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Lorc​á​n Mac Math​ú​na, Barnaby Brown - Clontarf

from Oran Bagraidh by Various

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about

(Irish Gaelic) 12th Century

This vivid description of battle was taken from a 12th Century Irish manuscript the Cogadh Gael re Gallaibh (the war of the Irish and the Foreigners). On Good Friday 1014, just outside Dublin city, a confederation of Norse and Irish warriors faced the Southern Irish King Brian Borumha.

Taking part in the battle were Irish; Norse from Scotland, Orkney, Iceland, Mann, York, France, and Norway. On the other side Irish, Scottish and Danes.

The song opens with a challenge from a Norwegian prince to a Scottish chief. He calls out in a language similar to Old-English "Faras Domhnall" (where is Domhnall). The battle commences with a single combat between the two great champions, Plait and Domhnail, in the no-man's land between the shield lines of gleaming warriors. They are found the next morning, both with “the hair of the other in his left fist, and in his right fist his sword thrust through the heart of the other”.

lyrics

Is ansin, tanic Plait,
a cath na lureach amach, ocus abert fo trí,
“faras Domhnall” “faras Domhnall” “faras Domhnall”
Ro chomhreicsetar iaramh, ocus ro gabh cach dib ac airleach
ocus athchuma a cheile a ccédoir.
Cidh tra acht itrocratar comtuitim re chéile,
ocus isamhlaid ro frith iad ar na mhárach ocus folt cechtair de i ndorn araile,
ocus a cclaidhme tre chroidhibh a chéile.

Ocus ro siacht cach ilocan a cele dib
ocus ro turmed blod beim bailc,
bodba, barbarda, don cathi cend araele.

In tan nach tibred duni don da cath,
achni ar celi cidé a mac no a brathair
Ro cenglait ocus ro cuibrigit
a ngae os a cennaibh da foltaib faidib,
arna tescod
do claidmib colgdirgib, ocus do tuagaib,
taidleachaib.

Ro eirig ém, badb; díscir, dian, denmnetach,
dásachtach, dúr, duabrech,
detcengtach, cruaid, croda, cosaitech, co barr oc screchaid
ar luamain os a cennaib.

Ro eirgetar am bananaig, ocus boccanaig, ocus geliti glinni, ocus amati adgaill, ocus siabra, ocus seneoin


English translation
Plait came forth from the battalion of the men in armour and said three times
“Faras Domhnall” “Faras Domhnall” “Faras Domhnall”
"They fought then, and attacked each other, and endeavoured each to slaughter
and mangle the other.
And they fell slain by each other,
and they were found in the morning thus — the hair of each in the fist of the other,
and the sword of each through the heart of the other."

And each of them has come within the grasp of the other
and the battalions made a furious, barbarous, smashing onset on each other

Not one person of the two hosts could recognise another, though it might be his son or his brother. Our spears over our heads had become clogged and bound with long locks of hair, when cut away by well-aimed swords, and gleaming axes.

And there arose a wild, impetuous, precipitate, furious, dark, frightful, voracious, merciless, combative, contentious, vulture, screaming and fluttering over their heads.

And there arose also the satyrs, and the idiots, and the maniacs of the valleys, and the witches, and the goblins, and the ancient birds

credits

from Oran Bagraidh, track released February 2, 2019
Lorcán Mac Mathúna: voice
Barnaby Brown: triplepipes

Words traditional
Melody by Lorcán Mac Mathúna

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Knockengorroch musics Dumfries and Galloway, UK

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