¶1] Do you wish for the history of the seed of Cian, until they are traced to a single root? For the bright race of Eber the Fair one must do the utmost.
¶2] Or do you desire that from the spring of knowledge I have found there should be emitted a pure stream of recondite poetry about the affinities of the champion of Munster?
¶3] He was acknowledged as the best of the band, the Eber from whom they are sprung; another such as the torch of Bregia's castle was not amongst the Children of Míl.
¶4] There never was one to equal Eber the Fair in Spain or in Ireland, of the royal blood of his tribe, of the seed of Bile or Breóghan.
¶5] With him those sons of Míl of Spain came to the land of Fál; Eber was their senior, from across the ocean he conquered the Plain of Té.
¶6] Four sons of Eber the Fair gained the headship of Ireland; match of those four never sprang from the active, steadfast race of Míl.
¶7] Thereafter they all perished, save great Conmhaol, son of Eber, leaving no children in their places, the youthful, celebrated band.
¶8] Conmhaol, son of Eber of the steeds, the first king of the Munster warriors for whom a dwelling was prepared in Tara, a man about whom maidens were envious.
¶9] From Conmhaol to Brian of the horns there are of his kinsfolk thirty kings in succession in the regal list, reigning over the land of Ireland.
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¶10] Thirty-eight of the line of Eber, son of Míl, ruled the stately, white-walled castle of Trim down to the time of Oilill Ólum.
¶11] From Oilill, son of Eóghan Mógr, back to Eber of the red-gold weapons, Bregia's host—mild and noble of heart—were a single kindred.
¶12] The triumphant race of Eber the Fair divide then at Oilill—a thing which increased their mettle (?)—in three genealogical branches.
¶13] Nineteen sons are reckoned as the family of Oilill Ólum, and if you trace them there are only the descendants of three to be enumerated.
¶14] Fortunate he who had the three sons, Eóghan, Cian and Cormac; three fathers of the men of Eamhain, bright stalks of the vine-woods.
¶15] The line of Eóghan, which never refused combat, the race of Carthach in each of its species, there is much one need not trace, and the subordinate branches of the tribes of Carthach.
¶16] Cormac, son of red-weaponed Oilill, is the ancestor of the seed of Brian, north and south; children of one father are the blood of Cas, heritors of the grassy meadow of the Fergus.
¶17] Smooth-haired Cian, son of Oilill, was Oilill's youngest son; he deserves the pledges of the rest, a younger son to whom respect is due.
¶18] Never heard I of any to equal the progeny of Cian, son of Oilill Ólum; smooth-palmed warriors for whom the forest stooped, battle-props of the Gael.
¶19] Seventeen sons had valorous Cian, but none of his children occupied his patrimony save one, noble stem of a fragrant wood.
¶20] Tadhg, son of Cian, who never grudged cattle— from Tadhg are derived the kings over the long-grassed Plain of the Fair, and many of the patron saints of Ireland.
¶21] It was Tadhg himself who obtained the three Luighne from the king of Tara in battle; and not for gold, or in exchange for cattle, but as the price of shedding his blood.
¶22] The two sons of Tadhg of the beaked ships, Connla and Cormac Gaileangach, they are the two from whom the race of Cian sprang, two royal husks of kindred trees.
¶23] Descendants of Connla, son of Tadhg, are the seed of Cearbhall, of the smooth, vast plain, and—heavily fruited wood of crimson trees—the descendants of Conchobhar of Cianacht.
¶24] The host of Leyney, who never shrank from combat, are the descendants of Cormac Gaileangach; men steady in step towards spear-points, choice golden stems of Ireland.
¶25] Cormac Gaileangach took the land from the Plain of Mar to Magh Tuireadh; he had all the territory from Slievemurry to the Plain of Mar.
¶26] The same Cormac took from Loch Laoigh to Loch Corrib; from the east bank of Corrib he paused not until he reached the flowing Boyle.
¶27] One son was the offspring of Cormac, named Laoi, the long-handed; the son desisted not in his valor until he gained the inheritance of his father.
