Panegyrie on Thomas Butler, the Tenth Earl of Ormonde

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1

PANEGYRIC

ON

THOMAS BUTLER,

THE TENTH EARL OF ORMONDE,

* <? . ... r

i t - S- .1

BY

CX.

yw^FLANN, SON OF EOGHAN MAC-CRAITH,

▲ MUN8TER POET, WHO FLOURISHED

cibca 1580. :. : ;;v

> •

NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME TRANSLATED FROM AN ORIGINAL IRISH

MANUSCRIPT,

BY JOHN O'DALY ;

THE NOTES

BY JOHN O'DONOVAN, LL.D., M.R.I.A.

REPRINTED FROM THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE KILKENNY ARCHAEOLOGICAL

SOCIETY FOR 1851.

DUBLIN :
JOHN O'DALY, 9, ANGLESEA-STREET.

1853.

*••• - •
* • • * m

%1i.(.i

^'"^'f-'

[only fifty copies printed.]

PANEGYRIC

OK

THOMAS BUTLER,

THE TENTH EARL OF ORMONDE

Thomas Butler, tenth earl of Ormonde, born in 1532, was the
son of James, ninth earl of Ormonde, by Joan, daughter of James,
eleventh earl of Desmond. His father died from the effects of poison )
when earl Thomas was in his fourteenth year, and he was then sent to
England to be educated at the court with king Edward YI. who be-
came greatly attached to him, and at whose coronation he was created
a knight of the Bath. He distinguished himself at the battle of
Mussleburgh in Scotland, in 1547, and at the suppression of Wyat's
rebellion in 1554 ; the two following years he served with success
against the Scots in the north of Ireland, for which he obtained grants
of several dissolved religious houses from queen Mary. He adhered
loyally to Elizabeth during the wars carried on against her by the Ge-
raldines, his kinsmen, and Hugh O'Neill ; had he united with them it is
probable that the English power would have been completely crushed
in Ireland. In Elizabeth's reign he was created successively lord
high treasurer of Ireland, president of Munster, lieutenant-general
of all the English forces in Ireland, lord high mareschal of England,
&c. He always retained the queen's favour, despite the efforts of his
enemy, Dudley earl of Leicester, to injure his reputation. On one -
occasion he recovered with difficulty from the effects of poison admin-
istered to him by that unscrupulous courtier. His great talents,
valour, and profuse hospitality, gained him much renown ; he has been
blamed for too great an attachment to the fair sex, to which the open-
ing lines of the poem allude ; but it is said he repented in his latter
days, having been struck blind fifteen years before his death, which
event took place on the 22nd November, 1614. He was one of the
handsomest men of his time. The Irish called him 'Cottj&f <t>ub
(Thomas the Black), either from his swarthy complexion, or from the
enormous quantity of large bushy black hair which covered his lips and
chin. He lies buried in the choir of St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny,
under a marble monument, magnificently gilt and carved, which was
entirely destroyed by Cromwell's soldiery. His epitaph may be seen
in Carve's Lyra, p. 315.

Dermod O'Meara, a contemporary physician, or as some say a
practising apothecary, at Ballyragget, has made this earl's actiowa <&&

subject of a heroic Latin poem, entitled " Ormonius sive IUustrissimi
Heroici ac Domini D. Thomae Butleri," printed in 8vo. 1615.*

The panegyric which I now beg to present, with a translation, to the
Society, was written in Irish by )*Iai)1), son of 603AI) 2t)AC CftA]C
(Owen or Eugene Magrath), a Munster poet, who, according to
CyBeilly (Irish Writers, p. cxli.), flourished A.D. 1580. He was also
the author of another poem on the same nobleman, beginning, " 6oIac
nje A]fi Tije]|i5e ai? iajiIa" (I knew the standard of the earl), of which
I have a literal translation made by that distinguished Irish scholar,
Mr. Eugene Curry, for Clarence Mangan the poet, whose graceful
English version of it appeared in the Dublin University Magazine
for July, 1848.

The poem, as here printed, has been transcribed from a volume
of manuscript historical poetry collected by John Murphy of Eaheen-
ach, Carrignavar, County of Cork, 1726 ; when, according to a note-
in the margin, he was only in his twenty-sixth year; he survived,
however, to the year 1758, as I have MSS. in his hand- writing
bearing that date, and if one may judge by the voluminous nature
of the manuscripts which he has left, it might be supposed that
his zeal for the preservation of those sacred relics, the poetry and
literature of his race, induced him to forego all other duties, and de-
vote his whole life-time to the pen. The volume which contains the
panegyric on the earl of Ormonde comprises several anonymous poems,
but from their style I would unhesitatingly ascribe them to Owen
Magrath. One of these is written in praise of queen Elizabeth, and
consists of fifteen stanzas of eight lines each ; beginning thus : —

21 t)-A]i)ti) ai) &|tb-n)]c bo ^xr\6 3fi&fA,

'S AOtHi)ic &lu]t>i) O3-20u]fie ;
<Do 66ai? Ajfbe bo p|t]Ot)fA Sa3]*ai),

Cutpca, cijeAfbA, cd]|t]3ce :
6]A]* b& b-A]cji]r A3 luce A]qp,

2tjt £eA6 £A]cce Fedfi-Jlo^e ;
'S b]Af t)A fol&f ]t) 3Ac c6ri)6&]l,

te 3l£Af cori)l&ij cedl cjiu]ce.

