Lower
Lough Erne Co. Fermanagh by Brent Cassidy

Adam, sole father of mankind, a being whom the
God of hosts fashioned after creating the elements,
was made king. A mystery was seen.
He was propagated complete. After the
creation of stately noble Adam a rib was taken
from his side. Hence was made generous
wise Eve. She was full of vivid merit
without meanness.
I will recount exactly the women folk of the
seed of Adam and fair Eve by teaching them clearly
in lengthy verses to their descendants correctly.
I will recite from them to the womenfolk (That
will be a barbic work in which poetry will be
diversified) relating their children and husbands
in easy quatrains with elegance.
It has never fitted in poetic letters or in
voluminous orations that the list of women of
the populous world should be poured forth in
streams of poetry. As none ever did before
me quatrains shall be recited to the free-born
throng. Valour in adventure has been commenorated.
It will begin at Adam the sole father.
Adam, Seth, pious Sili and Cain were the four
first men who propagated multitudes. Eve,
Olla, Pib and Pithib (women of power in the
eternal world) bore the beautiful race:
prosperous before the Flood and mesirable afterwards.
Eve was the only wife of mighty Adam.
Olla was spouse of blameless Seth. Pib
was the name of the wife of guilty Cain.
She did not avoid evil. Pithib was wife
of Sili of the profits. Whiter than foam
was her body.
I know Catafolofia the fair wife also of Cain
Crook-head. She was a cause of jealousy.
Bright was the paramour; transient was the torment
of the couch. Noeua cut from the ancient
green-topped tree and wove the thread without
deceit.
Ambia was daughter of wicked Cain from whom
was yonder monstrous brood. Percoba was
wife of shame-faced Noah. She was poor
without murmer or complaint. Though she
was mild she had power with her gentle husband.
Her children were weary with lamenting her.
Olla was the blooming womanly spouse of Shem.
Ham's wife was Olivan from Asia. Jafeth's
consor was Olivane who did not conquer death.
Her own husband slew her at the wells:
a worthless woman who was quick of wit.
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Detail
on cross at Devenish Island, probably
from the 16th Century
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Belait was the brilliant daughter of Latin and
wife of fair Fenias Farsaid. Nel of the
infants was their son. He was father of
pleasant Gaedel. The death of Belait from
the sun's heat in the glen is known in poetry.
Scotta, daughter of famous Pharaoh, was wife
of Nel and mother of Gaedel Glas from whom sprang
the race of pure Gaels, guests from over the
shapely crest of the sea, and the Scots from
lovely Scotta. She was not timid or weak
before her overthrow.
Cesair the blooming daughter of Beth was wife
of long-lived Fintan son of Bochra, Bith and
Ladru (who were no scholars) came into the heart
of Ireland once with fifty women, a miserable
company, before the tempestuous transparent
Flood.
The gentle womenfolk of memorable Partholon
were Cichbun, Cermnat, modest Nerbgind, Iafa
and Edgnat the wealthy multitude. They
were not poor without a portion. The yellow-haired
band, their children and their company died
of plague. Cemeteries were formed from
the sleeping sickness and from their tombs in
the midst.
Eva, Cera, laudable Medar, gentle Macha, a lovable
company like to assured peaceful rest, were
the womenkind of Nemed the strong. Cera
was in Connaught of the covenant and Eva in
righteous Tir Caipre.
Liber, Libist, discreet Cnuha, fair Etar, Fuat
(a prompt band) were five queens of the populous
FIr Bolg. Their order was long remembered.
From Cnucha is named the cairn (an appropriate
name) on the strong mound. Fuat was the
daring and acute spouse of Slane. Etar
of enduring energy was with Gand. Libist
(who followed not) was with Sengand, and Cnucha
was consort of bright Genand. Liber, a
bright champion of feasts, was wife of huge
and ruddy Rudraige. The giant got possession
of a third of the perfect surface by his own
exploits.
I may not forget the fair women of the Tuatha
De Danand: Eriu, Fotla and ardent Banba,
(a famous throng. Clear voice of achievement).
Three fair daughters of Fiachra, bright women
of spirited speech. Fierce Eriu was Cetar's
consort. Fotla's Huband, Detar, was no
slacker. Etar's wife by his profitable
proclamation was also named sweet Banba.
[They loved Grian and Coll and Cecht because
of the cairn they set above the pool].
Cermat's race were destroyed (a victorious deed)
by the Milesian kings.
Nemain, Danand, Bodb and Macha, Morrigu who
brings victory, impetuous and swift Etain, Be
Chuilli of the north country, were the sorceresses
of the Tuatha De. It is I who of them
with severity.
Etgen was the good wife of defenceless Dui,
father-in-law of stately Magmoir. The
wife of Eochu (loud was his shout) was Tailtiu
who cut down the wood, [From her is named greed-sloped
Tailtiu of the prosperous united assemblies]
in Caille Cuan. She cut over a hundred
axes: a road for armies.
[Feada was the real name of] noble Ethne who
was wife of strong stout Cain, and mother of
Lug the impetuous superman, and daughter of
swift smiting Balor son of Dod son of mighty
Net a greater man than pleasant Hector.
[From him is famed the cairn at Ath Feindead
because he fought a duel].
Tlachtga, daugther of fat Mog Ruith was the
mighty wife of the son of Simon of the jewels.
From her, because of the martyr she slew, is
named the hill of the flocks. Midir slew
Fuamnach with violence. Her jealousy was
cruel to herself and Etain.
Englec was the renowned daughter of Elemar.
Ogniad was daughter of good Midir.
