]> The Finn episode from Gilla in Chomded húa Cormaic's poem "A Rí richid, réidig dam" An electronic edition Kuno Meyer translated by Kuno Meyer Electronic edition compiled and proofed by Beatrix Färber the HEA via PRTLI 4 Second draft. 1950 CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork
College Road, Cork, Ireland
2010 CELT online at University College, Cork, Ireland. T303018

Available with prior consent of the CELT project for purposes of academic research and teaching.

 Manuscript sources for the Irish text Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 1339 (H 2. 18, Book of Leinster), p. 144b. For details see T. K. Abbott and E. J. Gwynn (eds.) Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College Dublin (Dublin 1921) 158–161. Editions and translations Edition: Best and O'Brien, LL vol. 3 (G800011C). Earlier, Meyer had edited and translated this portion of the poem in 1910), numbering the stanzas 1–28. In the CELT edition, pp.583–586 of G800011C, they are numbered 73–100 (the printed edition has no numbering). Literature Ernst Windisch, L'ancienne légende irlandaise et les poésies ossianiques. Trad. E. Ernault, Revue Celtique 5 (1881) 70–93. Kuno Meyer, Cath Finntrága or Battle of Ventry (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1885). [From Bodleian Library MS Rawlinson B 487). Heinrich Zimmer, Anzeige von 'Essai d'un Catalogue de la littérature epique d'Irlande', Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen (1887) 169–175; 184–193. Henri d'Arbois de Jubainville, La littérature ancienne de l'Irlande et l'Ossian de Mac-Pherson, Bibl. de l'École des Chartes 41 (1888) 475–487. Alfred Nutt, A new theory of the Ossianic Saga, Academy 39 (1891) 161–163; 235. Heinrich Zimmer, Ossin und Oskar. Ein weiteres Zeugnis für den Ursprung der irisch-gälischen Finn (-Ossian-) Sage in der Vikingerzeit, Zeitschrift für deutsches Alterthum 35 (1891) 1–176. Patrick Weston Joyce, A Social History of Ancient Ireland, 2 vols (New York, London, and Bombay: Longmans, Green, & Company, 1903). George Henderson, The Fionn Saga, Celtic Review 1–3 (1904–1906). Edmund Curtis, Age and Origin of the Fenian tales, Ivernian Society Journal 1 (1909) 159–168. Kuno Meyer, Fianaigecht [Introduction]. Todd Lecture Series 16 (Dublin 1910). F. Mezger, Finn mac Cumaill und Fingal bis zum 17. Jahrhundert, American Journal of Philology 48 (1929) 361–367. R. D. Scott, The Thumb of Knowledge in legends of Finn, Sigurd and Taliesin. Studies in Celtic and French literature (New York 1930). Roger Chauviré (tr.), Contes ossianiques (Paris 1949). Josef Weisweiler, Die Kultur der irischen Heldensage, Paideuma 4 (1950) 149–170. Gerard Murphy, Duanaire Finn. The Book of the lays of Fionn, part 3. Dublin 1953 (=ITS volume 43.) Gerard Murphy, The Ossianic lore and romantic tales of medieval Ireland (Dublin 1955; reprinted 1961; reprinted Cork, Mercier Press, 1971 with revisions.) Josef Weisweiler, Hintergrund und Herkunft der ossianischen Dichtung, Literaturwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch 4 (1963) 21–42. David Krause, The hidden Oisín, Studia Hibernica 6 (1966) 7–24. Seán Mac Giolla Riabhaigh, 'Ní bía mar do bá.' Scrúdú téamúil ar na laoithe Fiannaíochta, Irisleabhar Mhá Nuad (1970) 52–63. James MacKillop, Fionn mac Cumhaill: Celtic Myth in English Literature. Syracuse 1986. [With useful, well-structured bibliography on pp. 197–249]. Daithí Ó hÓgáin, Fionn Mac Cumhaill: Images of a Gaelic Hero. Dublin 1988. Máirtín Ó Briain, Review of Ó hÓgáin, Bealoideas 57 (1989) 174–183. Donald E. Meek, Review of Ó hÓgáin, Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 22 (Winter 1991) 101–103. The edition used in the digital edition Kuno Meyer The Finn episode from Gilla in Chomded húa Cormaic's poem "A Rí richid, réidig dam" Fianaigecht Dublin School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies 1910 1937 1993 47–51

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The electronic text covers odd pages 47–51. The Irish original is available in a separate file, G303018.

