A glossary to the metrical martyrology (the Félire) of Oengus the Culdee, glossing the poem’s hard words. Rendered into modern English; the Irish headwords are retained as lemmas, and the Irish forms under discussion are given in brackets where they occur in the verse. Manuscript readings and editorial corrections are likewise retained in brackets.

¹ Imrordus, i.e. ‘he pondered beforehand’ (roimraidis [Ms. roimraigis]). As when:

² the royal dominion (imrordus in-ríg-raid),
around the King above the clouds;
once (aill, i.e. a time) above days of sighing,
once above weeping tears.

³ Rorbai rom [leg. domrorbai], i.e. ‘a descent’ (toirne) or ‘a casting down’ (thoirbire) — rom [leg. dom], i.e. ’to me’.

⁴ Tóte, i.e. ‘splendour’ (aibnius); and triamain, i.e. ‘sad’ (toirrsech); and an example of it, as when:

⁵ A great glow withered them (dóm-thete),
with a lasting sadness (triamain tróg-sa),
after the decree of the King (timna ríg-sa),
it consumed this host of thine (in slóg-so).

⁶ Conambrighaibh, i.e. ‘with their might’ (co foidhidin móir); bríg, i.e. ‘force’ (foidhidin [Ms. foidhindin]). As when:

⁷ They were bound before hosts,
they were brought with all their might (con-am-brígaib),
they were crushed in pairs,
they were slaughtered before kings.

⁸ Ringthe, i.e. ‘rent’ (réptha). As when:

⁹ They were torn with sharp points (ro-ringthi),
they were stretched limb from limb,
they were burned above the fires,
with glowing blades.

¹⁰ Asennath, i.e. ‘mocking’ (a-sinecht), i.e. ‘in mockery’ (a niartaighe [leg. a martraighe ?]); icasinnadh [Ms. icasiunadh], i.e. ‘reviling them’ (gácáinedh [leg. ag a cáined]). As when:

¹¹ They were carried into prisons,
on crosses to scorn (sennath),
by multitudes to be reviled (icasinnadh),
after their sufferings, flayed.

¹² Bailci, i.e. ‘strong’ (bagha) — that is, ‘mighty’ (calma), ‘battles’ (bressa); brasa, i.e. ‘great’ (mora). As when:

¹³ Soldiers crucified them,
the strong, the valiant,
in vast torments —
a grief that none has known.

¹⁴ Amemraibh, i.e. ‘in their shrines’ (a scríníbh). As when:

¹⁵ Soldiers smote Jesus;
they attained, through sore tribulation
for the devout body’s sake,
to shrines of pure gold.

¹⁶ Gérait, i.e. ’lively’ (beódha); as ‘our Lord preserves us’ (ar-cóimgiud arn-gérat [leg. ar-cóimdiu]), i.e. our lively Son — for He preserves us first, i.e. the Son ’today’ (ininú [leg. indiu]); and it is to Him that ‘He preserves us today’ (gérat indiu) is said, to which is added ’lively’ (beódha). As when:

¹⁷ Jesus who was crucified —
our Lord preserves us (arngerat) —
upon every creature He has conferred;
it is by Him that we are risen.

¹⁸ Roselaig, i.e. ‘he sought out’ (ro-slaigh); brígach, i.e. ‘devout’ (craibdech). As when:

¹⁹ Though the sword sought Him out (Ce-ro-selaigh claideb [Ms. claidheui]),
O devout (brighach) John the Baptist,
a gracious circuit magnified him —
in the kingdom of God he was crowned.

²⁰ Ninach, i.e. ‘pleasant’ (aibhinn) or ‘forked’ (gablach). As when:

²¹ Though wrath assailed,
with holy John the pleasant (ninach, i.e. aibhinn) —
no hard road took them;
the pleasant land of heaven.

²² Though the queen was scornful (tolgda, i.e. disdainful);
Pilate with much deceit (amúr, i.e. imad),
who denied His grace (arr-ochiuir, i.e. roherchran),
washed in place of blood (illocc úire).

²³ Memra, i.e. ‘a tomb’ (adhnacul). As when:

²⁴ A champion of grief, red [with wounds], noble;
thou conquerest with the victory of sorrows;
no weakling’s anguish carried him —
he visits his grave again (amemra, i.e. anadhnacul).

²⁵ Annaigh, i.e. ‘wrath’ (feirgi); and ’to their church’ (donaglinnibh), i.e. ’to the church of the saints’ (docheallaibh nanæm); and an example of it:

²⁶ No great flood of wrath —
they were hewn with blades,
wrought with ministries,
adorned for their church (donaglinnibh).

²⁷ Arécna[i]rc, i.e. ‘an entreaty’ (arimpidhi). As when:

²⁸ O fount of prayer,
intercession of the hosts (arécnairc na slógh-sa) —
the good I would do for the many,
I have done.

