| Ba ghnáth me ag siubhal le ciumhuis na habhann | 1 | Twas my custom to stroll with the river in view |
| Ar báinseach úr ’s an drúcht go trom, | 2 | Through the fresh meadows covered with dew, |
| In aice na gcoillte i gcoim an tsléibhe, | 3 | By the edge of the woods on the wild mountain-side |
| Gan mhairg gan mhoill ar shoillse an lae. | 4 | At the dawn of the day I’d cheerfully stride. |
| Do ghealadh mo chroidhe nuair chínn Loch Gréine, | 5 | My heart would brighten Loch Graney to spy, |
| An talamh, an tír, is íoghar na spéire, | 6 | And the country around it, to the edge of the sky. |
| Taithneamhach aoibhinn suidheamh na sléibhte | 7 | The serried mountains were a delight to the beholder |
| Ag bagairt a gcinn tar druim a chéile. | 8 | Thrusting their heads over each other’s shoulder. |
| Ghealfadh an croidhe bheadh críon le cianta— | 9 | ’Twould lighten the heart wizened with years— |
| Caithte gan bhrígh nó líonta ’e phianta— | 10 | Triflingly spent or drenched with tears— |
| I séithleach searbh gan sealbh gan saibhreas | 11 | Of the bitter outcast without wealth or goods |
| D’fhéachfadh tamall tar barra na gcoillte | 12 | To catch a glimpse o’er the top of the woods |
| Ar lachain ’n-a scuainte ar chuan gan cheó, | 13 | Of the ducks paddling by in the pellucid bay, |
| An eala ar a bhfuaid ’s í ag gluaiseacht leó, | 14 | Escorting the swan on her stately way, |
| Na héisc le meidhir ag éirghe in áirde | 15 | Of the fish in joyous arching flight |
| Péirse im radharc go taidhbhreac tárrbhreac, | 16 | And of the perch, a speckled spritely sight, |
| Dath an locha agus gorm na dtonn | 17 | Of the blue surging swell on the tinted lake |
| Ag teacht go tolgach torannach trom | 18 | Crashing ashore with a thunderous quake, |
| Bhíodh éanlaith i gcrainn go meidhrach módhmhar, | 19 | Of the birds in the trees merrily singing, |
| Léimneach eilte i gcoillte im chómhgar, | 20 | While the deer through the woods are nimbly springing, |
| Géimneach adharc is radharc ar shlóighte, | 21 | To see the huntsmen with bugles blaring, |
| Tréanrith gadhar is Reynard rómpa. | 22 | As after Reynard the hounds are tearing |
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| Ar maidin indé bhí an spéir gan cheó, | 23 | Yesterday morning, no clouds in the sky, |
| Bhí Cancer, ón ngréin, ’n-a caorthaibh teó | 24 | Presaged another hot day in July; |
| Is í gabhtha chum saothair tar éis na hoidhche | 25 | Up came the sun after a rest for the night, |
| Is obair an lae sin réimpi sínte. | 26 | To her day’s work, making all nature bright. |
| Bhí duilleabhar craobh ar ghéaga im thimcheall, | 27 | With treeleaves rustling overhead |
| Fiorthann is féar ’n-a slaoda taoibh liom, | 28 | And grass and ferns before me spread, |
| Glasradh fáis is bláth is luibhna | 29 | The expanse of flowers would cheer the soul |
| Scaipfeadh le fán dá chráidhteacht smaointe. | 30 | And lighten thoughts however dole. |
| Do bhí me cortha is an codladh dom thraochadh, | 31 | Totally fagged and dying to sleep, |
| Do shíneas thorm ar cothrom sa bhféar ghlas | 32 | I lay down where the grass was deep |
| In aice na gcrann i dteannta trínse, | 33 | Beside a rill, with trees about |
| Taca lem cheann ’s mo hannlaí sínte. | 34 | A support for my head and my feet stretched out. |
| Ar cheangal mo shúl go dlúth le chéile, | 35 | On shutting my eyes to go to sleep, |
