Brian Boru, Defeater of the Danes - Song in Middle Irish | The Skaldic Bard

Time for something a little different! This is a song I wrote and performed in Middle Irish with reconstructed pronunciation, based on the mediaeval text Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib, “The War of the Irish with the Foreigners”, describing how the Danish invasions of Ivar the Boneless and his descendents were put to an end by the Dalcassians (Irish Dál Cais), which was the dynasty of the High King Brian Boru. He and his family led the charge against the Danes, culminating in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Both he and his glorious warrior son, Murchad mic Briain, died either in the battle itself or events surrounding the battle, but they won the war and freed Ireland from Viking tyranny.

I myself am pretty much entirely Irish, and I am proud to be a descendent of the Úa Dálaigh bardic family. Given the family history, I’d like to make more Irish stuff in the future. I hope I can do my ancestors justice in the modern day, even just a tad.

I hope you enjoy. If you would like to support my work and see more, please subscribe and leave a comment. If you would like to help me make more songs in a range of languages, please leave your suggestions and consider supporting me at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theskald.... Thanks!

My intention is exclusively to teach history and languages through song. I do not condone, endorse or seek to glorify violence.

Follow me on Spotify (The Skaldic Bard): https://open.spotify.com/artist/7E7Qq...

If you'd like to support my work, you can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theskald.... Thank you for your kindness.

Please do not redistribute my work without permission. Feel free to email me with any inquiries!

Lyrics:
Tánic rí longes adbal clainni Ímair innÁṫ Clíaṫ, ro hinred urmor Erend!
Ropaḋ neṁni olc da ffúair Eire i naṫfegaḋ uilc na feḋna sin.

Ro sccaoílset a scrine ocus a mionna ocus a liubra ocus a neiṁeḋa!
Mór in scél a Dé do nim, a beiṫ ic muintir Erenn!

Brian Bóruma, Ardrí Gaíḋel Erenn!
Ní rabi cara do Gallaib acci eter!
Is maiṫ ċosnaiḋ a Briain do báid!
Sursan ríg do rígni fáilid! Dursan rí forsan maig!

Bai imorro arali ciniud suairc sairclannṫa soċeneóil ségaind in nErind,
naro odaim ecomnert na anforran ó ciniud ele is in domun ríam.

Cid dna aċt, ní ba míad menman, maċtain dóeri docair ó Danaraib.
Ro gab Brian ic fogail ocus ic friṫireċt for Gallaib fo cetóir.

Brian Bóruma, Ardrí Gaíḋel Erenn!
Ní rabi cara do Gallaib acci eter!
Is maiṫ ċosnaiḋ a Briain do báid!
Sursan ríg do rígni fáilid! Dursan rí forsan maig!

Ocus ro ferad caṫ fíċda fuleach, ocus ro gab caċ ar leód ocus letrad.
Ba comrac da cómcruaid, ocus comaculuim da contrárda in óen inad sein.

Ocus ni suáil in ni ris ba samaltá, ocus nir bec in ni dar ba comċasmaill
torandcles taile, talċar, tinnensaċ na muintiri sin leṫ ar leṫ.

Brian Bóruma, Ardrí Gaíḋel Erenn!
Ní rabi cara do Gallaib acci eter!
Is maiṫ ċosnaiḋ a Briain do báid!
Sursan ríg do rígni fáilid! Dursan rí forsan maig!

Ro comraicset caṫ dolig díulaind in dámraid na nDanmargaċ
ocus gamanraiḋ galaċ gnímaċ, rígda Dálcais in óen inad.

Imtúsa Murċaid mic Briain, in rígmilid. Rob é sin intErcoil totaċtaċ tanasi
im soċar ocus im sairi a atarda. Tánic ma caṫ na nallmaraċ!

Ro gábside a da claidium croda comnerta claidium ina deis, ocus claidium ina clé,
Is é duni dédenaċ irrabi comlond cet in Erind é!

Batar ar in linisen, ocus ar in nimbualad íat, ó tráth ergi co iarnóin.
Á Dáil Cais is calma sin! It becca fir ifair fáil!

Ro maid roen ro madma ar Gallaib. Ro ṫeċsetar isin fargi.
Tuc Gall tadall do Murċad ocus ni ro marb in adaich sin itir, cor ċaiṫ corp Crist.

Brian Bóruma, Ardrí Gaíḋel Erenn!
Ní rabi cara do Gallaib acci eter!
Is maiṫ ċosnaiḋ a Briain do báid!
Sursan ríg do rígni fáilid! Dursan rí forsan maig!

Brian mic Cinnéittiġ, Ardrí Erenn!
Is é ro bris cuicc caṫa ficet for Gallaib!
Noċa dernaḋ íar ccreideiṁ in nErinn
aongníoṁ buḋ mó ina sin.

Follow me on Spotify (The Skaldic Bard): https://open.spotify.com/artist/7E7Qq...

If you'd like to support my work, you can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theskald.... Thank you for your kindness.

Please do not redistribute my work without permission. Feel free to email me with any inquiries!