¶28] Two sons had Laoi, of the keen blades, nobly-born Nia Corb, and Seisgnéan; peaceful scions from the rushing Moy, two royal heirs of the plain of Cashel.
¶29] One son had Nia Corb of the battles, named Art, the warrior of Tara; for twenty years did the man rule the hostages of the Gael.
¶30] For nineteen years after him was his son over his race; a king like Art was fair Fiodhchuire, for whom the cornfield of the Gaileanga was more fertile.
¶31] For twenty-one years Figheann, son of Fiodhchuire, reigned; the land in which he was he held for a time as king without opposition.
¶32] Over the country of Leyney from end to end Nad Fraoich, son of Figheann, followed for twelve years, it is said, the order of his genealogical branches.
¶33] Bréanainn, son of Nad Fraoich of the feasts, reigned as a king worthy of homage for a year and a day without belying his promise (?), according to the testimony of the learned.
¶34] Fionnbharr, son of Bréanainn, the archbishop, the high-king—the territories are sufficient witness—reigned thirty years.
¶35] Great Diarmuid, son of Fionnbharr, held the country of Leyney, land of glowing countrysides—the best of all reigns was the period of this clmmpion—for six years without peril.
¶36] For twenty years Ceann Faoladh held the kingship, north and south; the wind of possession of the fair land was his, Diarmuid's, generous heir.
¶37] Taichleach18, son of Ceann Faoladh, held the kingship of the pleasant land of Leyney—far extended is the time (?) of his fame—for twenty years without a break.
¶38] Flaithgheas, strong son of Taichleach, held Leyney of the bright gardens for—he neither lessened it nor increased it—the same length of time as did his father.
¶39] The door of no homestead was closed in the reign of Béac, generous son of Flaithgheas; for a hundred years he protected the churches, ruling over the blue lands of the Gaileanga.
¶40] Saorghus, son of Béac, of the golden horns, was made king by the others forthwith; for a year and a half the noble champion of Modharn ruled over Leyney.
¶41] Eaghra, son of Saorghus—it was most easy for him—held the crimson plain of Leyney for ten years in full rule and kingship.
¶42] Maghnus, son of Eaghra—alas for the land whose lord he was—attempted to take possession of the territories in despite of Eaghra his father.
¶43] Eaghra of the green-edged weapons laid his curse upon Maghnus; he enjoyed the territory but for one day's space, he perished (?) ere he gained it.
¶44] For one hundred years afterwards, throughout three generations, they were without the title of royal heir, without a king, from the bursting forth of reaving and war.
¶45] Until Aodh of the plaited locks, son of Taichleach, son of Muircheartach, son of great Domhnall, son of Maghnus, took command of the host of the blue, green land.
¶46] For two and twenty years Aodh reigned over the fair slopes of Leyney; a clear-minded king worthy of pledges, ruling all in general.
¶47] Then Conchobhar, son of Aodh, most fearless king under heaven, face like a glowing ember, ruled Leyney but three quarters of a year.
¶48] It is said his rule over Leyney lasted but half a year—Aodh son of warlike Conchobhar, noble, heavily-fruitful scion of Tara.
¶49] For three score years Diarmuid, son of Aodh, the high-king, a king not faint-hearted before plundering-parties, reigned over the warriors of Leyney.
¶50] The son of Diarmuid of the generous gifts, the king named Art of the Horses—for four royal years the descendants of Cian were ruled by him of the bright, ever-radiant locks.
¶51] For twenty years in succession Art, father of Domhnall, left the kingship of the blue-brown, fertile plain in charge of fair Domhnall the Cleric.
¶52] Seaán Mór, the second son, obtained Art's inheritance without change (?)—enough was it as a king's rule—for twelve years without weakness.
¶53] Thirty-eight years he obtained—Fearghal, son of noble, loveable Domhnall, sincere heart which presaged affection, gained this land.
¶54] Tadhg, son of Fearghal, prince of the schools, for forty years ruled the bright, spreading plain of Leyney, restful land of ancient, warm rivers.
