Adventures of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Con Ma

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ADVENTURES
OF
DONNCHADH RUADH MAC CON-MARA,
A SLAVE OF ADVERSITY,
WRITTEN l< HIMSELF.
NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EDITED.
FROM AN ORIGINAL IRISH MANUSCRIPT,
WITH METRICAL TRANSLATION, NOTES,

AND
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
BY
S. HATES.
DUBLIN :
JOHN O'DALY, 9, ANGLESEA- STREET,
AND ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1853.
Price One Shilling and Sixpence.
Mcu-AKY, Printer,J [47, Fleet-street.
ADVENTURES
OF
DOMCHADH RUADH MAC CON-MARA,
ERRATA.
p. 8, line 2, dele period after " times."
p. 19 „ 9, far "ready" read "needy.1
DUBLIN :
1853.
ADVENTURES
OF
A SLAVE OF ADVEESITY.
WRITTEN BY H1M9EI.F.
NOW FOE THE FIRST TIME EDITED,
FROM AN ORIGINAL IRISH MANUSCRIPT,
WITH METRICAL TRANSLATION, NOTES,

AND
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR,
BT
S. HATES.
DUBLIN :
1853.
Ce^- 2 30/< 1. 3o
DUBLIN :
PRINTED BY JOHN MULT.ANY,
47, Fleet-street.
INTRODUCTION-
Amongst the numerous productions of the Munster poets

of the last century, we seldom find any such notices as would
much assist the biographer; their effusions being, for the
most part, political, amatory, or convivial. Occasionally,
however, a satire on an enemy supplies us with an anecdote
of the author's domestic life ; or an elegy on the death of
a friend, affords a date in the ceangal (binding, or sum
ming-up), which consists of one or more verses in a different
metre from the rest of the poem, and containing a summary
of the whole—with which it was usual to conclude the latter
kind of composition. We must, then, rest content to make
the most we can of these scanty materials, and to add so
much as appears true from the mass of traditions—often in
no small degree conflicting—current in the country about
the lives and adventures of those men, whose songs were,
and still are sung at the fire-side of almost every farmer
and peasant in Munster. The writer of this sketch, there
fore, hopes for the indulgence of the reader who may have
reason to differ from any of the statements made regarding
the subject of it, and begs to say, he has been guided by
information carefully collected from such of the posterity
of our poet as are still living, as well as from others in that
part of the county of Waterford where he spent the greater
part of his long life.
Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Con-mara (anglicised, Denis
Macnamara the Red) was a native of Cratloe in the county
of Clare, and was born in, or shortly after the year 1709.
4
About his early life, we know no more than that being

intended by his family for the priesthood, he - was sent
to Rome to prosecute his studies, and that he went there at
an early age ; for he had already been five years at the
college when we find him expelled for some youthful ex
ploit, of which it is not difficult to guess the nature from
his subsequent life. He now turned his face homewards,
and after various wanderings on the continent, landed on
the coast of Waterford, in which county, having resolved
never to revisit his family, he finally settled. He there met
Uilliam O'Morain (William Moran), who kept a school
in Sliabh g-Cua (Slieve Gua), a wild and mountainous dis
trict lying about mid-way between the towns of Clonmel and
Dungarvan, and forming an extensive and wealthy Roman
Catholic parish ; with him he took up his abode, either as
partner or assistant.
It is a curious fact, that almost every Irish scholar who
has appeared at either side of the Comeragh mountains
for more than the last eighty years has been a pupil of
Donnchadh himself or of one of those instructed by him ;
and hence we may infer, that at this time the county of
Waterford was considerably less literate than the counties of
Clare, of Limerick, and of Kerry ; in which flourished such
school-masters as Seamus O' Dalaigh (James O'Daly), Seaan
O' Tuama (John O'Tuomy), Eoghan Ruadh O' Suillio-
bhain (Owen O'Sullivan the Red), Aindrias Mac Craith
(Andrew Magrath), surnamed the Mangaire Sugach, Brian
Mac Giolla Meidhre (Bryan Merryman), and many others.
In the schools of these men, the young peasants were taught
to render fluently into Irish, and into English, Homer, Virgil,
and various other classic authors ; and it may be, perhaps,
in some part owing to the influence of such exercises as these,
though now discontinued, that the Irish peasant, however
strange his idiom and however foreign his pronunciation,
undoubtedly speaks English more grammatically than the
5
lower orders in England, whose native language it is, and

who think in it. But above all, the young man was taught
to read and write, in its ancient characters, the language of his
fathers—the " Old Irish." And thus, after that tongue ceased
to receive the encouragement of the gentry, although known
vernacularly to very many of them up to the end of the last
century, these humble scholars deprived themselves of a
portion of their rest, after the day's labour, in order to pre
serve the numerous eachtraidhe (legends) and poems, of
which, though many have been rescued, many are still lying
about the country in worm-eaten, perishing manuscripts.
This system of education then, Donnchadh introduced at
Knockbee, commencing with Moran himself, who was no
mean poet, and henceforward the number of schoolmasters in
creased, and the cause of learning prospered in Sliabh g-Cua.
Our poet passed a merry time with Moran, who was altoge
ther a kindred spirit; but their prosperity was not destined
to last. In the year 1740, the brother bards thought fit to
direct all their powers of satire against a lassie of the neigh
bourhood, whose character was not sanspeur et sans reproche ;
alas! they little knew what they did. They had with impunity
and success lampooned the clergy (vid. Donnchadh's produc
tion on Father John Casey of Stradbally), who, in spite of
the terrors of their ridicule, persisted in rebuking their
immoral lives—but they paid dearly and at once for their
temerity and ungallantry in attacking the sex ; for the subject
of their wit quietly took the law into her own hands, by
thrusting a brand into the thatch of the Alma Mater of
Sliabh g-Cua. Thus were they, in their turn, exposed to
ridicule ; and the clergy fulminated against them with such
effect, whilst routed in disorder, that they were compelled to
part and leave the neighbourhood.
Previous to this, however, the poets of Sliabh g-Cua,
amongst the freaks in which they were continually indulging,
had on one occasion assembled to decide by lot which of them
6
should win from her almost plighted lover Mdire ni Ogain

(Mary Hogan), a young woman in the neighbourhood of
Dungarvan, and the pride of the surrounding country. The
lot fell to Donnchadh, who prospered in the undertaking and
married his prize. After the conflagration, and during her
husband's wanderings at home and abroad, she supported
herself by a little bakery shop, which she set up at Kilmac-
thomas ; where it seems he lived with her for some time.
Hence he removed into the district called an BharHntacht
(the Barony), which includes the barony of Imokilly and the
country adjacent to Youghal, in the county of Cork, and set
up a school. This plan did not succeed to his satisfaction, and
he soon migrated to Paeracha, a name given to the barony
of Upper-third (Uachtar-tire), in the county of Waterford,
from its being almost altogether inhabited by families of the
Powers (in Irish Paer), and remarkable for the substantial
character of its farmers.
But, change as he would, fortune smiled not on Donnchadh ;
though his poverty may be more reasonably accounted for
by his own propensities for amusement, than by any lack of
opportunities for bettering himself, for he himself tells us
(/. 16),
" Niott cftujt)t)jo H)e ori t)'& rcoTt Aft Aon coft,
Sec ai) r5lll]n5 bo JeobAjw, b-ol 50 b-eArSA-"
I gathered not gold nor store at all,
But If a shilling I got, I-d quickly drink it.
Hereupon, he determined to try his luck in America ; to

which, even then, many in this country looked as to a land of
promise, and accordingly sailed from Passage, equipped by
the kindness of the neighbours. The date of his departure
is variously said to have been May, 1745, '48, and '55 ; we
have given the first at the commencement of the poem in the
words of a bacach (beggar) who used some years ago to
frequent fairs in the county of Waterford, and to repeat
Donnchadk's adventures for the entertainment of the country
people ; and we prefer this date on account of the following
expression in the poem (I. 137),
"Oo ri)A]flb nA FftAnncA]J At) bori)An 'r^t) T&oi,&l o]ob."
Myriads have fallen by the Frank-s right hand.
He is here speaking of the Sassanaigh (i. e. Protestants
in general), of whom the French made no slaughter in 1748
or '55, whereas on the 30th April, 1745, they won the (some
what dear) victory of Fontenoy over the English and their
allies, and considering the rate at which news travelled in
those days, it is very likely that it was only shortly before he
sailed, in the middle of the next month, that Donnchadh had
the satisfaction of hearing how the valour of his countrymen
of the Brigade had retrieved the day for the monarch under
whose banner they fought. " Semper et ubique Jideles" as
ran the motto Louis himself assigned them. Be this as it may,
we are told in the poem, that Donnchadh returned before long,
driven back to Waterford by stress of weather and the
chances of war, and so disgusted with the sea that he swore
never to trust to it again. We now lose sight of him until the
year 1759, when we find from his "Pass" to Ristedrd Rdbach
Mac Gearailt (Richard Fitzgerald the Brave), that he kept
a school at Newcastle, county of Waterford. We shall here
insert this " Pass," which some of our readers may perhaps
find imperfect ; we have, however, been unable after every
effort to procure a better copy ; and our version, such as it is,
will suffice to give the learner of the language some idea of
this kind of document, of which, at the risk of incurring
blame for the digression, we will offer some explanation.
In the last century, when the poets of Munster were
numerous, and when—the farmers being better able to exer
cise hospitality—their circumstances though not affluent were
luxurious compared to what they would be at the present
day, were any of the fraternity to rise from the grave and
8
attempt to lead the idle, jovial life they all spent in those
times. They were a body of considerable influence amongst
the peasantry. Gentry and farmers were alike desirous of
their praise and fearful of their ridicule ; of which the poets
were lavish according to the reception they met with.
Thus Tadhg Gaodhalach 0' Suilliobhain (Thady Gaelach*
O'Sullivan) addressed an ode to Donnell Spainneach (the
Spaniard) Mac Carthy, on his inheriting Carrig-na-var, and
Aodhagan O' Rathghaille (Egan O'Rahilly), wrote, in 1713,
a most outrageous prose lampoon on Tadhg Dubh O' Croinin
(Tim Cronin the Black), a tax-gatherer in the county of
Kerry.f
The bards used to assemble at fixed times and places, and
there recite their compositions, and engage in extempore
poetical contest with one another. Amongst the chief of
these gatherings, was that annually held at Charleville in the
county of Cork, and presided over by John Clarach Mac
Donnell. Most of the poets were also schoolmasters, and it
behoved them to acquit themselves well at these trials of skill,
as one defeat in repartee, one well-directed satirical epigram,
would often cost the vanquished all his pupils, who flocked
to the wittier rival. We have an instance of this in a less
literary part of Ireland than Munster, when Peter O'Dornin
seduced his pupils from Maurice Gorman at Forkhill, county
of Armagh.} In this way, the respective merits of the bards
becoming known throughout the country, their authority
prevailed accordingly in the kind of jurisdiction they exer
cised amongst the people, especially in matters connected
with hospitality. So, when a poet was thought to have
* Gaelach here may mean simple or illiterate. Some think that O'Sul
livan got the name from his simplicity of manners, while others believe he got
it from his skill as a Gaelic poet and total ignorance of the English language.
f See Aenghus O' Daly's Tribes of Ireland, by Dr. O'Donovan, p. 32.
Dublin, J. O'Daly, 1852.
% O'Daly's Poets and Poetry of Munster, second edition, p. 16. Dublin,
1850.
9
offended against the laws of the society, or against some par
ticular member of it, a bardntus (warrant) was issued by
a conclave, or by the aggrieved individual, addressed to the
other poets of Munster and to the peasantry, either ordering
his apprehension and transmission to some place named, or
interdicting any kind of hospitality from being shown him :
for instance, Owen Roe O' Sullivan wrote bardntus an hata
(the hat warrant) when his hat was stolen from him ; and
Father John O'Brien issued a warrant for the binding and
bringing to Oastlelyons of Edmond Luby, an opponent in a
rhyming controversy among the wits of that neighbourhood.
These compositions, which were sometimes in prose, some
times in verse, and which sometimes contained both, were,
besides being delivered to those to whom they were specially
written, read and recited at fairs and markets throughout the
country. The "Passes" were safe conducts and introductions
given to a friend, or favourite pupil going to visit other
parts ; enjoining every one to shew him all kindness and hos
pitality—the best of bed and board, &c. All these warrants
and passes are written in a phraseology somewhat resembling
that of English law-deeds, full of synonymes and containing
many curious idioms of the language, and are therefore of
use to a learner. So much for passes and warrants : and
this is what Donnchadh wrote for Ristedrd Rdbach Mac
Gearailt (Richard Fitzgerald the Brave) :
% T)-%c-i)A-f50]le bo 0^5 50 h-pu]l, A5uf 50 b-CA]i)]5, An
bftAfA]]te beAl-CAO]T), Ajuf at) cleAfwute clu]cceAC, cloc<v]5-
ce, CAf, cutiaca, c]tobA, caIâ, cl]AD-f5A0]lce ; A5uf at)
ceACCA]fte CApA, c]W]5-Iua]c, cu]tufAncA j &5U\ M) ftAp<Mfte
ftO-gAfbA, ]t6-p]lAf, A5Uf ft6-lfr]]t , A5Uf at) lAT)T)A]]te Iua]c,
leACAg, lAi>-Af5]ot)CAc; le tja ]tA]6ceA]t H]yce&\io B&dac 2t)ac
êapA]^ : A5 p05Iu]n' cleAf, eAlAbAi), A5uf ]l-ceAftbVno
y50]le-r], a 1^-005 "] a 5-qtuA]b 5ACA ê]rb-eolu]r ; A5ur A5
rjop-rbeAllfAT) 5aca fe-rb-£oca]l Af cu]lqb]b coT)T)A-blA]c:e
reAt)n-ceAt)5AT) tia feAnn-Âo]b]hje ; tûy A5 ru]ftg]b le
B
10
reApc-b&iqb flfeibe Parnassus, rr)ATt a rv-b) i)AOtrrbATi ]T)3]OT)
't»a nrt)A]b CACuiJeAb beic bA cotpAfc a b-qobftAib tja n)-bA]tb
A5Uf i)A i>fei5eAf; ati ai? tr)ob 5uft S]ob&r) fo-ri)uit)ce if
A11)tT) bA tt)ACAirt. %]t 1)A b-A6bAftAlb fll), 6rtbU15irf) A5Uf
posftAitt) bo 5ac CA1II15 cTtubAijj, ciAftfAT)Aig, cporbA,
CAfAO]b]s ; bo sac rso^Js r5a]eff5, r50F-bfeal<M5 , A5uf
bo 5AC bobAC b]tocAC, bui)but)AC, 6 CbeAi)t) Cbft]AbA]t) 50
f:Aicce CbAiffl , A5UT 6 Lior- tt)oTt 50 b-0]leAi) Bbpic ; A5Uf
Af f]t) a T)iATt lain) coff pAiTtse, g0 C0]f 2t)&]5, 5AT) boicqoll,
5AT) biulcA6, 5Al) ca5A]ftc, bo cAbAiTtc bot) TtAbAffte ]tfeAtt)-
]tAibce FiTreA]tb R&bAC 2t)ac "êAyiAîz.
2t)A]reA6, n)A]f6A6, tpATtrii). O]tbu]5]n) por A5uf posTtAin),
5A17 fe b'f-AsbA]l CO]]- COCA 1)A rCACA, foiP fl* lAflA, A b-CATfll-
fir; i)A a 5-cuit)t)e,A b-poll tja a b-po]rtre ; Acb p]o]tCAO]i)
pAilCe, rleAf5Ac AOibrttr-, a p05A putt)A A5uf A c05a clabAiJ
cun) cobAlcA, cofAC tu]5ce A5uf he]peAb e]ft]5ê, b0 cAbAitic
bor) TtAbAf]te ftfeATt)ftAi6ce R]rreArtb J?AbAC 2t)ac 3eApa]lc.
2t)A]feA6, n)AifeA6, n)ati r^t). Oftbui-j]tp pof asur p05rtA]n),
5A1) 50TIC T)A 5AflTlAl6e, pAbA 1)A peArtAIJt), fl]Ab T>A tt)]T)CeAC,
tt)6lt)T)A IT)ACAtfte, fotTl flATl CCAf 1)A CUAl6 ; T)AC b-f:U15l6 \&
ceAb a p]c, a Ife]rt), 'f a crurflos bo cAbAiftc c]t^b.
^tjA]reAb, n)AireA6, Tr)Apr]i). O]tbuiTj]n) por A5ur p65]tA]n),
5at) brtAc t)a b]tAicl]t), bAir)t)e i)A blACAC, cortt) i)A cA]t)t)]i),
beAf5A i)A b]qobAft, pleA6 t)A peAfbA, 5Tte-6n) T)a qfbe,
n)u5 T)a P]5]T), rr)eACAt) i)A Pftaca, 5]tuc t)a tpeAb5, le]ce t)a
Ioca, lioi)i) i)A lfeic-uif3e, n)orti)At; prtA]p]t), ûda t)a nl^,
be]c aca a b-coll v-<\ a b-ciA]trtAC, it)Af fAOft bAOft e, t;ac
0-^1516 ffe ceAb lj5 a ceAT)5At), A5Uf a ri)Aibe bo tbeAf5A6
zTfyt>; v>\ b-fe a blAfAcb a catt&iI, At) 0]]teAb rte buit)e i)6 p6f
Tte bc]ftc bo cAbA]Ttc bot) rtAbA]Tte ftfeAri)]tA]6ce J?]fceAftb
RAbAC 2Qac 5eAftA]lc.
2t)AireA6, rrjAifeAb, it)ati ng. Ortbu]gin) p6f 1 ^rtAir!), 5AT)
bTtAic t)A bA]Tt]i), c\Y t)A cop]tAO]i), cuil i)A CACAOift, leAbA t)A
lo]fbli), n)6iij t)A rr)6it)leAC, peAb i)A i)eAT)t)C05, poll i)A
pTtAcAT), rop t)A fo^re, pif t)A pot)Airte, Coll i)A c]ATtrtAc, t)A
11
jAitbAif Aft biC eile bo beic a TT13 t)A a n)i*]5j a ti-ATtb i)A a
o-j:ai)a6, f]or t)A fu-Ar, foitt t)A fiATt, seAf cuai&, Ai)i)
fo, t)d AT)t) rub, 5A1) a CAbAittc boi) TtAbAifte TteAtiiTtAibce
RirceATtb K*bAC 2t)ac "5e#.yiA]Xc.
9t)AireAb, n)AijeA6, tt)Aft ni)- 0pb»]5]n) A5uf t^TtA]n),
5AT) A CUft A 5-CUlbeACCA, A 5-COrbluAbA]t, 1)A A 5-CU1ti)tteAT)1),
Tte bAO]i^b 1)eATTt-eobjACA, t)a tie b-AO6aTftTbib bo, t)a ]te bu-
ACA]llj6]b cot), t)a Tie lucC 5A6aTt, t)A lte lucC peAbÂTle
tntAifte, T)a tte lucC eTTtT^ce a i)A^be a tn-bATtTtAbATb cftAob,
t)A fte f5ol-ti)A]5ifq]t]6]b pAbA, puATtA, pAiUi^ceACA, f50tc-
bfeAlACA, 5AT) Maf, 5a1) beAfA, 5A1) T»)Ut)A6; TT)ATl ACA
A1T)1tt)T)15Ce AsAttJfA AT)1) f0 .1. CftOIXO]ft 2t)AC "CTlOTT)-COTT),
ÛA5AT) 0'CA05A]b, Bpe^T) O'BftTollA-t), -pATqi) 0"pUl)-
T)A5ATT), SeAÂ1) fAlAC Tfe]beAT)AC 0'2t)AolnUA1)A6, SftA]TTJ]t)
O'CuTlleAT)A]i), 1)6 Ss]s]t) 0'2QaoIcai:a ; tt)aTt tjaTt t:tiottia6 a
b-cofAC tja t)a]t-caott) l]we lAbfAT) ; A5uf nAft cott)A6 lii)t)e a
b-puil, a d-pIatc, a TT)-beAtÂ, T)a a r)-eoluf, a b-EADATttc fUAf,
t>a a T)-iAftbA]i)t) at> bic eile ; Acb tT)ati ACA]b A5 fjoft-rT)iUeAb,
A5Uf A5 f]0tt-nJUCA6 T)A t)-A0f-05 1)eAtt)-lAlbeAT)CA, T)eATT)-
beATtlAc.
"pAO]n)' Iaiit) A5uT* pAOin)' feAlA, At) bA]tA Ia qcc]ob be
nj\ 2t)AttcA, At) bliA6ait) b'AO]f Cbplofb, tu^le, feAcc 5-ceAb,
A5Uf t)A0i tT)-bliA6Ai)t)A beA5 Aft bocAb.
"Do R.F. 2t)'5- A 5-c6tit-CA05Aib tte <D. 21)ac CottntAttA.
Our limits forbid us to give a translation of this curious

