AN GAOḊAL.
69
New York, Feb. 4th, '91.
Editor Gael. — I here give you a few
lines taken from the first part of the
Seanċus Mór, or ancient laws of Ire¬
land, which were of pagan origin, but
which were wonderfully and remark¬
ably modified in the fifth century, on
the conversion of the Irish to Christi¬
anity.
This modification was ascribed so
entirely to the influence of St. Patrick
that the Seanċus Mór is described as
having been called, in after times,
"Cáin Ṗátraic," or Patrick's law. The
Seanċus Mór was so much revered
that the Irish judges, called Brehons,
were not authorized to abrogate any
thing contained in it.
St Benignus, acting probably in the
character of secretary or amanuensis
to St. Patrick, wrote the Irish part of
the laws. His labors in connection with
the laws of Ireland were not confined
to the Seanċus Mór alone. He after¬
wards “commenced and composed that
famous chronicon, called the Psalter of
Caiseal, in which are described the
acts, laws, prerogatives and succession
not only of the monarchs of Ireland
but also of those of the kings of Mun¬
ster.” He also appears to have been the
author of the original, Book of Rights,
which was drawn up after the estab¬
lishment of Christianity (See O'Dono¬
van's Introduction to Leaḃar na g¬
Ceart, p. vi, xxiii).
Seanċus Mór (Original)
Locc don laidse Teamuir, ocus loc do
seanchus bi samraḋ ocus i fogmur, ar
a glainni (ocus ar-a-haiḃne) is na haimse¬
raib sin; ocus Raith guṫ aird, in baili
adta lec Patraic aniu i nglind na m-
ḃodur í fagus do nith neamundach, a
loc a ngeimrid ocus a n-erraċ, ar gaire
leo a conad ocus a uisce, ocus ar tes¬
aideċt i naimsir in geamfuaċta. Ocus
it inunda aimser doib, aimser Laegai¬
re mic Neil, rig Eirenn; ocus Teṫos¬
ius rob ard rig in domain and in tan,
ocus deismereċt airiḋe, ut dixit in
fileḋ.
Translation.
The place of this poem and the place
of the Seanchus was Teamhuir (Tara)
in the summer and in the autumn, on
account of its cleanness and pleasant¬
ness during these seasons ; and Rath-
guth-aird, where the stone of Patrick is
at this day in Glenn-na-mbodhur, near
Nith nemonnach, was the place during
the winter and the spring, on account
of the nearness of its firewood and its
water, and on account of its warmth in
the time of winter's cold. And they
[ the poem and the Seanchus] were
composed at the same time — in the
time of Laeghaire, son of Niall, king of
Erinn ; and Theodosius was monarch of
the world at that time, and it was in
commemoration of this the poet said,
&c.
I will give you the poem for the next
number of the Gaoḋal and also the
notes to the above with a definition of
the words Rath-guth aird, Nith, &c.
Yours, etc.
Thomas D. Norris,
Modern Irish as I understand it.
Dob' é ionad an dáin so & ionad an
t-Seanċuis Ṁóir, anns an t-Saṁraḋ
agus anns an bh-Fóġṁar, Teaṁair, air
son a ġlaine agus a aoiḃnis air feaḋ
na d-tráṫ sin; agus Ráṫ-guṫa-áird,
mar a ḃ-fuil cloċ Ṗádraiġ a ndiu, a n¬
Gleann-na-m-boḋar, a n-gar do Niṫ
Neaṁonnaċ [Nith of the diamonds] an
áit air feaḋ an Ġeiṁriġ agus an Ear¬
raiġ, air son foigseaċd conaiḋ agus
uisge dóiḃ ann, & air son a ṫeasuiġ¬
eaċta a n-aimsir an ġeaṁḟuaċta. Ag¬
us dob' ionann aimsir dóiḃ [an dán a¬
gus an seanċus ] — .i. an aimsir Laoġ¬
aire mac Néill, ríġ Éirinn; agus dob' é
Téodosius do ḃí ionna áirdríġ air
an doṁan an tráṫ sin, agus do buḋ na
ċuiṁne sin a duḃairt an file, &c.
T. D. de Norraḋ
New York Gaels, you have sent a
dish of bombast to our Scottish breth¬
ren which they have returned to you,
seasoned with gall! Was your object
to widen the breach broader ?