In the name of the Supreme Son who bestows grace,

The comely only Son of the Virgin Mary ;
I will compose a poem for the prince of Saxon,

Concise, gentle, and adorned :
Which shall be recited by merry-makers,

Upon lawns covered with fresh grass,
And which shall be an amusement to each assembly

With the full accompaniment of the tuneful harp.

The next is a poem of twenty-one stanzas, addressed to one of the
* A folio edition of this work appeared in an English dress about 1682.

Mountgarret family — Edmond son of Richard — in which the poet
compares his hero to Columbkille in chastity, and begins thus : —

'pttAjiAf t)UACA|t uAjbjieAC 6i3-ri)eA|t,

4yuA]rl]b T^oSIa, f 6f fuje &flle ;
X^A,r)^t) CAbftAC cl]A|t 'f ceAfibAC,

JAjce BAt>bA bdjib-bl^ce;
Cfcjle c&]cti)eAC, feA^A, A]fb|teAc,

R&IS-JIat), jtACTtjAft, |to-3|t&6Tt)Aft,

Co6t)AC CAO]1?eAC, pOglAC, fqOCti)Afl,

Bjiotjcac, bu^b'ijeAC, bo-c&]T)ceAC»

I obtained a proud vigorously-youthful bridegroom

Of the nobility of Fodhla — a fair race ;
The helping-hand of the priest and gamester,

In the island of Banba of the flower-decked plains,
A princely husband, expert in expeditions,

Strictly chaste, wealthy, and most 'amiable,
A gentle companion, (yet) fierce and vengeful,

Bountiful, numerous in adherents, and rich in spoils.

And concludes with the following summing-up stanza : —

Joh)6a r&Ab &lu]i)ij t)]Ari)-&ftb *X F^TtAcoit) Iaojc,

'S Ti)6A|t £&ii)3eAC c|t6Acr>3eAfi|tcA 6 catijiaio3 i)-3Ab HI311) :

&Ab&jl n)t)^ b&Ab-b&]i?e A^fi leAbujs t>a laiJe,

<t)0 geAbc^fA A TI)-BfeAl-^CA-|tA3Ab A ftAO]ft.

Many a precious gem of brilliant hue, and hero of renown,

And ringed fingers lacerated from being manacled with tough gads ;

A pearl-toothed maiden chaste in bed you would find laid

In Ballyragget last night, had you but then been there.

Then comes a poem of four lines only, addressed to the duke of
Ormonde : —

)X peAftjiA fk peAc bo't) caIah) a ceAcc,

4)& coftjATi) Afi tJeAjtr; A]t)-e6lA]c;
'Nfc Cot)V 'f TVU— 3oll 'x BfijAi),

'S lp]Or)V 1)A b-'piAW b-flAC b-'poblA.

Better by far for the land is his arrival,

To protect it from the might of strangers,
Than Conn and Niall — Goll and Brian,

And Fionn of the Fianna Fodhla.

In reply to this, David Bruoder, of Limerick, who flourished from
A.D. 1650 to 1690, wrote twenty-two stanzas, of which the follow-
ing is the first : —

21 8ao] jte 3I103AH 3]bfe cufA,

N]l rt)h 8u]c Acb bAic-ce68A73 ;
%r) cut)CA]r clAOjirff Ab cufifA fSHlobcA,

9X\\i cu]3 bo itlogAjb j*Iac foblA ;
4D^ 71&& mufAi) 5u|i ^eAjiji b]u]ce,

2t)A]t x &l c *]l *>°'t) c-feAtro-trdbfA ;

'N& C01)l) 'X M]All 3A]|IC, plOT}!) \ B^\**> T£ft\,

'S 'Soil 3fi]Ai)bA 2t)AC 2t)6i[i\v,t)*.

6

Tou flattering dunce, whoever you are,

I am not to you, but as a mist ;
This false account in your verse you have written.

Of five of the kings of Fodhla.
To tell us that a duke were a better

Fence of protection for this old land,
Than Conn and Niall — Fionn and Brian,

And Goll the bright Mac Morna.

And on the estimation in which the English language was held by
Irishmen on the arrival of the Duke of Ormonde in Ireland, he wrote
the following stanzas :—

Mac A]c At) i)6f fA A3 ti)0|t-cu]b b'fe&n&]b &V(i]Ot)t),
43' ac 30 t>ua8 le njdjtcup n)A]t)3l6]f|oc ;
3l*> CA]f a b-c|ieo]|t A|t 66bA]b 3AllA-cl6i|te,
ft) CATJAjb 3l6fi acc sorbA 5A|tb b&A|tlA.

What a comical custom now prevails among most of the men of Eire,
Who are newly puffed up with the pride of a showy inheritance;
Tho* feeble their power over the substance of the stranger-clergy,
They utter not a word except coarse, unmeaning, English jargon.

If n>Ai|i3 AC& 3Ai> b^AjtlA b]T)1),

xlfi b-ceAcc bo'i) JajiIa 30 b-ftlJWW >
2l|i ^eA8 it)o f A05A]l Afi cl&ft Cxt\r)r),

*b&T) A]t bfcAJllA bO b^A|lf A]T)1).

How woful it is not to know the English tongue,

On the arrival of the Earl in Erin ;

During my life on Conn's broad plain,

A poem I would barter for the English tongue.