' ' Pass," but it concludes thus • ' given under my hand and seal,
the twenty-second day of the month of March, in the year
of the age of Christ, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-
nine."
There is now another period, one of twenty years, during
which we have no account of Donnchadh, the only person who
could have supplied the information, viz., his daughter,
having died in 1840. It is certain, however, that he at some
time or other overcame his reluctance to venture again on
12
the ocean, and that he made another and a more successful

effort to reach the New World. Whether this voyage took
place between 1745 and '59, or between 1759 and '70, we
cannot say ; very likely he went out twice, for we know that
he spent some time at St. John's, Newfoundland ; and also
kept a school in the city of Hamburgh. During his stay at
St. John's, it does not appear that he applied himself very
strenuously to any kind of business ; as the only records we
have of him while there, savour more of mirth and good-
fellowship. One evening he entered a public house, and
joined the revels of a party of English sailors ; in the course
of the night he sang an extempore song, half English and
half Irish, in which the loyal and thrifty sentiments ex
pressed in the former language are carefully contradicted in
the latter : this performance elicited loud applause from the
English, and still more amused the few Irish who were
present. The reader will doubtless have seen this song,
which is given in O'Daly's Poets and Poetry of Munster.
It may have been on the same occasion that Donnchadh
sat down to cards against two Englishmen, his own partner
being an Irishman ; during the game he carelessly hummed
an Irish song and used the following ohoms (varied according
to circumstances), when it was his partner's play :—
" ]ti)jft At) nf* <ib bfob A5 e]cjoll A nfc]Ttbe,
'S A compAnAij; at) At)tnAn cAbAift Aifte boa U\]ri).
]roilt An ofc 6" bfoe A5 bUA]t) t)A b-pocfccA]oe,
'S A COt1)pfc!)Alj At) AI)tt)At) CAbA]fl A]fle 80b' l&]tb."
Play that which flies over us,*
And companion of ray soul take care of your game.
Play that which digs the potatoes,!
And companion of my soul, &c, &c.
This had such a magical effect on his partner's judg
ment that one of the sailors actually sung out in vexation
* Crows fly over us and resemble the marks on Club cards.

■f Spade cards are compared to spades with which potatoes are dug.
13
" D—n ray eyes Jack, we've had no luck since he began
that d d Hirish song !"
Upon his return to Ireland, he found that the wags of the
neighbourhood had excited raging jealousy in the bosom of a
Mrs. O' Kelly, by representing to her that her husband Hugh
(a native of Portlaw), who was engaged in the fisheries at
Newfoundland, had consoled himself in his separation from
her by taking to himself a helpmate of those damsels amongst
whom his fortunes had cast him. Hugh O'Kelly had been
a faithful friend and comrade to the poet in that distant land,
the latter therefore owed it to him to clear his character
at home, and accordingly did so by a very facetious song
which is here given for the amusement of the Irish reader,
<Dot)i)6a6 RuAb 2t)h<vc CoT)-n)aTta ]to cat),

bo 2to6 0'CbeAlU]5.
21ft rvA]b]t) a t)fe] b] CAtt)AbAtt) ]°5eil,
215 5A]5e 5<vi) cfeill bA leACAb 'bip ti)T)A]b ;
5o b-p6ACA6 ffe 21o6 O'CeAllA]g 50 crte]C,
21 S>-caIatt) AT) fe]f5 'tia TT)AT*5A]Tte fTT)Ail.
LA5 ttiATtb fat) " stage" 5AT) capa6 'tia 5e-5,
O CATtTtATT)5 AT) fe]f*5 T/AT) C-T*aIa]T)T) bo 5i)AC ;
21'V Sa5fat)ac n)fe]c bA Iaf5ab A]t a CAob,
O bACAf 50 peAft a't/ bo b'A]T)be]f tt)Afl pAb !
<t)0 b'ATCT)]6 6ATT) pe(T) peAftATb T)AC fe,

<t)o cleACCA6 at) fslejp a'T- t)ac fCAb]*A6 6i) b-pftA]f5 ;
l)o ]tACA6 a b-ple]6 le Sa5T-at)ac tt)6ic,
2t &-caIatt) at) 6]f5 a't A5 bA*le 5AT) cIat*.
<t)o plAbpA6, bo pl&AT-sf-A6, bACA]f a't; plA0f5A,
<t)o CT)AppA6, 'r bo ]tAobt*Ab, Ttacaca 'r ct)att)a,
Le bACA, le clo]beATT), le cleACA]b, le pile]|t ;
21'c 5lACA]n)fe a 21o6 U] CbeAllA]5 bo pA]*tc !
14
2t)Af "frolic" le b-21o6 bul caTttaII bA fAOÂl,

CAlAtt) AT) felf5 A5 CATCeATT) 'f A5 pAjAllj
M] CA]Ct)eATp le]f AOT)-i)eAC tt)A5a& t>a b]teTê,
BbeiC A5 ATCflTf f5eAl AT)T) fAT) Tt)-bAlle bO TT)T)Alb :
)y T:eA]tAtT>A]l, pAobftAC, leAT)AbAC, lei,bii)eAC,
CaInta at) Iaoc e A5 eaTtTtatt)5 caTt fA1I ;
21'f bAT)T)A, A'f dfelTtCeAf, CATtTtA '5Uf feAbAC,
21'f ATTtseAb Ttfet6 a156 A5 CAfa6 'faT) b-pAl.*
)\ caT>a6 bo cfe]6eAT)T) at)T) bATtcA bo I&tTT),

21'f T)A plATCTf A5 ffelb6A6 feACCtt)U1T) T)0 Ia ;
2Tf 50 TD'peAftftA leTf c]tAOfrf)u]ft, 5AilleAT), A'f 5AOC,
2Tf C]1AT)T)A bA ]tA0bA6, T)A CATtTlA]T)5 AT) ]tATT)A
21 JlACATb bA cft&AT) ATI bAlATtbf a " mainsail,"
■Caca a']* cfeAb bA fCTtACA6 50 cIati;
t)0 T)eAflCU]5 f§ A CfeTTT) A b-CAlATT) AT) feTfJ,
2Tf AbtiATT) 50 IStTt 50 b-CA5Ai6 fe fIat) !
fe at) peAftftATTte fu5AC bo cAicpeA6 T)a puTt)c,

t)0 f5AipT:eAb AT) ItOtJT) A'f bO Uf5pA& AT) clATt j
<t)o ct)A5pAb fAi) x-T-utI aot) c-fA5fAT)AC Ttatt)aTt,
<t)0 TIACAb fAT) 5-cliibAC A b-pOCA]ft A TT)T)&
B]OT) CA5A A'f CTlUfJA, CAT)T)A A'f CUOAfl AT]t,
21'f bACA bo lubpAb t)a 6oTtT)T) bo 5t)Ac ;
M] CAfpa6 fe a cul fte peAftATb TiA 2t)ari)AT),
M6 5U]t TT)AflllT5 AT) 5UCA A COfA 'f A lATT)A.
21t) cfe CAfpa6 Tie b-2to6 beTC A5 caftftatT)5 at) c-f&TC,

t16 A TT)-bATtTtA T)A plftTC6 A'f bATtTIA bA CfIA6 J
SjT) bATT)AT)EA bAOTl fe TT)A CA5AT) 50 V)-6>T]t]T)T),
BeAT)T)U]5]6 5AC 6]5fe cleAfa 'suf bAftb ;—
* There is a particular season of the year called by the Newfoundlanders

" the Fall," which is Iricised here by the poet.
t Here the English word " haulyard" is Iricised.
15
215 feAfArb fav f5Ife]F f a5 CUp ea5la c&c ;

