Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem/story 86

LOCH LUGBORTA

¶1] Loch Lugborta, whence the name? Not hard to say. A great meeting was held at Caendruim (which is called Usnech) between the three sons of Cermait, the Dagda's son, and Lug son of Ethne, to make peace with him in regard to their father Cermait, whom he had slain through jealousy about his wife. Now the sons of Cermait, namely, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, and Mac Greine, had laid a plot to kill Lug. Mac Cuill thrust a spear into his foot. Then Lug escaped from them by his prowess to yonder lake. There he was killed and drowned; and they say that the cairn which stands on the shore, called the Sidan, was raised over his body: so that cairn is Lug's Grave, and hence come the names Loch Lugborta and Carn Lugdach.

¶2] Or else the lake was named after Lugaid mac Táil, who was called Delbaeth. For that territory was the place that Delbaeth mac Táil took possession of, when he came northwards out of Munster with his five sons, after being warned by his own daughter to give up his land to her and her husband, Trad mac Tassaig. Then Delbaeth lit a magic fire, and five streams burst forth from it; and he set one of his sons to watch each of the streams, namely, two of his sons to the west of Loch Oirbsen, Gno beg and Gno mór: Baetan at


p.281

Bethra, Andiled at Delbna Mór, Anlenn at Delbna Nuadat. He himself stayed at that spot, and it may be from him that the lake and the place had their name, Loch Lugborta, for till then his name was Lugaid, but thenceforth Delbaeth, that is Dolb-aed, from the enchanted fire. 3