[A collection of the original poems relating to the Butler family
would possess great interest, and may yet, we trust, be brought together
in the Transactions of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society. A " La-
ment/' composed on the great but unfortunate second duke of Ormonde
seems to have been most popular both in England and Ireland. Two
versions of this "Lament" were published in the year 1848, one in a
work by Thomas Wright, M.A., entitled "England under the House
of Hanover ;" the other from a correspondent of the Athenaum (No.
1098, September 30, 1848), who states that she had taken it down
from the lips of her mother, a native of Northumberland. The Eev.
Philip Moore, of Eosbercon, County of Kilkenny, forwarded to us, in the
month of February, 1850, the following fragment of the same compo-
sition, taken down by him from the lips of Martin Donovan, an aged
and illiterate though intelligent peasant of his parish : —

" My name is Ormonde, have you never heard of me,
For I have lately forsaken my own countrie ?
They sought for my life, and plundered my estate,
For being too loyal to queen Anne the great.

" Queen Anne's darling and cavalier's delight—
And the presbyterian crew they'll never have their flight ;
I am afraid of my calendry (?) my monasteries (?) are all sold,
And my subjects they are bartered for the sake of English gold.

" My wife she is reviled by every one,

She is called madam Butler by each vagabond ;

But as I am Ormonde I vow and declare,

I'll curb the heartless whigs of their wigs, never fear.

>»

The two first lines of the last stanza are supplied from the North-
umberland version, which omits the second verse (evidently much
corrupted) in that supplied by Mr. Moore ; the former, however, gives
the following additional stanza : —

" The cold winter's gone and the summer's coming on,
The cuckoo, she's gone over seas to sing her old song ;
But as I am Ormonde, and so may I be blest,
Before her return I'll rob the cuckoo's nest."

We are also enabled by Mr. CDaly to supply the music of an air,
entitled " Ormonde's Lament/' from OTarrelPs collection of Irish airs,
which appears to have been that to which the above curious ballad was
sung. It has been submitted to Dr. Fetrie — whose knowledge of ancient
Irish music it is unnecessary to dwell upon — and in his opinion the air
fully suits the words, the first line being repeated as a chorus : —

Ormonde's Lament.

For the valuable notes appended to the poem, the Society is indebted
to John O'Donovan, Esq., LL.D., whose kindness we have had already
so frequently to acknowledge.— Eds. of Transactions.']

5ACA b-^3-TT)l)^ Aol-CjtOCA^ ;

'Cogo^n) bAti) curi)bAC bjocugc <t)u|ilA]r,
2t)]leA6 n)ucbA A|i n)6]j*l^ocAib.

TjO^]rt) ]A]tlA U|tt1)UTT)A1), ]A|iIa f U]1)T)eATi)All,

JajiIa c]peAii)A]l, cfe]H)eAi)i)Ac,
JajiIa Opfiujbe, jajiIa |*o-cjio]6eAc,
JajiIa Af coscA^e cfcAb-eAccjiAjg.

Bajiuij be66A Ai) JflDbjjt rijojjt fojjt,

2iD cjijac 3le6-ti)A]t 36jjt-jteAi)ijAc ;
JajiIa j:ujlceAc Cbltte CAjiweAc,

Ku3 sejll i)A i)-ujle 6f jieAi)i)Ac :

CjOIJ TT)]C AJJlb-Jlj£ 6 Cb]1)3 IjAlJtJjt],

'puAifi aij r e *D3-ri)iD, ffeiib-jUcAc ;
'S bo bj ad cji&ji)-j*eAji A3 C]i)5 6AbbAjib,
'Na frjojt AobbA AO]i)-leApcA6.

'puAjjt o'l) b-pjtjoi)i}j*A, njojt a cAjjibe,

Spjijof ija BAi)bA bjtAOij-JlAjpe ;
Ljbjji l&irnjAjt 'CbjobjiAjb-SlftAiw,

'puAjjt cjijac cji&jbceAC, CAOii), CbAllujtw :
*£ F^T 1 CA T l o|ttte]H) bejc ija cjtejreij&jji,

6r jac Jwir-i^is "Fb^i^li"?^ ;

'Fuajji ffc b'&jjib-cfcjti) jijbjjieAcc 3&|jic6jji #
2l]i)Ti) ij&ji 3i)&c aji 6jjieApi}Ac.

Na peAcc ti)-bl]A6i)A bo bj 'ij c-jajiIa,
21 ij-jac bjA6ri)Aji, bAOc, Sa3]*at> ;
<Dul i)A 5&jjibjD 'duajji bo f Aiwcuj£eA6,

PjlJ01)1)J*A t eA P3-Tb1t)> fAO|l Bbjt^ACAi? :

5&V ^jonjbA jajiIa A3up cjjjeAjnjA,

Joija 6jAjg a T)-bAOjt-eAjijiA8 ;
<Do bj 'ConjAf (cu]b b'& Attftjjt),

P& 'i)A beAr-l&jri) 8aoiwaccaj§.

Joid8a cdjjxe \'& j*ajDcc Seojjtre,

Bblof 'da 8eo]3 a bjt&jrpjjieAcc ;
Jorp8A cuiwcaojj* bjoj* A3 uti)lAj5eAcc,

4)'jajiIa clu-3i)AO]8eAc CAori) SjieApijAc :

1 Invermore, i.e., Arklow, in the County of Wicklow, where Butler first
landed. According to Mac Firbis' pedigree of the Butlers, their ancestor
marched from Invermore to Aughrim in Hy-Many, where he erected a mo-
nastery, and from thence to Invermore in Oonnacht, near which he erected
the monastery of Burrishoole.

