Preface
the present time, keeping, however, as close as possible to the sense and form of the Irish. Thus, while no attempt has been made to introduce the internal rhymes which are a peculiar feature of Irish verse, artifices like the Irish ones are sometimes used to produce the same effect; e.g. the echoing verses 5 and 6 in the lament marked VII correspond to similar echoes in the verses used in the original. To simplify difficulties in the pronunciation of Irish proper names and surnames, the surnames have, as far as possible, been translated, and a list of the proper names with approximate pronunciation is prefixed. In the case of names which occur pretty often I have slightly altered the spelling—thus Maev (pronounced Mayv) is written for Medb, Alill for Ailill, Eman (pronounced Aymen) for Emain, Croghan (pronounced Crowhan) for Cruachan, and Cualgne (pronounced Kell-ny) for Cuailnge. Perhaps attention should be called to the fact that Fiannamail is to be pronounced as Fee-an-ool; and, although I feel that I ought to apologise to Irish scholars for doing so, I have given an approximate pronunciation of Cá-ha for Cathach, and have left out any indication of the final guttural. I have also thought it right to follow Sir Samuel Ferguson in scanning the word "Tain" in the title of the poem Tain bo Cuailgne as rhyming with pain—not with the modern pronunciation of "taw-in."
I must here once for all acknowledge my indebtedness
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