Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre,[161]
Though great be thy trouble and pain,
I grudge thee not all thou hast suffered,
Although it be painful to tell.
I grudge not though thy ragged locks
Be searched by the winds from the glens.
I grudge thee not that thou art bound,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre;
Pity the thought e’er filled men’s breasts,
That thy friendship was not hatred;
Pity, alas! thou turn’dst not back,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre;
Thou hast the King of Isla slain,
Who freely gave his wine and money,
Him of the soft and flowing locks,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre;
Isla, king of well filled horns,
Who with his friends so kindly dealt;
Alas! who gashed his soft white skin,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre!
Beloved was that liberal hand,
Which never grudged his gold or silver,
And which in feast or hunt was first,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre.
It is my prayer to th’ Apostles’ King,
He who preserves by His great power,
That He from pain may him e’er keep,
Thou head of Diarmad O’Cairbre.
Thou head.
[160] Of the author of this fragment we have no tradition. All we learn
here is that he was a Knoydart man, that mountainous region lying
between Loch Hourn and Morar, on the west coast of Inverness-shire,
till lately possessed by the Macdonells of Glengarry.
[161] In a transcript of a MS. history of the Macdonalds, published
in the Transactions of the Iona Club, it is said that Angus Og of
Isla, or of the Isles, who fought against his father in the battle
of the Bloody Bay, was assassinated by Art O’Carby, an Irish harper,
instigated by M’Kenzie, whose daughter had captivated the impressible
musician. In the Irish annals this harper is called Diarmad. This lay
seems to commemorate the event by commemorating the punishment of the
assassin, which was inflicted by drawing him between horses. The lines
being composed shortly after the event, which took place about the year
1490, and being taken down by the Dean, are sufficient evidence of the
historical accuracy of the statement.