Sword of O'Carroll

O'Carroll's Sword

Hail, sword of Carroll!
Oft has thou been in the great woof of war,
Oft giving battle, beheading high

 princes.

Oft has thou gone a-raiding in the hands of kings of high judgments'
Oft has thou divided the spoil with a good king worthy of thee.

Oft where men of Leinster were hast thou been in a white hand,
Oft has thou been among kings, oft among great bands.

Many were there kings that wielded thee in fight,
Many a shield hast thou cleft in battle,
many a head and chest, many a fair skin.

Forty years without sorrow Enna of the noble hosts had thee,
Never was thou in a straight, but in the hands of a very fierce king.

Enna gave thee-'twas no niggardly gift- to his own son, to Dunling,
For thirty years in his possession, at last thou broughtest ruin on him.

Many a king upon a noble steed possessed
thee unto Dermot the kingly, the fierce:
Sixteen years was the time Dermot had thee.

At the feast of Alenn, Dermot the hardy-born bestowed thee,
Dermot, the noble king, gave thee to the man of Mairg, to Murigan.

Forty years stoutly thou wast in the hand of Alenn's high-king
With Murigan of mighty deeds thou never was a year without battle.

In Wexford Murigan, the king of Vikings, gave thee to Carroll:
While he was upon the yellow earth, Carroll gave thee to none.

Thy bright point was a crimson point in the battle of Odva of the foreigners,
When thou leftest Aed Finnlaith on his back in the battle of Odva of the noble routs.

Crimson was thy edge, it was seen at Belach Moon thou wast proved,
In the valorous battle of Alvy's plain throughout which the fighting raged.

Before thee the goodly host broke on a Thursday at Doon Ochtair,
When Aed the fierce and brilliant fell upon the hillside above Leafin.

Before thee the host broke on the day when Cealleadh was slain,
Flannagan's son, with numbers of troops, in high lofty great Tara.

Before thee they ebbed southward
in the battle of the Boyne of the rough feats,
When Cnogva fell, that lance of valor, at seeing thee, for dread of thee.

Thou wast furious, thou wast not weak, heroic was thy swift force,
When Aillil Frosach of Fal fell in front of the onset.

Thou never had a day of defeat with Carroll
of the beautiful garths (cattle enclosures),
He swore no lying oath, he went not against his word.

Thou never hadst a day of sorrow, many a night thou hadst abroad;
Thou hadst awaiting thee many a king with many a battle.

O sword of the kings of mighty fires, do not fear to be astray!
Thou shalt find thy man of craft, a lord worthy of thee.

Who shall henceforth possess thee, or to whom wilt thou deal ruin?
From the day that Carroll departed, with whom wilt thou be bedded?

Thou shalt not be neglected until thou come to the house of glorious Naas:
Where Fionn (mac Cumhaill) of the feasts is, they will hail thee with 'welcome'."

Finis