¶55] Seaán the swarthy, son of Tadhg, leader of the warriors, had—little enough for his bright cheek—the same period as his father.
¶56] For twenty years and twice nine, it is said, thus the extent of his rule when ascertained, Tomaltach, noble son of Seaán, reigned over the rest.
¶57] For five years at least Muirchertach, the other son, defended the bright slopes of Leyney, a task most difficult to perform.
¶58] The seed of Cian submitted to Cormac for twenty-nine years; strong, valorous scion, generous son of Tomaltach.
¶59] Neither Ruaidhrí nor his son Maghnus was called king, although they had the obedience of the men of Munster, for fear of wronging their seniors.
¶60] For eight years and five Oilill, son of Maghnus, a righteous king without violence, without treachery, held the kingship of all the territories.
¶61] For eleven years east and west the host of Leyney's crimson plain, companies who were no likely mark for hardihood, were in the power of Seaán, son of William.
¶62] Cian, son of Oilill, who never refused guests, did not wait to get his estate; when their lord perished the line of Cormac were not ready for action.
¶63] The period of Tadhg, son of valiant Cian, was four flowery years; a full moon causing most fruitful strands was the chieftain-tree from the plain of Collán.
¶64] For eighteen years then it was in the power of Conn son of Ruaidhrí; he held the land without a rival, save that it was in peril.
¶65] After a space Cormac, son of Cian, son of Oilill, is made king by the rest; he takes possession in place of his forefathers, by the voices of English and Gaels.
¶66] He settles the land of Leyney, both as regards laity and church; the fragrant country with its fair vestures of soil Cormac apportions generally.
¶67] He settles in their own place all the assemblies of noble Cian's line; wrongs are repealed, strongholds are erected.
¶68] The dues of his kindred he will levy on friends and enemies; the valor of the battle-lion of Cian's blood has revived the fame of his race.
¶69] He gathers their books to discover their genealogical branches; every recondite matter concerning his stock he seeks in the regnal list.
¶70] The ancient charter of tributes of the plain of Leyney having fallen out of remembrance, it is renewed for his heirs, so that it is a bright, clear charter.
¶71] Many claims upon his own territory has the chief of royal Cian's tribe; it is just that he, noble, fierce countenance, should obtain a spell of the patrimony.
¶72] Almost has it become prescriptive—for nine hundred and four years Leyney has been under the tribe of Cian, companies who never deserved reproach.
¶73] By means of battle and war was gained the land they have got—it were little but grievous to oppose them—and with the will of the high-kings of Ireland.
¶74] Claim enough for Cormac, did all consider it forthwith, are the troubles he met concerning it, armed, red weaponed hero.
¶75] A good charter on the land of his forefathers is the evil he suffered from childhood's years, shedding his blood on its behalf, till he displayed the fame of his exploits.
¶76] Leyney's territory, of glowing slopes, lay neath a covering of thievery and rapine, until he—the greatest war he ever waged—came to her help.
¶77] From that time on she has been a restful, fairylike plain; without pain, without enmity, without wrath, without desire of plundering or conflict.
¶78] The hand which had harmed repaired the land of Leyney in the days of Cormac; it is a land from which a veil hath rolled away, in one day it was settled.
¶79] Never has there been of his true race from Tadhg, son of Cian, to the son of Úna—the fame of his forefathers he has inherited from the warriors—a man comparable to Cormac.
¶80] The seed of Cian were in grievous perplexity, as ye have heard, until there sprang up the forest-tree from the Dwelling of Tál, who gives life to his kinsfolk.
¶81] The wooing was the beginning of fortune (?)19, Cian's son, as the heir of a high chief, found in his hour of wretchedness the first mate he loved.
¶82] Mary, daughter of Maol Muire; regal in aspect, chaste in mind; a woman excelling those of Bregia's dewy castle, the favorite of all of her kindred.
¶83] Cormac son of Cian has got, if she be estimated in every particular—our choice of all her stock—the best of mates to love.
¶84] Those who preceded her of her line have fame as their inheritance, it is likely that she will possess the inheritance, rather than all the women of the ancient line of Suibhne.