This is a dramatic arrangement of the saga, \"The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel\"; it was put into this form in order that it might be acted by school boys.

Connery, King of Ireland, was fostered with the grandsons of Donn Desa, and \"whatever meal was prepared for him, the four of them would go to it. . . . The same raiment and armour and colour of horses had the four.\" When he was given the kingship certain prohibitions were placed on Connery, one of the prohibitions being that no rapine should be wrought in his reign. The grandsons of Donn Desa took to marauding, and thieved from a man every year for three years. Finally they were seized and brought to Tara. To avoid condemning them to death the King banished them to the seas. The outlaws met Ingkel, a man banished out of Britain, and made an alliance with him. The confederates raided Britain, and in the raid Ingkel's father and seven brothers were slain. Ingkel claimed the spoil of Ireland as a recompense.

Now Connery had gone into Thomond to settle a quarrel between two chiefs, thereby breaking one of his prohibitions. On the return to Tara, other prohibitions were broken, and Connery's cavalcade journeyed towards the Hostel of Da Derga, ill-omened figures going with them. In the meantime the pirates had landed, and Ingkel claimed the spoil of the Hostel as his due. A spy was sent to the Hostel. Two of the foster-brothers, Ferrogain and Lomna Dru, were loth to attack, but Fergobar and Ingkel were steadfast for the raid. The attack was made, the Hostel was burnt, and the King of Tara slain.

The place where the outlaws landed was Fuirbthe, the Merrion Strand of today. The Hostel was situated on the Dodder, probably near the present Donnybrook Bridge. The date was about the time of Our Lord.

The dramatic version is based on the translation by Whitley Stokes, published in the Revue  Celtique,  Vol. 22. In many of the speeches the actual words of the saga as translated by Stokes have been used. Something has also been taken from Ferguson's fine poem, \"Conary.\"") ?>

was the play that Finn watched.

A crowd of boys appear on the little platform and they are dressed in various costumes to represent the outlaws from the British ships who have come to plunder Ireland with Ingkel the Pirate and the three foster-brothers of King Connery. They are all looking intently towards the left where the sea is. One of them is standing on the stump of a great tree. Now the outlaws perceive a signal below. A lighted torch is passed to the man on the tree-stump. He makes an answering signal with it. Then all the outlaws begin to arm, picking up spears and shields from the ground and buckling on their swords. Having armed they go off to the right. The banner of the Britons—a Red Dragon on a white ground—is displayed left. Lomna Dru, one of the King's foster-brothers is standing down right. He is bare-headed and unarmed. His brother Ferrogain enters left and goes to him.

You are unarmed, Lomna Dru.

I stand here unarmed, for this is our native land, Ferrogain.

But we are outlaws in our native land, Lomna Dru.

Since the ships were turned towards Ireland my sleep has been sad and unquiet. This is our native land. We are outlaws in our native land. But our outlawry is little to me now. We have come to spoil our country. Connery is King of Ireland. Once we were King Connery's foster-brothers, and now we have come into Ireland, with outlaws of Britain, to waste Connery's dominion.

It was King Connery who banished us to the seas.

Ours the fault, Ferrogain.

Banished from our own country we made league with Ingkel the Briton. This was our bond—that he should give us the spoil of Britain, and that we in return should give him the spoil of Ireland. 'Tis just.

'Tis just, but it is woeful for us.

Our brother Fergobar is steadfast for the raid.

I will take no part in the raid.

Our words are pledged to Ingkel.

I have thrown my sword into the sea.

(INGKEL enters from left,  FERROGAIN and  LOMNA DRU part.  LOMNA DRU goes to the right,  FERROGAIN down left. )

Companions, remember your bond with me. Remember the raid on my country when the King of my land was slain, and remember, too, who perished in the King's house.

We remember, Ingkel. Thy father and thy seven brothers perished there.

It was in mixed battle and all unwittingly they were slain.

Destruction for destruction I will have. (He comes down. ) Ferrogain, it is given to you that you know every valley, and hill, and mansion in Ireland. Tell me now, what mansion it is where the light of a fire comes from the main door and shines through the spokes of chariot-wheels?

Surely it is the guest-house that stands on the road to Tara—the guest-house of Da Derga.

A guest-house is sanctuary in every land. 'Tis wrong to sack a guest-house.

Lomna, when we made our oaths we made no reservation as to a guest-house. Now, Ferrogain. Outside the house are the chariots of a great cavalcade. What concourse would be there?

It may be the cavalcade of some sub-king on his way to Tara.

Tara is the place of your High King, is it not?

It is so, O Ingkel.

And the High King—who is he?

Connery he is named.

And ye were fostered with Connery, the High King?

We were fostered with him.

But Connery banished ye from your possessions?

It is so, O Ingkel.

