Brian Bóromha

Tá naoi gcéad bliain anois ó mhair Brian Bóromha, Ard-rí na hÉireann. Bhí na Danair ag troid le muintir na hÉireann lena linn, agus loiteadar a lán den tír. Bhídís ag dó na mbailte mór agus na n-eaglais, agus ag baint a gcuid talún de na daoine.

It is nine hundred years now since Brian Bóromha, the High King of Ireland, lived. The Danes were fighting with the people of Ireland during his time, and they destroyed a lot of the country. They were burning the great towns and the churches, and taking their land from the people.

Chruinnigh Brian mórán fear le chéile, agus chuir sé ruaig ar na Danair i gCluain Tairbh, le hais Bhaile Átha Cliath, Aoine an Chéasta, sa bhliain 1014. Ach maraíodh é féin an lá céanna, agus maraíodh a mhac agus mac a mhic. Ón lá sin amach níor fhan mórán de na Danair in Éirinn, agus an méid acu a fhan ann cheapadar a suaimhneas, agus rinneadh síocháin eadarthu féin agus muintir na hÉireann.

Brian gathered many men together, and he routed the Danes at Clontarf, beside Dublin, Good Friday, in the year 1014. But he himself was killed the same day, and his son and grandson were killed. From that day out, not many of the Danes stayed in Ireland, and those of them that stayed there they settled down peacefully, and a peace was made between them and the people of Ireland.

Tá daoine in Éirinn fós a deir gur shíolraíodar ó na Danair. Le hurraim do Bhrian tugadh a chorp go hArd Mhacha, agus bhítheas dá thorramh ar feadh dhá lá dhéag; ansin cuireadh é i bpríomheaglais na cathrach úd. Bhí an seanlaoch an tráth úd ocht mbliana agus ceithre fidhid d’aois.

There are people in Ireland still that say that they are descended from the Danes. In respect of Brian, his corpse was brought to Armagh, and he was waked for twelve days; then he was buried in the cathedral of that city. The old hero at that time was eighty eight years of age.

Adapted from: Ua Duinnín, Pádraig. 1908. Aistí Gaeilge, Part 1. M.H. Gill & a Mhac: Baile Átha Cliath.