²⁹ Asmenann, i.e. ‘it is manifest’ (is follus); and loithi, i.e. ‘speechless’ (bailbhe). As when:

³⁰ Manifest is our intent;
through every realm it is run;
the tribes of women, speechless (loithi);
I cherish every dominion.

³¹ Tiamda, i.e. ‘dark’ (dorcha). As when:

³² Let the body be a memorial —
let it not be dark (ti-amda) —
the full tale of the fair chapters,
a feast for the days of the year.

³³ Forcrinn, i.e. ‘an assault’ (fortuitim). As when:

³⁴ May it not be assailed (for-crinniter) —
a dense swoop upon us;
every chapter to its fire —
it shall declare each day’s feast.

³⁵ Nibruifem, i.e. ‘it does not break us’ (ni-dermatfam); brú, i.e. ‘a breaking’ (dermat). As when:

³⁶ Days of the great month (i.e. of the sun’s month) —
the lasting sun arises;
a mustering that assails
does not break us from above (ni-bruifem).

³⁷ Dlomh, i.e. ‘a declaring’ (faillsiugud) or ‘a telling’ (innisin). As when:

³⁸ Thou hast taught thus
the order that is on the rows;
I declare it before witnesses (non-dlomaim) —
it is beyond the wit of men.

January #

¹ Résil dálach daine, etc. Feibh, i.e. ’life’ (sáeghal) — ’noble féib’ (feibh uaisle), i.e. ‘a long life’ (sáeghul fota) — or ‘devout’ (craibdech). As when:

² A great martyr brings light to us
with his clergy of fair fame —
Fintan with a noble life (feibh),
Finnlug the sure one of Dún Blesci.

³ Docoemnichtar, i.e. ’they cleansed’ (ronighset) or ’they marched’ (rocheimnigset). As when:

⁴ The holy death of Aquilinus —
though it was in Babylon —
on the feast of Christ’s body
they adorned their bodies (do-cóem-nichter tlachtu).

⁵ Greit nua, i.e. ‘fresh’ (gerait), i.e. ‘a short while’ (gairit) he was. As when:

⁶ A summons of Simeon of the stream —
to Christ, a form He wove;
the sun was fair but a short while (greit nua) —
though a daughter of Dubrea.

⁷ Rán, i.e. ’noble’ (uasal); and all, i.e. ’noble’ (uasal); and all, i.e. ‘good’ (maith); and all, i.e. ‘full’ (lán). As when:

⁸ A grace most excellent, a noble choice (rán togha) —
Julian all purity (all nglaine);
no reproach, perfect joy —
a baptism like Mary’s Son’s.

⁹ Iúlián all nglaini: baní, i.e. ‘good’ (maith); or all, i.e. ‘full’ (lán), to make him wholly pure; or all, i.e. ’noble’ (uasal) — ‘his purity’ (a glaine).

¹⁰ Badixu, i.e. ’that thou bearest’ (bahairde) or ’that thou wert’ (nobadilsi). As when:

¹¹ The martyrdom of Lucian,
with a host, as thou wert (badíxu);
a most noble meditation —
the beginning of Lent is Jesus.

¹² Fobith, i.e. ‘cold’ (uair). As when:

¹³ Oft we praise — though it be cold (fobith) —
the folk that suffered hard things;
on the feast of Antony the monk.

¹⁴ Cindigna, i.e. ‘a first-comer’ (cintairi) or ‘a vanguard’ (cintroighe) or ‘a forerunner’ (cindimicin). As when:

¹⁵ The death of Ingen, Comgall’s daughter;
Colmán son of Eógan;
Valerius the first-comer (cindigna);
Felix found a tuneful round (i.e. ‘melodious’ — binn).

¹⁶ Conanduna[d], i.e. ‘a marshalling’ (conasluaghad) or ‘a strengthening’ (conanirt). As when:

¹⁷ The passion of Semunianus [leg. Cebrianus],
of Clement with his hosts;
they swam unto the heathen lands —
a mustering of the bold (conaduna[d] dánu [Ms. dana]).

¹⁸ Nidedbul, i.e. ’not little’ (nideróil); líth, i.e. ‘a solemnity’ (sollomain); ‘cast into groans’ (friscuirther gretha), i.e. ‘brought to sense or laughter’ (friscuirter céill no gaire); saithi, i.e. ‘a troop’ (buidhin); and examples of them:

¹⁹ Not small the feast-day (Ni-de-dbul);
a solemnity cast to laughter (lith friscurtar gretha);
with Christ that went (cechaing, i.e. ‘he bore’ — ruc leis), a company;
Paul in baptism and in judgements.

