My brother wants me to get this translated for him into Irish so that he can get it tattoed on his back along with a Celtic Cross. It is commonly known as The Rune of St Patrick. Your help would be greatly appreciated:

THE CRY OF THE DEER

At TARA today in this fateful hour
I place all heaven with its power,
and the sun with its brightness,
and the snow with its whiteness,
and fire with all the strength it hath,
and lightning with its rapid wrath,
and the winds with their swiftness along their path,
and the sea with its deepness,
and the rocks with their steepness,
and the earth with its starkness:
all these I place,
by God's almighty help and grace,
between myself and the powers of darkness.

Thanks
Cecelia

I may have a transaltion of this among my books. I'll check.

However, the original is an 8th century poem, and will be in Old Irish, which has changed a lot. And there are many versions around

See here http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/StPatrick.html for additional info,

I asked Jeeves and was given a host of different links - most only giving the English. But under a link entitled "Via Rosa - Gaelic Gathering" which lead to this prayer in English and Gaelic. I'm not sure if it's Irish or Scottish or if it's perhaps Old Irish. The last part ends in what is probably Latin.
I tried copying the URL and it wouldn't work. I can come back tomorrow and type in the full translations, but I don't have the time right now (It's pretty long.) _ Maybe if someone has the time, they might try the same search.
I asked " Lorica,St. Patrick ".
Le meas,
-Maidhc.

is he particularly attached to saint paddy?

Hey my boyfriend sent me something in gaeilge and i wanted to know if someone could tell me what it means.

Gra a thabhaurt do tusa
Thanks
Linzy

does anyone know how to spell ERIN in gaelic?

erin as in ireland is Éireann, but for a name im not sure.

grá a thabhairt do tusa litreally means "love to give to you" i think he means i love you!

The correct phrase is
"Grá a thabhairt duitse", "duitse" is the correct form of "do tusa". Never mind that though, the message is clear enough ;-)

Thank you Jessica and Jonas for your translation. I'm glad I know what it means now, and that its good.

Erin is not used as a name in Irish!
The form Jessica gave is correct for the country, it is the genitive of Éire

This is the text Maidhc mentioned. It's old Irish.
If Dennis is about he ought to be able to point you to the correct verses.
There is no mention of Tara in this version, and I suspect it was added to the English translation.
I suspect also that what you have is a poem based on this poem, and taking some liberty with it!

Atomriug indiu niurt tréun:
togairm Trindóit
faístin Oendatad,
i nDúlemon dáil.

Atomriug indiu
niurt gene Críst cona bathius,
niurt a chrochtho cona adnacul,
niurt a essérgi cona fhresgabáil,
niurt a thoíniudo fri brithemnas mbrátho.

Atomriug indiu
niurt gráid hiruphin,
i n-aurlataid aingel,
i frestul inna n-archaingel,
i freiscisin esséirgi
ar chiunn fochraicce,
i n-ernaigthib uasalathrach,
i tairchetlaib fáithe,
i preceptaib apstal,
i n-iresaib foísmedach,
i n-enccai noebingen,
i ngnímaib fer firén.

Atomriug indiu
niurt nime,
soilsi gréne,
étrochtai éscai,
áni thened,
déni lóchet,
luaithi gaíthe,
fudomnai mara,
tairismigi thalman,
cobsaidi ailech.

Atomriug indiu
niurt Dé dom luamairecht.
Cumachtae nDé dom chumgabáil,
ciall Dé dom inthús,
rose nDé dom remcisiu,
cluas Dé dom étsecht,
briathar Dé dom erlabrai,
lám Dé dom imdegail,
intech Dé dom remthechtas,
sciath Dé dom imdítin,
sochraite Dé dom anacul
ar intledaib demnae,
ar aslagib dualche,
ar forimthechtaib aicnid,
ar cech duine mídúthrastar dam,
i céin ocus i n-ocus,
i n'uathud ocus i sochaidi.

Tocuiriur etrum indiu inna uili nert-so
fri cech nert n-amnas n-étrocar frista-i dom churp ocus dom anmain,
fri tinchetla sa-ibfh-aithe,
fri dubrechtu gentliuchtae,
fri saíbrechtu heretecdae,
fri imchellacht n-ídlachtae,
fri brichtu ban ocus goban ocus druad,
fri cech fiss arachuille corp ocus anmain duini.

Crist dom imdegail indiu
ar neim, ar loscud, ar bádud, ar guin,
condom-thair ilar fochraicce.
Críst limm, Críst reum,
Críst im degaid,
Críst indium, Críst ísum,
Críst uasum,
Críst desum, Críst tuathum,
Críst i llius, Críst i sius,
Críst i n-erus,
Críst i cridiu cech duini immumrorda,
Críst i ngin cech oín rodom-labrathar,
Críst i cech rusc nonom-dercathar,
Críst i cech cluais rodom-chloathar.

Atomriug indiu niurt tréun:
togairm Trindóit,
cretim Treodatad,
faístin Oendatad,
i nDúlemon dáil.

Domini est salus,
Domini est salus,
Christi est salusñ
salus tua, Domine, sit semper nobiscum.

"The Rune of St. Patrick" "The Lorica of St. Patrick" "The Cry of The Deer".....but what I see from Aonghus is what I know as St. Patrick's Breastplate. I've also heard this referred to as "The Lorica" so no big suprise there, but are the "Rune" and "Cry of the Deer" other terms for the same thing?

Lorica is a corruption of the Irish word liúreach (must check spelling) - breastplate

The Cry of the Deer refers to the legend that when Laoghaire, the High King, sent a troop out to kill Patrick, who was on his way to Tara, Patrick and his monks chanted this prayer, and all the soldiers saw was some Deer.