| Greamuighthe dúnta i ndúbhghlas néallta, | 36 | Locking them tight in slumber deep, |
| Is m’aghaidh agam foilighthe ar chuilibh go sásta | 37 | My face protected from the flies, |
| I dtaidhbhreamh d’fhuiling me an cuilithe cráidhte | 38 | A dream caused me to agonize |
| Do chorruigh do lom do pholl go hae me | 39 | To shake, to chafe my psyche deep |
| Im chodladh go trom gan mheabhair gan éirim. | 40 | In my senseless, helpless sleep. |
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| Ba ghairid mo shuan ’nuair chuala, shaoil me, | 41 | Short was my sleep when I heard, thought I, |
| An talamh magcuairt ar luascadh im thimcheall | 42 | A violent quaking of the ground nearby |
| Anfadh a dtuaidh is fuadach fíochmhar | 43 | A storm from the north violently brewing |
| Is calaidh an chuain ag tuargain teinte; | 44 | And fire from the harbour luridly spewing; |
| Siolladh dem shúil dar shamhluigheas uaim | 45 | In my mind’s eye, a quick survey |
| Do chonnarcas chugham le ciumhuis an chuain | 46 | Revealed towards me by the bay |
| An mhásach bholgach tholgach thaidhbhseach | 47 | A violent, bulging, big-assed crone |
| Chnámhach cholgach ghoirgeach ghaighdeach; | 48 | Her bulk hinting at testosterone; |
| A haeirde ceart, má mheas me díreach, | 49 | Her stature, if I reckoned right, |
| Sé nó seacht do shlata is fuidhleach, | 50 | Was six or seven yards in height |
| Péirse beacht dá brat ag sraoilleadh | 51 | She dragged her cloak for yards behind her |
| Léi san tslab le drab is ríoball. | 52 | Through the mud and mire and squalor. |
| Ba mhuar ba mhéadhar ba fiadhain le féachaint | 53 | ’Twas mighty, majestic, wild and horrid |
| Suas ’n-a héadan créachtach créimeach, | 54 | To gaze upon her blemished forehead; |
| Ba anfadh ceanntair, scannradh saoghalta, | 55 | The rictus of her gummy grin |
| A draid ’s a drandal mantach méirscreach. | 56 | Would make you jump out of your skin. |
| A rí gach mádh! ba láidir líomhtha | 57 | God almighty! In her huge claw |
| A bíoma láimhe is lánstaf innti, | 58 | Was the biggest staff you ever saw |
| Comhartha práis ’n-a bharr ar spíce | 59 | A brass plaque at its spike defined |
| Is comhachta báille in áirde air scríobhtha. | 60 | The bailiff’s powers to her assigned. |
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| Adubhairt go dorrdhach d’fhoclaibh dána:— | 61 | In a gruff voice these words she spoke: |
| Múscail! corruigh! a chodlataigh ghránna; | 62 | Up! Shake a leg! ya sleepy yoke; |
| Is dubhach do shlighe bheith sínte id shliasta | 63 | Shame on you, to be stretched out here |
| Is cúirt ’n-a suidhe is na mílte ag triall ann; | 64 | With court convened and crowds drawing near. |
| Ní cúirt gan acht gan reacht gan riaghail | 65 | It’s not a court without rule or code. |
| Ná cúirt na gcreach mar chleacht tu riamh | 66 | Nor a marauding court in your usual mode |
| An chúirt seo ghluais ó shluaighte séimhe— | 67 | This court is built on a civilized base— |
| Cúirt na dtruagh na mbuadh is na mbéithe. | 68 | The court of the weak with a female face. |
| Is muar le maoidheamh ar shíolrach Éibhir | 69 | It’s indeed a great boast for Ireland’s seed |
| Uaisle sídhe mar shuidhdar d’aonghuth | 70 | That to sit in court the fairy lords agreed |
| Dhá lá is oidhche ar bhinn an tsléibhe | 71 | For two days and a night holding forth |
| I bpálás bhuidhnmhar bhruighean Mhaighe Gréine. | 72 | On top of the mount, in Moy Graney fort. |