THOMAS BUTLER, THE BLACK.

My choice is Thomas, the choice and true love

Of every fair-skinned young maiden ;
I select as my patron the viscount Thurles,

The chieftain who annihilates rebels ;
I choose the earl of Ormonde, the potent earl,

An earl of military troops and incursions,
The earl of Ossory, a tender-hearted earl,

An earl that bore the sway in a hundred expeditions.

The vigorous baron of Invermore 1 in the east,

The warlike lord of the sharp-pointed weapons,
The blood-shedding earl of Kilkenny,

Who took hostages of all Irishmen :
The affection of a prince he received from king Henry ;

The slender-framed, the smooth-handed nobleman,
The mighty man was king Edward's favourite,

The companion of his mirth, and his bed-fellow.

He obtained from the prince, great the boon,

The forests of the soft-verdured Banba,
With the palatine of Tiobraid-Aran (Tipperary),

This pious, clement, lord of Callan.
Despite opposition he was chosen treasurer

Of the gently undulating island of Feilimidh (Ireland),
And obtained the high dignity of knight of the garter,

A title not usual among Irishmen.

During the seven years the earl sojourned

In the island of Britain, famed for food and folly,
To frequent his garden whenever he pleased,

The slender-waisted prince of free Britain, ;
Though many an earl and noble lord

In costly robes joined in the train,
Thomas was (another honour conferred upon him)

Always found under his generous right arm.

On St. George's day many a gaudy equipage
Is wont to follow his in a spirit of emulation !

Many a countess is wont to pay her respects

To our fame-visaged earl, of the handsome hereditary comely
beard ;*

* To give the reader an idea of the comeliness and beauty of this beard, he
must see the portrait, which is taken from an old painting in Kilkenny Castle,
in the history of the Cathedral Church of St. Canice, Kilkenny, by the Rev.
James Graves, and J. G. A. Prim, Esq.

10

'S Af ]ort)6A fUbjtAb b'6jt beAft3-$lAi),

lp& 60 ceAi)i) 6f rAOft-clAi?i)Aib ;
21 i)-b]A]3 Tfyony&w, iajiIa 5Abft&io,

2lij c|t]Aic ijeAnj-cl&ic, t)Aen)-ceAfbAC.

"CaII Ajt Wyat cus aij c&Ab cac,

2ti) cjtjAc Bao^aIac, bfe]ti)eAi)i)Ac ;
Tu3 6 KacIujtw a 3-cftioc 2llbAiw,

Le |to-f pA]|ii)e fp|tfe-c|ieACA6 :
P& 66 &o]3]fi 3l eA W-coi)-CA6Aii),

2li) CfijAC f Ai&bjfi, f AOfi-beAjtcAC ;
'Sa Loc t)-6acac 1)]OJl J&3 eAllAC,

2li) p&]8 ^eAf ac, ^il-^eAjtcAc.

Ta\t> Aft U]ii) lejr ]A|tlA 2t]ije,

O 2lc-n)eA6A]t) ii)fe]c-ri)AftcAc;
Uejf bo buA]6|teAS TtjAji^rbiji tUicije,

<!)& b-cus |iua]3 bo jtfein) 3beA|tA]lc :

'Cus T^ P^S^I* 5 ^1^ A 3 Sulc6]b,

45o b] Ai) U|ic6]b 6]3eAi)CAC :
'Sir W\t b'ioofAi6 Bui)-Ai)-3tti)bAHi,

2lji luce ion)CA ]]• fe|l]3ce.

* ^1 ^T 1 ^^i^iibe le CIa]1)o Cb^nitcAiJ,

<t)o b] ffe l& At) U]b LA03A]|ie ;
\.e-\f bo Iaj*a8 b£jf a Icasca,

^up \,d]c Uf ajiac, lAOC-&ftruj& :

> Wyat. Thomas earl of Ormonde was lieutenant of the horse on the
occasion of Sir Thomas Wyat's insurrection, when he behaved with great
gallantry. He was then hut fifteen years of age.

* Raghlin, Otherwise Baghery island, was at one time considered a part of
Scotland, but Sir William Petty gives a strong reason for making it a part of
Ireland. The attack here referred to was made in the year 1551, when our
hero was only nineteen years old. The Four Masters give us to understand
that this attack on Baghery did not redound much to the glory of the assail-
ants, and even Ware remarks that the party sent to attack the island of
"Baghlina" had very ill success, not a few of them being slain by the Scots.

* Gleann-con-cadhain, now Glenconkeane, a valley in the parish of Ballyna-
screen, barony of Loughlinsholin, County of Londonderry. See Ann. Four
Mast. A.D. 1526, 1584. It does not appear that the Anglo-Irish party headed
by the lord lieutenant had any success in Ulster on these occasions, but it may
be true that they set houses on fire in Glenconkeane, and carried off cattle
from the borders of Lough Neagh, as the bard here boasts.

6 Ath-mheadhain, now Affane on the Blackwater, about two miles to the
south of Oappoquin, in the County of Waterford. This battle was fought be-
tween the two earls in the year 1565. " As the Ormonians conveyed Desmond
from the field stretched on a bier, his supporters exclaiming with a natural
triumph, * where is now the great lord of Desmond I' be had the spirit to re-

11

And many a chain of bright pure gold,

Twice folded round the [necks of] nobles ;
Who followed in the train of Thomas, the earl of Gowran,

The puissant lord, renowned for gracious deeds.

