88
AN GAODHAL.
CAPTAIN NORRIS'S NOTES.
The following are the Notes to the
extract from the Seanchus Mór, which
appeared in the last number of the
Gaodhal, and also, what is called 'The
poem' I give them in the original Ir¬
ish and in the author's (or editor's) En¬
glish translation, and also in my own
modern translation. I give the Notes
first.
Yours truly
THOMAS D. NORRIS.
Original.
Raith guth aird dono, is airi atberur
Raith gutaird, .i. raith i nairgithi nech
ina guth nard, no na guth n-indligthech; no
a ngotaib na nard, na neolach, no na
nard, na nuasal.
Air bru Nitha .i. Nith ainm don ab¬
uind, no Nith, ar in conflict ro lasad
geinti and fri Pátraic; no [Nemanche]
nemshomhaoinech, .i. um iasc ocus um to¬
radh ; no Nith nemundachth .i. mill nem¬
uinn fo gabtais ina traig ; no guma
guin do ronta i farradh nemandchi; no
Nith nemneach, .i. deog neime do radad
indti do Patruig.
Cuach lan do neim do rat drui do
na draidib do, ocus ro faillsighed do
Patraic eisidhi, ochus gunad annsin do
rinde Patraic na briathrasa isan
lind :—
"Iubu fis fri ibu, fis ibu anfis,
Fris bru uatha, ibu lithu Xcristi Iesu"
Ocus cidbe gabus sin for nim no luin
ní bia irchoit de. No comad é "In no¬
mine Dei Patris." Do neth and, ocus
ro chanad isin lind. End of the Notes.
The following is the poem spoken
of, viz;
"Patraic ro baithuis go li,
"In aimsir Tethosi,
"Pritcuis soiscela cen meth,
"Do tuaith molfaigh mac Miled."
Ocus persa do seancus lin persannu
in tSeancusa, .i. :—
"Laegairi, Corc, Dairi dur,
'Patraic, Beneoin, Cairneach cóir,
"Rosa, Dubthach, Fergus co seib,
"Naei sailgi sin tSencuis Moir."
Persa na laidhe imorro Dubhthach mac
ui Lugair, righ filed bfer nErend.
Tucait a denmu in tSencusa; Pat¬
raic do toidecht i nErind do siladh ba¬
thuis ocus credme do Gaeideluibh, .i. is
in nomad bliadhain do fhlaitheas Tetosi,
ocus is in cetramadh bliadhain do flaith¬
ius Laegaire mic Neill, rig Erenn.
Le bheith leanta.
English translation as found in the
Seancus Mór.
Rath Guth aird was so called as be¬
ing a fort, ('rath') where a person was
punished for loud speaking, or for un¬
lawful speaking; or from the vioces of
the 'ards', i.e, of the learned; or of the
'ards,' i.e., of the nobles. On the bank
of Nith, i.e., Nith was the name of the
river, or it was called Nith from the
contest which the pagans had there with
Patrick. 'Nemance' or 'Nemhshomaoi¬
nech,' i.e., unproductive of fish and pro¬
duce; or 'Nith nemunnach,' i.e., onyx
stones they used to find in its strand;
'or it was called Nith' from a slaughter
committed along with Nemannach; or
'Nith nemhneach,' from a poisonous
drink which was given there to Patrick
A cup full of poison was given by
one of the druids to him, and this was
revealed to Patrick, and thereupon Pa¬
trick pronounced these words over the
liquor :—
Iubu fis fri ibu, fis ibu anfis
Fris bru uatha, ibu lithu Christi Jesu."
And whoever pronounces these 'words'
over poison or liquor shall receive no
injury from it. Or it was the prayer
beginning 'In nomine Dei Patris," etc.
He then composed, and pronounced o¬
ver the liquor. — End of the Notes.
The following is the poem promised, etc
"Patrick baptised with glory,
"In the time of Theodosuis,
"He preached the Gospel without failure,
"To the glorious people of Milidh's sons."
And the author of the Senchus were the number
of persons of the Senchus, viz. —
"Laeghaire, Corc, Daire, the hardy,
"Patrick, Benen, Cairnech, the just,
"Rossa, Dubhthach, Ferghus with science,
"These were the nine pillars of the Senchus Mor."