²⁰ Brighach, i.e. ‘mighty’ (nertmar); allochet, i.e. ‘a whisper’ (insaignen) or ‘a murmur’ (insuttrall), or it is a joyful sound (sét solusta). As when:

²¹ Mighty the murmur (allochet)
unto the King that beholds;
a host slew them after griefs —
with the passion of Polycarp.

February #

¹ Morait kalainn feabhradh (’the kalends of February’), etc. Credal cresen, i.e. ‘believing’ (crethmech [leg. cretmech]) or ‘devout’ (craibdech), i.e. ‘his faith is old’ (sen a chré), i.e. ‘he was an elder’ (senior fuit); or crésinech, i.e. ‘afflicted’ (faíscte), i.e. ‘wretched’ (aintech). As when:

² Fronius and Magnus, the fair, well known;
Germanus the noble martyr;
Cúanna, believing and devout (credhal crésen).

³ Conaíne, i.e. ‘a protecting together’ (conúrítiud). As when:

⁴ High Andrew [his rank],
bishop Moel of the king’s relic;
fair Ucia the protector (conaíne) —
thousands shook them not.

⁵ Rorinnedh, i.e. ‘was smitten’ (roriagha[dh]), i.e. ‘was wounded’ (rogonadh); and cinge, i.e. ‘valiant’ (calma); and cinnghe, i.e. ‘a champion’ (trénfer). As when:

⁶ The heroism of Valentinus;
Marcellus was smitten (rorinnedh);
in Christ’s kingdom he was planted —
eighty fair champions (cinged).

⁷ Indel, i.e. ‘a binding’ (cengal) or ‘a bond’ (cumrech). As when:

⁸ To the fire of Juliana —
a name noble to the very end;
with her a wrathful tale —
a demon made the bond (indel).

⁹ Immaslecht, i.e. ‘around whom were laid’ (imme roslaightea), i.e. ‘were slain’ (romharbtha); dogar, i.e. ‘sad’ (toirrsech). As when:

¹⁰ Gaius the bishop, a suffering not obscure;
around whom were slain (immaslecht) — a sad tale (scel ndogur) —
thirty valiant men.

¹¹ Credlaigh, i.e. ‘believers’ (creidmig); tredhnaig, i.e. ‘fasters’ (troiscigh). As when:

¹² On him Paul the apostle’s head struck;
the believing champion (cingedh credlaig) fared;
on the feast of the bound man —
he led a host of fasters (tredhnaig).

¹³ Delbdai, i.e. ‘fair-formed’ (sochar). As when:

¹⁴ On the feast of blessed Silvanus,
ten comely saints (delbdai);
with the passion of a manly host,
at the end of February’s bound.

March #

¹ Nitmordai, i.e. ’not proud’ (nitdiumsaigh). As when:

² On the kalends of March —
not haughty (nit-mórdai) toward prayers —
Senán of the lasting sod,
David of Cell Muni.

³ Roleblaing, i.e. ‘he leapt’ (roling); nibalb[d]ae, i.e. ’not silent’ (nítastach) or ’not obscure’ (nihairderc); sluaghach, i.e. ‘hostful’ (buidhnech). As when:

⁴ They leapt (roleblaing) — not silent (nibalbdae) —
a cry beyond the noble band;
Carthach, royal, fervent;
Ciarán with the host of Sáigir.

⁵ Snadug [leg. snádud], i.e. ‘protection’ (ditin); and lere, i.e. ‘devotion’ (crabud); ort, i.e. ‘slaughter’ (orgain). As when:

⁶ He guarded them (rosnaidet) after his devotion (lere)
unto God’s kingdom most rightly;
a host slew them (ortai) together —
on Victorinus’ feast [Ms. uictorine].

⁷ Cing, i.e. ‘a champion’ (trenfer). As when:

⁸ Beloved the going to God (i.e. ‘divine’ — diada),
who sufferest not for our share of scorn —
holy Felicitas,
excellent Perpetua.

⁹ Seirnni, i.e. ‘a scattering’ (srs) or ‘a relating’ (aisneid); or seirni from sertum, i.e. that a wreath is set about a thing after bearing victory; lir uastrilis, i.e. ‘over the mane of the sea’ (uasmoing inmara). As when:

¹⁰ A scattering of noble Jacob;
Lucas over the sea’s mane (lir uastrelis [leg. trilis]);
unto Christ they made covenant —
son of Nesan the golden.

¹¹ Dardoe, i.e. ‘over the sea’ (dardo ós-muir) or ‘over the seas’ (darfairgi) or ‘beyond strength’ (darnert), as he says:

¹² Welcome to me from the little sward —
he comes to me over the sea (dar-indoa);
my own son, my son’s son;
my brother, son of Moa.

