¶1] Fermanagh is the hearthstone of hospitality; its men are more generous than hospitality itself; it is a land that hath put forth every goodly crop, a fount for the hospitality of all others.
¶2] For repute and hospitality there is not their like in Banbha; fame hath ever preferred the blood of Odhar beyond any in the Western Land.
¶3] The chieftain of the Manchian plain merits every gage of hospitality that may be found; it were fitting that those who journey Cobhthach's Plain should deliver to him the gages of all others.
¶4] Short is the time of his opponent [...]7 as the sea excels the tiny pool so doth he excel the pledgeworthy of Féilim's blood.
¶5] The day Maguire is at his worst he overshadows the growth of other men's fame; their equal in one man confronts the choicest of the Gaels of the western land.
¶6] His word is enough to curb the host of Banbha when they are rallied in ranks of battle; from the wrath of the king of Fiacha's land peace is made in five countries.
¶7] It behoves not Ireland to be independent of the king of Odhar's race; the seed of Conn is powerful either to succour or to spoil the lords of the western land.
¶8] By his bold words a king was proclaimed through territories; a man banished by the seed of Séadna did not find shelter throughout Fódla.
¶9] Reavers dare not attack the Manchians of Gowra's Field; if the king of Eamhain be there he wards off those in the pass.
¶10] Heroes by whom the Dwelling of Tuathal's secured, whom no man is found to face; the blood of Fiachaidh earn fame in the fighting, even when unwithstood.
¶11] They rule Ireland without reproach, from one corner of the western land; there is not sufficient might against them to attempt to spoil the race of Odhar.
¶12] Cú Chonnacht, by his qualities, deserved to be chosen beyond the Children of Míl; a king is made from the seed of Bonn in preference to (all) the kings of Eber's land.
¶13] The king of the Erne can balance every known pledge of honour; it were a small pledge for the person of the Manchian if the pledge of (all) Cobhthach's Fold were got.
¶14] One would get from him at the feast a payment which should be denied every guest; the hospitality of Craoidhe's blood bears a repute which all Ireland never bore.
¶15] Consider has there or will there come a fortune which their exploits do not overwhelm; to people of repute the very faults of the host from Bearta's brink were matter for great praise.
¶16] With them is the custody of hospitality, to guard it from the western warriors; even if those against them be of the best the blood of Odhar will surpass them.
¶17] That which has been uttered in time of feasting is not denied when slumber is past; were an enemy seeking justice he never on that account made a biased award.
¶18] A cup brimming with the contents of goblets, it could not be tackled without a gathering of champions; the empty horn of the champion of Ulster brought a strong man's hand to the ground.
¶19] Greatly did the wonted trouble increase when Banbha was shepherdless; he goes to the House of Tuathal, that has removed the curse of the slaying of Fiachaidh.
¶20] The land of the Gael is thine as far as it extends, it is no boast for Maguire; since thou art pledged for the seed of Conn there is an end to spoiling in the western land.
¶21] Thou causest all Banbha to be without either reaver or watchman; all are thanking thee that no one is at the mercy of any other.
¶22] The race of Eremon and Eber have become one assembly; it enhances the exploit that it is no marvel that the Gaels themselves should do it for thee.
¶23] None but the soldiery of the Erne confront thee when rising forth upon the western land; not that one fears to oppose thee, but if it be gained it is by the blood of Odhar.
¶24] When thou comest single-handed into the conflict thou needest no exhortation; thou in the pass alone hadst power by which the Field of the Gaels was delivered.
¶25] Thy exploits on the brink of the pass suffice to guard them; on thy account the spoilers of Connla's land pass through it unarmed.
¶26] In thy castle, Maguire, knowledge of territories is got from exacting companies; without quitting thy side a poet explores the whole of the western land.
¶27] Thou, from the extremity of the Irish soil, dost apportion the five lands; but a small thing mentioned by thee causes the hosting of the Sons of Míl.
¶28] The kings of Bregia are in thy steading in bands at feasting time, thou concealest under (as it were) a shelter of foliage (?) the royal throne of every other man.
¶29] The labour of thy sword hilt in the field of danger has spared thy companions; thy approach to the perilous pass robs (?) something of each man's vigour.
¶30] In the time which poets do not appropriate the others wait in thy presence; the leaders of hosts, while they are before thee, do not get an opportunity with thee.
¶31] The pledge of Banbha comes to thee, the utterance of the prophets hath been confirmed; no man is envious because the Gaels look for thy crowning.
¶32] Bending trees in the place of the pools which the dry weather hath emptied; by reason of the produce it hath cast on the strand the sea of the Champions' Plain is empty.
¶33] A winding stream through a wood brown with nuts, a hostage in fetters was never slower; the low bending trunks, the shallow wave, are charters of ownership on Féilim's land.
¶34] The envious could not discern any thing which would be a reproach to the royal line; the seed of Donn, (even) their enemies declare, are entitled to the tribute of Úna's soil.
¶35] The champions from Oileach's land were not dreaded by the western country; without the wasting of any territory Odhar's blood subdued five kings.
¶36] When they had enkindled every land it was not long till a country was succoured by them; the peaceful humour of Fiacha's blood pacified five territories.
¶37] In Connla's Land there is no refuge for him, till he have requited (even) the damage he did not commit; the reaver is accepted in no part of Banbha, because of this new hound of Eamhain.
¶38] Banbha is guarded, though it be difficult, without violence or enmity; no man has accused the blood of Odhar of spoiling the Gaels.
¶39] The seed of Connla does not hoard up its great gifts, golden bracelets have completed their time with it the day they are fashioned.
¶40] After surveying the generosity of others never did poet cool towards the warriors of Oileach; having inspected the whole of Eber's land he makes for the tribe of Donn.
¶41] Cú Chonnacht's vow protects them when they have served like the Collas; the pledges of their fighting men are released throughout Banbha by the warriors of Eamhain.
¶42] After the battle the hostages of Fódla are proclaimed on the green of his castle, in the house of the hostages thou wilt find tidings of every man in Úna's land.
¶43] There is no danger of reaving on the coast, there is no door to a hostel; the steward of Conn's descendant is secure of tribute on the foot-hills of the western soil.
¶44] Hotter is every palm than the sparks from the all but molten mass in smithy; weary must be the legs and arms of the soldiery of Rath on returning from the battle.