Preface.

Mr. Lu?

The place of this preface original: remḟocul was first Druim Cett, for it was there that the great assembly of Druim Cett was held. In another place original: in alio loco, however, the body of the hymn was composed from then on, as will appear later original: ut post apparert. It was composed in the time of Aed, son of Ainmire. The person original: persu who wrote it was Dallán Forgaill of the Masraige of Magh Slecht. The cause original: tucait was for his own attainment of heaven, and for others through him original: per se.

There were, in truth, three causes why Columba original: Colum Cille came from Scotland original: Alba to Ireland at that time: namely, to release Scannlán Mór, son of Cenn Fáelad, King of Ossory, for whom he had stood as a guarantor; and to retain the poets in Ireland (for they were being expelled because of their burdensomeness, as there used to be thirty in the retinue of every master-poet term: ollam, and fifteen in the retinue of every secondary poet term: anrad); and to make peace between the men of Ireland and Scotland concerning the territory of Dal Riata.

And it is said that Columba did not see Ireland at that time, for there used to be a cloth over his eyes. This was the reason for that: because he had promised before going across the sea that he would never look upon Ireland from then on, saying original: dicens:

There is a grey eye

That looks back upon Ireland;

It shall never see again

The men of Ireland nor her women.

Columba then came into the assembly, and a multitude rose up before him to welcome him. According to another tradition, however, no one rose before him except Domnall, the king's son, because the king had said that no one should rise before him. For the king knew the reason why he had come, and he was not pleased by his arrival, as he did not wish to retain the poets or to release [Scannlán]...