﻿222
AN GAODHAL
a learned person
13 beo, n. m any living person.
14 bhronnas, v. inflicts or bestows.
15 míter, v. is concluded.
16 bíodhbha, n m. a defendant, a criminal
17 breath reachda, judgment of the law
18 neoid, n. f. a wound.
19 coincheartaim, v. I decide, I pron¬
ounce.
20 ortaígheadh, v. was killed, from or¬
tadh, killing, slaughter.
21 doriaghluígheadh, v. it was ruled or
decided
22 fóirbhreis, n. f. increased.
23 aithearrach (airís), adv. again, at a¬
nother time.
English Translation.
There was in the first law * of the men of Erin
That which God has not vouchsafed in his new law.
The Trinity did not vouchsafe mercy,
Through heavenly strength to save Adam.
For it was perpetual existence
God gave him of his mercy,
Until otherwise he merited
By deserving death.
Let every one die who kills a human being;
Even the king who seeks a wreath with hosts,
Who inflicts red wounds intentionally,
Of which any person dies;
Every powerless, insignificant person,
Or noblest of the learned;
Yea, every living person who inflicts death,
Whose misdeeds are judged, shall suffer death.
He who lets a criminal escape is himself a culprit;
He shall suffer the death of a criminal.
In the judgment of the law which I, as a poet have
received,
It is evil to kill by a foul deed ;
I pronounce the judgment of death,
Of death for his crime to every one who kills
Nuada is adjudged to Heaven,
And it is not to death he is adjudged.
It was thus the two laws were fulfilled; the cul¬
prit was put to death for his crime, and his soul
was pardoned and sent to heaven. What was agreed
upon by the men of Erin was, that every one
should be given up for his crime, that sin might
not otherwise increase on the island.
* First law. This is obscurely stated. It
means that before Patrick's time the Irish had the
law of nature and the law of Moses, which Cai
Cainbhrethach is said to have taught the ancestors
of the Scoti in Egypt, which will hereafter appear.
(To be continued)
A HANDFULL OF EARTH.
1
I am bidding farewell to the land of my birth,
To wander far over the sea ;
I am parting from all I hold dear on this earth,
O! its breaking my poor heart will be :
But this treasure I'll take for my dear mother's sake,
'Twill often bring tears to my eyes.
'Tis a handfull of earth from the land of my birth,
From the grave where my dear mother lies.
'Tis a handul of earth from the land of my birth,
From the grave where my dear mother lies.
2
O Erin my home, tho' from thee I may roam,
My blessing be with thee, asthore ;
Your valleys and streams I will see in my dreams,
As bright and as green as of yore ;
And when I am dead O! I hope, o’er my head,
They will lay this dear treasure I prize
'Tis a handful of earth from the land of my birth,
From the grave where my dear mother lies.
'Tis a handful of earth from the land of my birth,
From the grave where my dear mother lies.
TRANSLATION
LÁN-DORN DE CHRÉ.
1
Táim slán leat a' rádh do thír mo ghein¬
eamhain'
Le seachránadh a bh-fad ar an mhuir
Táim a' sgaradh re n-a bh-fuil díleas
air dhruim na talmhan
Och a' briseadh béidh mo chroidhe bochd,
faraoir!
Acht so taisg glacfaidh mé air son mo
dhíl mhathar glé
A dheunfas mo ghul teachd ó chroídhe
'Se lándoirn de chre ó'n d-tír 'nnar
geineadh mé —
O'n uaimh mar tá mo mhathair 'nna luídhe.
'Se lándorn de chre ó'n d-tír 'nnar
geineadh mé —
O'n uaimh mar tá mo mhathair 'nna luídhe.
2
A Éire, mo sheóid, gídh is fada uait mo
ród,
Bíodh ort-sa mo bheannachd go deó,
Do ghleannta 's do shrutha feicfidh mé
'nn mo chodladh,
Cho soillseach 's cho glas mar fad ó:
'S 'nuair béidhead í síor-shuan. O! tá
súil, os mo chionn
Go g-cuirfidís so ionmhus mo chroídhe,
'Se lán-dorn de chré o'n d-tír 'nnar
geineadh mé —
O'n uaimh mar tá mo mhathair 'nna luídhe.
'Se lán-dorn de chre ó'n d-tír 'nnar
geineadh mé —
O'n uaimh mar tá mo mhathair 'nna luídhe.
M Ua C.
To the Editor of the GAEL.
The above song was composed by a certain Jo¬
seph Murphy in English, and set to music by him.
I am told by those that heard him sing it in the
play of Seaghan Ruadh, it brought tears from
their eyes, it was so affecting.
— M C.