S]i) a6 6i) Ae6eAft a b-CAlArb at» feif5 ;
S]v ceArbAf Art 21o6 O'CbeAllA^ 6rr)' l&]rb !
It was in the city of Hamburgh that he wrote the beau
tiful song Ban Chnoic Eireann 0 1 (The Fair Hills of
Erin O !), which is printed in O' Daly's Munster Poets ; this
song, amongst many more, proves how capable the Gaelic
language is of worthily clothing true feelings of poetry.
In the year 1781 (some are positive that it was in 1770),
Donnchadh became a member of the church of England and
was given the clerkship of Kilmacthomas church with a
yearly salary of £20. We may assign any cause but con
viction for this step, for his patron Mr. William Power (him
self too a Roman Catholic, though he was for some time
supposed to have conformed), insisting on an account of the
new tenets he professed, the poet wrote the English lines
commonly known by the Irish name of Cre ain-chriostamhail
Uilliam Paer Bhaile Ui Mhaoil (The anti-christian creed
of William Power of Ballyvoile) and so called from being
addressed to that gentleman. This creed commences thus :—
" I believe in Calvin John, and Martin,
Whom is our very soul and heart in."
This production naturally led to his dismissal from the
clerkship, whereupon he returned to his former religion, and
addressed to Mr. Power " An excuse for not timely writing
the Anti-christian creed," which he delayed until he had
touched his first year's salary. The Excuse begins as follows :
" Sir, to excuse my want of speed,
In writing this Anti-christian creed ;
I just take up my rusty whistle,
To pipe this short and rude epistle."
Donnchadh" s life not having been a pattern of morality, we
have already seen that he had fallen foul of the Clergy ; as
16
did many of the Munster poets, witness the Mangaire Sugach

and Owen Roe O'Sullivan—and he probably made his tem
porary secession in order that he might defy that body ; of
one of whom he said, about this time—
"]r olc At) cAriA 6fb ilJac An ca]lifitlA,
3o t:lA]ceAtnnAr cum 8ul A rceAc."
And,
" 21 fA5A]ftc 1)A V)'aT z-a lfcib|Tl, cottAc, fteAr,
beift m'AnAtn bocc rlfcn Aft T5'a& bo cot)a a rceAc."
He may, moreover, have been desirous of bringing the
terrors of the law to bear upon rival teachers, and he is said
to have actually banished one of them out of the neigh
bourhood by means of the strict enactments of those penal
days against all Popish instructors. The salary likewise,
trifling as it was, may have had its weight with him, for
though he does not expressly say so, yet he represents him
self in "The Excuse" as very badly off: —
" My cares by night and toils by day,
To thatch this homely house of clay ;
My younglings, Sir, a squalling brood, -
For whom I must get daily food.
And,
" I have no lands or free estate,
"Tis pity troth, but that's my fate ;
Ah, cruel times, I cannot spare,
Or steal one hour for creed or prayer !"
Shortly after this time Donnchadh became so disabled by

repeated attacks of palsy that he had to be carried in a rude
palanquin formed of a wooden chest with iron rings at the
ends, through which were passed staves; as he advanced
further in years he also lost his sight. It is most proba
ble that he re-visited the continent in those years, during
which we lose sight of him, for he was certainly acquainted
with some of the modern languages of Europe ; he himself
used to relate anecdotes of his wanderings in Holland, Spain,
17
and Portugal, which must have happened subsequently to

the tour he made on his return from Rome. Tradition says
that he was at one time engaged in teaching the "Pre
tender" Irish : it is very possible that he may have seen him.
According to the description of those shortly since still
alive who remember Donnchadh, he was six feet three inches
in height, and athletic in proportion ; his complexion, as his
cognomen indicates, was what is commonly termed " foxy."
He died at a great age in 1814, and he now sleeps in the
churchyard of Newtown, near Kilmacthomas, without a stone
to point out his grave to the stranger, although his descend
ants and the neighbours know it well. It is from a wish
to do something towards preserving his memory and his
poems amongst those who take an interest in the humbler
branch of Irish vernacular literature, that the translator has
ventured to obtrude upon the public any effort of his own ;
and with this apology, which he hopes will find favour in
the eyes of those who do not act upon the (in this unfortunate
land) fashionable plan of despising their own country and
its productions, he wishes the gentle reader very heartily
farewell.
S. H.
April, 1853.
c
eactjCRa 5tyoua ati aetjauajN.
<t)o Cuic att)ac ati <D1)01)T)ca6 2t)bAC Cboi>n)ATiA, nrjle f6acc

5-ceAb A5uf CU15 bliA5AnnA 'f bA]CC]ob, at) ceACTtAtt)A6
la bfeA5 be tbi VA BeAllcA]T)e.
21N 0)6210 U0]MN.

"t)0 TllATlpAIITn T*5e5l bOrt) COTT)ATlfA Aft AOTJTlAb,
a tt>-b]tiACftAib beoil bob' eol bo ceAbcA ;
aft Bbffl-fci) Bbo]]ttbe—ah fl.65 t>a "peitrne—
'S Art- 6l]ATl TT)AC Lobuif, 2t)bS]]tj a't" 2t)bAOT)U]r.
Njoft coTta 6ait) ceACc caTt 3]teAf bA t-aocati,
Na AM- TJUA6ACC bO bllAlT) bAn) beATTJA 't) C-fAOsAll :
too Vis 50 ftAbAf-TA saiJT) 5Tteiqtib,
'S 5uft pfrjC 50 j:at)1)-Ia5 b]teAn) i)A b-&'fleATW ;
5at) c]OT-, 5AT) CAbAi]t, acc fp]OT)T)fAf* bTteve,
<t)A 5-qoitbA6 A5 clAirnAib ]f c]te]i)e,
a5 n)UT)Ab fsoile bob' obA]]t born lAeqb,
'S bA rtuti bOT> pobAl 50 n)'ôlAtb at) ceirtb fiT) ;
UA1TI CU5A6 Tl)O COTbATlfA COITl a'l* sleAf bATT),
CuibeACCA 'y ]T6]i11 0 V£0]V 50 ceile ;
W]o]t cutr)Af bATT) cort)ATt bo cotr)Ab bo aoti bpb,1
Ma rs]II]W b'6l 516 5UTI 66]5ce at) ceiiT) fit).
at)t) fA1) O16C6 An) llTITje 'f tt)e Art) AOT)ATl,
Bb]6eAT frt)UA1T)eATT) Aft grt]OTT)AftCA AT) C-fA05All ;
1 Aliter, Nfott ermiut)jo ")e ori t)fc rcori ati Aot) cott,
216c An r5i^jn5 bo 5eob.«rt)o b'ol 50 I)-eAfSA.
ADVENTURES
OF
A SLAVE OF ADVERSITY,
WHICH BEFEL
May 14, 1745.
PART I.
In their own tongue the soul-delighting tale
I fain would sing, to charm the list'ning Gael ;
How Brian Boru, how Fenian warriors fought,
What deeds Mac Lobus, Mor, and Magnus wrought :
But not their mighty deeds of battle claim
The poet's pen to give them lasting fame,
With greater justice than what happen'd me,
In my late voyage o'er the rolling sea.
I, being ready, without land or kine,
Nor I alone, but thousands, forced to pine—
The tribes of Erin, hopeless and oppress'd
By dire misrule, by grievous laws, address' d
To thin their wasting numbers, with such aid
As treachery, gold, and perjur'd spies had made—
Was fain to wield the country pedant's rod ;
And truly none could ever say I trod
A royal road to riches, for at fair,
At wake, or marriage, I was always there :
Press'd by the neighbours to each rustic feast,
So that my mirth, but not my purse increased.2
One night I toss'd upon my lonely bed,
Racking with anxious thoughts my weary head,
1 The translation was made from the atiter reading given on the opposite
page.
20
21]t CAiceArb rt)0 beACA 5A1) AftftA5,3 5AT) eAbAc,

'S 5U]t n?6]t 50 rr/peA]tftA be-c cati)aII n)Aft 2t)bAol beAj,
21 5-c6ri)Aft t)A 5-CApAll t)6 A5 CA]tcA6 i)A c]te fbaI,
No A5 6l bA-r-T-e a b-c-5 9t)\)AO]\feAclA]vv U] 2t)bAot)A-6 :
Mo o-jbeAt) CA-lce bo 5IACA6 rt)Afv ce-le,
ft 6 pof bA ]tACpA]1)t) Af caIatt) 1}A b-S]]teAtJT),
'S 50 rr/e6l bATT) feAlAb bo CA]ceAri) att) clfr]fteAC,
'S 50 TtACf-A-r-r; pa feol le f-eo-cr"e Aft fe-beAb,
5o SA5fat)a6 i)ua6, lr"Af bo-c 50 rr/pe-b-]t.
21ft ceACc i)A Tt)A]bT)e bo pfteAbAf 50 b-feAbc]ton)
21j* rr-o leAbA-5 le CAicgeATb At) fje]l f-t) ;
Bej]t]n) Aft n)o bACA, 'f Tjj fCAbpAit-t) Aft aot) coft.
Bb] pe]pc at)T) ti)o bacA 'faT) b-f:AifeAi), a'-r pAobAft A]ft,
l)o ft-gi)eAb 6An* "jackets" beAg, 5eA]tftA, le fn-e-beAb,
21'f lefT)ceACA bfteACA 50 bAftftA rr)o rbeAftA.
<t)o cu-peAf* flAi) fterr/ CA-ftbe a p-e-gpeAcc,
'S le cu-b rô]t p^buf flag le f-o-]te-5eAT) ;
t)A 5-CAfpAb 6AT1* AftCAC b'f-AjA]l A V-^>]^}]W)
<t)0 ftACpAift) CAjt fAfle A tM^C 9Aft bA05Al bATT".
B]ob a f\oy A5 A1) b-CAUtb, 'y *5 n-A]qb 56aI' PAOJtAC,*
21 l]ACC beACAb, n--oi>-eA]tftA, a'f 5fte-qteA6,
■Cb»5 at) pobAl a b-pocA"]t a cefle,
Cbun) tt)o cocu^ce a 5-C05A6 i}6 a fpe]]tl]T)t).
Sc6]t tja cA]llpeAb fu]tt) bo lAec-b,
'S c6f*ftA bo-tb]t) 't)A b-coll]:A-i)i) pe-T) at-t> ;
l)o bj feACc b-j--cc-b ob ce-ftce 'f a t)-awIai-t) e-f5 at)t-,
" Le b-a5a-b a t)--cce cori) TT"]r)]c 'f bub ibe-i? l-on- :
3 2ltt*tA5- The name of a small chest used by country women for
holding oatmeal, which commodity was the staple food of Paeracha (Power's
country) in the county of Waterford, in the middle of the last century.
« It has been seen in the sketch of Donnchadh's life prefixed to the poem,
21
Reviewing life's drear woes, and how I spent

My strength on useless labour, which but lent
A beggars pittance ; better far to toil
Like little Maol, and turn the stubborn soil,
Or drive the cart, and earn my daily share
Of Malachy O'Meany's hospitable fare ;
Or to seek out a thrifty maid to wife,
Or ev'n to fly from Erin's isle for life,
And ply the clerkly pen where, far away
Upon New England's shore, a brighter day
I hop'd would dawn, to cheer me on my way.
When morning broke I lightly left my bed,
So pleas'd was I with all my plans, and sped
To bid my friends farewell in such a haste,
That to wish all goodbye seem'd quite a waste
Of time ; so with a knowing hat and band
Of newest fashion, and my stick in hand,
A jacket which a dandy would not scout,
And clean check'd shirt with wristbands peeping out,
Away I went determin'd if I found
A single ship to distant regions bound,
Td seek my fortune where I might be sure
That working manfully, Td not die poor.
Let all the country know, and each proud chief
Of Power's blood, what store for my relief
In battle's dangers, or in stormy weather,
The people's kindness freely brought together.
A store which many days would not expend—
A coffer which would hold me in one end ;
Seven score of eggs, with their due share of fish,
To make me, when inclin'd, a sav'ry dish :
that the family of Power were his chief, perhaps his only patrons, among the
gentry of his neighbourhood. It was at the special desire of Mr. William
Power, of Ballyvoile, that he composed this mock jEneid, after returning from
his unsuccessful voyage.
22
CTtoca irr)e bo bit)5eA6 le t-aocati,

'S rpoU. foille b<\ qtuitT)e bo'i) TT)eicn)ATtC ;
Bbl feAcc 5-cIoca Tbii) coiTtce 5I011) qteicrte aT)t),
'S bp]obA]]t cpoi6ce T)a loifbe Tte ceile ;
Bbl la1? bAtirtAille bo b'peA]tTtA b] /rH&]p]1'*?
<t)o pocAcAibe leACAT)A aTt eA5U seATtbftuib :
<t)o £115at- CA15 leAwA at)T) bo Iafpa6 le r-n)feibeA6,
'S bo cui]tf:eA6 T)A ir)Aipb 't»a n)-beACA, bA Tf/pfeibiTt.
LeAbA A*f clubA a 5-c]Utt)A^* a ceile,
CeAT)5Ailce ati 6Tion) too ctiotvtic le ceAbA :
Bbl bpojA aTtitj Ai)i), " wt^" A'f " beaver,"
2Vy rro]t tT)ati aiJo]t t)A beAftpAb.
3o PoitclA]]t5e be'i) TrAip f]t) ceibiTO-fe,
Cbotb popAT)CA Tte Cot)At) t)a "peiT)T)e :
5blACAT too loifb]i), boftb b^b a't" peATTA,
-pA]tftA]T at) 05-Tbt)AO] bA c6]tAi6e h] 'T)-SiTtiirt).
<t)o b] fj pAiirneAC, pAilceAC, peAfbAC,
Ba c]u]t), cAif, T)A]TteAC at) " drawer" le 5IA06AC ] ;
5ac rope bA b-CA5A6, a blA]feA6 rj\ peat)pA6,
<t)'iT)T)eofa6 eACcrtA, fCA]tcA, a'f f5&aIca :
M] ?;Iacj:a6 rj paIa6 i)A peAp5 50 b-eA5 leAC,
21t) p<\ib bftAicpeA6 pj A]]t5eAb A5AC 5A1) cTtaocab.
<t)o lei5peA6 bo lAii) ati Aic 't*at> c-âoâI bi,
O itr)eAll a fAl 50 bApp a ceibe :
'S A 5-CU]tT"A T1)T)A 1)] CTlACCAilT) p^T) Aip,
21cc cuif a 5&iTte pAc tt)o fn)eibeA6 !
t>0 ]t1T) tt)0 clu, bA TT)'p]U TTJO fAOCATl,
'S bo ct^peAb att) culpa. pugbAp 5lei5eAl :
Bbjoc beoc a]t Tt)Aib^T), 'r rt)& att) leAbA]5, bA sleAy bAtt),
O boT)T) 50 bACAT* Yl beAft]tA6 50 leip n)e,
Ba ri)6rt Tt)'i0T)5AT)cuf a fop)eAflbACC pfeile,
'S peAbAf a bupt)e cun) pii)5it)e b'e]liOTb ;
23
The choice of butter pack'd into a crock,