Bri Bruachbrec was his other daughter who did
not prepare open treachery. Pleasant Englec
who did not spoil eloquence, was mother of the
swift son of the Dagda.
Echtgi the loathsome (it was a spiteful story)
was daughter of the noble Dagda. Boand,
whose wounds spouted forht in the lands of Conn,
was wife of Nechtan. [Rivers are seen
in famous mag Breg in the wise and wonderful
and vast land]. Nechtain was son of busy
Labrad Lesbric, a strong man, quick in battle
heroic and fierce.
Da Chaech was daugther of crooked Ceochuir the
cunning, of the white knee of the withes.
The daughter of Genand son of Trian T. was gentle
Clidna of the rough painful strand. Her
name is on the roaring wave called boldly after
her agony.
Honour destroyed the good and great wives of
the Milesians of the chequered world, for it
was a perfect action which was heard reported.
It is right to enumerate them quickly:
[sing first the chaste spirit without which
the ingenious deeds were not performed] Scotta,
Scéna, hard gloony Fas, Delsairi, Tea who was
no weakling, Fial wife of Lugaid the great son
of Ith; all are long remembered in the land.
Odba and Dil, two daughters of Mil are numbered
among his seed first of all.
Herimon, Eber, noble Ir, Amargin, Colptha, stern
Dond, Lugaid son of Ith son of Bregon:
their honor is without reproach of diminution.
From them (no deformity and bend) are the race
of the heroes however remote. [from every
country their complement settled down, from
them descend the Gaels of the hostages].
Mighty Erimon had two spouses: Odba and
Tea of Tara who was liberal [Tara was the faultless
eminence, the bright fort of the rath of divisions].
Tea was mother of cold Irial the wise one of
yonder numerous strong host: Irial the
prophet who loathed Eber, most generous prince,
a noble who was not weak. Erimon had three
sons by Odba: one was Mummi, greatly respected,
and two who agreed without dispute, Lugni and
Lagni of the lis. The white-surfaced hillock
to the south bears the name of perfect harmonious
Odba.
Macha Red-mane, daughter of Aed, was nurse of
Ugane of the combats, and wife of urbane Cimbaith
son of Fintan: until death he never avoided
a fight. It was for Emain and Ard Macha
her perilous battlcs were fought, a rough exploit.
She ruled uprightly for seven years.
Noble Rechtaid overthrew her cleverly.
Cesair the shapely daughter of the Frankish
king was consort of Ugaine of the arts, the
father of daughters; Ani and Pasi and hard Muresc,
a goodly treasure. Etline the Dumb of
moulded body, was mother of Lorc and Cobthach
Caol.
The wife of wealthy Lahraid Loingsech (the champion
who burnt Cobthach - a black crime -
) was the king of Fer Morca's daughter, Moriath,
whose father was Scoriath of the paddocks.
She is of Leinster race from a Leinster champion.
Her honour was great in the place.
The children of Fergus Gnai were Maer and Medair,
wives of Etar (shameless woe). Bethech
was daughter of Cremthand of Cuala who well
deserved a great and high lament. [Maer
was mother of Eochu mac Luchta, Medair was the
nurse, judge of poets]. Fergus was the
great son of Ugaine himself, of rude character
and impetuosity.
Margo was the great wife of Ais son of Etar.
Ais was father of Dond of the poems. Ais
was father (with abundant land) of Elta of the
level and eternal plain. Whence was said
"Plain of Elta" when the plague slew
the host.
Etain was wife of Eochu Aireman. Esa was
her daughter, evil were her rites. Her
name is given to a lofty spot, allied by her
crimes to pollution. Mes Buachalla was
Esa's daughter. By her methods mariners
were coarsened.
The mother of Conaire the Great is praised:
Mes Buachulla, a goodly diadem; her father's
grandchild, her mother's sister, descendant
of mighty and most fair Etain. [She was
wife of great Concobar, son of Cathbad:
goldtwisted rim of an expert blade.]
Lifi, daughter of Canand Curcach; her land was
raided to the pool.
Lifi was wife of dusky Deltband the steward
of guileless Conaire, son of Drucht the brutish
foreigner, vomited forth of the red cauldron.
From Lifi is named Liffey of Leinster.
Twenty weaklings incurred her wrath.
Dili, daughter of strong Lugmanrech, was the
brave wife of Telchonn the stern druid.
She shall be certified the daughter of the king
of the men of Falga, quick to promise, brilliant
in satire. The druid's rath (no grief
to him to grow grey) was at the Ford of wicker-work
hurdles of fair appearance.
Tuag, daughter of Connal Collomrach, was reared
by Conaire in innocent wise. Fer [Hi]
took her out of Tara. She was pure and
of chaste behaviour. Though powerful be
the roar of Tuag estuary it took it's name from
the maiden who suffered.
Ruad, the royal daughter of Mane Milscoith son
of Dond Desa, (her complexion was beautiful)
was wife of Aed son of Labrad Lesbrecc.
She was no spiteful stupid woman.
Tethba, daughter of Eochu Aireman, was the steadfast
wife of Noisi [son of] noble Nechtan, [her nariie
was given to the strong land of Teathfa] one
who did not repudiate her. Ettech was
the name of her great nurse. From her
is named Cend Ettig and the church of the holy
faith.
Croind child of Eochu Broad-chest was the wanton
consort of Eochu Feidlech and mother of valiant
Medb of Cruachan, (glorious, perverse, extravagant
and liberal) and the great mother of the Find
Emna who trod the fence of marriage underfoot,
[and of Clothra their sister. She was
wanton.]