I've never heard the name "Rune" being used; I'd be surprised because Rune is a Norse term.

Hah. typo above. The word is "lúireach"

Excellent bit of information!

Go raibh mile maith agat, mo chara.

Le meas,

James

This link gives a reference to the text above from a novel by Madeleine L'Engle, using the title "Rune"
http://www.geocities.com/branwaedd/p05.html

see also
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/8838/sept2/msg00022.html


This is a translation by someone called Charles Mangan

If I'm not very much mistaken, Rita Connolly recorded a version of "The Deer's Cry", albeit in English...

Oddly, I just received a package from my wife today and in it was a book of prayers for deployed Catholics in the military. This prayer is listed there under yet another name: "The Warrior's Breastplate."

Many names but still a beautiful prayer in my opinion. I've actually used part of it in my Irish Language study group (currently on hold while I'm away) to illustrate the concept of the prepositional pronoun.

Ard mheas,

James

Maith thú, a Aonghuis,
You beat me back. A few things came up around the home and I hadn't had the chance to come back in the past cupla days.
But that's exactly the translation that I was able to find.
I don't know what Dennis would recommend, But I myself would go for the final two verses. The English translation I have being,

"I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,

Salvation is of Christ the Lord."

Le árd mheas,
-Maidhc.

P.S. The first half of that, "I bind unto....One in Three," is also the very first verse of the poem given. So, actually you'd be using the first and last verses of the poem.
-Maidhc.

... I've actually used part of it in my Irish Language study group (currently on hold while I'm away) to illustrate the concept of the prepositional pronoun.


Is maith an obair í sin a Shéamais. Faigheann siad comhthéacs agus meas ar an litríocht leis an gceacht sin.

Thankyou all very much for your help and detailed knowledge of this poem. My brother's name is Patrick and we are of Irish decent so I guess he feels a connection somehow.

I came across this 8th Century prayer a couple of years ago and was curious about its origins.
I was surprised to see how similar it is to "THE CRY OF THE DEER"

I go forth today
in the might of heaven,
in the brighness of the sun,
in the whiteness of snow,
in the splendour of fire,
in the speed of lightening,
in the swiftness of wind,
in the firmness of rock,
I go forth today
In the hand of God.

I'm interested to see what you guys find out about it and whether it is related to Saint Patrick.

Christina, a chara,
The translation I have of the 4th verse of the above given by Aonghus -

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun's life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep sea salt,
Around the old eternal rocks.

-Maidhc.

Christina
the poem attributed to St Patrick is unlikely to have been written by him. He was 5th Century, the poem is at least 8th and possibly later.

There were strong poetic conventions and rules in Old Irish, so it is not surprising that similar concepts are expressed in similar language.

I don't know the poem you've given: can you tell us anything else about it? I googled briefly for the text, but turned up nothing.

I typed in a simple search for " Lorica, St. Patrick " straight into the internet and got many with the beginnings of, " I rise today...", "I bind myself..., or, "I arise..."
They're all similar and different.
As Aonghus said, Patrick "was 5th Century, the poem is 8th and possibly later." THe poem was probably written by a monk with great devotion towards St. Patrick, but noone really knows the truth of the legend except for those who may or mayn't've been there.
So, choose your favorite version. They all lend their own flavor and beauty.
-Maidhc.

Aonghus agus Maidhc, sorry I can't help you any further,I came across it a couple of years ago by chance and had no information about its origins, but you have confirmed as I expected that it was probably written at a later stage from the original poem. I know St Patrick was fifth century I just hadn't linked my version with the original. Maidhc, thanks for the translation its a good version but I think I'll stick with my original, as it is a favourite.

Fáilte romhat, a Christina,
That's basically my point. Your should keep your favorite. I realy gave the translation to ilustrate that it seems, to me, that most of the shorter versions link themselves to the forth verse of the original(?) because of the ties between God and nature.
Le árd mheas,
-Maidhc.

Would anyone know the English translation for the following? I saw this on a bumper sticker at a local Irish Festival.
"Pog Mo Thoín"

Tom,

Póg mo thóin = Kiss my ass

- Bradford

I've seen shirts with that on the back.
dion

Could someone help me with the english translation for the irish word Armagh. My husband is using it as a prefix to our Morgan Horse Farm. I want to make a sign for Christmas, but would like to add a graphic that relates.

You may be surprised to find that it is two words in the original, Heidi.

Ard Mhacha.

'Ard' is height.

The second element is a genitive and is nowadays lenited, officially and otherwise. Placename (read 'public house') lore attributes it to the pre-historic 'Macha', while the lesser-UFO academia offers 'ground cleared for agriculture'.

As you're into horses you shall like the reason for Macha's cursing the Ulaid with the 'ces noiden'. Read on and you shall see what the 'ces noiden' is all about, as if men didn't have it hard enough when times were hard and men were harder.
http://www.homebirth.ie/celticmythshomebirth.htm

The second photo here is of Eamhain Macha : http://www.mcmahonsofmonaghan.org/legend_ulaid.html

As usual, you may find more info under the anglicised form of the name, Navan Fort.

Go n-éirí an t-ainm ceart libh,

S.

Thanks Seosamh for the information. It was very helpful. Is there a city in Irland by this name? If so, Is there any history behind the city and St. Patrick?

Ard Mhacha is the Irish name for Armagh, of which Patrick is assumes to have been the first bishop. The Primate of All Ireland is still the bishop of Armagh in both the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Ireland (Anglican).