Part 72 of The Metrical Dindshenchas

Loch Cé

Loch Cé, — what was the cause of its breaking forth,
when it was as yet a plain level and smooth?
the pure water, good sir,
where is the spot whence it rose?
5] I ask of you all, who was the Cé
from whom everyone names the lake?
to what ruler of famous Banba belonged
the renowned druid who caused the lake to spread?
What was it that caused the growth
10] of the green lake free from horror?
the joyous bright pale water,
tell me of its story!
The druid of Nuadu, heartener of the fray,
son of Echtach, son of Etarlam,
15] from his grave comes the name of the lake,
when he came to it from the rout of a great battle.
From Mag Tured yonder he came,
when poisoned spears dealt wounds,
smitten by a keen-edged weapon;
20] and he sat him down on a cairn of the Curlew Mountains.
Thereafter Cé arose from the cairn:
he was all but stark-dead:
emerging from his swooning weakness he went on
to the middle of the smooth green plain.

25] There is a stone that thou hast seen in the plain;
there was he laid under ground:
when he was laid in the carn of stones
under the corpse rose up the mighty lake.
Hence comes the name Loch Cé: —
30] I declare it without deceit:
from Nuadu's druid — splendid his valour —
is named the lake above all lakes.