Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 8

Dun Gabail

  1. The wooing of the daughter of Goll Glas,
    son of noble mettlesome Fedlimid,
    by Lutur son of powerful Lurgnech,
    from the western side of Spain.
  2. 5] Thus was mighty Lutur,
    a man right tall and big,
    fourteen heads — no rash boast —
    above his shaggy grey neck.
  3. As for Gablach, big was the woman,
    10] daughter of fair quick Fedlimid;
    fifty cubits she was in height,
    and the half of that in breadth.
  4. Four of them came from the east
    both Goll and his daughter,
    15] and Lutur, who came without ship,
    and Lurgnech son of Calatrom.
  5. So they partook of their feast,
    a pleasant modest household the four of them;
    a hundred of every beast — great was the amount —
    20] a hundred measures of every grain on earth.
  6. A bed was made for them thereafter,
    all four in one couch;
    they gave a blessing to each other;
    happy they were and not replete.

  7. p.81

  8. 25] Another soldier was in the east,
    he dwelt in the islands of the Red Sea,
    Fuither son of Fordub the wrathful
    son of the son of Labraid Lamderg.
  9. He gathered a vast following;
    30] he came from the east on a sudden —
    it is sure that there was groaning and carnage —
    to contend for his leman.
  10. The names of the captains he brought from the east: —
    vigorous Labraid Lamfata,
    35] Brothur son of Sce, Glas son of Garb,
    Ibar son of Sce son of Sceobalb.
  11. There came of them from the east more than any other band
    in the following of each champion;
    a hundred heroes in the following of each man,
    40] of the Fomoraig and Arsaide.
  12. While the others were in the house,
    the four of them, a fellowship of equal size;
    they hear the call without:
    "Come out, of your own accord, or else by force!"
  13. 45] Up rose Lutur half his height,
    and opened the royal house from before them;
    he carried out with him before his shoulder
    both pole and palisade.

  14. p.83

  15. He laid a stake of the keep
    50] on them across nose and eyes;
    so that the pools were full
    of spatterings of their brains.
  16. Those two grappled with each other,
    not good was the shelter when fatigue came on;
    55] so Gablach slew Fuither,
    it was a fatal journey, a heavy overthrow.
  17. The number that came over sea
    to contend for the daughter of Goll,
    not one of them escaped;
    60] ungentle was that wooing.
  18. From Gabal daughter of bright Goll comes
    Dun Gabail in Cuthraige;
    there she slept with Lutur of the many ships,
    futile was the rival wooing.
  19. 65] Goll Glas of the river-mouth gave
    fortress and keep to his brave daughter,
    above Life of the Leinstermen, that is not sluggish,
    contentious was her first wooing.
  20. Thereafter Goll of the many feats gave
    70] river and keep and famous weir
    to his daughter free from perilous theft,
    cattle-raids, and reavings, and wooings.

  21. p.85