A lump of tallow, firm as any rock ;
Seven stone of meal, the smoothest mill e'er made,
Such sausages as would supply a trade,
A heap of lumpers, that would put to shame
All other roots in Ireland of the name ;
A keg of ale would make the mourner smile,
And, could aught do it, raise the dead awhile.
My bed and blankets on the trunk's outside,
With ropes together were securely tied ;
While brogues within, and glossy beaver pack'd,
Made up a kit which nothing needful lack'd.
Conan the Fenian had no bolder heart
Than I, when first I made my hopeful start
For Waterford, and there betook myself
To those snug quarters where a smiling elf,
Of graceful form, and face, and ringlets too,
With welcome beaming from her bright eyes, drew
The cheering draught ; nor would refuse to sip
It with you, if you coax'd ; and then her lip
You slyly might approach with your's, the while
She sang, or told the legend, and a smile
Would ever greet you ; and whate'er you did,
Had you but money, you'd ne'er find she chid.
A woman's ways we'll not stop to discuss,
But what makes them laugh, gives a smile to us !
This lassie took a liking to me, I dont know
Wherefore, and ev'ry morning white as snow
She powder'd my peruke and brought me up,
'Ere I left bed, a fortifying cup.
And much I wondered at this kind display,
Till I consider'd how, from day to day,
Her mother scor'd the tally, nor would draw
For her fair child to treat me, as I saw,
24
Nj ri)AicpeAb A n)ACA]p CA]]tc t)A bftAOt) bAtt),
<Do CAicpeA6 At) CAible b'pATjAil 5at) pleib 1tAltt).
<typAT)Ar 'T)a b-pei6]l fpg yu]ttj bo Lvecib,
2l5 pAifte Aft lu]D5 bo ftAjjAb Af &]]tii)t) :
Bbl CApcAo]t) Allen, peAft n)eat)n)T)AC, aoTtac,
215 ceAcc pA'i) tt)-bAile, 'f tvjoft b-pAbA 5uTI fteiêAf leip.
5l&AfA]n) o]tn) 50 b-obAT) ]te pej]trse,
2t)e -pe]T) 'f n)o cor&Ar Aft fobA]t a g-eir)peAcc ;
<£>o cuA6af bo't) pbufAifbe6 Aft jjeA]tAi) cuTtftAo]pe,
'S uaIac ^jAbAt) bott)' rbeA6ACAi) Aft cAob be.
<t)o cuaiS n)o copftA A]t boftb 50 b-eAr5A,
2Tf uAifle At) po]ftC A5 6l 5AT) CfIA0CA6 :
"p]ApTlAlb 50 b-A]b]6 AT) lAbATlA]t)T) beATllA,
'S b'plAbAf A b-pTteA5A]TlC A lAlblOT) ATI ei51T).
N]opi b-pulA]]t bAtt) n)'&]i)]tv bo CAbAiftc bo'T) cle]TteAC,
'S 2t)Ac Cot)-tt)aTta cuft catit"1)a 'fa1) " day-book"
<t)ob' e]5eAt) n)o copftA feoLxb a]t CAob 6]otp,
'S tt)e A5 beAi)ATT) ceoil a f fpo]ftc 'ta1? " state-room."
S5A0]lceATt reolcA Aft T)eo]t) bo Pboebuf,
<l)o b] 2teoluf leo, a'r Decif,
S5eiT)t)ib att)ac bo pfteAb 'f«^ c]tfeAi)rbuift,
21'f bpiuibib a b-pAb Af ceAf t)a 5]teit)e,
NjOft Vj-pAbA 5UTI 501II ATI AT) 5-cl0]T)l) fiT) 2t)bAOT)Upp
21t) pAift5e 6oitT)iT), a'r tiAbatic t)A fpei]te ;
Bbl beACA 5AT) ]to]Trt) A5 TÂb5 O'LaoÂ]ftc,
'S i)] blAireA6 fe 5fte]6n) le c]teîb, t)a bftAOt) b] ;
Bb] CaoiIcb O'Cao]tt) A5 CA0it)eA6 a ceile,
'S T)] b-pui5eA6 fe a b]t]fce f5A0ileA6 Aft Aot)coft ;
Bbl PeAbAi]t 0'<t>ubbA a 5-cupt)t)e at)' aor)ati,
21'r e A5 uipliocat) Aft fufA -pr)feiblitt) ;
Bbl CA]]tb]te, 'f Dtob6]b, 'f êô]*5, ap fAOCA]t,
215 cApiftAf05 tT)o pluco]b a T)-0T)6]]t t)A fsleppe ;
* Un Pur&rrbe, " Passage." The name of a small seaport town on the Suir,
below Waterford. There is a village of the same name on the Lee, below
Cork; which, however, is known in Irish as !iln CaU]S (The Ferry or
Passage).
2b
A quart or single drop that was not laid

Straight to my charge, and worried me till paid.
There then, until some days had gone their round,
I waited for a vessel outward bound :
And when bold Captain Allen came to port,
We struck our terms, our bargaining was short.
I bade farewell to my young hostess fair,
Then hir'd a carman's garron, with a pair
Of gaping panniers ; one of which my chest
And self receiv'd, the other closely press'd
With herrings balanc'd the divided weight,
And so to Passage with my precious freight.
As quick as thought they hoist on board my trunk,
Where harbour bigwigs all are getting drunk :
And asking, " D'you speak English ?" stood amaz'd
To hear my answer, in quaint Latin phras'd.
The clerk took down my name with jealous care,
The day-book open'd, and engross'd it there :
Then in the cabin, at their own request,
I join'd the revellers with song and jest.
At glowing noon they spread the bellying sail,
While JEolus concedes the fav'ring gale ;
Thetis too smiles, so with that single sun,
A goodly stage of our long race is run.
But Magnus' luckless children had to try,
Ere long, th' effects of deep sea and dark sky—
Poor Teige O'Leary's food unheeded lay,
Strange qualms attacking took his taste away ;
Keelty O'Keeffe sat weeping for his bride,
Nor had the strength to lay his breeks aside ;
Peter O'Dooda, in a quiet nook,
Phelim's good blanket for a basin took ,
Carbry and Toby, with Garrett at their back,
Dealt me for fun's sake many a sounding whack—
v
26
Bbl buACAill U] t-eAclob<vnt A5 aIcusab a ibfeile,

'S cfe buAilpeAb & 'fat) leAC-fd]l acc CaUdac le f5e] ]tbe ;
Bbl SeA]tAlc O'toobA]Tt a f Îat)1) A5 cAOf5A6,
CacaI A*f Coi)t) a t)-5AbAl a c&ile ;
Bb] SeAgAt) OXfto]5ce 'yAt) futTbe bA ctiaoca6,
'S 6a ceAT)t) a 50ile A5 cuti A]]t a 1)-feirrpeACc ;
<Do b] t-I1occ ri)ic ZtrblAO]b a b-ceAT)t)CA]b 5feAp' at)t),
2l5 A]f]05 'y A5 bftuccÂil ati fufAi6]b a c&)le ;
66A]tbA]5 <t)]ATHT)Ulb f]Aft, a'f pAobATt AITt,
Ma rt)AiftpeA6 a b-c]tiAt) bA b-qtiAll 6 Sfft]i)T).
S]T) TT)ATt CAICCAbATl CATT)All 50 CAOTITIJAC,
"CuiftfeAc, T/AbcuiftfeAC, cfteAf5AftCA, c]taocca,
215Uf bjob Aft tt)'paUuit)T) t>ati CA]fe 6att) pfe]T) fe,
S]t)ce cAftft)A corb b-ATT)beif fte b-A0i)t)eAC ;
At)Af* AT1) TT)AftC 5AT) pfteAb, 5AT) TÂOCAIT),
2t)A]t bo bei6eA6 fAC, 5AT) peAb, jat) 5IA06 iot)t)An).
2t)o crteAC ÂbA ! T/jo]t T11A5A6 bA TT)feiT) Iiott) ;
Ba TT)fe AT) cleAf Tl)ATUJAlb, T)6 AT) lAfbftOTT) AOlTATjj,
21CC bACAT) AT) T)AT]te CTtACC ATI fei5ceAftc ;
21lT"10C TT)0 flAITJCe 50 T)-beATlTlT)A TT)fe Aft pAb,
Ba TT)1T)1C TT)fe A5 1Aft]tAT6 ATt 4Db]aj bA TT)'^felb] Tt,
SCU]TITT) b'-ATl b-p1ATlA6 AT)1Aft 50 r)-6»]Tl11TI).
t)0 b'T>6ATlTt llOTT) T)A A b-peACAf bO TbA]CeAf AT) C-fAO5A1I,
'S A T>A5All 5^6 pA1Tlf]T)5 A TlA]b A b-CA]TTje A5 CftOefUT",
ISa't) l0TT)ATt Ofi6A C65 TT)AC 2tefOT),
'S T)A fOCATl T)A ScOCAC, a't1 2t)b6]ft <t>bA]l-]HAbA J
No bA b-T:uT5]t)T) 't-at) ]tt)1ftc at) t^we-beAT) <t)feirtbTie,4
4 The tragical account of Deirdre and the Sons of Ushach forms one of
the three stories called, by the Irish, " The three Sorrows of Romance." It
is in the hands of every Irish scholar, and was printed in the Transactions of
the Gaelic Society of Dublin, 1808, S"
27
A boy of Lawlor's race who tried to eat,

Calvach capsiz'd by rolling from his seat ;
Gerald O'Dower was wasted to a thread,
And Flann gave up all hope he'd quit his bed ;
While Shane O'Trihy by all nature's sluices
His bursting sorrows in the scuppers looses ;
Cahal and Conn were, notwithstanding, fighting,
And here, in. one foul chorus all uniting,
Of sighs, and groans, and many a doleful sound,
Mac Auliffe's clan lay huddled in a mound.
There Dermod lay, and as he lay he swore
That not one third would e'er reach haven more.
Alas ! alas ! it was a sorry sight,
To see them sprawl in heaps from morn to night ;
No respite yet from sickness for an hour,
Their strength, their spirits gone, their ev'ry pow'r :
Toss'd from their berths, without a rag to cover,
Inert they lay there till the plague blew over.
Thus miserably then they spent a season,
But I for mirth, believe me, had no reason ;
For in the self-same plight, upon my back
I lay full long, as helpless as a sack.
No speech or whisper murmur'd from my tongue ;
Fit laughing-stock if I had then been flung,
In fair or market, to the rustic throng !
In fact I really have not got the face,
To represent in full my piteous case ;
Thus much—until my limbs again grew strong,
To heaven's High King I often pray'd, and long,
A storm to raise, and sweep us back once more,
If so it might be, to old Erin's shore.
I'd rather then than all of wealth and state
The world doth hold, or Croesus own'd, tho' great ;
I'd rather far than that which Êson's son,
The golden fleece, from watchful dragons won ;
28
Lfe'ti caiIIca6 cIatw curr;Afac U]ft)]5 tja b-crt&iT)eAc ;

No aTt 6eATtrr)Ab Seoiftfe4 a b--ploflbftuf bo 5fte]CTt]b,
'S A5 ceiceA6 6 t>a t)Att)Aib 50 Hanover aTt fei5iT) —
21 T)-beiTtirt) bo CAbAftpA]t)T) niaTt tT)aIaiTtc tie bui6eAcuf,
2t]t beic '-TAt) n)-bA]le, T)o a 5-CAlAic-poTtr; &}5\v ;
2t]t be]c 'fat) tt)-Baftut)cacc, An) r)eATtCu5A6 'bift 5bAo6lAib,
215 TtC]C 71)0 CeACTlATTtAT), 'f A5 ftl)ACCU5A6 TT)0 CTtiiAbA ;
No a T>-Aice At) C-T-A5A1TIC, cu3Ab ceA5Af5 50 T"&]T1) 6AtT/,
'S blAiT-eA6 T)A leAi)T)A 50 pATftr]r^ 5A11 feilioTT) ;
No a ir)-BAile Sbeo]M*e, A 5-c6rb5ATt at> c-re]ri)T}iTt,
K]TxeATtb bAT), bo b'êATtrt bo PbAortCAib ;
No AT)T) fAT) 5-CTleACAlA15« A 5-deACCA6 TT)0 5A0ICA,
No A Luitt)T)eAC pOft SoiT)1T)t) T)A J-CAolbAflC J
No aTt Sbl]ab 5caI 5-CuA,7 ftu5 buA6 tta pfe]le,
2l5 TtiaTt lucC buAT)cA, bTtuA6, a'T- clfeiTte ;
N6 A b-pOCA1]tUlll]ATT)U] 2t)b0]t&TT), TfOt)X) ATlb-l&]geAIICA,
<t)o 66at)t;A6 feAT)T)bAT) 6f cioT)t) cIaiTt TT/eA5A.
CfeAb T)l6 pAflTlAlf VAC b-CA5AT) An) bfeAlfA,
BeAf bo cleACCAti lucC pAbcuiftfe a r^fe]beAT).
cR]oct) le]s an 5-cea& roinn.
6 Instead of the two lines on King George, some copies read—

" No Aft 6eAttn)Ab Seon 't)a cofttA bo bAottrcuiv,
'S e A5 cejceAd 6 i)A i)Ari)Ajb 50 h-ffocA]ll Art ei5jn."
Or all the trinkets which John in his trunk forgot,
When flying from his enemies to Youghal with speed.
which, apparently, had some local interest.
6 2lo Chf1eAcAlAC, Anglice Cratloe, and divided into An Chn\eAcAlAc
ri)6tt, Ai) ChrieAcAUc rpAol, A3ur An Cl)rieAcAlAc caol.
There were three castles on these lands in the year 1584 belonging to
29
Than all the splendour which 'tis said did grace

