

#Orgain Néill Noígiallaig


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#### Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition


### Background details and bibliographic information


Orgain Néill Noígiallaig
========================


Author: Unknown
---------------


### File Description

Kuno MeyerElectronic edition compiled by Beatrix Färber, Fangzhe Terek Qiu

Funded by University College, Cork, School of History 1. First draft.Extent of text: 2568 words#### Publication


CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a Department of History project at University College, Cork  
College Road, Cork, Ireland—http://www.ucc.ie/celt

 (2014) Distributed by CELT online at University College, Cork, Ireland.  
Text ID Number: G302003Availability 
Available with prior consent of the CELT programme for purposes of academic research and teaching only.


#### Sources


**Manuscript Source**2. London, British Library, Rawlinson B 502, 47a1–47a2.
3. Dublin, Trinity College Library, H 2.16, Yellow Book of Lecan, p. 126b. For details see MS , T. K. Abbott and E. J. Gwynn (eds.), Catalogue of the Irish manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (Dublin 1921). See also Robert Atkinson (ed.), The Yellow Book of Lecan: a collection of pieces (prose and verse) in the Irish language, in part compiled at the end of the fourteenth century (Collotype facsimile with introduction, analysis of contents, and index) (Dublin 1896).
4. Book of Ballymote, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 536, 449?485 (olim 23 P 12, Book of Ballymote) 134b. For details see Kathleen Mulchrone (ed.), Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Royal Irish Academy, fasc. 13. See also Robert Atkinson (ed.), The Book of Ballymote, a collection of pieces, prose and verse, in the Irish language in part compiled in the fifteenth century, published from the original manuscript, by the Royal Irish Academy with an Introduction, Analysis of contents and Index (Dublin 1887).
**Editions, translations and literature**2. Kuno Meyer, Festschrift für Whitley Stokes zum siebzigsten Geburtstage am 28. Februar 1900 (...) (Leipzig: Harrassowitz 1900); poem edited from YBL. (Available online at CELT in file G100053).
3. Kuno Meyer, reprint of above poem with English translation, Gaelic Journal 10 (1900) 578.
**The edition used in the digital edition**2. **Kuno Meyer**, Stories and songs from Irish manuscripts, V: Orgain Néill Noígiallaig in Otia Merseiana. volume 2, London, Th. Wohlleben (1900–1901) page 84–92: 84–88

### Encoding


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CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts


#### Editorial Declaration


##### Correction


Text has been checked and proof-read twice.


##### Normalization


The electronic text represents the edited text. Meyer's introduction is integrated. Names are capitalized in line with CELT practice. In Meyer's edition, the acute accent and macron are used to mark long vowels. Both are retained. Meyer's corrections are marked corr sic="" resp="KM". Text supplied by him is marked sup resp="KM"; editorial expansions are marked ex. Editorial footnotes are integrated into the electronic edition.


##### Quotation


Direct speech is marked q.


##### Hyphenation


Soft hyphens are silently removed. When a hyphenated word (hard or soft) crosses a page-break, this break is marked after completion of the hyphenated word.


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div0=the whole text; p=the editor's paragraph; page-breaks are marked pb n="".


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#### Canonical References


This text uses the P element to represent the paragraph. ### Profile Description


Created: Date range: 800–1100 (poem 9th century; prose later).#### Use of language


##### Language: [GA] The text is in Old Irish.


##### Language: [EN] The Introduction is in English.


##### Language: [LA] A few formulaic words are in Latin.


### Revision History


* (2014-07-23) Beatrix Färber (ed.)

* Header created, German introduction added, proofed (1), and encoded; whole file and footnotes proofed (3); file parsed; SGML and HTML files created.
* (2014-07) Fangzhe Terek Qiu (ed.)

* Corrections and footnotes added, expansions tagged.
* (2014-02-21) Beatrix Färber (ed.)

* Encoding updated and converted to XML.
* (1996-07-23) Students of the CURIA Project (ed.)

* File proofed (1, 2); some structural markup added.
* (1996) Students of the CURIA Project (data capture)

* File scanned.




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#### Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition: G302003


### Orgain Néill Noígiallaig: Author: Unknown


### List of witnesses


* **L**: Yellow Book of Lecan
* **B**: Book of Ballymote




---

p.84


### How King Niall of the Nine Hostages was slain


The following version of the Orgain Néill Noígíallaig or The Slaying of Niall of the Nine Hostages is here published and translated for the first time from the Bodleian MS. Rawlinson B 502, 47a1–47a2. Other versions representing a slightly different redaction of the same tale are to be found in the Yellow Book of Lecan, p. 126b (L), and in the Book of Ballymote, p. 134b (B). I quote their variants wherever they throw light on our text.


