1. The Voyage of Bran Son of Febal, Kuno Meyer, David Nutt on the Strand, London, 1895. Return to text
2. also remarkable, marvelous. Return to text
3. Note the difference in description of the "branch" that follows in the first quatrain. Return to text
4. white stones, possibly milky crystal. Return to text
5. The term laur is used indicating leadership, thus, he was the center of attention. Return to text
6. The Gaelic word cróib is used which translates literally to "hand." In practical application, it could refer to hand, claw, or any number of hand tools, including short sword and wand. In the mystical genre that we have here, a wand is meant. Return to text
7. The Gaelic text uses abaill, a Latin loan-word which could be used to signify any round fruit. The apple itself was not imported into Ireland until the 12th or 13th century. Return to text
8. The root-word emne signifies one of a pair. In this context, it signifies the "Otherworld," companion to the world of the mortals. Return to text
9. Obviously, wands and their use was familiar to Bran. Return to text
10. The Gealic "Gabra" is used which can mean a wide variety of animals including goats and horses. Meyer translates it to mean "sea-horses" but the text does not support him in this case. Return to text
11. Otherworld islands were sometimes described as standing on pillars as here and in the voyage of Mael Duin wherein the island stood on one pillar. Return to text
12. Note the duality of the earth and sea elements. Return to text
13. i.e. under the columns. Return to text
14. This may be either a reference to many visitors or its long existence. Return to text
15. Meyers incorrectly associated an allusion to church music. It simply means the birds call in their own time. Return to text
16. Wild or uncultivated land. Return to text
17. Myer translates haze, but it is not supported. Cia is an interragotive. i.e. where or what measure? Thus the meaning is obscure. This is my best guess. Return to text
18. Meyer ignored the reference to four. My best assumption is that it refers to the "four pillars." The term "Airchthech" is obscure. Quin gives "inventive, ingenious and plunderings. Obviously the latter would not apply. Return to text
19. Compound words can be very obscure. I chose to ignore the glosses that seemed to have puzzled Meyer. Return to text
20. Meyer interpreted as "Plain of the Sea," but the Sea is not mentioned. Return to text
21. obscure. Several possibilities exist. Only inscriptions or writing seem to fit the context. Return to text
22. Oceon, a Loan word from pre-Christian Latin is used in the Gaelic text. Return to text
23. understand. Return to text
24. companions. Return to text
25. "Red-headed flowers" is a phrase sometimes associated with the Tuatha de Danann. Return to text
26. Meyer translates calves and lambs, but it is unjustified. Return to text
27. Meyer incorrectly mentions men and women. The hosts are not so described. Return to text
28. as occurs with drunkenness. Return to text
29. Arcane wisdom. Some glosses translate sin. Return to text
30. Long perhaps. Return to text
31. Note the shift. The previous quatrain seems to be Manannan speaking in the first person. Now we have a third-person narrative. Return to text
32. Literally, bird of prey. Return to text
33. The inference seems to be that he will be the Hero to the masses, but dangerous enemy to those with evil intent or those who would succumb to rage. Return to text
34. Obscure symbolism. Return to text
35. Obscure. This may be a reference to poetic artistry. Return to text
36. The Gaelic word "dracoin" is used which can be translated as fire, dragon or dragonstone. Return to text
37. The Galic word "Senlabuir" is translated by Meyer as a physical location. It actually translates to speaking of ancient words. Return to text
38. "Al-loch Láu" literally translates to "on the other side of the lake beyond." Return to text
39. I assume this means that Bran received nothing from the Poem of Manannan. Return to text
40. Meyer translates they "would not converse" My impression is that they simply were ignoring Bran and his companions, rather than laughing at them. Return to text
41. Meyer translates as "joy." However the feeling is that the gaping laughter is forced and seems to have no real substance. Thus I used "glee". Return to text
42. The Gaelic "consreng" is used. While this could indicate being towed, the meaning of consreng indicates obligation, either material, legal or spiritual. Return to text
43.The Gaelic "lánamne" is used which can mean "married couple." Though marriage is not indicated here, there seems to be an inference of deliberate pairing of male and female. Return to text
44. The Gaelic "méis" is used. I take it to indicate "magical" replenishment. Return to text
45.Every want was fulfilled. Return to text
46. Translation of the name is very interesting. "Nechtan,' which occurs in several places in mythology, such as the husband of Boann in the Well of Segais story, means simply "whomever." The last name "Collbran" translates literally to "hazel raven." Hazel is a common reference to wisdom and raven is the messenger of death. Return to text
47. A spot on the Irish coast, perhaps in County Kerry. Return to text
48. The inference here is of a supernatural wind. Return to text
49. Burial urn. Return to text
50. "Fruit of the Oak" or acorns is an analogy of the mortal wisdom which leads to death. Christian thought associated this with the "fruit of the tree of knowledge" within Biblical Eden. Meyer translates it as sin, however I believe him to be in error. Return to text
51.This quatrain refers to the burial practice of the Irish in which the body was washed with clean water before being placed in a large wide-mouthed burial urn. Return to text
52.A curious feature of the last sentence is the use of the word "ónd" (stone or rock) following the word for story. It seems obvious that this refers to the recording of the stories in ogam mentioned in the previous sentence. Meyer did not mention this detail. Return to text