Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

Elegy on Capt. O'Sullivan.

Title
Elegy on Capt. O'Sullivan.
Author(s)
Ó Caoinliobhán, Séamus,
Compiler/Editor
Ó Donnchadha, Tadhg
Composition Date
1906
Publisher
Connradh na Gaedhilge

Search Texts

Poetry/Prose
1600 1926




L. 82



ELEGY ON CAPT. O'SULLIVAN
I.



Is doilbh an sceól i gClár Fódla choidhche
Ceann cosnaimh na dtreón ar feódh fá líog-
aibh,
Mac Fínghin Dubh cródha, d'fhóir na mílte,
I gCill Mo Chilleóg - mo lá bróin! - sínte.


L. 83


II.



Sínte ins an uaigh, monuar-sa! an Phoénix,
An rígh-bhile buadhach, d'fhuil uaibhrigh Éibhir,
An prionnsa gan ghruaim, do b'uaisle
tréithe,
Thugadh na sluaighte ó chruaidh-bhreith saor
leis.



III.



Leis saor chum baile do tharraingeadh
Gaedheal bocht
Bhíodh daor fé ghlasaibh ag Danair le
céasadh;
Le feabhas a phearsan do b'eagal leo
sméideadh
Ar an gcrobhaire greannamhar ceannasach
léadmhar.



IV.



Ba léadmhar an prionnsa é i dtriúchaibh
Éireann
Mac Fínghin clúmhail, de phlúr na féile,
Leomhan soilbhir súbhach gaisceamhail gnímh-
éachtach
Lag marbh san úir, m'fhad-chumha-sa an
tséan-fhear!



V.



Tréan-fhear meacanta meanmnach treón-
mhar,
Tréan-fhear draganta, calma, cródha,
Tréan-fhear tapa, b'fhearr gaisce i gClár
Fódla
D'fhíor-fhuil cheannasaigh Chairbre is Eoghain.



VI.



D'fhuil Eoghain is Chairbre d'eascair an
saor-fhlaith,
Agus prionnsaí greanta ghníodh gaisce
agus laochas,
Ó Ceallacháin Chaisil is Ó Donnabháin
réaltach,
Ó Donnchadha an Ghleanna, agus Ó Súill-
eabháin Bhéarra.



VII.



Tá Béarra fé smúit, gan lonnradh gréine,
Agus Gleann Ó Ruachta go huaibhreach
léanmhar;
Neidín fé ghruaim gan suairceas scléipe,
Agus Doirín na gCuach ní fhuil cuail ná
craobh air.



VIII.



Ní fhuil craobh ná crann i ngleann ná i
ngaorthadh
Nár chrom a gceann is nár cham a ngéaga;
Ní bhfuil iasc ar Leamhain nár dhall le
h-éiclips
Ó cailleadh an preannsa, plannda 'en
tréanfhuil.



IX.



Tréanfhuil cheannasach clanna chirt Ghaedhil
Ghlais,
Iarlí ghradaim, agus áird-fhlaith Éilge;
Mac Cárrthaigh, Mac Dhonnchadha, agus Mag
Íomhair tréitheach,
Mac Giolla Choda, Búcaigh, agus Léisigh.



X.



Léisigh is Gearaltaigh ghreannmhar Mhéinne,
Agus Brúnaigh uaisle, fuair buadh féile;
Iarla Chinn Mara na bhfearannaibh saora,
Ridirí an Ghleanna, agus Mac Con Mara a
dhlúth-ghaolta.



XI.



Bhí a ghaol go dlúth le De Cúrsa tréitheach,
Is le Ó Conchubhair fuair clú le daonacht;
Le macaibh gach prionnsa sciúrd ó Ghaedheal
ghlas,
Le Brian Bórúimhe is le Conn thug céad
cath.



XII.



I gcath na lann níor chrannda an laoch é,
Cé frítheadh go fann mo chrobhaire gléigeal,


L. 84


Ag sladaidhe sanntach sleamhain dubh-
ghnéitheach
Do bualadh sa gceann le feall cruadh-
bhéim air.



XIII.



Ní cruadh-bhéim gaisce do threascair an
saor-fhlaith
Dá chaol-each cneasta, nar chleachtaidh ann
a bhéasa;
Acht sidh-bhean leasa, thug taitneamh is
méinn dó,
Dá cheann bhain a hata, le geasaibh do
thraoch é.



XIV.



A thraochadh ba dheacair i gcomhladhaibh
géar-chaith,
Bhí gníomh is gaisce agus tapa n-a ghéag-
aibh;
Ba shamhail le hEachtair, laoch neartmhar na
Traé é,
Ag siubhal ar fhaitchíbh Ráth Chathail na
gcraobh ghlas.