According to the Annals, Niall, the eponymus of the Húi Néill, was King of Ireland from A.D. 379–405. It is probable that the account given in our tale of his expedition to Alba contains a reminiscence of Irish invasions of Great Britain at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth century. O'Donovan, indeed ( AFM p. 127, note 2) has no hesitation in identifying Niall with the Irish leader against whose attacks Stilicho had to defend himself; and perhaps the statement of the Annals that Niall was slain ‘oc muir n-Icht’, ‘by the sea of Wight,’ i.e. the English Channel, is based upon fact. Similarly, the antiquary Cinaed úa Artacáin, who died in 975, says in his poem on the grave of Niall:
*Niall mac Echach assa lecht / luid fa shecht clar trethan tricc, / 
roreraig comarbus Cuind / co ngáet ós muing mara Icht. Niall, son of Eochu, whose is this grave, went seven times across the swift sea, / He ruled Conn's heritage until he was slain upon the crest of the sea of Wight.’’*

Book of Leinster, p. 154a






---

p.85


None of the three versions of our tale retains this old tradition; they are based on a number of different traditions in which later conditions are reflected. It is true, the mention of Roman hostages may perhaps be traced to an original account in which Niall's conflicts with the Romans in Britain were described, but in Britain itself our versions substitute the Saxons for the Romans. Similarly, the curious reference to the Picts — ‘among the bards of the Pictfolk,’ paragraph 1.9. — may contain a reminiscence of the time when the Irish were the allies of the Picts in their raids against Romans and Britons. But all three versions contain startling anachronisms. Thus, the Rawlinson version makes the exiled Echu proceed to Erc, son of Munremor, in Scotland. This was the ancestor of the Dalriadic kings of Scotland, who according to the Annals died in A. D. 474. In the Book of Ballymote his son Loarn, the Loernus of Adamnan, the eponymus of the Lornes, takes his place, while in the Yellow Book the anachronism is still greater, for it substitutes Gabran, the son of Domongart, who died in A. D. 560.


With regard to Niall's epithet ‘of the Nine Hostages,’ it is interesting to observe that the account given in the body of the tale does not tally with that of the verse quoted, which latter is no doubt the older and in all probability the true one.


Though the Rawlinson version is hardly earlier than the eleventh century, the poem on Niall's death with which it ends may be safely ascribed to the beginning of the ninth, as I have shown in the Festschrift für Whitley Stokes, p. 2, where the whole poem is edited from the fuller copy in the Yellow Book.




---

p.85


Orcguin Néill Noígíall*aig* m*aic* Echa*ch* Muig*medóin* do láim Echach m*aic* Énnai Censel*aig*, día focheird saigit fair a dúnud Saxan et*ir* barddu Cruthentúaithe hic Carn Fiell.


