AN FHALARTHA GHORM. - I.

Diarmaid mac Seáin Bhuidhe cct., ag
caoineadh a eich dar bh'ainm an
Fhalartha Ghorm. A. D. 1697.

Caoinfidh mise m'Fhalartha,
Caoinfid caraid is comhursain,
Mar táim anois im iarsma
Gan rith gan rian gan fóghnamh.

Ar chailleas de chostus níor ghortuigh níor chéas me
dian,
Níor creachadh níor lomadh me ag cogadh dhá thréine
riamh
Gan capall mear socair chun brostuighthe i gcéin tar
sliabh
An Fhalartha Ghorm gur sloigeadh i mbéalaibh fiach.

Chun Aifrinn pobail lem chosaibh ní fhéadaim triall;
Níl feasta mo chloistin ag sochraid, féach gur pian;
Mar bharr ar gach ndonus d'fhúig lochartha tréith me
liath
An Fhalartha Ghorm gan chroiceann fá bhéalaibh fiach.

Ó ghealas im fholtaibh 's dom roscaibh nach léir an rian
'S mo theangadh gur stopadh gan toradh ar ar shaothruigh
riamh,

Gach cara dhom fhurtacht mun' dtograid féin go fial
Is eagal do choiste na n-ollamh go n-aorfad iad.

Bead eatortha ar cosaibh dom chosaibh má's éigin triall
Flatha gach phobuil, lucht cothuighthe Béarla is cliar,
Fear capaill do bhronnadh dhon ollamh muna léir 'san
iaith,
Is mairg fuair fothragadh i scolaibh na hEigse riamh.

Bás na Falartha dhom' shamhailse is pudhair go héag,
Mar táim go haindeis gan tapa ná lúth na ngéag,
An áiseach chneasta ar an bhfaithche ba lúbach léim,
'S ar lár a marcach ná feacathas fúithi i bhféith.

Bás na Falartha a laguigh mo chroidhe go duairc,
An áidhbhseach chneasta do'n chathair ba shíleach cuaird,
D'fhág me feasta gan aiteas gan aoibhneas suadh,
Mar thárla marbh dá sracadh 'sa díg ag cuain.

Ó d'eug an Fhalartha is aindeis mo chás anois,
Gan réidhteach capaill gan charaid do dháilfeadh dham;
Do laochraidh Bhanba is masladh go bráth 's is guith,
A n-éigs' do chleachtadh 'na mharcach mar tá 'na rith.

Eug na Falartha is barra ar gach pian dam soin,
'S me tréith n-a heasbaidh go haindeis ag triall am
chois!
I gcéin ó bhaile do chailleas, mo chiach! na Fir
Do-bheurfadh airgead capall is iallait dam.

Tá an saoghal-so anois am' chur i dteannta shíor,
Gan réim gan rith, is me go fann i n-aois;
Is baoghal don truip muna gcuirid mo shamhail-se
buidheach
Gur géire me am chois ná ar ramhair-each ghroidhe.

Falartha, adj. from falaradh, to amble, to go at an easy
gait.
gorm, steel-gray; iarsma, a remnant.
D'fhúig = D'fhág.
lochartha; O'R. gives locaraim, I plane; bared,
destitute?
Toradh, regard; Níl toradh agam air, I have no
regard for him. Ní'l toradh an mhadraidh agam air, I
have not the dog's regard for him.

togaraid, the meaning seems clear from the context,
but the word does not seem to be used elsewhere.
Coiste, a jury, &c. ; fothragadh, literally “bathing”.
Eigeas, a poet; éigse, poetry.
Aiseach, or áidhbhseach, convenient, useful; áise, a con-
venience, a useful thing.
Feacathas = fachthas, was seen.
Síleach, other instances desirable.
Aoibhneas suadh delight (in society) of sages; suadh,
gen. pl. of saoi.
Tharla marbh, became dead. O tharla 'na baistr'igh
í, since fate has brought it about that she is a widow.
Cuan, collective noun from cú; “Ros Broc indiu is
conair cuan,” Ros Broc to-day is a path of packs. Cuan
also “litter” of whelps, &c.
Réidhteach capaill, settling of a horse, the means of
providing for a horse.
Guith, shame, disgrace; guth, O'R.
An éigs', better an t'éigeas.

This poem, with what is to follow it, is from
a MS. in the possession of Rev. P. O'Leary, P P., collated
with another MS. by Mr. T. O'Donohoe.