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 The translation is by Kuno Meyer. For details about the Irish text, see files G303018 and G800011C. c.1910 The text is in English. There are some Irish words in the translation. saga poetry medieval Finn Cycle Gilla in Chomded húa Cormaic A Rí richid, réidig dam translation 2014-05-04 Beatrix Färber ed. Additions made to bibliographic detail. 2010-02-01 Beatrix Färber ed. File proof-read (2); SGML and HTML files created. 2010-01-29 Beatrix Färber ed. Header created including bibliographic details; file proof-read (2); file parsed. 2010-01-28 Beatrix Färber ed. File proof-read (1); XML structural and content encoding applied. 2010-01-27 Beatrix Färber data capture Text captured. The Finn episode from Gilla in Chomded húa Cormaic's poem A Rí richid, réidig dam In Ard Caille, sinister harsh fate! in Muskerry of the three plains, his head west against the Fox Stone, Find with princely treasures was buried. Glasdic was his name originally,Literally, at the hard (=very) beginning. the sons of Morna named him Finn; seven years he was in hard plight,Literally, shape or manner. under Loch Ree he found fair help. Finn's first race — it was a chosen course — which he ever ran before the sons of Morna, into Loch Corrib from Loch Ree around Connaught of the beautiful shields. Into Mag Corainn, to Assaroe, along Cuallach of Brefne of lasting fame, by the side of the Shannon — woe that was greatest! — to lofty Slieve Aughty in one day. In the eighth year of his lifeLiterally, in the eighth live year. when he was visiting Dathi'sFor a different rendering of dathí as an epithet of Tara, see L. C. Stern, Zeitschrift ii, p. 335 note. The name Dathí was accented on the last syllable. Tara, he slew Aillén,Something is omitted in the original. whose hand was full with candle, ... with timpán. A timpán for sleep! said all, the practice at each Hallowe'en, a customary deed; every year, lasting incitement, the candle was burning brightly.For a full account of the incidents here alluded to see Agallamh na Senórach ed. Whitley Stokes, line 1662 ff. After that deed Finn slept with shapely Sadb, a stately diadem; and Sadb had for a household companion Finn as her husband. For fear of sword-fierce Conn Finn went to learn noble poetry: Cethern Fintan's son, he was his tutor in poetic composition. After a feast the fiana bring Finn to avenge the poet Orcbél; the fairy-woman from Slieve Slánga had achieved the fierce bold deed. When he had joined the fian with worth, this was his journey on that night: from Bri Ele, a veritable tower, to the mountain of Marg son of Edlicon. nom. Edliuc? From Slieve Margue, a rare deed, westward to the mountain of the Two Paps of Anu, to Inver Colptha he ran a race with the deer(?) of Fiaclach, Conchenn's son. From Inver Colptha, it is remembered, to Slieve Slánga of the noble Ulstermen; thence — the pursuit was fierce — to Inver Colptha straightway. In revenge of the poet Orcbél Finn slew Ua Fidga at a feast in the west at the Paps, a brave achievement, with the spear of Fiaclach, Conchenn's son. Two staves Finn heard at the mound of the Paps above him: Stalwarth Ua Fidga has been slain was the exact beginning of the first stave. Venom is the spear was the powerful beginning of the second stave, —I know it not; there after the deed of valour on bright Allhallowe'en he heard them. Seven deer by Slieve Bloom was Finn's first chase, — a brave and stout exertion — at the end of seven years crowned with honour, at the famous Apple-tree of the fiana. A vessel full of gold, of glorious silver, the woman out of Slieve Slánga gave to him; we know for certain that this was the first fair treasure which he took to the fian for noble distribution. His glorious mother was of the Érainn of Cermna, Torba, the perfectOr, maiden. daughter of Ech; Finn mac Geoir was his mother's son, king of Lámraige of heroic strength. The father of Cáilte of the wiles was called Lethi Lethancherd; Cáilte, lays tell us, was the son of Finn's fair and beautiful sister. When the steeds of the king of Ross were aglow racing against a woman on foot,As to this episode see my edition of Cath Finntrága, p. x. then worthy Cáilte was born, at the glorious fair of Colman.This fair was held in Leinster. See Joyce, A Social History of Ancient Ireland, vol. ii, p. 464. He is the only one of the fiana of Finn up to whom a pleasant pedigree is carried, that Cáilte, — happy event! — from him sprang the Cáiltraige. There were eight Cáiltes gathered around Finn: Corra and the Ua Daim Derg dílinn, Cass, Cur, Escru and Aithne, Oll and Nena Nuagnithe. This is the best treasure which Finn found, Crimthann's fidchell, I know it for certain; Fiachra of Fál had hidden it in the land of Crimthann Nia Nár. Once—a famous expedition — Finn found a stream, nothing but silver was its fair gravelly bottom; it springs past the hawthorn to the south-east and close to Albine. Ossín said: 'The most marvellous dainty jewel which Finn himself found, that is, without vaporous ignorance,Literally, without the vile smoke of blindness. the fair close-woven hood of Crothrainne.' Gold is its woof, silver underneath it, soft to the skin is its lining; you will be hound, man, or deer as you turn it, as you change it. It is worth fifty bond-maids whatever, it was made in the Land of Promise, for thirty years in Mag Mell, with fifty ... Thirty jewels — it is not the wisdom of an ignorant man — Finn took out of the jaws of the crane-bag, after he had slain Glonna at the vast ford and Liath Luachra of the swift deeds.