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

poem 13

Áth Clíath

  1. Behold Áth Clíath before you awhile!
    O tower that ever guardest the Gael,
    what warrior, what dame has plundered it,
    and given its name to the ford?
  2. 5] The sin of Adam's wife brought upon us
    the senseless rough-sporting beast:
    long since had the seer foretold
    the beast that was on Lecc Benn.
  3. The beast that was on Lecc Benn
    10] had seven score feet, four heads;
    its shank and its toe reached hither,
    it licked up Boyne till it became a valley.
  4. The beast, from which the tale grew up
    (if thou art skilled in a thousand books) —
    15] the strange beast, it found rest:
    it was slain on Brug maic ind Oc.
  5. Who was the wright that planted the palisade?
    in its great size he set it in the ford:
    what is this palisade, we wonder?
    20] it shall abide in the pool till Doomsday.

  6. p.103

  7. The frame of the beast's chest made a cast
    round Erin — a coast that everyone knew —
    and the restless sea tossed it:
    thereafter it befell that it reached the ford.
  8. 25] The King of the elements — noble motion —
    the Lord of mystery for all men,
    the Prince of nature, the Son of my God,
    He it is that would protect every weakling.
  9. Relate to me, O comely Mongan
    30] since thou art acquainted with every violent deed,
    what number fell — 'tis clear —
    in Tulach na Segainne.
  10. O pride of Erin across two seas,
    O bright diadem whom all men know,
    35] thou rememberest, O light from Iona,
    the thing that set it in the ford.

  11. p.105