Dalriada's chieftain, and the Scotic race ;
Than Deirdre, she who's love wrought out a grave
For Usnach's sons, the gentle and the brave ;
Than all the valued things which George's dread
Forgot in Flanders, when in haste he fled—
I'd rather then than all this princely store,
Be lodg'd at home again, or safe ashore ;
With joy I would have giv'n it all to be
Among the Gael, O Barony, in thee ;
Retailing quarter pounds of humble stock,
Or in the school-room ruling o'er my flock :
Beside the pious man who car'd my soul,
Nor yet forgot the freely giv'n bowl ;
At Ballygeorge, where I could see the pride
Of all the Powers, white Richard, by my side ;
Or at Cratloe, where I first op'ed my lips,
Or Shannon's Lim'rick of the stately ships ;
Or in bright Slieve Gua, in all the land
Which bears the palm for openness of hand :
Holding sweet converse with the learn'd and gay,
And William Moran, who would chant a lay
Worthy the ancient poets, o'er my clay.
All this I wish'd, and wish'd much more beside,
As people do, when by misfortune tried.
END OF PART I.
Donnell Mac Teige, to Shane, and to Donnell Oge Mac Namara, from one of
whom, no doubt, our poet was descended, though he has nowhere left us his
pedigree.
7 Sljab 5-Ctkx. This locality has already been mentioned.
]oi)A ft-cttiiccAn ATI ]on5Aocur AiibAl-tt)oft noc bo conA]Ttc re A nJo6 A]rllOSe
A i)-eolcur fte b-ilo]beAU CbAftTtAi5e lejce—An »ul IT A" fc|c Tt6 A ft*1|6-
reAft eiirjuit)—Afl Al) TlAOAflC 80 COIJA]ftC Arltl—A5ur Aft CAflnjAjTleACc
Cbot)&]n St)bAoil—AT1 A teAcc Ar rii)—A5ur ATI cArA6 x-a luit)5 FTtAt)t)-
CA]J—ASUr ATI fcAbAltlX CACA 6;—An A ceAcc A bAile—A5Ur ATt A eiBtri-
juirie fe]n cutn Oe- 6eoi».
catttaII 50 1)-ATXTtTj]tt) f5eAl b^b,
21'f CAft &]f t)A fpAftrtA]1)1)e 5eAllA]tt) T1AC bfteA5 X}V>
2t]t IaTt ttio pDAO]T)ce, a']* td']T)T)c]T)T) qtAOCbA,
<t)0 CA]1)]5 AT) C-fjcbeAT) TT)]OT)Ia, TT)A0]t6A ;
Bb] cuaca r5A0]lce fjof 50 peA]t le],
81*f a 5]tua6 n)A]t caoift A5 TnnêATtr a f5&]Tiie;
21p p]05Af]t a peAftfAT) b'A]qo ttie Aft &]5]T),
2to]beAU9 cleAfAC tta CAftftA]5e leice !
<t)0 CU]]t fj IaTT) Afl clATt lA5 TT)'eA*W]t),
21'\ bo 665 a t>-at]tbe rr/Aftuf pfe]t) ")e ,
<t)o cAJl]tAlT)5 ATI t>A]6beAT) tT)aT)Ia I&t nre,
fCAbA& V\ryt) Ia]tT) le bî)f]g fteT6qj.
<tyATbArtcAf UA\nf a T)-5lttA]feA6 5A0C ar,
S5©ac A]t a b]tuAC leAf-c-fUAf A'f p]tAoc sUf.
<t)0 TT1ACCTTA6 TTlfe AT) C»f 50 b-A]t6ACC eAbT1)ATl,
ClA ATT C-eAC]tAT) pA5ATT) TOTTATl b'Ail lei TT)fe CUTt.
<t)o cu5 f1 50 b-A]b^ o]tTT) pfteA5]tA6 a tr-em]c,
"N* cu]]teA6 beATic A]t b]c peAft5 tta pftAoc otic,
"Ma bfe]i) ]ot)5AT)cur bo T)e^qb att c-fA05All,
" Ma c]tfe]5 twje 50 b-pill]ft 'y V\ bAogAl buic ;
" Ka6a]tc ttac b-TmA]rt p]ft T!lbuA6Tt)itTT)AT) le ce]le,
" "1)0 geAbAip-fe uat,tT), a']- Iuac bo faocA]]t."
8 iilo]beAll cleArAc t)a CATtTtAi5e le]ce. Her proper name is Aoibhinn,

which appears to be connected with the Latin word amcenus, with which it
corresponds in meaning. She was considered to be the tieAn rjoe (Fairy-
woman) of the O'Briens, Mac Namaras, O'Kennedys, O'Gradys, and their
cognate families of the t>&]l 5-CA]r, or Dalcassian race. She was supposed
PART II.
Wherein is told of the exceeding great marvel he saw after the fashion of a
dream, in conversation with iEvall of Craglea—Of his going to the place
called Elysium—Of the sight he saw there—Of the prophecy of Conan
Maol—Of his return thence—Of their meeting with a French ship—
Of their giving her battle—Of his return home—and of his own peti
tion to God at last.
Listen, whilst I in truthful numbers tell
What wonders next, these hardships o'er, befel.
I lay possess'd by many a gloomy thought,
When \o ! a lovely Nymph my presence sought j
Her long hair waving in its downward flow,
Her bright cheeks warming with the berry's glow,
Her form, her gait, her ev'ry limb so fair,
Told me 'twas Êvall of Craglea was there.
Upon my aching brow she laid her hand,
And gently raising, whisper'd me to stand;
Then soaring upward drew me thro' the night,
Till on a verdant plain she stay'd her flight.
A gloomy cave whence noxious vapours gush,
Its shaggy sides o'ergrown with heath and bush,
Fearing I saw, and marvell'd to what end
The Banshee next her wandering steps would bend.
She saw my trouble, and with kindly speech,
" Fear not," she said, " no pain or harm shall reach
" Thy head from aught thou see'st, nor stand aghast
" At fiend or monster, they shall all be past
" In safety, so thou bide with me, and thou shalt say
" Thou saw'st a sight which no man to this day
" Of Thomond's clans e'er saw, or shall see more,
" When thou returnest full of wondrous lore."
to reside at CttA]5 l|ac (the Grey Rock), anglicised Craglea, very near
Killaloe; hence her name &OfbeAU-t)A CftAê leica. She was of the CuAca
Be OAt)At)n race, and sister to iljne of Cnoc ift]oe, in the County of Limerick.
9 Spelunca alta fuit,\astoque immanis hiatu.—jEneid, VI. 237, et seq.
32
t)o JluAifeAf lei 50 b-eAbcrtorr) feAfÂ,

'SaT) UA]TT) fjOf A]t fOlllfe AT) lAe 51I J
5o b-peACAtt)A1Tl UA1T)t) AT}!} CUATJCA 'f 5eAflli)U1fl,
21t* 21ce]tot) pttA]t A5 sluAifeAcc CAob lirvti.
So A1) C-ATJAC 't)A T)-5AbAlb AT) b]tOT)5 1}0C b'eA5ATJ,
5ac at)ait) eAfutf)Al a T)-5eAll bo 6ao]tca]t.
Na njjlce ceAT)t) bo b] aT)t) 50 beAftAC,
Mac b-pU]5eA6 bul aT)otjt) ca]t aoait)T) bot) cein) fii),
b-iOt)AT)t) tT)ati bo cuiceat) le Virgil 'fat) JEneid,
5u]t le b-ui]teAfbA a 5-co]tcA a]t at) fA05AI fo ;
21cc fluAijce cAiceAT) le ftAbui]tt)e a faocati,
2l5 6l 'y A5 CAftbuf 50 b-pAT)Aib 5AT) AOTTftAb,
5al) cAbAcuit)10 aco tja't) leAcp]T)5iT) beAT)AC,
l,e CAbAinc bot) caIa]C tt)Ui}A b-pACAib tT)a]t 6ejTtc ].
)X & cluit)irt) bA tia6 A5 luce ]tAi6ce 'f leiTjir)T),
3Uft b' e buir)e b] a ir)-bAb at>t> CAftot) TT)eiftTs]teac ;
21 bei]t]TT)te leo 5U]t 66]b if b]teA5 f]T),
21cc cleic]]te it)oti be poft T)a b-6>]rteAT)T).
<t)0 C]btt)]f AT) f6AT)-bAb bA qOtT)A1T) 50 fAOCflAC,
2l5 at) b]CfteAbAC saIaT)ca, CoT)at)" t>a -peirwe;
10 CAbAcu]o. This was a small Irish coin, current in his day= J farthing.
Donnchadh here inculcates the ultra-heathen doctrine that it was not as
a punishment for crimes or vices, but as a penalty for not having money, that
the souls were detained.
" 2ln b]ttteAbAc 5AlfcncA Con&n ha Fe]nne. In this passage, which
affords vast entertainment to the Fenian story tellers of Slieve Gua, we
again fall in with our old friend Conan nA Fettle (Conan of the Fenians).
He is of frequent occurrence in the poems entitled lAo]6ce O]rft), or
Sil5Allii)A O]rfo A5ur pl)fc&ttAfCC (the Lays of Ossian, or the Dialogues of
Ossian and St. Patrick). The Irish reader is well acquainted with his cha
racter ; should others feel any curiosity on the subject, they will find it dis
cussed in Dr. Drummond's lately published translations of some of the above
mentioned poems : we shall here describe him as he has often been described
before, namely, as being among the warriors of the Fenians what Thersites was
in the Grecian host. He is commonly spoken of, in Fenian poetry, as Conkn
tnAol (Conan the Bald, his right name being Cot)at) 21)ac 2f)6]Ttne), and
amongst other soubriquets, rejoiced in those of An peATt tnAol (the bald man),
and At) peArt boftb (the cruel or surly man). We will now shew how he
33
Down thro' th' abyss then lead me trembling on,

Leaving behind us far the genial sun,
Till stretch'd before us loom'd the grisly shore,
Which Acheron lashes with a sullen roar ;
The stream that must be pass'd by all the dead,
Whose banks oppose them till their debts be paid.
'Twas sad to see the thousands there whose tears
Would bribe no passage o'er for countless years ;
But not, as Virgil says, those souls whose course
On earth consigns them now to vain remorse :
Rather the myriad host who give their health
To joys of sense, and riot till their wealth
Be vanished all, no halfpenny left to pay,
Unless their charge some pitying soul defray.
And now, methinks, I hear the learned state
That Charon there bears o'er the ghostly freight ;
'Tis no such thing, I beg they'll understand,
But a stout gilly from old Erin's land.
For as we mark'd the old craft stem the tide,
Conan the Fenian caught my eye inside ;
A black sheep's skin around his loins was sewn,
And well I knew him by this sign alone.
Each Sassanach paid a tester for his seat ;
Ask what he would, no answer would he meet
But Latin words or Gaelic—when the lusty wight
Saw gentle ^vall lead me into sight,
obtained the first epithet of " iaAoI," as on that turns the joke of the present
passage, It is accounted for as follows in the legend called An DbftuiSeAi)
CAoftcA]t)i) (The enchanted fort of the quicken tree), the building being of
that wood. During an expedition against the Danes, Fionn Mac Cumhaill,
accompanied by several of the Fenians, and Conan Mac Moirne amongst
them, entered the fort, which they found most sumptuously furnished, and un
tenanted. They proceeded to make themselves comfortable, but after waiting
some time, marvell'd that no attendants appeared to bring them food or drink ;
and, by degrees, were made aware that the various splendours and numerous
doors of the fort were vanishing, until it was reduced to a mere bothie, with
K
■M
Bbj c]to]ceAi)t) bub-^:6if5e A]t a id]v n)Aft eAbAC,

21' r t)jo]i beA5 l]i)t) 50 beo a^t rr)A]t corbAftcA at) n)fe]b f]t) ;
M] CAbAflfTAb SA5fAT)AC CA^tftJA 5A1) ]tfeaI 56aI,
21'f ry\ lAbAftpA6 bAbA leo acc l.A]beAT)T) i}6 5A0i6eil5-
but one entrance. Hereupon a chief of the Fenians said it was a forbidden
thing for him to be in a fort with one door, and that he feared this was a fort
of treachery (]r 5ear bAri)rA be]t A m-bTtujJinn Aon bottuir ic). He
exhorted the Fenians to break out of it, and Conan said they would ; but
when -' he stretch'd out his active warrior-hand over his broad weapons, and
thought to rise, he could not leave the place wherein he was." The other
chiefs found themselves in the same case, and they then determined that this
was an enchantment, which had been long preparing against them by the son
of the king of Lochlin, i. e. Denmark, with the aid of certain magicians of
other countries. Giving up all hope of release, Fionn exhorted them to die
like warriors, and to sing the war-song, and to sound the battle-trumpet of
the Fenians before death. Now Diarmuid O'Duibhne, surnamed t)A tn-ban (of
the women), a choice warrior, and Fatha Conain had been left as sentinels to
guard the Fenian camp against the Danes. The latter fell asleep on his post,
and Diarmuid, in the meanwhile, went off to divert himself by a skirmish with
the enemy. Fatha Conain " sprang out of his sleep at the clangor of the
shields being riven, and the ringing of the breastplates being broken," and
was so enraged with Diarmuid for not awaking him that he pursued him for
revenge. Diarmuid, at length, told him to go and wreak his anger on the
foreigners, and added, " I swear upon my weapons of valour that of us two
there shall not go from this place but him who shall be the stronger of us, if
thou depart not from me immediately." Accordingly they both attacked the
Danes and their allies, and put them to flight. After the pursuit they found
themselves near the fort, to the door of which Diarmuid went, and was ad
dressed by Fionn, who asked tidings of him. He replied that he and his
comrade had slain the three kings of Innis Tuile, and many of their host ; and
had brought with them their heads, and the blood of their trunks, to disen
chant the Fenians. This Diarmuid and Fatha Conain effected by rubbing the
blood on them, and they all departed out of the fort, " giving thanks to the
gods of the air," except Conan ; " and he was so, and his two heels, the back
of his head, his two buttocks, and his shoulders fastened to the floor of the
fort, and they (i. e. the Fenians) without a single drop of the blood to rub to
him. ' 0 Diarmuid,' said Conan, ' is it here thou wilt leave me ?' ' It is
not,' said Diarmuid, returning to him again. He told Fatha Conain to help
him ; and so they gave a valiant very mighty pull at him, so that they left a
part of his skin cleaving to the ground. Wherefore it is from that that the
surname, viz. Conan tnAol ?1)ac St)6jT"ie, has followed him from that day to
this." The other story of Conan's enchantment is found in an Ossianic poem
35
He shook his lockless head, fix'd his wild eyes,

And like the roar of madden'd bull he cries ;
" Accursed witch ! what renders thee so bold,
" To bring a living thing of human mould
purporting to be a supplement to the one entitled Cac cnu]c An &]ft (The

battle of Knockanaur). After the battle the Fenians were in a state of en
chantment in the habitation of a bftAof, or druid, named Draoigheantoir ; their
enchantment consisting in not being able to rise. The druid comes to Conan
first, with a sharp sword in hi3 hand, to behead him ; this so affects the peAtt
boftb, that he gives a spring through fear, which breaks the enchantment,
but at the cost of all the skin of a certain part, which adheres to the ground.
The Irish reader probably remembers the stanza in which this is very pithily
described :
Do bf nruo]JeAncojTt fAoj jATtb-cttorO,
-S a lAnn 3At1 cor5 or c|ono CborAm ;
O' em5i* An reAtt tnAol bo pfteAb,
'S iaU nfoit £ah Ari a fu]JeAc&n.
Draogheant6ir was in fierce rage,
And his uncheck-d blade over Conln-s head ;
The bald man got up with a jump,
And not a strip of skin remained on his breech.
Conan, getting the better of his fear of death, implores the druid only to heal
him first, to save him the disgrace of dying in that state, and then to kill him
as soon as he likes. The druid's daughter Aine appears, and, at length, goes
in and gets a woolly fleece, which Draoigheantoir fixes to Conan so as to stick
to him for ever ; and hence his surname. In the first legend we are left to
suppose that Conan himself adopted the woolly tunic as a convenient sub
stitute for his own skin ; while in the second, though this is accounted for,
there is no mention made of the loss of any part of the skin of his head, which
was generally believed to have been bald, as we see by Donnchadh's descrip
tion of him (bo cp]c a ti)Aoil). There seems, moreover, to be a discrepancy
in this latter version of his mishap ; for though the poem professes to relate
events subsequent to the battle of Knockanaur, Conan is continually men
tioned by his nickname in the lay of that battle. It may be, however, that
Ossian, composing both these poems long afterwards for the information of
St. Patrick, had been so accustomed to give Conan this name, that he did so
whenever he was speaking of him ; even when narrating what happened
before he earned it.
This accoutrement of Conan is, moreover, a burlesque on Charon's dress,
Sordidu* ex humeris modo dependebat amictug. JEa. VI. 301.
36
21t) uA]ft coi)A]]tc fe 2toibeAll h]t)t) A'r tr)& A]ce,