It was we who were in the wrong. From the time Connery assumed the Kingship until we disturbed his reign not a cloud veiled the sun from the middle of spring to the middle of autumn. Not a dew-drop fell from the grass till it was past the mid-day, and in that time, from year's end to year's end, peace was kept with the wolves even. In Connery's reign there were the three crowns on Ireland—the crown of corn-ears, the crown of flowers, the crown of oak-mast, and each man deemed the voices of others as melodious as the strings of lutes, for law, and good-will, and peace were prevailing.

Lomna Dru repeats the praise of Connery's bard.

Alas, it was we who broke the peace. Pride and willfulness possessed us, and we went reiving through Ireland. We plundered a poor man each year—the same poor man each year for three years—and this out of willfulness, to see what the King would do to us.

And when all complained, the King said "Let every father slay his own son, but let my foster-brothers be spared." But at last he withdrew his protection from us. Then, rather than we should be slain, he banished us into Alba. On the seas we met thee, O Ingkel, and we made our league with thee.

Thy voice breaks, O Lomna.

For the sake of this great King who has kept the peace, no destruction should be wreaked.

Clouds of weakness overcome thee. Here is the one we sent to spy. What news from the Hostel, Mainy?

(MAINY enters from right,  LOMNA DRU goes down from left,  FERROGAIN goes left centre,  INGKEL goes down from right. )

Great is the prey, my chief. There are seventeen chariots lofty and beautiful, with steeds small-headed and broad-chested, each steed with a bridle of red enamel. There are gray spears over the chariots, and those on guard have ivory-hilted swords by their sides and silver shields above their elbows.

Of what likeness are the champions within doors?

Two of the champions I have seen before. One is a man of noble countenance with clear and sparkling eyes, a face broad above and narrow below. He has golden hair and a proper fillet around it. There is a brooch of silver in his mantle, and in his hand a gold-hilted sword. His shield has five golden circles upon it.

Who is the champion, Ferrogain?

Easy for me to say who he is. He is Conchobar's son, Cormac Condloingeas, the best hero behind a shield in the land of Ireland. Never will he go with life from the defense of his lord, whoever that lord may be.

O Royal Brother, may it not be thou!

What other champions are in the Hostel?

One is there who is the fairest of Ireland's heroes. Blue as a hyacinth are his eyes, dark as a stag-beetle are his brows. His spear is thick as the chariot's outer yoke. His is the blood-red shield, with rivets of white bronze between plates of gold.

Well do the men of Ireland know that shield. They have given it a famous name. The man is Conall Cernach. Never will he go with life from the defense of his lord, whoever that lord may be who is with him tonight.

(LOMNA DRU makes a gesture of dread. )

What other champions are in the Hostel?

There is one whose like I have never seen. He is a man with a strong and fear-inspiring countenance. The shaft of his lance is the weight of a plough yoke. He has a wooden shield covered with plates of iron. Upright in his hand is a spear, whose iron point is blood-red and dripping.

Who is this champion?

Well do I know him. He is Mac Cecht. May his lord not be with him to-night!

And his lord—who is his lord?

Mac Cecht is wont to serve Connery the King.

Speak—whom else did you see?

One sat upon a couch and a juggler played before him. I marked the juggler well. White as mountain cotton is each hair that grows out of his head. He had three shields, three swords, and three apples of gold, and each was rising and falling past the other like bees on a day of beauty. And as I looked, the things in the air uttered a cry and fell down on the floor.

He is the juggler of King Connery.

Until to-night his juggling never failed him.

Describe him who sat upon the couch.

Of all forms I ever beheld, his is the most beautiful. The colour of his hair is like the sheen of smelted gold. The mantle around him is even as the mist on a May day. Diverse are the hue and semblance each moment shown upon it. A hand's breadth of his sword was outside the scabbard and a man in front of the house could see by the light of the blade.

(LOMNA DRU covers his face with his mantle ).

Easy to say who that man is. He is the most splendid, noble, and beautiful King that has come into the whole world, and he is the mildest and gentlest in it. There is no defect in the man whether in form, shape, or vesture, wisdom, skill, or eloquence, knowledge, valour, or kindred. He is the over-king of all Ireland. He is Connery the son of Eterskel.

He is our foster-brother.

(FERGOBAR comes from left. He carries a lighted torch in his hand. )

O Fergobar, the King of Tara is in the Hostel. Mainy has seen him in the Hostel.

Woe to him who shall wreak the destruction! Woe to him who shall put Connery under the hand of a foe!

He took from me what were my sire's and grandsire's gifts to me—Freedom, Plunder, and Rapine.

Better the triumph of saving him than the triumph of slaying him.

Me he never loved. Let him abide by the chance that has brought him into the (He throws the torch down. ) Speak, Mainy, and say whom else you saw.

I saw a small freckled lad in a purple cloak, one who had the manners of a maiden, and who seemed loved by all.