With Wyat 2 beyond the seas he made his first combat,

The valiant sword-fencing lord ;
He took from Eaghlin, 8 in the land of Alba,

After hard-fought conflicts, a prey of cattle.
Twice he set Gleann-con-cadhain 4 on fire,

This wealthy and tender-hearted chieftain ;
He left no herds around Lough Neagh,

The seer so provident and bountiful.

He brought the earl of Aine [Knockany] by the hand

Prom Ath-meain 6 [Affane] of the fat beeves ;
He disturbed the monastery of Owney, 6

One time he made an onslaught on the Oeraldines ;
He administered to them a purging dose at Sulchoid, 7

Which worked with violent dire effect,
And well he stormed Bun-an-Ghundair, 8

The stronghold of his rivals and challengers.

Hapless it was for the Clan Carthy,

That he spent one day in Ibh-Laoghaire ; 9
He stormed, demolished, and burned

Dunlo the fiery, famed of old for heroes,

ply, ' where but in his proper place — still upon the necks of the Butlers.' " —
Leland, b. iv. c. 1.

• Owney, now Abington, in the barony of Owneybeg, in the north-east of
the County of Limerick, in Desmond's jurisdiction, but close to Ormonde's
borders,

* Sulchoid, i.e., Salicetum, now Solloghid, or Sallowhead, in the barony of
Clanwilliam and County of Tipperary, and about four. miles due west of the
town of Tipperary. This place is famous in Irish history for battles fought
thereat. See Keating — death of Curoi Mac Dary ; and Annals of InnUfalten,
A.D. 968.

*J?*n-an-Ghundair, otherwise called Doire-an-lair or Derrinlare, a very
strong castle now in ruins in the townland of Bunagunder, parish of Killaloan,
barony of Upperthird and County of Waterford. See Annals of the Four
Masters, A.D. 1574, for an account of the taking of this castle, and also the
Pacata JSibemia, p. 78, where it is stated that it was unjustly bestowed upon
Richard Power.

• 9 Ibh-Laoghaire, Iveleary. This is still the name of the territory of the
O'Learys, comprising the parish of Inchageelagh, in the barony of West
Muakerry, County of Cork. O'Leary's chief castle was Carrignacurra, now
Castk-lAutars, in this parish.

t r

12

4>fe|f a cA|f*>|l 30 b-Jbb-K^cAc,
H) jiA|b &||tb A||t AOguijte ;

^13 U] 3bU|ib|i) lejf **> b-&|C|3eA8,
Nj i)AC &|fiib|6eAi) Aop bu|i?e.

<Do b| a cAH)pcA|6e a n)A|i?|fC||t Bb^AiwcitAiSe,

'Sa 3-CIai)1) 2liblAO|b AOi?-cf eACCibu|i? ;
Le|f bo TDjDiseAS 2t)&c pIDSID,

2ll? C|t|AC f|0|l-CAO|l), ffc|l-f A||tf|l)3.
'CuS Al? BbfM^-f U|l A||l b|C |A|tlA,
2ll) C|t&|l)-f 6A|1 b|A&A, bA01?1)ACCAC ;

'S bo cu||t bo'i) ^]tA]i)c fO||t 6 |te b-A]Ti)f|fi,
C] a 11)6 3eAll A|t 5 A o&Alu|b '

JajiIa ceolibAji Ci)0]c-Ai)-cocu||i,

2li) c]t|At cjidbA, c6Ab-3U]i)eAc ;
Ja]iIa S]u||ie — ]A|tlA |f u|fie,

)a]iIa |f C|U|ije, CAOib-CApcAS ;
jA|tU |f 3l|ce, iA|tU |f ip||ie,

jA|tlA |f c|n)e caoh)ai)1)a8 ;
jA|tU |f c|t6|ije, |A|jIa |f f fcjle,

B|Alb |ie b^AlJAlb &A01)1)ACCA.

Cu||tc da CA|t|tA|3e, cui|tc |f &A|i)3jt)e,

Cu||tc |f f A|8b|te f A0|i-cIai?i?a8 ;
Cu||ic |f CAO|ibe — cu||ic |f AOib^e,

Cu||tC |f l|01)lbAJt lAOC-7jAfflA6.

Cui|tc 3AI) c6||tfe, cu||tc i)A fO|llfe,
Cu||tc i)A 3-co|pi)leAc 3-c§||i-cApu||t ;

Bl^C-b|l03 b|A&lbA|l, pl&fbjlAC p|AfbAC,
3^blAC, SltlAljfeAC, 3Jt&Af-bAllAC.

10 Ibh-Rathach, now the barony of Iveragh, in the south-west of the County
of Kerry, at this period forming a portion of the country of Mac Oarthy
More.

11 O'Glavin. Mizen-head, in the parish of Kilmoe, in the south-west of the
County of Cork, was anciently called Carraig-Ui-Ghlaimhin [Carrigoglaveen],
O'Glaveen was termoner or herenach, in the parish of Kilcrohane, on the
other or west side of Dunmanus bay, and here in all probability was O'Gla-
veen's house. See the Miscellany of the Celtic Society, p. 115. There was
no O'Glaveen in Kerry.

h Clan-Auliffe, was the name of the territory of the Mac Auliffes, situated
in the barony of Duhallow and County of Cork. Castle Mac-Auliffe was the
seat of the head of this sept.

