Chapter I: Front Matter

THE
POEM-BOOK OF THE GAEL

The Poem Book

of the Gael

by

Eleanor Hull.

1913

Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.
at Paul's Work, Edinburgh

THE POEM-BOOK OF
THE GAEL

Translations from Irish Gaelic Poetry into
English Prose and Verse

SELECTED AND EDITED BY

ELEANOR HULL

AUTHOR OF "THE CUCHULLIN SAGA IN IRISH LITERATURE,"
"A TEXT-BOOK OF IRISH LITERATURE," ETC.

WITH A FRONTISPIECE

LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS

1913

A NEW IMPRESSION

_All rights reserved_

CONTENTS

(_Where not otherwise indicated, the translation or
poetic setting is by the author._)

PAGE
INTRODUCTION XV

THE SALTAIR NA RANN, OR PSALTER
OF THE VERSES

I. The Creation of the Universe 3

II. The Heavenly Kingdom 11

III. The Forbidden Fruit 20

IV. The Fall and Expulsion from Paradise 22

V. The Penance of Adam and Eve 31

VI. The Death of Adam 43

ANCIENT PAGAN POEMS

The Source of Poetic Inspiration (founded on translation
by _Whitley Stokes_) 53

Amorgen's Song (founded on translation by _John
MacNeill_) 57

The Song of Childbirth 59

Greeting to the New-born Babe 61

What is Love? 62

Summons to Cuchulain 63

Laegh's Description of Fairy-land 65

The Lamentation of Fand when she is about to
leave Cuchulain 69

Mider's Call to Fairy-land 71

The Song of the Fairies _A. H. Leahy_ 73

The great Lamentation of Deirdre for the Sons of
Usna 74

OSSIANIC POETRY

First Winter-Song _Alfred Percival Graves_ 81

Second Winter-Song 82

In Praise of May _T. W. Rolleston_ 83

The Isle of Arran 85

The Parting of Goll from his Wife 87

Youth and Age 91

Chill Winter 92

The Sleep-song of Grainne over Dermuid 94

The Slaying of Conbeg 97

The Fairies' Lullaby 98

Song of the Forest Trees _Standish Hayes O'Grady_ 99

EARLY CHRISTIAN POEMS

St. Patrick's Breastplate _Kuno Meyer_ 105

Patrick's Blessing on Munster _Alfred Perceval Graves_ 107

Columcille's Farewell to Aran _Douglas Hyde_ 109

St. Columba in Iona _Eugene O'Curry_ 111

Hymn to the Dawn 113

The Song of Manchan the Hermit 117

A Prayer 119

The Loves of Liadan and Curithir 121

The Lay of Prince Marvan 125

The Song of Crede, daughter of Guare
_Alfred Perceval Graves_ 130

The Student and his Cat _Robin Flower_ 132

The Song of the Seven Archangels _Ernest Rhys_ 134

The Féilire of Adamnan _P. J. McCall_ 136

The Feathered Hermit 138

An Aphorism 138

The Blackbird 139

Deus Meus _George Sigerson_ 140

The Soul's Desire 142

Tempest on the Sea _Robin Flower_ 144

The Old Woman of Beare 147

Gormliath's Lament for Nial Black-knee 151

The Mother's Lament at the Slaughter of the
Innocents _Alfred Perceval Graves_ 153

Consecration 156

Teach me, O Trinity 157

The Shaving of Murdoch _Standish Hayes O'Grady_ 159

Eileen Aroon 161

POEMS OF THE DARK DAYS

The Downfall of the Gael _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 165

Address to Brian O'Rourke "of the Bulwarks" to
arouse him against the English 169