¹³ dardoa, or dar, ’the bound of the sea’, or doa, i.e. ‘a shore’ (clad); dardoa, i.e. ‘over the sea’ ([dar] fairgi); or dardos, dar, i.e. ‘strength’ (nert); dardoae, i.e. ‘overbending’ or ‘beyond the bound of the sea’ (darcrich mara) — arbith doae, i.e. ‘bending’ (clod); as is said ’the storm of doae upon the shores’ (meccon doae arabhith hiclaidibh). Here is the line from which it all arose:

¹⁴ A high passion of Secundus —
fair, in words that live;
strong he went over the sea (dardoe) —
Failbhe alone.

¹⁵ Atfét, i.e. ‘he relates’ (roaírim). As when:

¹⁶ A comely daughter, most great;
Feradach, proud;
to Christ he told nobly (adfet) —
my Moedoc of Scotland.

April #

¹ Gerait, i.e. ‘wise’ (glic). As when:

² With the chief host most blessed —
to the mouth of every knee [leg. ‘over the false mouths’ — ar góbéoil] —
Christ keeps the fair deacon (gerait) —
Paul the deacon before us.

³ Primda, i.e. ’excellent’ (ergna); breo, i.e. ‘a flame’ (lasair); nadaithbi, i.e. ’that smites not’ (naderchrann) or ’that dies not’ (nadibdann). As when:

⁴ A noble flame that smites not (bréo nadaithbi) —
he strove for kindly tribes;
Bacán of the mighty pillar —
Ruadán, lamp of Lothra.

⁵ Ruamhda, i.e. ‘warlike’ (catharda) or ’noble’ (uasal). As when:

⁶ With Carisius the royal —
from the noble relic it leaps;
it leaps to thee abiding —
the feast of the worthy deacon.

⁷ Drebhraing, i.e. ‘he climbed’ (rodhring) or ‘he stood firm’ (rodirgestar). As when:

⁸ On Peter the deacon’s feast
a martyr’s triumph mounted (drebhraing),
with the fair clergy of a household,
unto the hour of cold death.

⁹ Cessais roi rinne, i.e. ‘he suffered the cross’, i.e. he endured through the point of a sharp spear upon the way; or iroi, i.e. ‘in battle’ (icath), i.e. he was slain with arms, being in battle; and ailli, i.e. ‘a hymn’ (laudem), i.e. ‘praise’ (moladh). As when:

¹⁰ Fair Cyril the captive
bore the point of the cross (cessais roi rinne);
unto Christ he sang a hymn (ailli) —
with a great host about him.

¹¹ Arcrist bamor tiachrai, i.e. ‘before Christ, great my affliction’ — the martyr most hungry (amartra angortai). As when:

¹² The martyrdom of Germanus the priest —
before Christ, ‘great my want’ (bamor tiachrai — or ‘great my hunger’, gortai) —
with Uaitne, the fair maiden —
on Fiachna’s single feast.

May #

¹ Gegnatar, i.e. ’they wounded’ (gonsat). As when:

² The clergy of Urban the pure —
they were wounded at his will (gegnatar tola) —
the comely ones most white —
through the little drop of his blood.

³ Cinladna, i.e. ‘without leaving’ (cinlethath) or ‘without weariness’ (cinlaisce) or ‘head-bold’ (cendolma) or ‘without fainting’ (cengniti). As when:

⁴ The enthronement of Colmán —
a vigil declared unfailing (cinladna);
the beloved little grave —
in the high dwelling of Clonard.

June #

¹ Oid menmain feil teclai, etc. Sotal, i.e. ’evil’ (olc). As when:

² The invocation of Paul the martyr —
after great deeds most strong;
the feast of Colmán without malice (cen-sotlai) —
the great son of Uí Arta.

³ Bannach, i.e. ‘deedful’ (gnimach). As when:

⁴ The feast of the fair believing comely one —
a name for holy Lethan told (slondad [Ms. longach]);
lasting Taranán, deedful (bandach);
over the wide sea voyaging (longach).

⁵ Fegi, i.e. ‘sharp’ (feochair); and leri [leg. ligaig], i.e. ‘bright’ (álainn) or ‘smooth’ (min). As when:

⁶ The bath of Find the warrior —
a devout man most sharp (co-fegi, i.e. cofeochru);
Maenán’s son, pure —
Olainn, bright and smooth (ligaig leri).

⁷ Lén, i.e. ‘smooth’ (sleman) or ’easy’ (laxa) or ‘steadfast’ (sadail). As when:

⁸ The day of James son of Alphaeus —
a bright hundred clergy went naked;
the feast of the man whom no body bound —
Cronán the mighty of Ferns.

⁹ Ronfethis, i.e. ’thou keptest’ (rothaiscis) or ’thou rememberest’ (rocumnigis) or ’thou preservedst’ (rochoimétais). As when:

¹⁰ The birth of John the Baptist —
if thou wilt, thou keepest (ronfeithis);
with thy company unashamed —
John, son of Efis.