<t)o c^c a rr)Ao]l, a'f ba f5]orrbA]t a £eACA]i) ;
21 biibA]pc tT)Aft CAftb, 50 peAftjAC, pTtAOCbA,"
"21 c]tufbA ti)AllA]gce, a CA]lleAC, 'y a rbejTtbrteAC,13
" )y bAr)A ctnjA]]tfe buiT)e a 5-qtuc 6Aoi)bA
" 21 T)-A]c T)AC qjeAT) aot) ôIIa be c]te Aft b]c ;
" 21' f bA Tr/fÛ l]OTtJ ?T)U]tf*AT)CACC CVXt)U]X bO 6eAT)Att),
*' <t)o ]tuf5pA]T)i) cuT-a 'f bo S]oIIa rr)ATt aoi) leAC !"
" y-0]\\ A CUftA6," A^t At) Tb]OCAfl6A tt)AOft6A,
" -Coj bo cucac, 'f 5IAC ]on)Aftca ]te^bqs ;
" <t)u]i)e 5AT) buA]]tc bo pua]]t rt)& a rêA]tbTtu]b,
" <De't) c]T)e ri)6]t, A'f b'uAifl]b B]TteAw."
<Do ]tu5 Ai) TT)AcAtt) Art bATtft n)0 rbeAftA]b,14
21' f bo ft]§t)e ffe 5*M]t 8f a]tb, a'f be]ceAc;
Le piiA]n) a §oca bo cft]ceA6 T)a fpeAftCA,
<t)o cuaIa ai) c]tu^r)e 'r ctqft ]frft]oi)i) 5e]n) Af.
■CêAn) CAfl f^lOCAT) fA1) 5-CltrtACAl) CAolgu]b,
21'f beêAn) A]c-geAft]t 50 cT)ocAt; beA5 aoTtac,
5o ftAt)5Att)Aift Ai)A]6e 't)A ftA]b 56ACA]be 5AT) aot)5Ia]]-,
21 i>-a]c 't)a m-bpc n)A]fc1i)16 A5 5Iait)5A]I 5A1) CrtAocAS.
N] b]t6A5 bo Virgil a be]]t ]OT)a beAftfa,
5u]t Ab e fo Ce]tbeftuf bo ce]be M) ]te]6ceAC ;
'MA COblA h] Aft CeAflC-lAft At) COfA]t), 'f 5A1) j:e AT)T)
2tcc fopAftt)AC pifeA]i?, 'f e A5 fftor)Ai) 'f A5 ffel&eA6.
<t)o riu5 at) peATt p6]]ti)]ftc be poTtfl]occ 6]b]]t
5o bub aTt a f50]tt)A]5 le p6]tfa a 5eA5A,
N]Oft lfr]5 bOT) TbAb^tA pCACab T)A fCAOt)A6,
ft]ceAn)A]]t cA]]tif pAO] eA5lA A]t T)-bAO]qi).
11 Sic prior aggreditur dictis, atque increpat ultro.—A2n. VI., 387.
13 Fare age quid venias, &c.—Mn. VI., 389.
14 This and the three following lines, descriptive of Conan's joy at meeting
one of the Gael, are among the best in the poem, and are written in the true
spirit of heroic poetry. They are in imitation of those verses describing the
shout of Polyphemus :
Clamorem immensum tollit, quo pontus et omnes
Intremuere undse, penitusque exterrita tellus
Italia:, curvisque immugiit jEtna cavernis.—JEn. III., 672.
37
" Into the place which brooks no form of clay ?

" Why beard'st thou me in mine own kingdom, say ;
" And if that I but chose to wield my pow'r,
" Thou and thy vassal both were mine this hour?"
" Listen, O Friend," the gentle JEvall said,
" Thy fury calm, and have no jealous dread ;
" Thou see'st a man I found in slav'ry's chains,
" With Erin's noblest blood in all his veins."
The giant seiz'd my hand with gladden'd soul,
Then louder roar d than mightiest thunders roll ;
Heav'n's high cope trembl'd at his bellowing shout,
The round world heard, and hell's black depths cried out.
On the frail bark we cross'd the darksome flood,
And soon upon an airy hillock stood ;
First reach'd a pass where gap'd a portal wide,
A growling monster watching by its side :
Now Virgil's Muse, I own, here teaches well,
That Cerb'rus is th' infernal sentinel ;
Right in our path he chanc'd to snore—no bed
But humble vetches under him was spread ;
The mighty son of Heber's ancient race
Clutch'd his rough throat, and pinn'd him to his place,
Nor gave him room to turn to left or right,
While we ran by to 'scape his hellish bite.
Thence to the hill we sped without delay,
And resting there, to varying thoughts gave way ;
Marvelling to see upon the plains afar,
Departed heroes close in ghostly war.
Then spake our guide, and bade me mark with care
The names and legends of those forms of air.
The broad vowels and gutturals contain something of an onomatopoeic effect,

not easy to reproduce in English.
1 8 Cerberus hie ingens latratu regna trifauci
Personat, adverso recubans immanis in antro.—JEn. VI., 417.
38
Nfott pAT)A6 l]T)t) 50 bAftrtA cT)uic be't) fte]TT) n1^"

2t)ATl Af» fCAbATTJATfl A5 TT)ACCT)ATT) 'f A5 peACAI1) ;
SUfi A»T)AfICAT UA]t1) AT) flttA5 ATI 5AC CAob 6]OTT),
215 CATtftATT»5 TT)A 5-CUA]Tlb, 'f A5 TIUA5A6 A CfeTle.
21 bubATTIC llOTT) fllTê 50 TJ-ITJTJT-eAt) T-5eAI bATT),
CuTJCAf b^TteAC bui6TT)T)e 'f beAfA.
""peACfA caII ua]c cIatjti 3bAbfeluf,'7
" 215UT" bAT)T)cTtACc tT)o6aTT)a1I t)A b-G<1fteATW;
"peltC TT)ATl A leATJATb AT) ATCTTTe 't)A b-CTteAT)ftll]C,
" 215 bltAIT) pTIIAC A]4 AT) CaIatT), bA 5-CATICA6, bA 5-CAOCA6.
"21r) b-peiciTt at) ftA]be ca 'but pheÂ a't- peêAf,18
" 91']- Tûaca be <£)at)at)T)19 A5 f5TteAbA6 'f A5 f5fteACA6 ;
" 21T) b-T:6TC1Ttf6 <t)OT)T),S0 A't1 A IaTJT) 50 JJAobTlAC,
" 215 ce]êAT) ceAt)i) a T;-5AbAl a cfeTle?
"21T) b-pe]qft p]]t sf^be t)a "Cttaot 'y t)a 3]^]5e,
16 Et tumulura eapit, unde omnes longo ordine possit

Adversos legere, et venientum discere vultus.—JEn. VI., 755.
m
17 Nunc age, Dardaniam prolem qua? deinde sequatur
Gloria, qui maneant Itala de gente nepotes.—Mn. VI., 757.
18 Gadelius and Fenius.—Of these two individuals the following account
is given in Keating, O'Flaherty, and other writers on the bardic mythology of
Ireland. Fenius Farsaidh, great grandson of Japhet, founded a famous school
of learning on the plain of Shenaar (?T)ACAjTte SbenAif) 242 years after the
flood. He had two assistants, Gaodhal and Jar, and taught there most of the
tongues which came into existence after the confusion of Babel. After a
time Fenius returned to Scythia, of which he was king, and there ordered
Gaodhal to digest the Gaelic language into five dialects, and hence it is said
to have derived the name which it at this day bears among the Irish and the
Highlanders of Scotland, viz. Gaoidheilg. Fenius had two sons, Nenual and
Niul; the former became king of Scythia, the latter was invited to Egypt for
the sake of his learning by Pharaoh Cinchres. Here he married the king's
daughter, Scota, from whom the Milesians were afterwards called Scoti, and
had by her a son called Gaodhal ; and some say it is from him the Irish ob
tained the name of Gaoidhil, and their language that of Gaoidheilg. The
successive migrations of his progeny, until their final settlement in Ireland,
are minutely chronicled in the works of the above-mentioned writers, who
have compiled from the older repertories of Irish history. It is by the ad
vancement of these and similar fables as serious truths, that so much dis
credit has been brought upon Irish antiquities by zealous, but injudicious and
39
" Behold," said he, " Gadelus' children there,

"And Erin's ,daughters, fairest of the fair;
" See how the Gael pursue their swift career,
" Smiting their foes, they shake the ground with fear.
" Mark Fenius' contest with the Persian kings,
" And hark, the scatter'd Danaans' shouting rings ;
" See'st thou how Donn doth whirl his flashing blade,
" Whilst thousand warriors at his feet are laid ?
" See'st thou the mighty men of Greece and Troy,
" Hector, impatient for the battle's joy ;
" The patriarch Anchises, sere and gray ;
" His son beside him on his weary way?
" Behold, still Romulus his labour plies,
" Rearing huge stones till fenced walls arise.
often ignorant advocates. For our own part, we would quote the words of
honest old Keating (so often called the Herodotus of Irish history, and who
wrote, A.D., 1629), concerning the conquest of Ireland before the deluge by
Ceasair : "bfob a ftor A5Ab, AleAjco]tt, t)ac rnAft rcA]tt ffnjnnjS cuT^n) An
gAbfcjl ro CbcArnAc rfor, t)'a Aon jAbfc]l e]le bAri Iuabh)Aifl 50 i)U]5 ro ; Acc
bo bttfj 50 b-fUAttAr r5ftfobcA tteori)An) A reAn-leAbttAjb ]Ab; A5ur nf cui5jtn
C|oi)i)Ar 80 ûAttAbAtt t)a reAncAJbce nA r5eAlA ro Ari An n-bitu]t)5 cfc]nj5 a
n-Cifvnn WO ^flinn, acc munAb ]Ab ha beAtbAjn Aeri6A bf mA leAnfcnA]b
rfje aco tu5 bo]b jab tte Ifnn be]c a b-pA5ancAcc bo]b." " Know, 0 reader'
that 1 set not down as true history this invasion of Ceasair, or any other in
vasion of those we have mentioned hitherto, but because I found them written
before me in ancient books : and I understand not how the Seanachies ob
tained these stories concerning the people who came into Erin before the
flood, unless indeed the demons of the air, who were their familiar spirits,
gave them to them during the time they were in heathennesse."
19 The Cuaca be OAt)Ann were the second dynasty which ruled Ireland.
They succeeded the Fjft D0I3, or Belgi, and were expelled by the CUnnA
?T)l)fl]6, or Children of Milesius, of whom are supposed to be the present
Irish.
20 t)oni).—Either Oono r^mnne of Cnoc ^ttinne (Knockfierna, i. e. the
hill of truth), near Ballingarry, in the County of Limerick, or Sonn t)a
rju]ri)ce, of the County of Clare. These are also mythological characters,
supposed to exercise jurisdiction amongst the fairies of Munster. To the
latter Andrew Mac Curtin addressed a poem of considerable merit, beginning
OeAnnujAS bojtbin bu]c a Obujnn t)a tJujri)ce.
40
" tjecco]t 'f a cloi6eAtt) A5 rr)AO-beATi) a Iaocu-r ;

" 21t) feAT)-butlt)e 21t)qfef, cTvjot) le lAeqb,
" 21 ttjac ]te~t)A CAOib, A'f a f]r)T-eAft baccac ?
" 21t) b-t-e-qft Ai) obqTt ub A5 Ron)uluf 'y A5 Ren)uT-,
" 215 CUfl cloCA T)itIC tt)Afl COfT)Att) C]T)6 pejtt)^ ?
" 21t) 5-cluii)]]tre at) sloft f-o A5 fI05 t)A feiê,
" 215 Te]vv]tt) a 5-C60]I, A5 rP6ttc, 'r A5 plfeipeAcc ?
" 21CA tyoftAf At)t) A5 tt)6AllA6 fqlc 2t)AeCeT)Af,
" 2Tf bA 5eATtftA6 f]t) 5A1) U5A6 aTt bic le 5&ê ;
" Ob-b 'i)A fu]5e a]t be-T)T)fe ^rfe]p SHr-
" Noca '56 bA rsTVjob 50 poiêAC cun) CAefAit :
" )ubet)Al, a peAT)t) ]t>]ji a ti)eAftA]b,
" 4)]On)bluf tt)ati bub Ai5e, a'f sqTtqtt).
" 21o6 buibe 2t)ac Cnu]qi)*' 6 6j^t)T),
" 215 fT-lêACc 50 5ob-CAOiiT) a T)-5AOT6eil5 ;
" 21t) pTt]ot)T)fA fuilc 50 ceAT)t)t/A 5I1C bA tt)-bTteA5A6,
"21'f le poi)t) a 5U"b 50 b-cAbAftpA6 buit)e 6t) eA"5 lei**.
" 21t) b-t*eiC]]t t)A coillt*]]t 't)A lu-56 feAC 5AC aoi) lucC,
"50 tT)-bei]t]b a 5-qT)T) cA]t t>a Cyclop** tte ce]le?
" 21c^b at)T) fub, uc ! c]tuiT» i)A "pe-t)T)e,
" 30 b-&fl]t&A^c, luCtt)A]t, lubAC, le]tt)T)eAC ;
" Uc a Yb]VV n)]c Cburi)A-l ! a cii)t) t)a "pqwe !
" tt)e '5U** cu 't)A]t t)-buicce 5Aoln)Aft,
" 30 b-CAbA]tj:an)AO"f a bAile A]t]f At) **eAftA-]te SeATtluf,
" 21'f be]6eAb CAbA]]t le t)' AsAib a t)-21lbA]i), T)6 nteAllAb tt)]fe
" 2t)ACCT)A]6fe Lucert b'iotT)l>u*5 At) ceATttt)A, [a t)-&]]i]T)t).
" 21'f CAlb]T), At) cftufbA, A5 cubftAb n)e]CTt]f ;
" 21T) C-OCCtt)A6 t)AT)T)]iAO], 'f AT) bAT)]t]0-5A]t) b]teA5AC,
" CftocbA Af b]tAWftAibib le flAb]tA]6]b 5eA]tA.
" 3AC Sa5T"AT)AC bA T)~5AbAt) AT) bAll f0 pleAf5AT)"
" 21 1) ceACftAft catt) fo b' ]ott)pui5 o't) 5-cle]]t q]tc.
11 2lo6 buj6e Stlac Cttu-cfn.—A poet of the County of Clare. He lived
early in the last century, and published at Paris an Irish grammar, an English-
Irish dictionary, and some pieces on Irish history. His compositions are
much esteemed.
V
41
" Yonder Maecenas see, and Horace sit,