XV.



I Ráth Chathail na gcraobh ghlas d'éag an
taoiseach,
Prionnsa na nGaedheal, fuair suaé na
ríoghachta;
Tá Clanna Mhilésius le chéile ag caoi-ghol
Ó teilgeadh é i n-úir-chré fé líogaibh.



XVI.



Tá líoga glasa Chinn Mara ag dubhchant,
Is Cill Áirne an aitis faoi scamaill
ghráineamhla;
Gleann Áth na gcrannaibh ag meathadh 's ag
lúbadh;
Cill Eoghain na meala agus Árd Tuilighe
smúiteach.



XVII.



Tá smúit i n-a ceathannaibh leagaithe ar
spéarthaibh
Ó Chuan an Daingin go faithche Bhinn-
Éadain;
Ní fhuil cuach ná creabhar, lon, seabhac, ná
naoscach,
Míolmhuighe, broc, sionnach nár dalladh le
h-éiclips.



XVIII.



Tá éiclips scamallach leagaithe ar Phoé-
bus
I dTuaith Ó Siosta na bhfionna-bhrogh aolta;
Tá Oileán Dairbhre go deamhair ó éagais,
Gan scléip, gan aiteas, go cathuightheach
déarach.



XIX.



Is déarach doilbh atá ainnir na gcíoch geal,
Do dheirbhshiúr cheana bhí greannmhar díleas,
Go fuigheach ag baile Ráth Chathail na
bhfíonta
'Ot chaoidh gach maidean go hatuirseach
claoidhte.



XX.



Claoidhte ó tá cíonádh na críche,
Creach na mbochtán, m'uchlán, fé líogaibh;
Mo bheannacht go bráth, agus cách liom
guidheadh air,
Go cathair na ngrás i ndáil 'Mhic Íosa.



XXI.



A Mhic Mhuire na ngrás fuair bás dár
saoradh,
Agus d'fhulaing an pháis i bpáirt Chloinne
Ébha,
Gairm chughat láithreach it phálás naomhtha
Anam an árd-fhlaith do b'áilne tréithe.


L. 85


XXII.



Bhí tréithe calma ann, gaisce agus laochas,
Déirc is carthannacht, oineach is daondacht,
Féile taithneamhacht greannmhaireacht naomh-
thacht,
Foircheann moladh mhairbh, 's is doilbh an
scéal é.



GLUAIS.



I. - 1. Clár Fódla, Ireland, the plain of Fodla.
2. Ar feódh, decaying. Fá líogaibh, under the
sod (lit. stones).
3. D'fhóir na mílte, who helped thousands.
4. I gCill Mho Chilleóg, the Church of Killmakill-
oge, in Parish of Tousist, near Kenmare.



II. - 1. An Féinics, the Phœnix, paragon.
2. An rígh-bhile, the kingly soldier. He was cap-
tain in the army. Éibhear, ancestor of the
families of Munster.
3. Gruaim, sorrow or surliness. Tréithe, qualities.
4. Cruaidh-bhreith, severe judgment. This refers to
his habit of bringing people from capital
punishment.



III. - 1. He is said to have had the power of getting off
a prisoner at every assize.
2. Danair, a foreigner.
3. Sméideadh, to nod or wink.
4. Crobhaire, a strong man. Greannamhar, ami-
able. Ceannasach, commanding. Léadmhar,
strong, valiant.



IV. - 1. Triúch, a district.
2. Clúmhail, renowned, distinguished.
3. Soilbhir, pleasant; gnímh-éachtach, of won-
drous deeds.
4. Tréin-fhear, a champion.



V. - 1. Meanmnach, magnamimous; meacanta, stout.
2. Draganta, soldier-like.
3. Tapa, active; gaisce, bravery, valour.
4. Fíor-fhuil, true race or blood.



VI. - 1. D'eascair, sprung, descended. Saor-fhlaith,
great or goodly prince.
2. Greanta, elegant, fine; ba mhó gaisce,
of the greatest valour. Laochas, heroism.
"Ó Ceallachain Chaisil, Ó Néill, agus
Ó Laoghaire," R.W.
3. Réaltach, starry, brilliant.



VII. - 1. Smúit, mist, sorrow. Gan l.g., without sun-
shine.
2. Gleann ó Ruachta, Glanarought, a barony in
Co. Kerry. Go huaibhreach, proudly, very
lonely. - R. W.
3. Neidín, Kenmare. Gruaim, sorrow.
4. Doirín na gC., in Parish of Kilcaskin, and
Barony of Bear. Cuail, branch or stem
of tree, a pole.



