¶1] Fermanagh is the Paradise of Fódla, a tranquil, fruitful plain; land of bright, dry, fertile fields, formed like the havens of Paradise.
¶2] The murmuring of her waters is heavenly melody, her soil bears golden blossom, the sweetness of her rivers is a vision of sweet honey, the tresses of her wood turning them back.
¶3] Gentle valleys beyond arable (?) plains, blue streams above the valleys, overhanging the flowers is a yellow-nutted forest covered with golden foliage.
¶4] Enough to take sickness from a man were the brownness of her branches, the blue of her waters, the ruddiness of her foliage, the gloomlessness of her clouds; heavenly is her soil and sky.
¶5] Like to the melodies of Paradise around the tender, blue-springed country is the murmuring of her pure, sand-bedded streams mingling with the angelic voice of her birdflocks.
¶6] No tongue—in short—can tell half her delight, land of shallow streams and clustering, succulent crops, what is it but the very Paradise of Ireland?
¶7] None interfereth with any other in this pleasant earthly Paradise; there is none bent on spoil, nor any man suffering from injustice.
¶8] Every man, moreover, finds in her glance a smile of love, so that even a veritable foe, if he enter, is not ready to do her harm.
¶9] There is no reavers' track in the grass, or trace of spectres in the air, or of monsters in the waters about the noble, gifted, dyked plain.
¶10] There are no ghosts in her woods, or serpent in her fens; no misfortune threatening her cattle, no spoiler plundering her.
¶11] They dare not traverse her beyond her boundary-dykes; little recks the bright, blue region of any of the spoilers of Eber's Land.
¶12] This land around Gowra's Field hath obtained by wondrous magic powers something that protects it so that it cannot be plundered.
¶13] It is not the properties of stones, nor is it the veil of wizardry, that guards the waters of its far-spread lands; it is not the smooth slopes, or the wood, nor is it the sorcerous arts of druids.
¶14] They have a better protection for all the boundaries —a shepherd sufficient for everyone is the man—one alone is their guard.
¶15] Brian Maguire of the bared weapons, son of Donnchadh, son of Cú Chonnacht; guarding buckler of Donn's Land, own fosterling of the fairy mound of Sioghmhall.
¶16] Towards Ulster he is the ocean's surface; towards Connacht a rampart of stone; comrade of the gentle, maidenly women of Bregia, boundary dyke of the two provinces.
¶17] A healing herb for the blood of Eachaidh; a gate of death to the Breffnians; a fiery bolt to the blood of Niall and to the Oirghialla of the other side.
¶18] Fermanagh of the fortunate ramparts is the Adam's Paradise of Inisfail; the descendant of the noblemen Bregia's castle is as the fiery wall surrounding it.
¶19] If a single prey were taken from the race of Conn between the Erne and Áth Conaill, compensation for the spoilings inflicted on them would be got from the four quarters of Ireland.
¶20] He would not leave a dwelling unwrecked by the fertile banks of the Boyne, by the warm, bright, gentle Moy, or the very shores of Bearnas.
¶21] Equally would he lay waste the smooth hills around Creeveroe, and the wondrous country from Croghan of Conn as far as the borders of Corann.
¶22] It were attacking a dwelling of bees, or putting the hand into a serpent's nest, to plunder the man of his ancestral land—or it were to approach a blazing house.
¶23] Long hath she been watching for Brian himself to come to her aid; since every soothsayer hath foretold his coming to the bright, angelic plain.
¶24] Once upon a time the Greeks endured like this for a certain space, in great and grievous trouble, trusting to find help.
¶25] The flower of the men of the world march on warlike, valiant Greece, making upon her simultaneously, so that they deprived her of her magic (protection).
¶26] Since the youth of Greece had no means of giving battle, the king of the exceedingly valorous host said that they should abandon their fatherland forthwith.
¶27] 'Do not abandon it,' said the Grecian soothsayers; 'it were better to keep your country; for people of your prowess it is a shameful thing to be ready to forsake your inheritance.'
¶28] And then spake one of the druids: 'All the fitter is it to preserve the land since there is one in store for it who shall be a shepherd over the whole world.'
¶29] 'A babe to-day,' said he, 'is the man that shall deliver us; if we but endure the wrong we get, shortly shall we gain relief.'
¶30] 'Name to us more clearly,' replied the rest, as one man, 'who is, or will you trace to his origin the one you would say can accomplish it?'
¶31] The druid replied—sufficing weal—'great Hercules, the Grecian champion, it is he I have named as a protector for all, by virtue of his powers and fortune.'
¶32] 'The armies of all the world,' he continued, 'will gather under the terrifying, wondrous hero, the glowing form named Hercules, this fruitful palm-tree of a promised (deliverer).'
¶33] 'No monsters, no human creatures shall have such strength as to attempt to contend with him or tell of the gains(?) of his kindred.'
¶34] The druid who had spoken thus decided as a counsel for his friend that until that fair, bright, eager countenance appear, they endure the ordinances of all the islands.
¶35] 'If ye do as I say,' said the sage, 'until Hercules come to manhood, all that the three continents have exacted is naught but a loan from us.'
¶36] 'We care not what wrongs, dangers or perils we undergo provided there is a prospect of help in store for us;' replied every one.
¶37] As for the Grecian high-king, he endured every ordinance that was imposed upon him, till the coming of the prowess of Hercules—ruddy, bright, soft cheek, never wont to do ill.
¶38] Nine queens of the Greeks [...]8 him, in order to hasten his maturity, a most promising company for his guarding.
¶39] Never, moreover, would he leave the knee or the bosom of the high-king, such care had he for him; no negligent guarding had Hercules.
¶40] Thereafter it was not long till Hercules subdued the choicest of the world; what need to recount the deeds of the man—? he confirmed the prophecies of the druid.
¶41] He overcame the people of the world, he punished them for their unjust dealings; the Grecian treasures came back to him with a hundredfold increase.
¶42] Well did it serve his kinsfolk to wait for him in his youth—but why should I continue? Hercules is famed for his adventures.
¶43] Even thus were the far-raiding race of Colla as regards Brian, waiting for the ripening of his bright cheek sometime in his boyhood.
¶44] So that the men of Fermanagh, moreover, spent a time sorrowfully and woefully, ever watching for the royal champion of the men of Oileach.
¶45] So that he was nourished—most fortunately—on the lap of Fermanagh's high-king, and by shining, white-handed women, this Hercules of the Sons of Míl.
¶46] Until he filled with courage from the excellence of his nourishing—ruddy cheek by whom peace is readily rejected and from his nursing in the bosom of the high-king.
¶47] So that there came to them after that the son of Donnchadh, son of Maguire, to rescue them, under omens propitious for the succour of his kindred.
¶48] As for the race of Colla, the tribe of Eóghan have levied and will levy what they owe by charter the blood of Colla.
¶49] Colla's race of Dá Thí's, Plain, these chieftains of Bregia have kept in their minds every decree that was made, in the hope of avenging it at last.
¶50] They cared not what wrong they should suffer from Ulster or from Connacht, since against the brigandage of Ireland, help awaited them.
¶51] Now will they demand satisfaction (?) for their grudges, from Ulster, from the territory of Connacht; since the prophesied Brian hath come reavers are marching from the north.
¶52] In front of all will come that son of Hugh's daughter, strong hand from which the javelin glistens, the Hercules of western Europe.