" Still pointing satire with his playful wit ;
" Poor patient Ovid on the cold grass thrown,
" Inditing letters to proud Caesar's throne ;
" There Juv'nal sternly guides his venom'd pen,
" Revealing all the blackest crimes of men;
" Hugh Boy Mac Curtin, from far Erin's shore,
" Listen, still chanting Gaelic verses o'er ;
" So skill'd to cheer, and banish ev'ry gloom,
" His song the dead might quicken in the tomb.
" But see those warriors, giant-like, whose might
" Exceeds all nations, and whose stately height
" Towers o'er the Cyclops—the great Fenian race :
" O Fionn Mac Cumhaill ! were thou and I a space
" In our own land, we would restore his own
" To Charles our hero, and win back his crown
" With help of Alba,* or the hope we laid
" In Erin's ancient truth and worth must fade !
" See Luther there, the great schismatic, lurk,
" And sordid Calvin, batt'ning on his work.
" Last, the eighth Harry and false Queen remain,
" Swinging as traitors in the felon chain.
" Each Sassanach who comes here wreaks his spite
" With blows on these who overthrew the Right ;
" But those thou seest unfetter'd, guiltless move,
" Will reach the mansions of the Lord above."
" And now depart," the friendly giant said,
" Envoy of Erin to the exil'd dead ;
" To James's race the sceptre shall belong,
" Shelt'ring his kingdom and thy race from wrong :
* Scotland.
83 Our poet here gives us to understand that when the Satianaigh, or
Protestants, arrive in these regions, they are so enraged at finding themselves
" in the wrong box," that they seek to revenge themselves on Luther, Calvin,
Harry the Eighth, and Queen Bess, as having got them into the scrape !
F
1"
42
"jAb fo ca f5a0]Ice, q6]]t 5AT) aot) locb,

" BÂftpAft aft^r 50 ftigeACc tt)ic <De ATreAC."
" jn)C]5re a bA]le," ati at) peAftA]]te CTieAT)ri)ATi,
" 21 6u]i)e fo CA5AT) tt)ati CeACbAipe 6 6]ftit)T) ;
" Jf pAbA bei6 TôIftac n)]i)caiT- SbeA")uif
" 50 b-AT)ACTtAC, f^jOfri)AfS clAoi6ce a t>-5eA]tb]tmb,
" 5o i>-e]]t5]6 pUi)i)bA bo feAi)T)-C-fliocC 6]b]ft,
" "DbfeATtpA^ CUT)1)CUf ttJAfl TjeAll ATI eiCCCATlC J
" BA]t)]:i6 at) coftoiTrp be'i) co]p t-o a T)-e]ftic,
" 2t'T- leAt)pai6 50 beo bo po]t Styb]l&fW-
" SeACA^fe at) c-olc bo loic rôl 6>bA ati pAb,
" 5ab pAibip, a't* Cftof5A6, 'f OTtof rt)]C <t)e otic ;
" B] beATlCAC, CAftCAT)T)AC, ATI lAfAb le bAOT)bACC,
" 21'f peiii) tja b-T^lA]ceAf bo 5eAbAi]t tT)At* pe]b]ft.
" J?ACAb]*A ATI flubAl, CA liug A*f 5IA06 OTITT),
" 21 i) Aicrr)e fo Lucent bo bftui5eAbAft tt/ao6 ]OT)aTT) ;
" <t)0 TTJATTtb ATJ pflAT)T)CAC AT) bOli)AT) 'f AT) T-AOâI bôb,
" 21'f CATtpeAbfA A b-CAbAl^tC AT)aII TT)A peAbAITT)."
5o ]t6-T:AbA f5eiTrt) on) tiabattc boi) lein) f]T),
5w]t C05 21oibeAU ]05u]]t le^ ir)e.
<t)0 cAT)5ATr)A1Tl ATÔT" A T)-1T)T)]oll t)AC leiTt bAtt),
2t)Aft fAi6ceAft lib coiT)]T) at- poiU]t) le fpeice.
5at) TTAb ort) ttouic bo ttiufsAil tt)e at)t) fit),
2t)o leAbA 6eAf pun), n)o cpotwc A'f TT)'eAbAC ;
ATT)lA16 bTlATCeAf TT)e CATlfT)A 5Al) AOT) ppeAb,
'S AT) I0Ii5 A5 CATl]tA]T)5 ATI SbASfAT) le p01ftei3eA1).
)f e CTIA6A15 too cpoi6e, 't> uaiTt fnIAO]T)eA6 n)e at)T) r]T),
5ac 5AbA ati gAbAT- cpfo 5uTI CA]6fteATb bpeise 6.
H\o]i b-pa&a 5up lAbAiTi At) knij, "' sail-a-hoy !
" Yottr tackles and shrouds haul round for play, boys ! "
VeAC frigate beA5 p]tAT)T)CAC, lon), tt)eA]t, 5leAfCA,
<t)o cuift y]t)W a b-poi)T)c pAO] f5at)T)ftAb Ati T)-bAOicii) ;
<D0 CA1C UTICATI pAO] ITT)eAll ATI T)-eAbA1T),
21'f bAicciob 5Iat)-5ut)a bo I&]jca6 5AC pe]le.
3o Ti)'ei5eAT) buii)T) cat-a6 cott) caÂb 'r bo b'fe]bift,
43
" A goodly plant shall spring of Heber's stock,

" And quell th' oppressor in the battle's shock,
" Pluck back the crown from the usurper's brow,
" And on the Gael their lasting rights bestow.
" Watch 'gainst the sins which curse all sprung from Eve,
" With prayer and fasting Jesus' Cross receive ;
" Let love and kindness in thy bosom glow,
" And Heav'n's bright joys in guerdon thou shalt know.
" I go in haste—th' impatient summons rolls—
" Luther ! how toil I for thy followers' souls ;
" Myriads have fallen by the Frank's right hand,
" And I must ferry them to phantom-land."
He gave a bound beyond my farthest ken,
Then with me iEvall sought the haunts of men ;
By some strange mode emerging into air,
Thro' such a hole as tempts us set the snare,
To trap th' unwary rabbit passing there.
Straight I awoke from out my wondrous trance,
My bed, chest, clothes, all met my doubting glance ;
And I perceiv'd ere long I had not stirr'd
From off them, since I lay down as you heard.
A storm had driv'n us to the English coast,
And then I griev'd to know that all my boast
Of marvels seen was but an empty dream ;
Short time had I for sorrow o'er my theme,
For, lo, a small French frigate creeping on,
And seconding her summons with a gun
Athwart our bows, till we could plainly mark
Full forty guns on board the Frenchman's bark.
No wonder, then, these symptoms should affright,
So we just put about, resolv'd on flight.
As flies the hare along the mountain side
Before the hound, while ev'ry art is tried
Of speed, and cunning turn, until at length
She stops, deserted by her failing strength ;
-
44
21' f be A5Aii)t) bA tr)eAfA cun) ]tACA b]06 pe 6e.

2t)Aft be]6eAb a 5-cunfa cu 'f 5eAft]t-p]A6 A]ce,"
<t>& 5-CAâ6 Al)l) 5AC pO1)l)C, 'fA1) CUplA Aft fAOCA^,
5o s-CA]cpeAb fcAb le i)eA]tc a befc c]taocca ;
Ba n)A^t f]t) bA]t 5-CAi6i)e A5 -CeAcc A]t e^t).
"1)0 tt)A]tbA6 bA]CC]Ofc> bAft b-pU]]t]1)T) ']"A1) TCil&]P f]t),
&i]tri)]5]n) cuilleAb bo tt)-]lleA6 bj cfteACCAC :
<Do CA]lleAtt)A]]t c]tiu]t a b-cuif at) lae 5] I,
Bbl 5eATtrtA6 'suf b]tu5A& a]t cui5 f]p beA5 bpb ;
BbwaT) UftCAft bO &AllC]1) At) CbApCAOJt), 'f t)]0]l leAt) l]On),
<t)o 50]b r& tt)0 cA]pp;, 'f i)joit 6Aii)ib le]f n)aoI ri)e.
<t)0 ]lAT)5AtT)Aitt At) pttfAirbe 50 bACftAlcA C]tfe]clA5,
2Tf c&i)5A^fA 50 Po]tcUv]]t5e Aft co]f Ai)&fftbe An) AOt)A]t ;
■CA5A]n) a bAile 5A1) pA]ce, 'f bA be^]tc l]on),
2t'f bA]t n)o bA]fbe rj\ blabA]t t)A b]teA5 f]t).
21ft luiT)5 1)] ftACAb p^b ri)AHtpeAb, tt)A peAbA]T1),
2t)ui)A ]tACA]ot) le bAt)bA, 1)6 Aft 5-ceAi)5Al le ceAbAib.
2t)A]t bA]t]t Aft 5AC i)]6 le CKJOSt) h]oi> bui6eAcuf,"
21 CAftAb b^ An) 6]Ot), a R]5 i)A cfte^ n)e ;
■CosfA c'peA^ 6ii)t), t)eAftcui5 a't fAoTt ni)i),
"pO]fl Aft t1)'At)AT1), f]T) AJA]b T1)0 f5eAlcA.
" Donnchadh'8 simile of the hare pursued by a greyhound is not a perfect
one, as the hare does not " show fight" when overtaken. However, in all the
copies we have seen, the words are c& and 50Attf>-fja*i not n°WAc (fox),
as has been suggested.
45
Ev'n so, were we compell'd to wait the foe.

Forty stout hearts we had that day laid low—
I count not those who suffer'd in the strife
Loss of a limb, whom fortune left their life ;
At the first broadside three poor wretches died,
And sorely wounded, fifteen fell beside.
That rogue the Captain's boy, too, got a touch,
He'd stol'n my cap, and now he got as much.
Passage we gain'd in spite of winds and wars,
Batter'd and weary, and I thank'd my stars
To reaoh Portlargy'6 once again, as bare
As any beggar that e'er haunted fair ;
Swearing across the seas no more my course
Should lie, were I not put on board by force.
And now to Christ let my deep thanks ascend,
Shelter me, Saviour, and my King, defend;
Strengthen us, keep us, wipe away the curse,
Save my poor soul, so ends my humble verse.
85 Most Irish compositions, ancient and modern, of any length, wind up
with some kind of pious expression or ejaculation ; " sometimes," as Dr.
O'Donovan remarks on the poem of Giolla Iosa Mor Mac Firbis, " strangely
at variance with the sentiments expressed in the poem."
83 Waterford.
z \c\)zm m S50L2ijKe 215US Ma cajigstje SOMM.
In rder that no space be lost, here follows a humorous account by Donnchadh of an

encounter between one of his pupils, during his wanderings, and a churlish old
woman ; from whom he at length succeeded in forcing unwilling hospitality.
The English reader need not regret the absence of a translation, as the poem
a amusing only to such as understand the Gaelic language, and know the habits
if those who speak it.
SjoaI bo b-AiC]t]fceAft aTt r5ol&]]te, bo cua]6 A5 ctiAccaiI tta q]te;

21' y Aft corbftAC qtuA]6 CA]Uê, bj b& cuTt atT)ac 'fAt) oi6ce.
5at) Arbftur ry\ fAftrbAic, ry\ fa]ta A'f V] I]oT)ca ;
<t)o at) bocc-rsolAiTte, A'f T/jo]t t)AiTt bo beic qocftAC.
0\y. bo b'pAbA ua]6 a rbAcA]tt, tta Aor)i)eAC bA CAftAjb ;
215 CAifbiol at) bocAiTt, A'f a t*6cAb 50 beAlb.
2I5 irr)ceAcc bo 5AT) bAr)ACc, 5Uf at) Aftuf bo n)6 'fat) rr)-bAile ;
2t)Aft a ftAib CAilleAC 'tja corbt)ui6e, 'f a n)0Tt-bu]6eAT) t>a b-Aice.
<D'iaTt at) r5olA]fte Ceiê 'f WbA, 'f bo UbAiTt ffe 50 ceAT)T)fa ;
<l)o tifeiTt tt)ati b] 50 beAlb, A'f a g-eAfbA U]n) at> atd fit).
Jf pUTlAlf A1C11), ATI AT) CAlUeAC, 5UTI fCTl6]T)f&1TI 'fAT) q> CU ;
2t)Aft 50 b-cAT)5A]r A5 bAftbuigeACC, t)6 A5 fftAiqgeACC curt) too
<Dati 50 beATtb ATI at) rT)ac Ife^T), if fcftoir)ffe]ft 'fat) q> nrfe; [qse-f]
21'f AbbAitt) le cuiftcqf, 5UTi b' 6 coiiiicAe iia 2t)i6e rt)e.
2t)Af 6i) 2t)i6e bo sluAifif, bu6 6uaI buic a beic 50TICAC ;
S5u1TI peAfbA, T)A buAil tt)e, T)fl buAtiAcc A5AC OTtn).
2t5ATT)fA OTIC T)fI buAT)ACC, A*f t)^ buAlllTT) pOf AOTJT)eAC ;
■CAttt) cui]tf6Ac 5AT) luAbATt, 6 cuATtbAC tja fleibceA6.
Slfe]bce bo cuATtbAC, bub 6uaI buic a fc]t6]T)fe ;
'S 5AC T>-AOT) 6 ATI gluAlflf, TllAlb T)]0TI CUaIAb A beiC pOgATVCAC.
<t)ATl TT)0 leAbATt, ATt AT) f5olA]fte, A CAlUeAC CTATlfAT)AC co]tbceAC ;
4)0 fCOICpfT)T)fe bO fUfAT), ATI f0T) lllAbATlAll TT)0 qfte.
21 f5TtAtT)A]fte fto-5ftAt)a, cIaot>-Tt&ibci5 TbiUciJ ; [at)t).
b-pU]56A6 buiT)e beoc aTt culjat), T)A bul AfceAC 'fat) oi6ce
4)o b]o6 tt)Aibi6e ati a T)-b6iTtfe, 6 iieoiT) 50 ceAcc t>a b-o^ce ;
21'f TT)Aib]6e aTt riiu]T) n)AibeA6, a T)-aTT) CAicce at) b]6 aco.
47
)y b6]b f]T) t)&p t)&ip f]i}, a T)-b6]pre a bep; p& bACAi6]b ; [aca|
'S a I]acc fcpAe-CApHeAC Ab yopcra, bjob A5 corbpAC A5A i)
<t)A]t too ri)]oi)i)A bA n)-be]6]t)i)fe, A5 T*]op-TTeAllA6 t>a bft]pce
M] cuipp]T)t) cof Aft AOi) caIatp, feoc caIait) i)a b-S]peAirr)
S5tqp peAfbA bA 5-cA^T)eA6, a CAplleAC 5]t&T)A 5AT) beic p]Al
A]t fov rt)]ye b& p&6 fe, vj\ poC&cA bA b]A6 aco.
21cc coipce A5uf eopr)A, pjf polype A5uf- T-eA5Al ;
'S 5Ach Apb&p boT) c-ropc f]i?, a i)-b6]qi) bo b] aco. ^ (8
M] cofti)u]l leb' fo]tcfA, bo 66fC]T) boi) b]A6 b'fi&gAil; OH
CpeAb upi) Ap pA5bA]f, at) &ic T-]i^ 't-aT) tt)-bl]A6Aft) ro?
lon) iAb bo 5eA5A, 'lyr* 5ftArJA iAb c't^&cIa;
21 6pAi)A chum poc^wR, p&5 tti'&puf 'y ti& qAp trife.
21 CAilleAC qop-gp&T)A 5A11 t)&ipe, Airt)cl&fAC 5at) bqc pi*l:r>: >
2tT) pAp5 rbAiTteAbATt tT)o cb^pbe, V] poc^cAibe bA bp\>". <>« «> -
<t)o b'pAipffi)j & a b-CopcA, le b-eopT)A]T) a'r le coipce ,
21'f 50 be]rqr) p]Atb bo fopcfA, l]Ort) yby pjop caT-ao.
<t)o cbuib coatee "] e6]tT)AT), 516 n)6p leAc le p&b iAb ;
<Do cbu]b ppê T poT)Aipe, it] pojT)A]b jaT) pocar a.
2t)AllAcbc <t)e a'f 2t)buipe opC, Cbolupt) Cb]Ue "| }-v " t^MS ,
Mj'l poll bA T)-be^n)fe, T)a cu]p]pre c&]pi)e atiti.
21r5uii)e <t)& a't 2t)bwipe opc, a cbt)op&ii) bobA]5 5AT) beic coIac ;
<Do b] r^re feAlAb, 'f bo pp^ppA]iw AfAip bob' fopcfA.
Bj A5 beAT)Arb pupU opn)fA, a'f opcfA cuip at) CAipt)e ;
<Do beAppAbfA ppeAfbAl buic, 'f be]S poll A5AT0 bA bApp opc.
2tf5U]t)e at) cblfe]p uple opc, *f i)eATb-JlAT) p\b bo bp]AcpA ;
<Don) 6S]c bo b]ceA teAlAb, 'f bo piAppA p]p t»a -poblA.
21f5u]t)e a'r Att)5Ap opc, Iott) Aây Att)U]l ;
'S po-ibA]c at) CI05 ceAiT)pupll, 6eat)]:Ab bo ceAT)T) 'f bo ceAT)5A.
f)op bo f]ubA]l cu, A5 pJTT)cbAp tT)aIa 'f leAbAp ;
21c&ipfe bpocb-Tbuir)ce, 'y Tôp yo^\A]n) cu manners.
21r) uAip bo cbuAlA at) T-5olA]pe, fe bA cb*lT)eA6 uitt) T)a manners ;
<£)o Apbu]5 a lAri) u]ppce, bo Tbop-ri)AlA t)a leAbAp.
t)o cbofA]t) T-]re at) 5&pbA, 'y T)pp b-pulAip T-]i) b& cluAfA]b ;
'S 5]b 50 it/ocpAcb & at) f5ol^pe, if l^bip ] bo buA]l f&.
211) uAip bo cot)A]pc at) T-solAipe, a to&Ia bA T-cpACAti ;
'S ]i^s^be i)A CA]II]5C 5]t&t)a, A5 bul a T)-eAcbp<M}t) r)A leAbAp.
48
this book, aTt At) fôlAifte, 'tis a dangerous battle

