From MS. Laud 615, p. 18.

Mongan cecinitdo Colum Cille.

Caomh-Colum cáidh ciuin cubaid cobsaid comdalach com ramach cumachtach Cille mirbuilech,

[5] ag nach fail gradh ilṡelba,cabras da mainib gan dimdagach dam imda ilarda,nach fail tarut na 1 fich na ferg,gnais derg lethan lainnerdha,[10] corp gel ar n-derbad a rúin,ocus clú gan imharbus,rosg glas gan locht is gan lasgocus folt cas coinnelda. 2

Foghar gotha Coluim Cille,[15] lor a binne os gach cleir,co tend cuig fichet déc ceimenn,aidble remenn, sedh ba reil.

Mac Eit[h]ni is Fei[d]limid finncuigi romcinn Dia do ceina Tir Tarrngaire na finn,[20] mar a cantar fír gan bréig.

Tri caoguit inis rea rimma docuired on rig réd, 3in gach innsi dar mo leighendtri coibheis Eirenn fodein.

[25] Mar domsdíur mac De gu haghmar,om tir fein tang anegu Carraig Eolairg gan mebail,cu bord Locha Febail fein. p. 89Loch Febail fial nocho míbladhag dílad aidhed 1 o Néill.

Colum Cille cáin gan gó,briathra an laoich gersat ra ló,anté nach cabair na fainn [5]noca carann 2 caom-Choluim.

Caomh-Cholum caidh.

Beloved, chaste, gentle, just, firm, disputant, combative, powerful, miraculous Colum Cille,

'Who loveth not many possessions, [10]Who with his gifts without displeasureHelpeth every numerous multitudinous band.Over thee there is neither wrath nor anger.Red broad radiant face,White body that hath proved mysteries, [15]And fame without sin,Grey eye without fault and without . . .,And curly luminous hair.

The sound of Colum Cilia's voice--Abundant its sweetness above every train, [20]To the end of fifteen score paces,Vastness of courses! it was clear. 3

The son of Ethne and of Fedlimid the Fair,To him God sent me from afar,From the Land of Promise of the blessed, [25]Where truth is sung without falsehood.

Thrice fifty isles are counted,As they were set by the bright King;In every isle, by my lore!There is three times the size of Erin herself. [30]

p. 90

As the Son of God directed me prosperously,From my own land I have come yesterdayTo Carraic Eolairg without disgrace,To the edge of Lough Foyle itself.[5] Loch Foyle, hospitable without ill-fame,Contenting the guests of the Ui Néill.

Colum Cille, fair without falsehood,Though the words of the warrior were . . .He that doth not help the weak,[10] He is no friend of beloved Colum.'

Footnotes

88:1 This na is superfluous; it spoils the metre.

88:2 [30] In the notes on Féline Oengusso, p. ci., these lines are as follows:

"Colam cáincruth cumachtach,drech derg lethan lainderda,corp geal, clú cen imarba,folt cass, suil glas chaindelta.

88:3 Read réil.

89:1 Read áighadh.

89:2 Read cara.

89:3 This quatrain is also found in Three Middle-Irish Homilies, p. 102, in Félire Oengusso, p. ci, and in Goidelica, p. 163. Instead of cóic fichet déc read cóic cét déac. Déac having become a monosyllable, cét was changed into fichet to make up the seven syllables.