28
AN GAODHAL
SEANMHÓIR GHAODHALGE.
Leis an Athair Urramach P. I. Ua Cui¬
nibh i d-Teampull Naoimh Alphonsuis,
Eobhrach Nuadh, Oidh'l Pádruic, 1895.
(Leanta.)
Ní 'l sé riachtanach dham a rádh gur
sháisg gach Éireannach a thuagh-chatha & a
chloidheamh, le rún daingean buaidh no
bás fhághail ar árd an chatha; & fós, gur
mheas gach fear go raibh buaidh geallta,
air-sean amháin, & go rabh an námhaid
le claonadh faoi neart a ghualann & le
géireacht a lainne
Go mór anaghaidh a thola féin, ach fá
chomhairle a mhic, Murchadh, níor ghlac
Brian aon pháirt 'san g-cath, óir bhí sé
ro-shean. Go tapaidh bhí an dá arm
fastuighthe in a chéile i g-comhrach mharbh¬
thach. Deir na stáiridhe linn gurab' é
seo an cath budh truime & budh mhilltighe
a troideadh leis na cianta. Budh cath
laoch & taoiseach é, & phioc siad a chéile
amach ionnus go d-troidfidís lámh lé
láimh Rinne Murchadh, mac Bhriain, cas¬
gairt uathbhásach ameasg na námad le
neart a láimhe thuit na Lochlannuighe fa
n-a chloidheamh mar thuiteas an t-arbhar
faoi churrán an fhóghmhair. D' ionsuigh
dhá thaoiseach ar Mhurchadh 'san am ceud¬
na, ach chuir sé iad le chéile faoi gan
mórán moille. D'ionnsuigh fear mór
d'ar b' ainm Anrud, prionna Fionn-
Lochlainn, ar Mhurchadh annsin, ach de
bhrigh go rabh a láimh dheis tuirseach rug
sé air leis an láimh chlí, & chuir sé an
prionnsa faoi, le n-a chloidheamh thríd a
chroidhe. Le linn chlaonuighthe do sholus
an lae, bhí 'n cath neimh-cinnte Fá dheir¬
eadh, nuair a bhí an chuid budh mhó de
thaoiseachaibh na Lochlann marbh, & míle
de na saighdiúiridhibh i lúireach claoidhte,
chaill an chuid eile aca a meisneach, &
ritheadar mar sgapthar lóchán leis an
ngaoith; ritheadar isteach 'san bh-fairge
& ní fhillfidh siad go brách le síothchán
na h-Éireann a bhriseadh, nó le creid¬
eamh Naoimh Phádhruic a ghéirleanamhain
go deo.
Tar éis catha & buaidhe mhóire Chluan,
TRANSLATION.
From the natural excellence of Rev
Fr. Cuniffe's Irish Lecture, apart from
the sentiments which pervade it. The
Gael recommend Gaelic students to
a close study of it.
It is not necessary for me to say
that every Irishman seized his battle-
axe and sword with the firm resolve
to find death or victory on the battle-
plain, and that each man felt as if vic¬
tory depended on himself alone, and
that the enemy was to be subdued by
the prowess of his arm and the sharp¬
ness of his blade.
Much against his own will, but by
the advice of his son, Muragh, Brian
took no part in the battle for he was
too old. Quickly the armies were fas¬
tened in each other in death's em¬
brace. Historians tell us that this was
the weightiest and most dreadful bat¬
tle fought in centuries. It was a bat¬
tle of heroes and chieftains, and they
picked each other out that they might
fight hand to hand Muragh Brian's
son, made dreadful havoc among the
enemy. By the strength of his arm,
the Danes fell under his sword as the
corn falls beneath the harvest sickle.
Two chieftains attacked Murach at the
one time, but he put both under him
without much delay A large man na¬
med Anrod, the Norwegian prince, at¬
tacked Murach then, and though his
right arm was tired, Murach seized
him with his left hand and he brought
the prince under him with his sword
through his heart. As the light of day
declined the battle was uncertain. At
last, as the larger portion of the Da¬
nish chieftains were dead, and a thou¬
sand of their mailclad warriors sub¬
dued the rest lost courage, and ran as
chaff scatters before the wind; they
ran into the sea, and they will never
return to disturb the peace of Ireland,
or to persecute the religion of Saint
Patrick for ever.
After the battle and great victory
