Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])

poem 44

Temair Luachra

1. The Luachair!
   if I remember aright, O boy,
   it was a fair wide level plain,
   with many a raid and onset.
2. 5] The Luachair!
   it was a bright choice teeming home;
   at the time when it changed its seeming
   it was fairer than the Land of Promise.
3. The Luachair!
   10] it was a home of hero and bride;
   it was a flowery plain, set with thorn,
   till the date of the sons of Ugaine.
4. The Luachair!
   many a spear was in its hostel;
   15] in the time of Dedad son of Sen,
   its clover-flowers were beneath their feet.
5. It was comely for the children of Dedad,
   when their home was at Temair;
   comely was Temair round their house
   20] in the time of Dedad son of Sen.
6. There was given to the daughter of fierce Lugaid,
   for her journey from the land beneath the wave,
   every holding she chose for live-stock,
   for advancing on the journey.

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7. 25] Eremon's wife was she;
   it is she that dwelt at Temair Breg,
   and all that was here:
   from her it is called Temair Luachra.
8. The night Conn was born
   30] great Erin was glad to welcome him;
   on that night arose
   the Suir, the Nore, and the Barrow.
9. The night Conn was born
   uprose every prince in his might;
   35] in that night were made known — lasting fame!
   Tortan's bole, the yew of Ross.
10. The night Conn was born
    Erin was flooded at one blow;
    'twas then Loch Riach arose
    40] and Loch Lein above Luachair.
11. I am Fintan; I am an aged man;
    my date and my era have altered;
    I came into noble Inis Fail
    fourteen hours before the Flood.
12. 45] When the Flood was spilt on earth
    the Flood buried my coevals, — not false the cry!
    I abide in sooth at Dun Tulcha
    in the north-west of Luachair.

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