24 THE BATTLE OF VENTRY. 



Anaighi 7 a Ciaraighi Luachra 7 laim re Cathair na Claenraih asiar 7 assin co 

 cuan Finntragha. 



Is i sin uair 7 aimsear tarrla an t-allmurach .i. Dolar Durbha ar an traigh ac 



425 grisadh 7 ac imdergadh na feni 7 do ghabh adhnairi mhor Oisin uime sin. ' A fiana 

 Eirenn,' ar se ' do thuit moran d' ar sluagaibh le Dolar Durbha 7 ni saihm a beac 

 againn do dhul beo o chath Finntragha 7 mata a n-dan dam fen bas d' fagail ann, is 

 fearr lium bas d' fagail le Dolar Durbha 7 comrac maith do denam ris 'na beath 

 ac fechain an dila dobera se ar an fein gach lai.' 7 ro togbadh tromghair truagh 



430 tuirseach tromneimelach ag ogbaid na feine 7 ag an aes ciuil 7 oirfididh 7 eak^na 

 o na briathraib sin Oisin. 



Is i sin uair 7 aimsear do conncadar an buidhen og ildealbach 'san oirear anoir 

 gach n-direach chuca. ' An agam, a mic,' ar Finn * co finnainn cuidh an bhuidhen 

 og illdhealbach dochim is ferr ecosc do connac ar an domhan riam.' 7 tangadar 



435 chuca fai sin 7 leigis mac righ Ulad a glun deas fai a fiadhnaise an righfeinidh 

 7 beannaighis co cunnail ceillidhi do 7 freagairter mar an cedna he 7 fiarfaighis 

 Finn scela dibh cuich iad fen 7 caidhe a n-arus. ' Eamhain Macha ar n-arus,' 

 ar an macam ' 7 is dim fein ghoirter GoU mac rig Ulad 7 comaltadha damh na 

 macaim ud aili adchithi-si.' ' Cred ro ghluaissib an trath sa .? ' ar Finn, ' Sluagh 



440 an domain moir uili adclos duinn ac cathachadh ribh-si gach lai 7 dob, ail Hnne 



across the river Anaige, and into Kerry, and by Cathair na Claenrath (the Town of 

 the Sloping Forts) in the west, and thence to Ventry Harbour. 



That was the hour and time, that the foreigner, namely Dolar Durba, came upon 

 the strand to incite and to revile the fiann, and great shame seized Oisin on account 

 of this. ' Ye fianns of Erinn,' said he, ' a great number of our men have fallen by 

 Dolar Durba, and I do not think that many of us will return aHve from the battle of 

 Ventry, and if it is my fate to find death in it, I will rather find it through Dolar Durba, 

 and fight a brave combat against him, than witness the destruction he will bring upon 

 the fiann every day.' And a sad woeful heavy passionate cry was raised by the warriors 

 of the fiann, and by their minstrels, and gleemen, and wise men, at those words 

 of Oisin. 



That was the hour and the time, that they saw the young varied troop coniing 

 straight towards them from the east to the harbour. ' Stay with me, O son,' said Finn, 

 ' that I may know whose is this young varied troop which I behold, the fairest of appear- 

 ance that I have ever seen in the world.' And thereupon they approached them, and the 

 son of the king of Ulster let down his right knee before the king of the fiann, and greeted 

 him modestly and sensibly. And he was answered in the same way, and Finn asked 

 tidings of him who they were and where their home was. ' Emain Macha is our home,' 

 said the boy, ' and I myself am called Goll the son of the king of Ulster, and those other 

 youths whom ye see are my foster-brothers.' ' What have ye set out for at this time ? ' 

 said Finn. ' We heard that the army of the whole great world was fighting against you 