18 Mac Finghin, otherwise called Mac Fineen Duff. He was the head of a

sept of the O* Sullivan Bear, who resided at Ardea, near Kenmare, in the

County of Kerry. The last chief of this sept was the nephew of general

Richard O 'Donovan, of Bawnlahan, in the County of Cork, who died in 1829.

■•*»

13

After his visit to Ibh-Rathach, 10

Shepherds were left in want of employment ;
In the house of O'Glavin 11 he took up his quarters,

A fact hitherto unrecorded.

He encamped in the monastery of Bantry,

And in Clan-Auliffe 12 for a week;
He brought to subjection Mac Knghin, 13

The truly gentle and ever bounteous lord.
He left the race of the O'Briens 14 in want of an earl,

Our brave, pious, kind-hearted man,
And he exiled him to France for a time,

What greater pledge of Irishmen !

The music-loving earl of Knocktopher,

The warlike hundred-wounding chief;
The earl of the Suir — an earl so youthful,

An earl so meek, and calm-tempered ;
Yet an earl so wise, an earl so swift,

An earl so vengeful and fitful ;
An earl so brave, an earl so bountiful,

Ever performing acts of humanity.

The court of Carrick 15 is a court well fortified,

A court to which numbers of nobility resort ;
A court noted for politeness — a court replete with pleasures,

A court thronged with heroes.
A court without torch-light, yet a court illumed,

Court of the lights of wax tapers ;
A plentiful mansion, so artistically stuccoed,

With sun-lit gables, and embroidery-covered walls.

14 The O'Briens without an earf. This was in the year 1570, when Thomas
earl of Ormonde was sent to chastise the earl of Thomond (Conor, son of
Donough O'Brien), who fled to France soon after. See Annals of the Four
Masters, A.D. 1570. But he returned and was reconciled to queen Elizabeth
in the winter of the same year.

*» The court of Carrick. The noble remains of the earl's mansion at Oar-
rick-on- Suir still attest the truthfulness of the description here given by the
poet. It is the most perfect example of Elizabethan architecture to be found
in Ireland ; and it is much to be regretted that steps are not being taken to
prevent the utter ruin of this noble pile. The stucco-work of Carrick castle
is well worthy the study of the architect, as well as of the antiquary ; if in-
deed our Irish architects thought it not beneath them to follow after the taste
of the modest masons of the times of good queen Bess. The great hall or
gallery still presents an example of a ceiling " so artistically stuccoed" that
it was well worthy to look down on the courtly reveU of «tt\*S\ATs*», *» ^gkK**«

14

T^oij-ceAj ?lea8AC, f IfaijceAC, rleAjAc,

5&l*ijleAC, STte^sAC, 3fe]beAi)i)AC ;
Cedl-bji<>3 clucAijt, bdfib-£lAi) b|tucTi)Ajt,

Co|t1)AC, ClipAC, C]tA0b-6ACAC.

^oi)-b]i03 ^6AfbAC, bu^S'ijeAC b&AfAC,

4!)A0]weAc, b&AjicAc, bAOjt-coinjceAC ;
CeAjAf CA]ci)]OTi)AC, b6A|tf3i)AC beAlbAC,

211^1)1), *U1)lAC, AOl-CjteACAC.

NttA-iijujt 3lo|i)|8e c]lle Ca]iwjc,

'Cujt i)AC 3|le 36]r-eAU8 ;
BuAb-b|io3 bjtACAC, buAlAC, b|teA3i)AC,

SCUAT1)A, f€A|lCAC, |X&Ab-beA1)1>AC.

S^te-b|t03 rednjjiAC, jrjoijCAC, pealcAC,

jSu^'tjeAC, bdjtbAC, b§Al-^A]]if |t)5 ;
%Lr) n)u]t njeA8|iAc, njeAllAC, TflAjgjteAc,

"CfeAfbAC, tA]8b|*eAC, CAob-leAGAi).

*5vkt 'r)A CeA^lAC lAOCftA]8 Ul)1}Tt)A|t,

pAobjtAC, AfinjCA, ^l^isce;
2t)eAi)n)A A^]t ?ijA|ic-fluAi5 CAiftpceAc, cfteAC-cjtuAib,

2l]i)Ti)eA]i, eAc-luA]c, 6]]teAi)t)AC.
3l^^f ^11* 3ui)i)A8A]b, 6]be aji cujtfiASAjb,

Pjiaoc A]|t u]t]tA8A]b CjtfeACCA^ce ;
C|tu|t)3C 'f c|tun)pAO| qnjqoll cufiUjse,

%Lt) c-feA}i)3 u]t-6|toi8i3, 6i|teAtw*>A.

3l)^C fAI) Tt)-b]t03 ffl), f*f A]t COflCAjb

Of cU]t rocAijt, r^i^-^nr^s >

Corbs^lT 1 CAO]ijce, f 6]tc^|l f joijca,
Beojfi b& 1]oiia8 a l^l|t-eAf3]tuib
3|i10f bfc ]*P]ui)a8, Iaojc b& lubA&,

SlflOTt) l&TI) lucri)A]t l§ 3AbflAC ;

CjiADi) b& 8|0]t3A, Ui)D b& IjorbAfc,
SeAbAC b& r 3AO]le aji f3*oc eAlcAij.