O'Hussey's Ode to the Maguire
_James Clarence Mangan_ 172

A Lament for the Princes of Tyrone and Tyrconnell
_James Clarence Mangan_ 176

The County of Mayo _George Fox_ 182

The Outlaw of Loch Lene _Jeremiah Joseph Callanan_ 184

The Flower of Nut-brown Maids 186

Roisín Dubh 188

My Dark Rosaleen _James Clarence Mangan_ 190

The Fair Hills of Éire _George Sigerson_ 194

Shule Aroon _(Traditional)_ 196

Love's Despair _George Sigerson_ 198

The Cruiskeen Lawn _George Sigerson_ 200

Eamonn an Chnuic, or "Ned of the Hill"
_P. H. Pearse_ 202

O Druimin donn dilish 204

Do you Remember that Night? _Eugene O'Curry_ 206

The Exile's Song 208

The Fisherman's Keen (_Anonymous_) 210

Boatman's Hymn _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 213

Dirge on the Death of Art O'Leary 215

The Midnight Court (_Prologue_) 224

RELIGIOUS POEMS OF THE PEOPLE

Hymn to the Virgin Mary 229

Christmas Hymn _Douglas Hyde_ 231

O Mary of Graces _Douglas Hyde_ 232

The Cattle-shed 233

Hail to Thee, O Mary 234

O Mary, O blessed Mother 235

I rest with Thee, O Jesus 236

Thanksgiving after Food 236

The Sacred Trinity 237

O King of the Wounds 237

Prayer before going to Sleep 238

I lie down with God 239

The White Paternoster 240

Another Version 241

A Night Prayer 243

Mary's Vision 243

The Safe-guarding of my Soul be Thine 244

Another Version 244

The Straying Sheep 246

Before Communion 246

May the sweet Name of Jesus 247

O Blessed Jesus 248

Another Version 248

Morning Wish 249

On Covering the Fire for the Night 249

The Man who Stands Stiff _Douglas Hyde_ 250

Charm against Enemies _Lady Wilde_ 252

Charm for a Pain in the Side _Lady Wilde_ 252

Charm against Sorrow _Lady Wilde_ 253

The Keening of Mary _P. H. Pearse_ 254

LOVE-SONGS AND POPULAR POETRY

Cushla ma Chree _Edward Walsh_ 259

The Blackthorn 260

Pastheen Finn _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 263

She 265

Hopeless Love 266

The Girl I Love _Jeremiah Joseph Callanan_ 267

Would God I were _Katharine Tynan-Hinkson_ 268

Branch of the Sweet and Early Rose
_William Drennan_ 269

Is truagh gan mise I Sasana _Thomas MacDonagh_ 270

The Yellow Bittern _Thomas MacDonagh_ 271

Have you been at Carrack? _Edward Walsh_ 273

Cashel of Munster _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 275

The Snowy-breasted Pearl _George Petrie_ 277

The Dark Maid of the Valley _P. J. McCall_ 279

The Coolun _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 281

Ceann dubh dhileas _Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 283

Ringleted Youth of my Love _Douglas Hyde_ 284

I shall not Die for You _Padraic Colum_ 286

Donall Oge 288

The Grief of a Girl's Heart 291

Death the Comrade 294

Muirneen of the Fair Hair _Robin Flower_ 296

The Red Man's Wife _Douglas Hyde_ 298

Another Version 299

My Grief on the Sea _Douglas Hyde_ 302

Oró Mhór, a Mhóirín _P. J. McCall_ 304

The little Yellow Road _Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil_ 306

Reproach to the Pipe 308

Lament of Morian Shehone for Miss Mary Bourke
_(Anonymous)_ 311

Modereen Rue _Katherine Tynan-Hinkson_ 314

The Stars Stand Up 316

The Love-smart 318

Well for Thee 319

I am Raftery _Douglas Hyde_ 320

Dust hath Closed Helen's Eye _Lady Gregory_ 321

The Shining Posy 324

Love is a Mortal Disease 326

I am Watching my Young Calves Sucking 328

The Narrow Road 329

Forsaken 332

I Follow a Star _Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil_ 334

LULLABIES AND WORKING SONGS

Nurse's Song (_Traditional_) 337

A Sleep Song _P. H. Pearse_ 339

The Cradle of Gold _Alfred Perceval Graves_ 340

Rural Song 341

Ploughing Song 342

A Spinning-wheel Ditty 344

NOTES 349