---

p.86


Fecht n-aill doluid Echu mac Énna ó thig Néill fodes día thír. Addella leis *techt*[1](javascript:footNote('G302003/note001.html')) do thig filed Néill do chuingid biid. Ba sé-*sed*e Laidcenn mac *Baircheda*[2](javascript:footNote('G302003/note002.html')) prímfili Néill. Adcuitecht in gilla im óegedacht lasin filid.Doluid andess afrithissi intí sin Eochu, co roort dúnud[3](javascript:footNote('G302003/note003.html')) ind filed & co romarb a óenmac .i. Leat mac Laidcind. Blía*dan* lán dond fil*id* íarum oc sinnad[4](javascript:footNote('G302003/note004.html')) & oc ainmed Lag*en* & 'coa n-urgairiu co ná roásair fé *ná* h-arbur lethu[5](javascript:footNote('G302003/note005.html')) *ná* duille co cenn mbliad*na*.Doc*u*mlai íarum Níall co Laig*niu* ar slúagud & asb*er*t ná ragad úaidib hi céin bad béo *nó* co tubarta[6](javascript:footNote('G302003/note006.html')) dó Echuid i ngill[7](javascript:footNote('G302003/note007.html')) & hi ngíallacht.[8](javascript:footNote('G302003/note008.html')) Ocus ba s*ed* són ba hécen. Co tucad sé co hÁth Fadat hi Fothartaib Fea for brú Sláine,[9](javascript:footNote('G302003/note009.html'))*conda-farcbad* [10](javascript:footNote('G302003/note010.html')) ar chind Néill & slabrad 'moa brágit & eithre na slabraidi [11](javascript:footNote('G302003/note011.html')) tría choirthi toll. Atnagat[12](javascript:footNote('G302003/note012.html')) *nói* do chauradaib ina dochum dia marbad. ‘Fé ón im*morro*!’, ar Eoch*u*. ‘Is olcc amein!’. La sodain focheird chor de co róemid in tslabrad i n-dé. Ethaid[13](javascript:footNote('G302003/note013.html')) in luirg n-íairn ro bæ triasin slabraid & gaibthi 'na n-agid. 'M*us*simber[14](javascript:footNote('G302003/note014.html')) tra forthu in luirg, co torchratar a *nónbur*. Soidit[15](javascript:footNote('G302003/note015.html')) ind fir ríam asin[16](javascript:footNote('G302003/note016.html')) taulaig. Imsóat[17](javascript:footNote('G302003/note017.html')) Lagin ina ndíaid. Focherdat a n-ár, co torchratar.Luid Níall íar sin atherruch fodes co ro*acht* Innsi Fáil. ‘Do-b*ér*thar slán di[18](javascript:footNote('G302003/note018.html')) Laignib’, ar Laidcenn, ‘& tóet Eochu co mofaiccedar[19](javascript:footNote('G302003/note019.html')) dún 'moann[20](javascript:footNote('G302003/note020.html')) abaind se, co tomlachtar[21](javascript:footNote('G302003/note021.html')) bó[22](javascript:footNote('G302003/note022.html')) nammá’. ‘A dénam’, ar Eochu. Gataiteir[23](javascript:footNote('G302003/note023.html')) a airm ó Eoch*aid*. Feccaid in fili for mífocclad Lag*en* & Eochada, co rosdílegad[24](javascript:footNote('G302003/note024.html')) ríam. In tan bæ coa mífocclad, doléicce in gilla aurchor don liic caurad ro bæ inna chris dó, co tarla hi laind a étain, co mbæ in chloch hi cobraid a chlocind, conidromarb de intí Laidcenn.[25](javascript:footNote('G302003/note025.html')) Is dé rochet in rann:[26](javascript:footNote('G302003/note026.html'))

> 1. Lia láma láich rofes
>   
> fochres isin sailchedna[27](javascript:footNote('G302003/note027.html'))
>   
> Eochu mac Énna rolá
>   
> for Laidcenn mac Bairceda.
> 




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p.87


Doluid Níall íar n-indriud Lagen *dia chrích*[28](javascript:footNote('G302003/note028.html')) & rodlomad Eochu a Hérind hi céin nobeth Níall i flaith*ius*. Luid Níall [29](javascript:footNote('G302003/note029.html')) conidroacht ríam co tech Heircc maic Ech*ach* Muinremuir.[30](javascript:footNote('G302003/note030.html'))Luid da*no* Níall do saigid[31](javascript:footNote('G302003/note031.html')) ríge co Letha[32](javascript:footNote('G302003/note032.html')) & co hEtail conid aire asrubrad Nóigíallach de .i. cóic géill Hérenn & g*íall* Alban & g*íall* Saxan & g*íall* Bretan & g*íall* Franc. Inde dicitur:

> 1. Mac Echach, ard n-orddan
>   
> Níall nár, núall as gargam,
>   
> gabais ríge rémenn
>   
> Hérenn *ocus* Alban.
> 2. Ethais gíall cach *cóicid*
>   
> fó thír nÉrenn ardda.
>   
> tuc fri réir cen terbba
>   
> cethri géill a hAlba.
> 3. Conid dé bæ dó-som
>   
> hi toraib fían frithach
>   
> fri ríad na ríg rathach
>   
> Níall Nóigiallach nithach.
> 

