Fallsaoir 's Jorujp ad ¿lí' 's ad géagajb, Cosgairt ad ceart-lar ag daolajb, 25 Belzebub ad stracaó ó ċéjle, A Cerberus 50 rabajr a bújire 'sa béice; A mún sa cac 'sa sgeaċraċ ort a n-éjnfeaċt, An fajd besdir beó na rajb séan ort, 'S go d-turtir ad ballajb o čéjle. As fada rojṁe bí tú a n-galar éaga, 30 g-cuirsd raca na g-cearc ort an tonn taosgaċ; Do rin do corp mallajġće peacajde do sgéaċċan, Do leat do jeatarde air fead na h-Eireann. A dúbairt tú linn ad leabrajb éj¿ig, Gur do cloċa 's do croínn do gnídmsd sléaċta; Act do'n Atair, do'n Mac 's do'n Spiorad Naoṁża. A cojbléir bodajġ, lobża, żrana, Ní besd mé a n-earrajd leat san g-cas so ; Hí ag plé creidiṁ leat atá mé, Act da molab bujt le gujõe ġarrċa. Mallaċt Dé ort 'sa naoṁ-Maċar, Mallaċt na m-bajýtreabaċ 's na n-garlaċ. Mallaċt na lag ort 's na laidin, Mallaċt síol Eaba 'gus Udajṁ ort; Ata súil agam go b-fajciod an lá úd 'Ha d-tabarfajd Djarmajd' marcarżeaċt ard dust, 1 The Jack Ketch of his day. Ar beatadać focair, fočma, láraċ, Le stjorrójpjde majde 's cojléar cnajbe, Ma buailtear smaile ort ġeabajó tú plástaḥ, Jarraim sud air Dhja, gan faid iongan dár luig bean méar na órdóg, na deargnast gob ort, gan bun do ċjnn ag sile agas a gvajċ-file; agas tu ad lusde air leaba aitinn a maoilinn sléibe a m-béal doruis gan comlad; seact mile o aen ċardrioṁ, act cardrsom faolcon, leóżan, agas leopard; agas gan do brat fuain ort act sgaoilteog shadmać do goides tú; do corp do geabas bás leis an m-bolgaċ Franncaċ! Ni beag liom so anojs do rád leat, Mar is buaċall boċt me ta loisgte, cráidte; A's me an fear dorċa, mac Chormajc Uí Dhalajġ.' The last satire, lampoon or burlesque of any note composed in the Irish language, was written in 1713, by Aodagan O'Raigalle (Egan O'Rahilly), a Munster poet, on an industrious farmer and tax-gatherer in Kerry, named Tadhg Dubh O'Croinin [Teige Duff O'Cronin], the ancestor, in the female line, of the Cronins of the Park, near Killarney. In this burlesque, O'Rahilly traces the pedigree of O'Cronin in thirteen generations to the devil!! This outrageous lampoon was intended by its author to ridicule the illiterate plebeian families planted in Ireland by Cromwell, and such of the native Irish as united with them in oppressing the old Irish race who were permitted to live on the lands of their ancestors, in cabins not worth more than thirty shillings per annum. 1 In other copies this line reads : Na ceiligide m’ainim fear dorċa O'Dalajż. 2 For a sketch of the life of Egan O'Rahilly, see The Poets and Poetry of Munster, (second edition) p. 21, Dub. 1850. The copy selected for publication was made by a Munster scribe named Quinlivan, about A. D. 1770, and is the best we remember having ever seen. But the publisher not being altogether satisfied with the correctness of its text, applied to the Council of the Royal Irish Academy, for permission to compare it with any copies which may be in their library; and that body, with the spirit which animates all true Irishmen and lovers of the literature of their country and race, immediately responded to his call, by placing all their MSS. before him for this purpose; and he feels bound to say that, in their collection he found three copies of the poem, in which he found several stanzas not in his own, nor in any other copy he ever met with. Professor Connellan also gave permission to use a very good copy of the poem which he made from one compared and corrected by the famous old schoolmaster and scribe,-Peter O'Connell of Kilrush, who flourished from about 1780 to 1824;-the original of which, is now in the library of Lord George Augusta Hill, of Ballyane House, County of Donegalthus leaving on record for posterity, whatever its fate may be, the best copy of O'Daly's satires extant. It is necessary, however, to inform the reader that we have arranged the different quatrains of the whole satire under proper heads the verses relating to Connacht are first in consecutive order; and next come those of Leinster, of the families of which province our author said but very little. Next comes the portion relating to Ulster, where he seems to have made several journeys; and last of all we have placed the portion relating to Munster-his native province-and where he lost his life by the hand of a Tipperary O'Meagher, to whom the knife and sword were equally familiar. 