| Is daingean do ghoill sé ar shoillse an ríogh | 73 | Intense is the grief of the spectral lord, |
| ’S ar mhaithibh a theaghlaigh thaidhbhsigh sídhe, | 74 | Of his spritely household’s noble horde |
| ’S ar uimhir na buidhne bhí ’n-a ndáil | 75 | And all of the others assembled there |
| Mar d’imthigh gach díth ar chríochaibh Fáil— | 76 | At the scale of Ireland’s disrepair— |
| Gan sealbh gan saoirse ag síolrach seanda, | 77 | The ancient race without wealth or liberty |
| Ceannas a ndlighe ná cíos ná ceannphoirt, | 78 | No tributes, leaders nor legal autonomy |
| Scriosadh an tír is ní’l ’n-a ndiaidh | 79 | The rape of the land with naught in its train, |
| In inad na luíbheanna acht flígheach is fiadhail; | 80 | In place of the crops, a weed-rank terrain; |
| An uaisle b’fhearr chum fáin mar leaghdar | 81 | The nobles languish in a foreign land |
| Is uachtar láimhe ag fáslaigh shaibhre, | 82 | While the jumped-up rich get the upper hand, |
| Ag fealladh le fonn is foghail gan féachaint | 83 | In betrayal ardent, in plunder greedy |
| D’fheannadh na lobhar ’s an lom dá léirscrios. | 84 | Flaying the sick, despoiling the needy. |
| Is dochrach dúbhach mar dhíugha gach daoirse | 85 | It is blackly baneful and sticks in the craw |
| Doilbhe dúr i ndúbhcheilt dlighthe | 86 | That, in darkest despair over the absence of law, |
| An fann gan feidhm ná faghaidh ó éinne | 87 | There’s nothing from no one for the purposeless weak |
| Acht clampar doimhin is luighe chum léirscrios, | 88 | But a depredacious future that is hopelessly bleak, |
| Fallsacht fear dlighe is fachtnaidhe árdnirt, | 89 | The knavery of lawyers, tyranny on high |
| Cam is calghais faillighe is fábhar, | 90 | Injustice, fraud and neglect apply |
| Scamal an dlighe agus fíordhath fannchirt, | 91 | The law is clouded, the scales awry, |
| Dalladh le bríb, le fee ’s le fallsacht. | 92 | With all the pull that bribes can buy. |
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| Farra gach fíor, is fuidheall níor fágadh, | 93 | Along with the rest—and all was debated— |
| Dearbhadh díble ar bhíobla an lá san | 94 | An indictment was entered and that day dated, |
| Cúis dar ndóigh ná geobhairse saor tríd,— | 95 | A charge that you cannot easily refute: |
| Cnú na hóige dhá feóidh le faolrus | 96 | The wizening celibacy among your youth, |
| Is easnamh daoine suidhte ar Éire— | 97 | The consequent lack of people in Ireland |
| Do mheath let chuimhne an síolrach daonna; | 98 | And the decline in population on this island; |
| Is folamh ’s is tráighte fágadh tíortha, | 99 | The land left empty and in decline |
| An cogadh is an bás gan spás dá ndíogadh, | 100 | Wrecked by war, by death and rapine |
| Uabhar na righthe ’s ar imthigh tar sáile | 101 | The kings with gumption who have gone overseas |
| Nuair ná deineann sibh tuilleadh ’n-a n-áit díobh. | 102 | Have not been replaced by new inductees. |
| Is nár d’bhur n-iomad gan siorruigh gan síolrach | 103 | Your race without young ones is sad to see |
| Is mná ’n-a muirear ar muir ’s ar tíorthaibh, | 104 | With women burdening the land and the sea, |
| Connsaigh chorpordha is borracaigh óga, | 105 | Once buxom maids and lasses fresh |
| Is bonnsaigh bhrothallach fola agus feola, | 106 | With boiling blood and sultry flesh |
| Lóistigh liosta agus leigithigh shásta | 107 | Are now lethargic, relicts debased |
| Is mórdhaigh shioscaithe d’imthigh i bhásta; | 108 | Once trim girls are gone in the waist; |
