I quote from Standish Hayes O'Grady's translation, in Miss Hull's “Cuchullin Saga.”
Ath Fherdia, which is pronounced and now spelt “Ardee.” It is in Co. Louth, at the southern border of the Plain of Murthemney, which was Cuchulain's territory.
See [p. 126].
In ancient Ireland there were five provinces, Munster being counted as two, or, as some ancient authorities explain it, the High King's territory in Meath and Westmeath being reckoned a separate province.
“Clan” in Gaelic means children or offspring. Clan Calatin=the sons of Calatin.
Together with much that is wild and barbaric in this Irish epic of the “Tain” the reader will be struck by the ideals of courtesy and gentleness which not infrequently come to light in it. It must be remembered that, as Mr. A.H. Leahy points out in his “Heroic Romances of Ireland,” the legend of the Raid of Quelgny is, at the very latest, a century earlier than all other known romances of chivalry, Welsh or Continental. It is found in the “Book of Leinster,” a manuscript of the twelfth century, as well as in other sources, and was doubtless considerably older than the date of its transcription there. “The whole thing,” says Mr. Leahy, “stands at the very beginning of the literature of modern Europe.”
Another instance of the survival of the oath formula recited by the Celtic envoys to Alexander the Great. See [p. 23].
“Rising-out” is the vivid expression used by Irish writers for a clan or territory going on the war-path. “Hosting” is also used in a similar sense.
See [p. 130].
The sword of Fergus was a fairy weapon called the Caladcholg (hard dinter), a name of which Arthur's more famous “Excalibur” is a Latinised corruption.