¹¹ A wreath of the boat of mercy —
bring wood to the silver church;
he is a stay unto the warriors (isfoimdin [leg. foidmin]; gloss: ’the congregation is eager as it goes forth to church in the twilight and the early morning’);
in the hours, in the nights.

¹² Foidmin, i.e. ’enduring’ (fodered), i.e. as is said ‘grounded’ (fodeime) or ‘sudden’ (obund) or ‘solid’ (solum) or ‘wise’ (glic) or ‘alert’ (foghér). Foidmin, i.e. ‘sudden’ (obunn), as in ‘ciafirt fafoibni fonim’. As when:

¹³ Victory of the dark steersman —
the calm of Job the beloved;
they smite, the bright enduring ones (finn foidmin) —
Job the beloved’s host. Or elsewhere:

¹⁴ The boar’s fat (i.e. the fish) of the raging sea;
a shore-weed (i.e. dulse) of the open strand;
the husbandry (i.e. of the sea) of the moor-field, the scales;
the seagulls have gone to the sharing.

July #

¹ Iuil ikalainn mirbhuil (’the July kalends of wonders’), etc. Taimthiu, i.e. ‘death’ (bás) or ‘plague’ (tam) or ‘bitterness’ (serb); or taimthiu, i.e. ‘dimness’ (tomhaithiu[m]); or taimthiu, i.e. ‘a plague-death’ (tamhthaí), i.e. ’the death of one alone’ (ég aaenar), or ’love’ (sercc). As when:

² The plague of Eutaic the bishop (taimthiu [Mac Firbis: taimthiu eutaic espoic]) —
a company of Conán;
the passion of Processus, royal (i.e. ’excellent’ — ergna) —
famous like Martian.

³ Nihatach mbille, i.e. ’not little’, i.e. ’not poor’ (bocht) or ‘mean’ (midlaige) or ‘jesting’ (genaige); as ‘da nó bill’, i.e. ‘or indeed mockers’ (dano ngenaigi); or mbille, i.e. ‘wretched’ (truagh) or ‘sickly’ (lobair); or mbille, i.e. from imbecillis, i.e. ‘weak’ (énirt); or bill, i.e. ‘small’ (bec), as ballan, i.e. a billian, i.e. ‘a little pool’ (ián beg). As when:

⁴ The martyrdom of Cirionus —
Christ, not feeble (nihatach mbille);
the cross-bearing of another Thomas —
the feast of diligent Tinden.

⁵ Soimle, i.e. ‘he tells’ (innis). As when:

⁶ The great fame of Martin —
who tells with great eloquence (mar-o-sellaibh soimle [Mac Firbis: marosellaib]);
with fifty noble martyrs —
Finnbar of the isle of Toimle.

⁷ Sostan, i.e. ‘a sound’ (gloir) or ‘a cry’ (gaír) or ‘a complaint’ (utmaille) or ‘grief’ (imned) or ‘a war-cry’ (soisten); sosadh tenn, i.e. ‘a pacifying’ (cumsanadh), as the Welshman said ‘he leaves me no standing in the house’ (niléic sosadh istenn dam), i.e. ‘he lets me not rest’ (niléic cumsanadh damh). As when:

⁸ Tell the passion of the seven brothers —
for whom Christ’s cross was a prison —
Cúan, son of great outcry (sostan) —
for six thousand martyrs.

⁹ Sloighedh [leg. sloighdhe], i.e. ‘famous’ (urdairc); balc, i.e. ‘strong’ (calma). As when:

¹⁰ The martyr-day of Narigne;
Euphemia the renowned (sloghde);
Benedict the mighty (balcaghe);
a devout son full of light.

¹¹ Membro, i.e. ‘relics’ (taisi), as in ‘aratait membro’, i.e. the relics of Fiánán the leper and Oncán of the holy field at Clonmore; and another example of it:

¹² A beloved pair that are at rest —
upon the cross with its relics (membro);
because the world’s two are not loved —
Fianán the leper, whose hand heals.

¹³ Doforcat, i.e. ’they surpass’ (doroiscet) or ’they excel’ (doderscaigit). As when:

¹⁴ The band of the ten apostles —
they surpass all reckoning (doforcat);
a fair company before the countless host —
lowly Jesus whom we keep.

¹⁵ Doticfa, i.e. ‘he will come’ (doraga); conetis, i.e. ’that they may seek’ (coroinnsaige) or ‘pursue’ (corochuindchitis) or ‘claim’ (coromnisi). As when:

¹⁶ He will come every day (doticfa) —
to Christ may they reach (conetis);
a prayer with the host of gladness —
the little lad Mametus.

