An Laoidheadair Gaelic na ain spioradail

BISIIOP rARSWKLL. 97
HeveJ hy all oralists anJ recllers of those tales and poemà,
tliat Fùigal was boru in Scotland, and possessed the north
aiul west of the kingdom froni Du?ì deeforward to Stirlin^^^
Duiitreith, Dumbartoìi, and to the Mullqf Kintyre^ which
they defied the Roman legions to eonquer.
The treachery of Cairbir, assisted by the Danes and
Norwegians, (say Cairbni-ruadh^) who bore the sway as
supreme King, weakened the Fingalian army in two
severe actions. These actions are recited in the poems
Latha-'Cath-beinneidinnand Latha-cath, Strath Liaddrum,
{supposed to be Strath Litrim). Eut the finishing strokf^
vvas Cath Gabhra, in Avhich Oscar in absence of hi:^
grandfather, then with a portion of the Fingalian army
stationed in Scotland, was forced to fight Cairbni- riiagh,
with a far inferior force. In this severe conflict, Oscar
and all his brave heroes were killed, save his^uncle Fearadhas
Fili the celebrated Poet, and inimitable Orator.
Previous to these two dreadful baitles, Cath
Mhanuis was fought, in which the one haìj aìidfour
over fell of the Fingalians, and the Norxcegian armxj was
completely annihilated, save a few deserters who were
pardoned by the brave and generous FingaL. Ossian iu
liis hiconic strain gives us the loss on both sidos as undpr.
" Mach mhead 'sa ghabh leinn fein,
Na theich leis a ghrein mu dheas ;
Do Righ Lochìann is da shluagh,
Cha deachaidh duine dhiu uainn as
Luthams'' air onair mo Righ,
Mun deachaidh crioch air a ghreis,
Ceathrar is ceart leath nam Fiajin,
Dh' fhag sinn air an t sliabh mu dheas."
Fergus, on meeting with his aged and venerable fathcr,
on his arrival from Scotland with a reinforcement to re-
lieve his grandson Oscar (but too late) accosts Fergus ia
lyrc verse thus:
Lmis dhomhsa Fhear'ais,
Fhili Fiann fear Eirinn,
Cionnas mar a tharladh,
f ath Gabhra uam bumannnii ?
E