| Is truagh gan toirrcheas tollairí ’en tsórt so, | 109 | ’Tis a pity that these are without fruit of the womb |
| Is truagh gan tormach brollaigh is bóta iad, | 110 | Without swelling breasts and bellies in bloom. |
| Is minic iad ullamh an focal dá bhfaghdís | 111 | They just look for the word, please don’t wait |
| Ag tuitim dá mogaill is molaimse a bhfoidhnne. | 112 | Until they are past their sell-by date. |
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| Sé cinneadh le saoithe i gcrích na comhairle | 113 | The solons decided after deliberation long |
| In inad na daoirse d’innsin dóibh sin:— | 114 | Not to try the case before the fairy throng: |
| Duine den bhuidhn seo, líon a gcomhachta, | 115 | But to appoint a plenipotent magistrate |
| Ar thitim don dísle, suidheamh i bhFódla. | 116 | Who could, with the people, mediate. |
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| Tairgeann Aoibheal croí gan chlaonbheart, | 117 | There was an offer from Aoibheal, with a heart so clean |
| Cara na Muimhneach, sídhbhean Léithchraig, | 118 | Munstermen’s friend and Craglea’s queen |
| Scaradh le saoithibh sídhe na sluagh so | 119 | To the assembled council to bid farewell |
| Scathamh do scaoileadh daoirse i dTuadhmhain. | 120 | And in the land of Thomond to bide a spell. |
| Gheall an mhíonla chaointais chóir seo | 121 | This gentle upright lady swore |
| Fallsacht dlighe do chlaoidhe go cómhachtach, | 122 | To rip out bad laws by their core |
| Seasamh i dteannta fann is fánlag | 123 | To stand steadfast beside the poor and weak |
| Is caithfidh an teann bheith ceannsa tláth libh, | 124 | So the mighty will have to cherish the meek. |
| Caithfidh an neart gan cheart so stríocadh | 125 | The powerful desist from inflicting wrongs |
| Is caithfidh an ceart ’n-a cheart bheith suidhte; | 126 | And justice enthroned where it belongs: |
| Geallaimse anois nách clis ná comhachta, | 127 | I promise now that no power nor lure, |
| Cairdeas Miss ná Pimp ’n-a comhdhalta | 128 | Nor the blandishments of pimp or whore |
| Šiubhalfas tríd an dlighe seo ghnáith | 129 | Will undermine the dispensation |
| ’S a gcúirt ’n-a suidhe ag an síolrach neamhdha; | 130 | Of this tribunal for its duration; |
| Tá an chúirt seo seasmhach feasta ’san bhFiacail, | 131 | The village of Feakle is where the court is sitting |
| Siubhailse, is freagair í, caithfe tú triall ann, | 132 | Go and attend it—you’ve got to get cracking |
| Siubhail gan tafann go tapa ar do phriacail, | 133 | Go quietly or at your peril dire |
| Siubhail! nó stracfad san lathaigh im dhiaidh thú!” | 134 | I’ll drag you there through the muck and mire. |
| Do bhuail sí crúca im chúl ’san chába | 135 | With her crook she grabbed the hood of my cape |
| Is ghluais chum siubhail go lúbach láidir, | 136 | And off she dragged me with no escape |
| Sciob léi síos me trí sna gleannta, | 137 | Down through the valleys I was propelled |
| Cnoc Mhánmhaí is go binn an teampaill. | 138 | To Moinmoy Hill church where the court was held. |
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Deireadh leis an mBrollach |
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End of the Prologue
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Ar Aghaidh go Cuid a Dó
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On To Part Two
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