¹⁷ Manafrescan, i.e. ’their help’ (achobair); éim, i.e. ‘swift’ (solum); bresta, i.e. ‘silly’ (brotla) or ’lively’ (beoda) or ‘joyful’ (suilbir). As when:

¹⁸ The way of the saints is ours —
ye are weak, your help is (mana-frescai);
come toward us step by step —
to the common refuge of the merry (commorbúdin bresta [Ms. commorbúd inbresta]).

¹⁹ Ruamach, i.e. ‘warlike’ (catharda). As when:

²⁰ They are frail, the sons of women (itbrestai inbanmeic);
Sabina, noble and strong;
in warlike Rome (ruamach) —
with a devout crown.

²¹ Tuchtaigh, i.e. ‘adorned’ (cumtuchtaigh), i.e. ‘comely’ (caemda) or ‘shapely’ (cruthaig) or ‘well-chosen’ (toghaigh). As when:

²² The high cross of Ele the great martyr;
it honours the relic of the tomb-yard;
with the company of daughters adorned (tuchtaigh) —
the passion of Fraxidis the pilgrim.

²³ Dunaid, i.e. ‘a host’ (sluagh) or ‘a fortress’ (daingen) or ‘a people’ (pupul). As when:

²⁴ Findgein of the Magdalene;
Mary, relic of every band (cachdunaid);
the passion of noble Apollonius [Ms. apol nóir];
with thee the isle of repose.

²⁵ Ma[d]toich, i.e. ‘a flatterer’ (madail). As when:

²⁶ A curry-favourer to thee, O flatterer (madtoich) —
what profits a vaunting lord (aircinn báighe [leg. dotchobair cing]) —
a hundred thousand heads are brought
to the high-proud son.

²⁷ Tarmchruthad, i.e. ‘a transfiguring’ (toirmdelbad). As when:

²⁸ In the passion of Jovian —
with his clergy, fair, most pure —
a transfiguring after a likeness (tarmchruthad) —
Jesus on Mount Tabor.

²⁹ Isadbul, i.e. ‘it is great’ (isathlum). As when:

³⁰ Wondrous the help (isadbul) —
with a marshalling fair-made —
Theophilus, a tower of gold most angelic —
Pantaleo the radiant.

August #

¹ Ikalainn induugaist (’the kalends of August’), etc.

² Anairnecht [leg. inairecht?], i.e. ‘a finding’ (afríth). As when:

³ The metropolis of the one —
a feast beloved —
the finding (inairnecht) with holiness —
the body [noble] of Stephen [leg. stephaini].

⁴ Caemda [leg. comarc], i.e. ‘a remembering’ (cuimniugudh). As when:

⁵ The noble passion of Herentus —
a high feast, a comely remembrance (comarc coemda);
with Oswald the holy, hospitable —
the noble high-king of the Saxon land.

⁶ Ronfeithis, i.e. ‘he remembered’ (rocuimnighes) or ‘he kept’ (rochométus). As when:

⁷ Name five and sixty years —
the year that Bridget kept (ronfeithis);
the seven sleepers, unashamed,
who slumbered their sleep.

⁸ Athoidhen, i.e. ‘a re-gathering’ (athaitnem) or ‘a host’ (abuighen [leg. abuidhen]) or ‘a re-advance’ (athinnrem) or ‘a host’ (asluagh) or ‘a return’ (atheacht). As when:

⁹ Hippolytus the martyr —
‘great my wonders’ is the returning (athoiden);
with a great and noble host —
my Moedoc of the fair Gael.

¹⁰ Sithbe, i.e. ’the saints’ long thread’ (line nanaem). As when:

¹¹ The cross of the martyr Magnus —
with clergy conquering, bright —
Mochta, great goodness, a long thread (sithbe) —
Enán of Druim Raithne.

¹² Drobeil, i.e. ‘a troubling’ (documul) or ‘ill speech’ (drochirlabra) of anyone when mixing good with them, or ‘a great weariness’ (iarcumga moir). As when:

¹³ Victory of the passion of Quintus the martyr —
at its celebration, a keeping;
under heaven a most devout host (fornem cosluagh roleir [read: for nem coslán]);
he leapt after tribulation (iarndrobeil).

¹⁴ Leire, i.e. ‘diligence’ (crabadh). As when:

¹⁵ A telling of John’s passion —
the Baptist; be with diligence (leire) —
a full hundred in chastity —
at the beheading of Ele.

¹⁶ Eithre, i.e. ‘an end’ (deiredh) or ‘a finishing’ (forbera) or ‘a tail’ (err). As when:

¹⁷ They close the end of August (eithre naugaist) —
Áedán, sun most bright;
Inis Medcoit most great —
with Paulinus of the relics.

September #

¹ For the kalends of September.

² Foraithmenedar, i.e. ‘he is remembered’ (docuimnighedhar). As when:

³ Mary is remembered (foraithmenar) —
they slay not the precious;
with darkness after their way —
with three hundred martyrs.

