A DIRGE FOR NIALL NÓIGIALLACH.

The following poem was first edited by
me, with an introduction, notes, and a
translation into German, in the miscella-
neous volume dedictated to Whitley Stokes,
on the occasion of his 70th birthday in
Febuary last. I here reprint it with an
English translation. From such old forms,
among others, as the deponents labraiser
“thou spokest,” samailser “thou didst
compare,” the neuter plural dét “teeth,”
&c., the conclusion is almost certain that
the poem was composed not later than the
beginning of the 9th century. According
to the Annals, Niall was King of Ireland
from A.D. 379-405, when he was slain on
an expedition abroad, some say in Gaul,
others in Scotland. Tuirn mac Tornai was
his foster-brother.

Tuirn mac Tornai:
1.
In tan no théigmis don dáil
la mac nEchach Muigmedáin,
buidithir sobairche nglé
folt bói for cind maic Cairne.

Torna:
2.
A maccáin, mad labraiser!
cumal duit ba tabairthi,
dáig ind fhuilt fo shamailser
fri dath barráin sobairchi.

3.
Abrait duib dáin comáilli
ocus dá brái doirchidi,
barrán budi, buge nglé,
ba hé dath a imleisse.

Tuirn mac Tornai:
4.
Dath a grúaidi in cech mí,
diamtar cóiri cosmaili,
sián, crú lóig, líth cen on,
faircle caille i céitemon.

Torna:
5.
A dét gela, a beóil deirg
nocho chúrsaigtir a feirg,
a delb amail théthein tra
tairced hÉrinn ócláechda.

6.
Amail éisce, amail gréin,
amail tendáil taitnem Néill,
amail draic di thuind cen táir
Niall mac Echach Muigmedáin.

Tuirn mac Tornai:
7.
Is ceól sírechtach in se
gol cach cind la Ciarraige,
tormaig cumaid form im thig
iar ndíth umail Muredaig.

8.
Sírfit Saxain sunda sair,
Érennaich áin, Albanaig,
iar ndíth Néill maic Echach áin
ba garbdomna n-athchomsáin.

Torna:
9.
Saxain, sruamaig a ngretha,
buidnib Longbard do Letha,
ó úair dorochair in rí
Gáidil, Cruithnig dochraidi.

Tuirn mac Tornaí:
10.
Garb don fobera nglé
Eogan lond, Lóegaire,
Énna, Fiachu fiannase,
Máne, dá Chonall, Cairpre.

11.
A barr finn for Temraig tí
taitned fria gnúis corcardi,
cosmail fri dath fuilt ind fhir
ór derc, buide n-elestair.

Torna:
12.
Ba mór subai, ba mór sáim
bith i coimthecht mo daltáin:
la mac nEchach, nír bo dis,
do dáil in tan no théigmis.

Tuirn mac Tornai:
13.
Inmain fianlóech formnai gil
ata mórthuatha réim ndil,
no bíth cech duine for greis
dia dáil in tan no théigmis.