The Song of Carroll's Sword

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

Oft hast thou gone a-raiding in the hands of kings of great judgments,
Oft hast 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 hast thou been among kings, oft among great bands.

Many were the 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 wast thou in a strait, 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 to 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 Allen 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 Allen's high-king,
With Murigan of mighty deeds thou never wast 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 Odba of the
Foreigners,
When thou leftest Aed Finnliath on his back in the battle of Odba 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 Dun Ochtair,
When Aed the fierce and brilliant fell upon the hillside above Leafin.

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

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

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

Thou never hadst a day of defeat with Carroll of the beautiful garths.
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 Finn of the feasts is they will hail thee with 'welcome.'