8, Newcomen Place, North Strand, Dublin, January, 1852. JOHN O'DONOVAN. AENĠUS O’DÁLAJÝ, CCT. Cuid Chonnaċt. sonn. Muintir Fhjodnaċa na mjonn, Nj josajnn aċt dom' ajideojn; Muintir Eolais an újr ċass, 1 Muintir-Fhidhnacha, i.e, the family of Fenagh, or Fidhnacha Muighe-Rein, in the County of Leitrim. These were the O'Rody's or O'Rodachans, who were Comharbas of St. Caillin in the Church of Fidhnach. They are of the same race as the Mac Rannalls. 2 Of relic's (na mionn). The O'Rodachains of Fidhnach, had several remarkable relics in their possession before Cromwell's time, such as bells, sacred standards, and the shrine of St. Caillin, who was the founder and patron of their Church. A very remarkable Bell called Clog-na-righ, i.e., the Bell of the Kings, which belonged to this family, is still preserved. See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J.O'D., A.D. 1244, note 17. An ancient vellum MS. which also belonged to this family, is still preserved near the Church of Fidhnach, and a very ancient copy in the British Museum, and a modern copy on parchment in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. See the Miscellany of the Irish Archæological Society, vol. I. pp. 115, 117, 118, for some account of Tadhg O'Rodachain, or O'Rody, the head of this family in 1688, who had a large collection of Irish Antiquities and Manuscripts. The Coarb and Herenach families of Ireland looked upon themselves as of the rank of gentlemen, and were often remarkable for hospitality. This Thady Roddy of Fidhnach, says of himself in his letter to Lhwyd, written in May 1700. "I Thady Roddy that writes this have written [the pedigrees of] all the familyes of the Milesian race from this present age to Adam, tho' none of the race of Antiquaryes, BUT A GENTLEMAN that has more ancient books of Ireland, and that learned, and understands them as well at least, as any now in Ireland, or any where, all which paines I take for my countryes sake, for my owne satisfaction, and to preserve so noble and singular a monument of honor and antiquity." Ibid, pp. 120, 121. AENGHUS O'DALAIGH, CECINIT. THE PORTION RELATING TO CONNACHT. The family of Fidhnach' of relics," I would not eat but against my will; Muintir Eolais" of the barren soil, Who strip each holly tree.7 For more iuformation on this subject, the reader is referred to Ussher's tract on Corbes, Erenachs, and Termon lands, published in the second number of Vallancey's Collectanea, Colgan's Trias Thaum. p. 630, 631, and Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. II. p. 37, and vol. iv. p. 30. 3 Shrove-tide bread, i.e., pancakes. 4 As it cannot be avoided, i.e., because I had nothing else to get. 5 Muintir-Eolais, i.e., the tribe of Eolas, son of Biobhsach, and twenty-fourth in descent from Conmhac, ancestor of the Conmhaicne of Magh-Rein. After the establishment of hereditary surnames, the chief family of this sept took the surname of Mag Raghnaill, now Magrannell and Reynolds. Their territory comprised the entire of all Magh-Rein, or the southern and level portion of the present County of Leitrim. The late Squire Reynolds, who was murdered at Sheemore, in the County of Leitrim, was the last head of this family. His daughter Mary Anne Reynolds, alias Mac Namara of Lough-scur House, is the only surviving person of his family. Her grandson on becoming of age will take the name of Peyton Reynolds. John Reynolds, Esq, M.P., is of their race, but his pedigree has not yet been traced. 6 Wild garlic, cneam, or cream; is still the living word for wild garlic, or gentian, in Ireland; and in the Highlands of Scotland. 7 Strip each holly tree. The bark of the holly, and also of the elder-tree, was given to children with voracious appetites, "to straiten their guts." This is told of step-mothers in various parts of Ireland. The бarlac Coileanaċ was wont to tell his father that his guts were not yet narrowed enough from the bark, for the quantity of bread he could lick off the flag given him by his step-mother, who used place a thin flag in the centre of the cake which she baked for his breakfast. |