3 - Félire Adamnáin
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2021
Summary
Félire Adamnáin, since it was first regarded by Hennig as an Old Irish counterpart of the Menologium, has sometimes been compared with the poem, although as I have discussed above, the two seem to have little in common. I include it here in an appendix since neither its text nor English translation is readily accessible, which may have hindered due comparison. The following text and English translation are both based on M. E. Byrne's published in Eriu 1 (1904), pp. 225–8, with some changes in the overall layout.
Incipit feleire Adamnain dia mathair hic.
1 Noimh nac ceithre raithe dutracht lim a nguidhe
Romsaerat ar phiana noimh na bliadhna huile.
2 Naoimh ind erraigh errdairc lim do deoin Dé daltait
Im Brighit noigh niodhaim im Grighair im Pattraicc.
3 Naimh int samraidh tirim impa ata mo baile
On tírsa co tíssa co hÍssa mac Maire.
4 Naimh ind foghmair álainn ailim drong nad dichéol
Co tísat im gaire im Maire is im Michéol.
5 Naimh in geimridh guidim lium fri drongu demhna
Im Iosa na nionat in spirat naemh nemhdha.
6 In feilire naemhsa bias ag sruithibh sáeraibh
Cipsa lia do randaib nocha lia do naemhaibh.
7 A itcim naoim in talman aitchim aingle ile
A itchim Dia fodeine fo eirge is fo lighe
Cia denar cia therar co trebhar tir nimhe.
Here begins the Saints’ Calendar of Adamnan to his mother.
1 The saints of the four seasons, I long to pray to them, may they save me from torments, the saints of the whole year!
2 The saints of the glorious spring-time, may they be with me by the will of God's fosterling, together with Brigid, a maiden pure, with Gregory and Patrick.
3 The saints of the dry summer, about them is my poetic frenzy, that I may come from this land to Jesus, Son of Mary.
4 The saints of the beauteous autumn, — I call upon a company not inharmonious, that they may come near me, together with Mary and Michael.
5 The saints of the winter I pray to, may they be with me against the throngs of demons, around Jesus of the mansions, the holy, heavenly spirit.
6 This saints’ calendar [i.e., the calendar of Oengus], which noble sages will have, though more numerous in verses, it is not more numerous in saints.
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- The Old English Metrical Calendar (Menologium) , pp. 154 - 155Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2015