VIII. - 1. Gaorthadh, a wooded glen.
3. Éiclips, an eclipse, darkening, oppression.
Leamhain, the Lawne. Nár dhall, that has
not been blinded.
4. Plannda, a plant, a scion.



IX. - 1. Ceannasach, having superiority, ruling. Clanna
pl. of clann. Clanna Ghadéalus, MSS.
2. Gradam, esteem, honour.
3. Mag Íomhair - Mag Guibhir in text. Tréitheach,
accomplished, excellent. The Maguires
of Cork are said to be Mac Íomhair.
4. Cruadhantlus agus léisigh, MS. Cruadh
antlés, B6.



X. - 1. Greannmhar, witty, amiable, pleasant. Gear-
altaigh Mhéinne, the Geraldines of Meinn, in
Co. Limerick, (between Fohanagh and Kil-
meedy.)
3. Na bhf., etc., see Tadhg Gaedhealach, p. 136.
4. A dhlúth-ghaolta, his close relations.



XI. - 2. Daondacht, humanity.
3. Sciúrd, sprang.



XII. - 1. Lann, sword, swordblade. Crannda, decrepid.
2. Fritheadh, was found (see Ch. Br. Gram. p.
143); fríoch, B6.
3. Sladuidhe, a thief. Sanntach, cruel, fierce.
Sleamhain, slippery. Dubh-gh., dark counten-
anced, masked (?), (disguised, R.W.).
4. Feall, treachery. Cruadh-bhéim, hard blow.



XIII. - 2. Cneasta, quiet, honest. Nar chleactaidh, on
which he performed feats.
3. Taitneamh, love. Méinn, desire.
4. Do thraoch, subdued.



XIV. - 1. Comhladhaibh. Cómhla, the guards which sur-
round a prince; Pl, dat. comhladhaibh. It
would have been difficult to slay him at the
head of his guards, i.e., leading them. I
gcomhlannaibh, in encounters, B6.



XV. - 1. Taoiseach, chief (tigheasach, a householder,
provider, MS.).
2. Suaé, sway. Géill, submission, B6.
3. Clanna, n. pl. of Clann (Keating's Poems).
Ag caoi-ghol, weeping bitterly.
4. Teilgeadh é, he was cast. Úir, mould, clay
dust of a cemetery.



XVI. - 1. Dubhchant, darkening, getting gloomy.
2. Aitis gen. of aiteas, mirth; scamaill,
clouds.
3. Gleann Áth, on Loch Léin. Ag meathadh,
decaying.
4. Cill Eoghain, Killowen, near Kenmare. Árd
Tuilighe, Ardtully, west of Kilgarvan.
Smúiteach, misty.


L. 86


XVII. - 1. Ceathanna, showers. Leagaithe, resting.
Spéarthaibh, the heavens.
2. Cuan an D., Dingle Bay. Binn É., Howth;
Éadair, B6.
3. Creabhar, the woodcock. Naoscach, snipe.
4. Míolmhuighe, a hare. Broc, a badger.
Sionnach, a fox.



XVIII. - 2. Tuaith ó S, Tuosist, parish west of Ken-
mare.
3. Oileán D., Valentia Island. Deamhair,
dark. Ó éagais, since you died.
4. Scléip, pleasure. Cathuightheach, sorrow-
ful.



XIX. - 1. Déarach, tearful. Ainnir, young woman,
lady.
2. Ceana, fond; gen. of cion, affection. Díleas,
fond, beloved, faithful. The reference is to
his sister, the wife of Ratty Brown.
3. Go fuigheach, loudly, outwardly.
4. Go hatuirseach, wearily; claoidhte, over-
come.



XX. - 1. Cíonádh na críche, the chief of the land.
Cíonádh, or cinn-mhádh, the chief trump at
cards.
2. Creach, etc. : His death killed the poor. -
R. W.
3. Cách liom, and let everybody pray with me
for him.
4. I ndáil, in the presence of the Son.



XXI. - 1. Dár saoradh, for our redemption.
2. I bpáirt, on account of, for the sake of. I ndáil, B6.
3. Gairm chughat, call to you.
4. Do b'áilne thréithe, of the finest accomplish-
ments.



XXII. - 2. Carthannacht, charity; oineach, generosity.
3. Greannmhaireacht (pron. greanamh-reacht),
amiability.
4. Foircheann, end. Moladh mhairbh, a dead
person's praises.

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