Kuno Meyer

Ancient Irish Poetry

Ed. from Ms. Rawl. B. 487, in the Bodleian Library

The Cath Finntrága Or Battle of Ventry

Being a Fragment of an Old-Irish Treatise on the Psalter ... Containing Extracts hitherto unpublished from Ms. Rawbinson, B. 512 in the Bodleian Library

Hibernica minora

Fianaigecht

The Triads of Ireland

Miscellany Presented to Kuno Meyer by Some of His Friends and Pupils on the Occasion of His Appointment to the Chair of Celtic Philology in the University of Berlin

Richard Irvine Best

Osborn Bergin

James George O'Keeffe

Anecdota from Irish Manuscripts

Battle of Ventry

The Cath Finntrága or

John Strachan

Founded as the Journal of the School of Irish Learning Devoted to Irish Philology and Literature

Ériu

being a fragment of an old-Irish treatise on the Psalter

Contributions to Irish Lexicography

Tecosca Cormaic

The Vision of Mac Conglinne

Anecdota from Irish manuscripts

An Old-Irish Poem on the Hill of Alenn

Hail Brigit

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Cath Finntrága Or Battle of Ventry: Ed. From Ms. Rawl. B. 487, in the Bodleian Library, Part 4

Bran mac Febail embarks upon a quest to the Other World. One day while Bran is walking, he hears beautiful music, so beautiful, in fact, that it lulls him to sleep. Upon awakening, he sees a beautiful silver branch in front of him. He returns to his royal house, and while his company is there, an Otherworld woman appears, and sings to him a poem about the land where the branch had grown. In this Otherworld, it is always summer, there is no want of food or water, and no sickness or despair ever touches the perfect people. She tells Bran to voyage to the Land of Women across the sea, and the next day he gathers a company of men to do so. After two days, he sees a man on a chariot speeding towards him. The man is Manannan mac Lir, and he tells Bran that he is not sailing upon the ocean, but upon a flowery plain. He also reveals to Bran that there are many men riding in chariots, but that they are invisible. He tells Bran of how he is to beget his son in Ireland, and that his son will become a great warrior. Bran leaves Manannan mac Lir, and comes to the Isle of Joy. All the people upon the Isle of Joy laugh and stare at him, but will not answer his calls. When Bran sends a man ashore to see what the matter is, the man starts to laugh and gape just like the others. Bran leaves him and sails farther. He then reaches the Land of Women, but is hesitant to go ashore. However, the leader of the women throws a magical clew (ball of yarn) at him which sticks to his hand. She then pulls the boat to shore, and each man pairs off with a woman, Bran with the leader. For what seems to be one year, although it is in actuality many more, the men feast happily in the Land of Women until Nechtan Mac Collbran feels homesickness stir within him. The leader of the women is reluctant to let them go, and warns them not to step upon the shores of Ireland. Bran and his company sail back to Ireland. The people that have gathered on the shores to meet him do not recognize his name except in their legends. Nechtan Mac Collbran, upset, jumps off the boat onto the land. Immediately, Nechtan Mac Collbran turns to ashes. Bran and his company relate the rest of their story to the Irish, and then sail across the sea, never to be seen again.

The Voyage of Bran Son of Febal to the Land of the Living

Kuno Meyer

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