Wow I'll be at a loss, ma'am, if thus j u break my satchell.
--*)<v]c ho cui5]n) battle, 5u7i caj»aII & . i)-5Ao]6eil5 ;
'X t)a cftAcc lion) aTt rbucaib, \)\ b-pu] ! ib A5AC i)A cfe]fe. [peAC ;
In rt;»T)A'f A5 CflACC bUIC Aft CA1fC1oU, bA r1«-j>e]C TT)0 CA]fC]0UfA Iaic-
^ 0 cuiTtp]t)i) 5AC y.iacaiI paba 6e, a i)-eACftAT)r) Ab ri)AfAib.
-pAobA]r too crrrtoiber], 'f V] fcAbpAbfA bob cb^ble;
."o TxjtoicpeAb bpc bo leAcrtAcb, rtAobpAb leAbA]rt oTtc a't- tt>aIa.
1 5 bA b-cu5 at; cbAilleAcb, 50 b-uAcbcA]t at) qge ;
ieAb bO CeAT)5TT)A6 AT) CAT) fit), ACbc CTlUAlb-CUAIT^1) AT) l]T).
S50<)6] at) cbA]UeAcb 'y AV ]*5oliviTte, A3 '>tt)A]I 't* A5 qOTtTtbA6 ;
^jbr;]blr âII bog bot) ATtbAt), a't- A]tb Wwt) iftol. [cbA]lli5 ;
2t ua]ft bo b]ob at) T-5olAifte a T)-uAcbcArt, b]o6 cTtuaJ Ai5e bo't)
'S *t) ua]Tt bo b]o6 at) cbAilleAcb a D-uAcbcA]t, bo buAileA6 y\ 50
2t)aTt l i b] at) cbA]lleAcb Ia]&iTt, 1 eoluf At) ci5e Aice ; [bA]êAi).
J]- scaTtTt 50 ftA]T)]5 at) fsoUiTte, 50 clAicUs a TôcbcATt.
21 biibAiTtc At) cbA]lleAcb leif at) f5olA]]te, or cuT-a if peAftTt eolup ;
C]A ACO bo't) bA ATttt), If peA]lTl A T)-AtT) COtf)TlA1C ?
<t)A]t llOTT), ATI AT) f50lAlTte, at) fTl)UCAT) If c]tua6a 6]ob :
21]CT)]5]rT) fe ATI AT) 5-CT)OpAT) fO, A 5-CeATlC-lA]l TOO TTUAICe.
5Up nflk weafA bo'1) tt)aIa, bo cbft&ba]5 f6 nJ0 cbluAfA ;
<t)o bpe66Ai5 ffe n)o cbi)&TT)A, a't- b'pA5 n)fe ati buAiTteArb.
Z1lCl)]sItT)T-e ATI tt)0 cbluAfA]b, 'f ATI A b-fUATtAf bo'l) ti)AlA J
5o b-putl at) lfeiTjeAi) T-o Tt6-cbTtuA]6, rpAf tt)ati puATtAffa 5eib]b
50 TtA]b At) TTJolA]Tte A ThpcbcATl, cboi6cbe T)] fCAbpa6 ; [cac fe.
B'peAftTt leir cuiciTT) a s-co]tbeAf5ATt, t)A eA5 b'pASAil bo't) 50]t-
fCAOt)pA6 T-6 cboi6cbe, Acbc bA f5fvjobA6 'f bA t-ctiaca6 ; [ca6,
Mo 5Uft 5eAll f] 5Acb t)]& 60, ac1)c 6^t5]6 't)a feAfAtt).
6 CA]P15 tt)ATt cbôcbj bo't) cbotf)TtAC bo b) 5Aftb ;
3o b-pUA]]t loifb]i) T)A b-0]6cbe, 'f a f]OTt-66]cit) bo'i) beACA]b.
27 In order to show off his learning, the scholar begins to speak in English,
which the old woman does not understand ; however, she catches at one or two words
which have a distant resemblance in sound to Irish words of a very different mean
ing, and so mistakes him in a highly comical manner.
CK]OCt).
THE BORROWER WILL BE CHARGED
AN OVERDUE FEE IF THIS BOOK »
NOT RETURNED TO THE LIBRARY ON
SHED
48
this book, <\ft ad f-ôlAf]te, 'tis a danysroW^
■Now I'll be at a loss, ma'am, if thus u ftEET,
i)a]c bo cu^n} battle, 5u]i capaII e . O-flB
\"X 1)A C]tACC l]OIT) Aft rT)UCAfb, l)f b-£ui!ib .AND ARCHjEOLOGICAL
In re-'âYas CflACC bU]C Aft CA]rc]oll, bA i1 - „ -CH.EOLOGY, ETC
' o cu^niTO p]ACA]i T-AbA be, a i>-ooy Aenghus 0>DaiTj „
- liAobAff n)o cbpo]bef], 'f ifl fCAbpAbf. Mangan ; together
a. fcjtO]CpeAb b]oc bo leACftAcbj ftAobp and an Introdnc-
1 5 bA b-cug Ai) cbA]lleAcb, 50 b-uA< O'Donovan, LL.D.,
veA& bo ceAiJ5ii»Aii lei At) cAi> f]t).
S,y 05| Sa OF THE RACt. ....HE, n Chronological Poem by
1 John O'l I'Dugan, with a Translation bj -l Kearney, a.d. 1635,
' now for the first time edited from th< 'al MS. hy John O'Daly,
I 8vo, sewed,
on..,*. Is. 6d.
THE POETS AND POETRY OF MUNSTER : a Selection of Irish
Songs by the Poets of the last Century, with Poetical Translations by
James Clarence Mangan. Now for the first time published
e Original Music and Biographical Sketches of the Authors, by
St John O'Daly. Second Edition, considerably enlarged and improved, fools
cap octavo, cloth, 6>.
lv. APOLOGIA PRO HIBERNIA adveisr ■ Cambri CaUtauiias : sive
Fabnlarum et Famosorum Libellorum i"ilvt-sin ■;ir;M(li CaSbrensis, sub
vocabulis Topographic, sive de Mirabijii Hih .i.«c elîjistonae vnti-
cinalis sive expugnationis ejusdem Insu! > uei"utatio. Auctore F <iphano>,
Vito, Societatis Jesu, Hiberno, Clonmei;i. <m. Nunc primum edita curQ*
Matthaei Kelly, in Collegia S. Patricii p Maynooth. Professoris, Ac.
Royal 8vo, sewed, 6s.
V. O'SULLEVANI BEARRI, (PHIL ,,0,<, THOLIC.S
IBERNJÊ, edited by the Rev. Matt!.1' I,S loth boards.
7s. 6d< Bo
PBEP4BING FOB PUBI ICATIO
I. THE LIFE OF ST. CIARAN OF SAIGHIR, IN OSSORY, from an
Original Irish Manuscript with Literal Translation and Notes by John
O'Daly.
If. THE PROPHECIES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, from Ancient Irish
Manuscripts, with Literal Translation and Notes, by N. O'Kearney. Esq.
III. THE POETS AND POETRY OF MUNSTER. Second Series. with
the Original Airs, Notes and Metrical Translations.
IV. THE BARDIC REMAINS OF LOUTH, with
lations, Notes, and Biographical Sketch?.* of the Authors.
V. THE SONGS OF CAROLAN lebrateoMIarper, ra
original Airs, Metrical Translate iiographical Sketch of t
Author from unpublished sonrci
THE BORROWER WILL BE CHARGED
AN OVERDUE FEE IF THIS BOOK IS
NOT RETURNED TO THE LIBRARY ON
OR BEFORE THE LAST DATE STAMPED
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Adventures of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Con Ma

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Adventures of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Con Ma

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This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized

by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the

DONNCHADH RUADH MAC CON-MARA,

WRITTEN l< HIMSELF.

NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EDITED.

FROM AN ORIGINAL IRISH MANUSCRIPT,

WITH METRICAL TRANSLATION, NOTES,

DOMCHADH RUADH MAC CON-MARA,

p. 8, line 2, dele period after " times."

p. 19 „ 9, far "ready" read "needy.1

DONNCHADH RUADH MAC CON-MARA,

NOW FOE THE FIRST TIME EDITED,

FROM AN ORIGINAL IRISH MANUSCRIPT,

WITH METRICAL TRANSLATION, NOTES,

Amongst the numerous productions of the Munster poets

About his early life, we know no more than that being

lower orders in England, whose native language it is, and

should win from her almost plighted lover Mdire ni Ogain

Hereupon, he determined to try his luck in America ; to

Our limits forbid us to give a translation of this curious

the ocean, and that he made another and a more successful

* Crows fly over us and resemble the marks on Club cards.

<Dot)i)6a6 RuAb 2t)h<vc CoT)-n)aTta ]to cat),

<t)0 b'ATCT)]6 6ATT) pe(T) peAftATb T)AC fe,

2t)Af "frolic" le b-21o6 bul caTttaII bA fAO^Al,

)\ caT>a6 bo cfe]6eAT)T) at)T) bATtcA bo I&tTT),

fe at) peAftftATTte fu5AC bo cAicpeA6 T)a puTt)c,

21t) cfe CAfpa6 Tie b-2to6 beTC A5 caftftatT)5 at) c-f&TC,

* There is a particular season of the year called by the Newfoundlanders

215 feAfArb fav f5Ife]F f a5 CUp ea5la c&c ;

did many of the Munster poets, witness the Mangaire Sugach

Shortly after this time Donnchadh became so disabled by

and Portugal, which must have happened subsequently to

<t)o Cuic att)ac ati <D1)01)T)ca6 2t)bAC Cboi>n)ATiA, nrjle f6acc

21N 0)6210 U0]MN.

21]t CAiceArb rt)0 beACA 5A1) AftftA5,3 5AT) eAbAc,

Reviewing life's drear woes, and how I spent

CTtoca irr)e bo bit)5eA6 le t-aocati,

The choice of butter pack'd into a crock,

A quart or single drop that was not laid

Bbl buACAill U] t-eAclob<vnt A5 aIcusab a ibfeile,

A boy of Lawlor's race who tried to eat,

Lfe'ti caiIIca6 cIatw curr;Afac U]ft)]5 tja b-crt&iT)eAc ;

cR]oct) le]s an 5-cea& roinn.

6 Instead of the two lines on King George, some copies read—

Than all the splendour which 'tis said did grace

8 iilo]beAll cleArAc t)a CATtTtAi5e le]ce. Her proper name is Aoibhinn,

t)o JluAifeAf lei 50 b-eAbcrtorr) feAf^A,

Down thro' th' abyss then lead me trembling on,

Bbj c]to]ceAi)t) bub-^:6if5e A]t a id]v n)Aft eAbAC,

He shook his lockless head, fix'd his wild eyes,

purporting to be a supplement to the one entitled Cac cnu]c An &]ft (The

21t) uA]ft coi)A]]tc fe 2toibeAll h]t)t) A'r tr)& A]ce,

" Into the place which brooks no form of clay ?

The broad vowels and gutturals contain something of an onomatopoeic effect,

Nfott pAT)A6 l]T)t) 50 bAftrtA cT)uic be't) fte]TT) n1^"

16 Et tumulura eapit, unde omnes longo ordine possit

" Behold," said he, " Gadelus' children there,

" tjecco]t 'f a cloi6eAtt) A5 rr)AO-beATi) a Iaocu-r ;

" Yonder Maecenas see, and Horace sit,

"jAb fo ca f5a0]Ice, q6]]t 5AT) aot) locb,

" A goodly plant shall spring of Heber's stock,

21' f be A5Aii)t) bA tr)eAfA cun) ]tACA b]06 pe 6e.

Ev'n so, were we compell'd to wait the foe.