		102
FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS OF KING CORMAC		105
NOTES		111