2t)i)& b& b-cocti)A]]tc, 6|t b& bjioi)t>A6,
Seojb b& b-cojA b'&j3f jbjb ;

O3 A3 r*1Tt3 e > 6l A t* r1<n)CAi8e,
Ce6l aji cAO]t)e CAoU^lACAib.

ingly described by the poet. It is divided by richly-moulded ribs into com-
partments alternately filled by the arms of England, the Tudor emblems, and
the letters E. B. and T. O. for Elizabetha Regina and Thomas Ormonde ;
sad the ornaments of a chimney-piece, which extends to the ceiling, eomv
prise figures of Justice and Mercy, and a fine medallion portrait of queen

15

A festive mansion, neatly-tiled and replete with lances,

Within whose walls splendour, fetters, and bondage unite ;
'Tis the theatre of melody, so select, so well arranged, so comfortable,

Where richly carved horns and goblets are found.
This snow white mansion, where festive, accomplished parties meet,

Is so full of inmates, of charity, and is hospitably-expensive ;
A delightful habitation, celebrated, superbly finished,

Handsome, rustic-planned, white-washed.

The new crystalline [bright] bulwark of Kilkenny,

Is a tower which the brightness of the swan excels not ;
A prosperous, banner-covered, commodious, adorned mansion,

So ingeniously ornamented with historic and chivalric scenes.
'Tis like a fairy palace, where wines and sweet-meats abound,

Where guests sit around spacious well-furnished tables ;
Where mirth prevails, honey is plenty, and salmon in due season,

This far-famed, proud, commodious mansion.

His household troops consist of heroic lancers,

Fierce, armed, and in armour clad ;
His cavalry are vigorous, well-trained, and inured to hardship,

They are reckless of life, courageous horsemen, and Irishmen.
There cannon were wont to be mounted, heroes in armour,

Urries (hostages) frantic from their wounds ;
By the sound of trumpets, horns, and other warlike instruments,

Of the slender, free-hearted, Irishman.

In that mansion the choice fruits of the season

Are always found on rich and curiously-antique tables ;
•'Tis there that joyous cheers and melodious strains resound,

While wines and ales are quaffed in flowing torrents
Around crackling blazing fires ; there the valiant are humbled,

And strong and dexterous arms are bound in gads ;
'Tis there javelin hafts are smoothed, swords whetted,

And falcons loosed to the chase of flocks of birds.

'Tis there women are courted, gold bestowed,

Jewels selected to reward bright sages ;
Youths are wooing, wines in cups quaffed off,

And enchanting music played by delicate fingers.

Elizabeth. The " embroidery-covered walls" retained their tapestry hangings
till within the last twenty years ; portions of this ancient arras now adorn the
rooms of Mr. Owgan, of Carrick, and of Dr. Dowsley, of Clonmel— .Ens.
of Transactions.

16

$y&\\) bA. Tj-eifcjocc, b&iri) bfc |i§i3C]oc,
2t)i)& b& n)-b]tfeA3A A]t b|t§A3A||ieACc ;

^3 u f l^lDUce C|Tt)C]oll ce]i)ce

2I3 bu|8]i) c-|*eA]i)3-ri)i]t, qte]i)-T)eAitcri)A|i.

peA^A 6f feAgAjb — 3|t]At) op TteAi)t)Aib,
'C^ac cijojc 3mf*iw> 3Aoc-i)eA fieri) aji ;

CujlJ A|l CaItTJACG — SoIatT) A]t eA31)ACC,

\Jxr) beojl 8ApbA bfiAOTj-glAije.
Nua6-ca|i 4)&i]tbfie Seib-^jle

21 b-CJt]AC C]Allri7A]t CJ16ACAC cl]Aft|tAC

Cbjlle 'PiacajI f6]|t-3lA|i)e.

jA]tlu]6e SA3f Ai), ]A|ilu]8e BjieACAi),

jA|ilu]8e peAjif Ai) Pl&]ti)]oi)i)AC ;
jA]tlu]6e LocIaiji), lAjiluj&e Sojica,

JA|ilu|8e o|tbfiu]c 6^3]pce.
jAjilujSe 2llbAi)i), ]A|ilu]8e ^fiA^ce,

jAtdufSe Spfc] we fpeAjt-glAjTje ;
BAe 6f jteAlcAi) e 6't) n)eAb f|i),

3i)^c rji) eAb fie b-&1tieAi)i)AC.

*t>e]f A|t |OH)]t^8 n)e bo ri)6ji8&i.l

2lfl ti)AC fO«3]t^8AC SfeAtlJUf a,

KjAri) i)] cuaIa ^ajiIa bA uAjfle
JajiIa bA cjiuaSa cei^eATWAjb,

Nj T1)6 bO C0T)1)A]ftC 1?6AC A 3-CJlO]t)]C

peAS tja cjiui.i)t)e c|ie-3lu|i)e,

jA]tlA8 bA]t|tATi7U]l b'jAjtlA BeAjtbA,

Na fiiAi) i)eAri)-curi)Ai)3, T)-e]j:eAccAc.

Njott f fcf b'6]|i]i)T) TjeAc jf pejle —
MeAc i|* t/eiri)e f Aogui^e,

NeAC If bojtbA AT) ATI) f 03IA8,

'N&'t) C|t]AC CAbAJtCAC, CeAb-fU|lceAC.'

»• Knockgraffon, on the Suir, near Cahir, County of Tipperary. This was
one of the ancient seats of the kings of Minister.

1* Curoi, i.e., Guroi Mac Daire, king of Desmond in the first century. He
was cotemporary with the champions of the Red Branch in Ulster, and the
rival of Cuchulfin, fortissimus heros Scotorum.

