The Song of Amergin

The "Song of Amergin" was written by Amergin, the Milesian Bard who was one of the leaders of the first Gaelic invasion of Ireland.  They conquered the legendary Tuatha Dé Danann, later remanded to legend as the "Fairy Folk."

Upon brokering a deal whereby the Gaels would retreat in their ships "beyond the ninth wave" to allow the Danann to prepare for battle, Amergin and his countrymen became trapped off shore when a mystical storm was conjured by the Dananns. Amergin, playing his harp Clarsah, drew on the powers of Ireland itself to cut through the Danann defense in the form of "The Song of Amergin."

The song is among the first in the Irish Mythological Cycle, the "Lebor Gabála Érenn," the "Book of Invasions:"

Am gaeth i m-muir

Am tond trethan

Am fuaim mara

Am dam secht ndirend

Am séig i n-aill

Am dér gréne

Am cain lubai

Am torc ar gail

Am he i l-lind

Am loch i m-maig

Am brí a ndai

Am bri i fodb fras feochtu

Am dé delbas do chind codnu

Coiche nod gleith clochur slébe

Cia on co tagair aesa éscai

Cia du i l-laig fuiniud gréne

Cia beir buar o thig tethrach

Cia buar tethrach tibi

Cia dám, cia dé delbas faebru a ndind ailsiu

Cáinte im gai, cainte gaithe

Roughly translated as:

I am the wind on the sea

I am the stormy wave

I am the sound of the ocean

I am the bull with seven horns

I am the hawk on the cliff face

I am the sun's tear

I am the beautiful flower

I am the boar on the rampage

I am the salmon in the pool

I am the lake on the plain

I am the defiant word

I am the spear charging into battle

I am the god who put fire in your head

Who made the trails through stone mountains

Who knows the age of the moon

Who knows where the setting sun rests

Who took the cattle from the house of the warcrow

Who pleases the warcrow's cattle

What bull, what god created the mountain skyline

The cutting word, the cold word