⁴ Baghe, i.e. ‘of battle’ (catha). As when:

⁵ Name two and twenty (Dlom díis ar fichit [Ms. arfithít])
martyrs of like holiness [read: ‘martyrs of great holiness’ — martar co mét nóibe] —
with the battle-champion (cingidh baghe) —
Dagán of Inber Dáile.

⁶ Tuirmigh, i.e. ‘a relating’ (aisneid). As when:

⁷ Euphemia first-worthy —
a word from the year’s end;
Broccán of Ros Tuirc the teller (tuirmig) —
on the feast of the good rule.

⁸ Taithlech, i.e. ‘peace’ (sídh). As when:

⁹ A grace most excellent —
to Christ most comely, peace (taithlech);
with a host, a king most noble —
Énair, beloved Aithmet.

¹⁰ Iarsaithaib, i.e. ‘after ways’ (iarslighedaib) or ‘after hosts’ (iarsluaghaib). As when:

¹¹ September after its roads (iarsaithaib) —
they sat upon their path;
a sage whole, well-deeded, everlasting —
Ciríne of white Bethlehem.

October #

¹ Buaid prescer (’the victory of Priscus’), etc.

² Gand, i.e. ’narrow’ (cumang). As when:

³ The day of Mark the bishop —
from whom a narrow host;
with his fair clergy in harmony —
the feast of Cellach of the church.

⁴ Linde, i.e. ‘a lifetime’ (saegail) or ‘knowledge’ (ecnai). As when:

⁵ Comgán and Marcill —
they hid not their life (linne);
in the fair burial-ground —
the feast of Find síge.

⁶ Tadlach, i.e. ‘a heap’ (ammus); and tadlach, i.e. ‘a sod’ (much) — a name for the casting that is put on a fish’s covering, thus ‘he would squeeze it’ (forcochall iasgaigh sic rofaiscit[is] isti [Mac Firbis: for cochull eisc rofaiscitisti]); and tadhlach, i.e. ‘a gathering’ (documal); and examples of them:

⁷ The first passion of the Moors [leg. Maurorum?] —
heard through the troublous world —
it overshadowed a great heap (tadlech [leg. tadlach]; Ms. tamdath) —
after bitter fettered cells.

⁸ Cobraid, i.e. ‘a help’ (cobair) or ‘a helper’ (cobairait), i.e. ‘wise’ (glic). As when:

⁹ Sure is the little lance of Luke —
the first martyr to the attack;
Trifonia of the fasting —
Christ gave fair succour (cobraigh).

¹⁰ Nassad, i.e. ‘a custom’ (gnathugud); or nasad, i.e. ‘fame’ (clu), as in ’nasadh beoáin’, i.e. ’the fame of Beoán’ (clu beoain); thus is named Uí Nassadaigh Neill, i.e. ’the fame of Columba’ (clu coluim cille); and examples of them:

¹¹ The fame of Beoán Melláin (nassadh)
whom we worship;
beloved the just four —
the feast of the daughter of Níar’s son.

¹² Talgud, i.e. ‘a shaking’ (crithnugud) or ‘a pacifying’ (cennsugud). As when:

¹³ A host [of Quintus] to a common breaking (comorbrugh [leg. bruth]);
Ronán, most fierce in grasping (argachngabugh [leg. gabudh]);
he gained victory after pardoning —
with Talgud’s shaking (talgudh).

November #

¹ Lonan, Colmán, etc.

² Samain, i.e. samfuin, i.e. ’the setting of the summer’ (fuin insamraid), i.e. ’the death of summer’ (bás insamraid); síanaigh, i.e. ‘clamorous’ (gloraigh), i.e. ‘a blast of wind or of children’ (sían nagaithi no namacraighi); and examples of them:

³ Lonán, Colmán, Crónán —
with clergy bright and sunny;
the saints of the assembled world —
they sound the clamorous Samhain (sóirait samain sianaigh [Ms. sarerait]).

⁴ Opni, i.e. ‘wrath’ (fearg). As when:

⁵ Beloved the sun without wrath (cenopní) —
almost a blameless clergy;
Perpetua first-worthy —
the excellent spouse of Peter.

⁶ Gur, i.e. ’eager’ (leir) or ‘strong’ (calma). As when:

⁷ A vast band of Eusebius —
though strong (gur) their ways;
he found a mighty choice —
the great land upon heaven’s field.

⁸ Tiachrai, i.e. ‘wise’ (glicus[a]). As when:

⁹ It hath been wrought with delights —
a turning like the wise Tiachraid (tiachraid);
for fair Cúmain’s thousand —
the son of long Finn of Fiachna.

December #

¹ Sluind decimbir kalainn — ‘Declare the kalends of December.’

² Druin, i.e. ‘wise’ (glic). As when:

³ The high martyrdom of Heraclius —
with his clergy, the truly wise (fír-druin);
the Virgin’s Son with strength —
a pilot of great wonder.