1* Guaire. He was king of Oonnacht in the seventh century, and much
celebrated by the Irish bards for his unbounded munificence and hospitality.

19 Deirdre. She was a celebrated beauty in Ulster in the first century, the
protege of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster, from whom. she eloped with

... r

17

Poems are recited— while the poets expound them,

Ladies are allured by tempting presents;
While the delicate maiden and lusty soldier

Join in the mazy dance around blazing fires.

He is the choice tree in the forest — the sun above the stars,

The lord of KnockgrafFon, 16 the puissant warrior ;
He is a Curoi 17 in valour — a Solomon in wisdom,

This chief boast of Banba [Ireland] of pure blue rills.
He is a Guaire 18 in hospitality, hilarity, and mildness,

And a suitable spouse for the pearl-toothed Deirdre 19
Is our shrewd, spoil-taking, troop-commanding lord

Of Kilfeacle, 20 renowned for luxuriant verdure.

The Saxon earls, the earls of Britain,

The portly proud earls of Holland,
The earls of Lochlin, 21 the earls of Syria,

The renowned earls of Egypt,
The earls of Alba, the earls of France,

And the earls of Spain of the pure bright sky ;
Like the moon above the stars is he above them all,

Which enkindles a jealousy towards an Irishman.

After all I have been able to record of the dignity and grandeur

Of this affectionate noble son of James,
I never heard of an earl sprung from noble blood

Who won his honours so hard as our earl —
Nor did I even read in the chronicles

Of any country upon the surface of the enlightened globe,
Concerning an earl to be compared to the earl of Barrow, 82

In the wide career of his dignified power.

In Erin a more hospitable man never sprung up —

A man more mild and easily persuaded,
Yet more fierce in the time of aggression to meet the foe,

Than this prosperous high-minded nobleman.

Naisi, son of Uisneach, one of the heroes of the Bed Branch. See Tale of
Deirdre, in the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Dublin.

*° Kilfeacle, a church giving name to a parish, situate about four miles to
the east of the town of Tipperary.

** Lochlin, was the name by which the ancient Irish designated Scandi-
navia.

** The Barrow. This is merely introduced to show that this earl's juris-
diction extended as far as the river Barrow, i.e., from the town of Ros-Mic-
Triuin (New Ross) to Port-Lairge (Waterford).

18

Sir 6 b|teAci)tt^]rt) 50 b-fujl a A]c-f3^of

2t|t leAC ceAfic Cbuji)t> cfeAb-CAtAiJ,
'S 30 ti)-be|b ujle it)A]i cVi? 2t)buri)A,

^bo'ry ]A|tU uri)Al aoi?ca8ac.

2lc& 'ij cui)i)CAO]f &3rbA|t, uji-6|toi6eAC,

Sfi^rijAjt, sijuir-cAoji?, 5ldft-ti)AlU6 ;
2lc& r^ rAoiceAtijujl, £&]lceAC, Fl°l*-1 tt ll>

2t)&i)lA, n)]i)-6]u]i), Tt)6|t-c^]|tbeAC.
2lc& |*i f o-c]toi6eAc, r&cAC, ru^eAc,

B&8ac, bo3-6|iO]6eAC, bed-tj&jjteAC —
2lc* f] fj]t-6eAf, n)i)^Ti)U]l, njiD-CAjr,

Sl 1 ^")*? 1 ' CAjijceAc, ce6l-|tfr|8ceAc.

Sjb&Al Sw&aI be]8-beAi? be]8-f |]t,

'pUA]]! |*1 A1) UA1|t-f1 A]t A b-UAJfle,

B03A ijuaSca^i i)6f-l^i7it)A]i.

T^UA^jt ff ]AJlU CJteACAC, cl]A]tflAC,

SfieAfAc, 3l]A6ri)A|t, 3le6-l^|b]|i;
puAjji f\ b^ocui^c beAj-clubAC, bAOjiweAC,

'peAjlArijU]!., f]OCTt)A]t, ^6]tf^lAC.
)^UA]|t ff bAflUI? 1)1Tl)1)eAC, t)6A|tCATt)Ull,

'poigbeAC, ^Iacati)U]1, p ld]t&]3eAC ;
'puAjit f] Tt]bi|ie f uAbjiAc, ^l^ceAc,

C]iuAi8-ii)eA|i, cunjAfAC, c6|t-l^b]|i;
2li) cfe if cfieirei)§i|t b^WDO 19911^1*1*'

'puAjji ad ftwe-3feA3 63 &*\W)>
)X & 'Conj&r ai) xt)&\b b ]on)|iA8Af,

2lt> T^e ]OTt)Uii) 6f &]tbA]b.

n The half of Conn, i.e., Leath-Chuinn, Conn's half, i.e., the northern half
of Ireland, which was separated from Leath Mhoeha (Mogha's half), or the
southern half, by the Eiscir-Riada, a line of sand-hills, extending from Dub-
lin to the bay of Galway.

u Elizabeth Sheffield. She was daughter of John, second lord Sheffield.
See Burke's Extinct and Dormant Peerage.

25 Rich in spoils. It is amusing to observe throughout this poem the unction
with which the bard dilates on any exploit of his hero which partakes of ra-
pine, spoil, and plunder, mixing such topics up with traits of a most opposite
nature in a manner the most incongruous. This sort of composition seems to
be that to which Robert Cowley referred, when in the year 1537 he wrote to
Cromwell, minister of Henry viii., making numerous suggestions as to ar-

Cp)och