Mac Neill — Three Poems in Middle-Irish. 541 



B. 

 AILILL OLOM CECINIT. 



1. Take my shield, thorn (?) against thorn,^ flame against seething 

 bank of rapid movements, till it be on the left of Cormac Cas, 

 strong in tbe blood-red strife of heroes (?) 



2. "Wood that used to silence (?) the sound of battle, shield-arm 

 of heroes who work prowess ; ^ pointed one of marrow, shoulder 

 of blue, a dense ring of thunder breaks forth from it. 



3. Hero-like its aspect on a wall, it stretches from my heel to my 

 ear ; if Cu Eui were in his hero's strength, it would be a shield 

 worthy of him. 



4. It shelters three fives (of men) in the gore-red battle of warriors, 

 point against shield; a pig devours the fruit of its goodly 

 hazel, it is a plate (?) of gold that clings to its rod. (17) 



5. It is the hand-arm of a hero on the track, and a raven cries from 

 its border, (18) from its breast ; on its strong active face, though 

 rapid,' the quick beaks of spears do not take a hold. 



6. My spear, my sword, my shield, to none of them has a spiritless 

 man a claim ; they are not the desire of a tender-handed weakly 

 man, [they are (?)] for my possession above the possession (19) 

 of Cormac Cas. 



7. Grief has checked my prowess (?) ; Eogan does not seek my 

 tent ; (20) a bold ringletted man of green sword, he shall have, 

 though it has not been wished for him. , 



8. My two red spears, my sword, my shield ; 



my horse, my chariot, my helmet, my lance-blade, the 

 Brazen. 



^ Or, strife against hatred (P) Sceo .i. cangin, ' MS. Mat.' p. 481. 



* Or, who speed the shower (of spears). 



' Or, if it be combat, i.e. when there is combat. 