Ó ráncatar tra Sléibi Elpa, aba mór ar a cind .i. Liguir Slébi hElpa. Atróiset Luiguir co ndesetar impi. A mbátar ann co faccatar óenócclach cuccu. Bratt corccra cóicdíabuil[33](javascript:footNote('G302003/note033.html')) imme. *Dí* sleig cóicrinna ina lámaib. Cúarscíath bilech co mbúaile óir fair. Colgc ndét for a chris. A folt hi sním dar a aiss. ‘Fochen don læch nádgénamar!’[34](javascript:footNote('G302003/note034.html')) ‘Is *ed* doroachtmar’, ol sé. ‘Cid 'moa tóracht?’, ar Níall. ‘Dot acall*aim*[35](javascript:footNote('G302003/note035.html')) ó Rómánchaib’, ar sé. ‘Ocus al-lá sa hi cinn cóicthigeis doticfat a ngéill. Messe lat hi frithgille co tísat’.Atb*er*at araile is co tech Eircc[36](javascript:footNote('G302003/note036.html')) maic Ech*ach* Muinremuir[37](javascript:footNote('G302003/note037.html')) ríg Al*ban* ro dálait[38](javascript:footNote('G302003/note038.html')) a ngéill & is ann ro marbad s*o*m etar barddu Cruithentúaithe[39](javascript:footNote('G302003/note039.html')) ic f*or*cmaise a deilbe dóib. *Nó* comtis ingena Franc no thothlaiged a deilb di f*or*cmaisiu.[40](javascript:footNote('G302003/note040.html'))Dothæt di*du* Hercc a dochum n-airechta.[41](javascript:footNote('G302003/note041.html')) ‘Rag-sa lat’, ar Eochu, ‘do deicsin mo bráthar inna rígsuidiu ar bélaib fer ndomuin’. Ó ráncatar, ‘Is é suut’, ar Ercc.[42](javascript:footNote('G302003/note042.html')) Ro bæ [*gap: illegible/extent: two letters*][43](javascript:footNote('G302003/note043.html')) glenn eturru. Nostrochlann[44](javascript:footNote('G302003/note044.html')) saigit asind fidbaicc[45](javascript:footNote('G302003/note045.html')) cen fis do Ercc, co torchair do oenaurchur. La sodain doslécat Frainc[46](javascript:footNote('G302003/note046.html')) fóna Góedelu



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p.88




co ragbatar[47](javascript:footNote('G302003/note047.html')) fir Alban leó ar *con*nalb*us*.[48](javascript:footNote('G302003/note048.html')) {MS folio 47rb}
 Co tudchatar co Hérind & coland a ríg leó. Et ro mebdatar *secht* catha ríana gnúis íarna écaib.Torna écess do Chíarrugu Lúachra, is hé ro alt[49](javascript:footNote('G302003/note049.html')) *Níall*. Ó ro chúala *immorra* tasc a daltai do marbad, is ann atb*er*t a chomalta .i. Tuirn mac Tornæ:

> 1. In tan no théigmis do dáil
>   
> la mac nEcha*ch* Muigmedáin,
>   
> buididir bad sobairge
>   
> folt bid for cind maic Cairne.
> 


(.i. Cairenn Casdub ingen Sacheill Bailb di Saxan*aib* a m*áthai*r-seom Néill.)

Asbert a muimme:

> 1. A deóit gela, a beóil deirg,
>   
> nád con-tursaig fó chomfeirg,
>   
> a delb am*ail* théthein t*ra*
>   
> tairced Hérind *óclachda*.
> 2. Dath a grúaidi i*n* ca*ch* mí
>   
> díamtar cóire cosmailsi,
>   
> sían, crú *læig* (líth cen on),
>   
> foirccle caille cétamun.
> 3. Am*ail* éisce, am*ail* gréin,
>   
> am*ail* tenndáil taitnem Néill,
>   
> am*ail* draic di thuind cen táir
>   
> Níall mac Echa*ch* Muigmedáin.
> 4. Is ceól sírectach in se
>   
> gol ca*ch* cind la Cíarraige,
>   
> cummaid *chumaid* forn 'nar taig
>   
> do díth Néill húi Muiredaig.
> 5. Ba mór subai, ba mór sáim
>   
> bith hi cóemthecht do daltáin,
>   
> ic mac Ech*ach* nirb ardis
>   
> do dáil in tan no théigmis.
> 

Atberat som im*morro*[50](javascript:footNote('G302003/note050.html')) is *ed* ruc Torna cumaid[51](javascript:footNote('G302003/note051.html')) Néill.[52](javascript:footNote('G302003/note052.html')) La Laigniu im*morro*[53](javascript:footNote('G302003/note053.html')) dorochair in fer sa.[54](javascript:footNote('G302003/note054.html'))Inde d*icitu*r:

> 1. Níall mac Echach, ardd do báig,[55](javascript:footNote('G302003/note055.html'))
>   
> Héiriu *ocus* Albu fó thráig,
>   
> triasngæt saiget Saxan snéid
>   
> ó Eochaid mac Énnai áin.
> 

Aided Néill m*aic* Echach & Laidcind m*aic* Bairc*heda* do láim Ech*ach* m*aic* Énnæ Censel*aig* in sin.









