[FN#92] Spelt Rudraige.

Then rose up the warriors of Ulster, the hold they had conquered to sack; And the folk of Queen Maev and King Ailill followed close on the Ulstermen’s track:  And they took with them captives; for Flidais away from her castle they tore; And the women who dwelt in the castle away to captivity bore: 

And all things therein that were precious they seized on as booty; the gold And the silver they seized, and the treasures amassed by the men of that hold:  The horns, and the goblets for drinking, the vats for the ale, and the keys, The gay robes with all hues that were glowing lay there for the raiders to seize:  And much cattle they took; in that castle were one hundred of milk giving kine; And beside them a seven score oxen; three thousand of sheep and of swine.

Then Flidais went with Fergus, his wedded wife to be;
For thus had Maev and Ailill pronounced their high decree: 
They bade that when from Cualgne to drive the kine they went,
From those who then were wedded should aid for war be sent. 
And thus it fell thereafter:  when Ireland went that Raid,
By milk from cows of Flidais, the lives of all were stayed;
Each seventh day she sent it; and thus fulfilled her vows,
And thus the tale is ended, men tell of Flidais’ Cows.

Then, all that Raid accomplished, with Fergus Flidais dwell
And he of Ulster’s kingdom a part in lordship held: 
He ruled in Mag I Murthemne[FN#92], yea, more than that, he won
The land where once was ruler Cuchulain, Sualtam’s son: 
And by the shore of Bali thereafter Flidais died,
And naught of good for Fergus did Flidais’ death betide: 
For worse was all his household; if Fergus aught desired,
From Flidais’ wealth and bounty came all his soul required.

In the days that followed, when his wife was dead,
Fergus went to Connaught; there his blood was shed: 
There with Maev and Ailill he a while would stay;
Men had made a story, he would learn the lay! 
There he went to cheer him, hearing converse fair: 
Kine beside were promised; home he these would bear: 
So he went to Croghan, ’twas a deadly quest,
There he found his slaughter, death within the west: 
Slain by jealous Ailill, Fergus low was laid: 
Flidais’ tale is ended:  now comes Cualgne’s Raid!

[FN#92] Pronounced Maw Moortemmy

THE DRIVING OF THE CATTLE OF FLIDAIS

LITERAL TRANSLATION

Flidais was the wife of Ailill Finn (the Fair-haired) in the district of Kerry.[FN#93] She loved Fergus the son of Rog on account of the glorious tales about him; and always there went messengers from her to him at the end of each week.

[FN#93] Kerry is the district now called Castlereagh, in the west of the present county of Roscommon.