⁴ Donarlaigh, i.e. ‘he recounted’ (donaraill), i.e. ‘he reached’ (dorocht); cobail, i.e. ‘a help’ (seich-). As when:

⁵ Victorious Bricctan the humble —
he recounted over the sea (donarlaidh);
to Christ he sang a vigil —
in a boat without help (cenchobail).

⁶ Dartrethain, i.e. ‘over the seas’ (darfairrgi). As when:

⁷ Damasus, the hand of Senoc;
Mugnae, far-spreading;
the feast of Melteoc, fair, wise —
with a strong host over the seas (dartrethain).

⁸ Cocrait, i.e. ’they speak’ (imraidit); and donecmaic, i.e. ‘he comes’ (tic). As when:

⁹ The service of Lucian [Ms. lucianus] —
fair Lámchua who speaks (cocraait);
Lónán’s son who comes (donecmaic) —
on the night before Christmas [Mac Firbis: mac lonain donecmaic in adhaig renodlaic].

Epilogue #

¹ From the kalends unto the other (onkalainn coaraili)
we have made our service (rofersam, i.e. ‘we have done’);
O well, with its rest —
the endowment of the year.

² Ecmaing, i.e. ‘a taking’ (buain). As when:

³ A troop for every single day —
we have reckoned them plainly;
that we have gathered their due (ecmaingsem, i.e. robensam) —
from head to head of the year, i.e. a kalend.

⁴ Arbar, i.e. ‘a host’ (sluagh). As when:

⁵ My strength, I could not —
into the lowly body;
but He sowed most nobly (ronsert isuaisliu, i.e. roesreith no ronnert) —
a high love — a host (arbair, i.e. sluag) — Jesus.

⁶ Ceile, i.e. ‘a companion’ (carait). As when:

⁷ By the noble penitentials (Huasalathraig, i.e. aithre uaisli) —
to Christ they are companions (ceptar ceile, i.e. ciapdar carait);
days of all fullness (ilaine, i.e. comlaine) —
none hath known its fellow.

⁸ Conrualai, i.e. ‘he escaped’ (roélai). As when:

⁹ Upon the haven of refuge (anconrualai, i.e. roelái) —
every day to the wilderness (dontalmaim);
it was not more glorious
than thousands upon thousands (ismónamilidomilib).

¹⁰ Fondruair, i.e. ‘he causes’ (fodera). As when:

¹¹ A purity He makes (fondruair, i.e. not death, i.e. He makes our name) —
a knowledge for us of God’s ordaining;
every saint with his faith
who made his communion.

¹² Foruasna, i.e. ‘it stirs’ (cumsgaighes). As when:

¹³ The word in its chapters —
if it stir the memory (foruasna, i.e. it moves the feast in its place) —
I say before this assembly —
it is fitting for this host.

¹⁴ Renetsecht, i.e. ‘a path’ (ríanéc). As when:

¹⁵ The host, that it be rightly ruled —
the little book with diligence —
a path with its purity (renetsecht conoige) —
they have finished its calendar.

¹⁶ Suirge, i.e. ‘cheerful’ (suairc). As when:

¹⁷ To refresh our book —
with the fathers’ customs —
not cheerful, not sweet (nisuirgi, i.e. suairc; nasotlae, i.e. nasothol) —
it hardened a great part of it, i.e. the book (rocruidhe, i.e. rocroid, i.e. it brought a thing from it).

¹⁸ Sloigedh, i.e. ‘a multitude’ (imad). As when:

¹⁹ A multitude of the books of Ireland (sloiged leabar nérenn) —
whereby thou knowest their course (toiden, i.e. toitnem);
thou hast run through their number (andirmand, i.e. animad) —
a calendar of the men of Ireland.

²⁰ Cen merbai, i.e. ‘without fault’ (cin mherball), i.e. ‘without falsehood’ (cin bréicc). As when:

²¹ It is a fortress for keeping —
this song without fault (cenmerbai) —
the strength of the headless ones upon the sea (cindolmae, i.e. the saints who help not every one) —
unto men, unto judgement.

²² Diubairt, i.e. ‘a casting out’ (diprecoit), i.e. ‘a great asking’ (adbulguidhe). As when:

²³ To God it is cast forth (isdubart, i.e. isdiprecoit, i.e. adhbulguidhe);
unto the devil is its reproof (is dinert, i.e. a great strength or a strength from it);
a psalm that names a great strength (mornert, i.e. the saints’ strength) —
it is a calendar most true.

²⁴ Arcunna, i.e. ‘an entreaty’ (arcairdes). As when:

²⁵ The Kingship that hath reckoned us —
it is for that I entreat (arcunnu);
after the telling of its calendar —
He hath numbered our company.