The King's little son. Oh, for the sake of that tender lad refrain from the destruction.

There is nothing that will come to me in the place of the father and the seven brothers to whom ye brought destruction. There is nothing I cannot endure henceforward.

Unless the earth break under us the destruction shall be wrought. Neither old men nor historians shall declare I quitted the destruction until I accomplished it.

Ye cannot take the Hostel. Neither Cormac nor Conall will quit his lord, and as for Mac Cecht he will triumph over your hundreds. When he shall chance to come upon ye out of the house, as numerous as hailstones, and grass upon a green, and stars of Heaven, will be your cloven heads and skulls. And as for Connery, though great is his tenderness, great is his fury and courage when awakened. He alone would hold the Hostel until help would reach it.

Ill luck has brought him to the Hostel.

Beside Strength and Beauty I saw other sights within the Hostel—sights that would put fear on those that are within.

What else, O Mainy?

I beheld a man who had only one eye, one foot, and one hand.

He is Fer Caille, the swine-herd of Bove Derg from the Fairy Hills. Ruin has been wrought at every feast at which he has been present. Say what else you saw?

A woman stood by the door-posts of the house casting the evil eye on the King. Her cloak was soiled and smelt of damp earth. Great loathing was on the company at the sight of that woman. "It is a prohibition with me," said the King, "to let such as thou amongst my company." She forced her way into the Hostel and cast her mantle down on the ground. "To-night," she said, "the King will stay with me."

It is the ill-luck of Connery come into the Hostel.

What further thing did you see?

I saw three pipers who were all in red. Their mantles and their hoods were red. And their steeds in front of the Hostel had bridles of red.

Easy it is to know who these three are. They are from the Fairy Hills, and they bring destruction to the King. Only after the death of Connery can they return to the Fairy Hills.

Omens and portents are with us. Rouse up, then, ye champions, and get to the Hostel.

Not to you the loss which will be caused by this destruction. You will carry off the head of a King of a foreign land and you will escape.

(INGKEL goes off left. )

I will give my band orders to go.

(He goes after  INGKEL. MAINY goes with him. The outlaws come on in a crowd.  They arm themselves from a heap of arms back right. They go off shouting "Ingkel,"  "The Hostel,"  "The Hostel,"  "Ingkel."  MAINY goes with them.  INGKEL and  FERGOBAR cross.  FERGOBAR takes up the Banner of the Britons.  INGKEL makes a motion with his sword.  FERGOBAR goes off right carrying the standard.  INGKEL goes after him. )

(The Music of Pipes is heard. )

What music is that?

It is unlike earthly music.

It is the music of the pipers who go with King Connery.

The music of the Three Red Pipers from the Fairy Hills. Brother, what will you do?

Unarmed I will dash into the Hostel and my head shall fall before the King.

I will go down to the sea and I will let the waves overwhelm me.

(LOMNA goes out left and  FERROGAIN goes out right. The music continues. It comes from different directions. The first of the Red Pipers enters from right. )

Great the story! A Hostel burns! A great King perishes! Soon shall we ride the horses of Donn Tetscorach, soon shall we ride to the Fairy Hills.

(The  SECOND PIPER enters. )

What are the tidings, brother?

Great the tidings. Through ancient enchantments a company of nine has yielded. Soon shall we ride the horses of Donn Tetscorach, soon shall we ride back to the Fairy Hills.

(The  THIRD PIPER enters. )

What are the signs?

Great the signs. Destruction of life, sating of ravens, feeding of crows, strife of slaughter, wetting of sword-edge, shields with broken bosses in hours before sunrise.

A hero with nine comrades sallied forth from the Hostel. I went before them and played the music of the pipes, and them I led from battle and defense.

Another rose and sallied forth with his companions, but I played the bewildering music and led him away.

I played such music that the horses broke from the chariots and spread confusion around.

(Outside one calls "Cormac Condloingeas." )

The horses of Donn Tetscorach await us.

Come, brother.

Far is the place to which we ride to-night.

(The  THREE PIPERS go off left. The cry is heard, "Cormac, Cormac Condloingeas."  CONALL CERNACH enters. He has a broken spear. He calls again "Cormac Condloingeas." The cry is heard "Conall Cernach."  CORMAC enters. )

Conall, is the King safe?

I found myself on the strand and no one with me.

There have been enchantments to-night, but no enchantment will draw me from the defense of my lord.

(They turn to the Hostel. )

Look.

The Hostel is on fire.

Let us go towards the King.

One comes this way.

Who is he?

'Tis Bricriu.

(BRICRIU enters from right. )

Good are ye, ye champions of Ulster.

What of the King, O Bricriu?

The King is slain, and the Hostel is burning, but ye are here in safety.

I swear to you that it was enchantments led us from the defense of the King.

Show me your shield arm, Cormac.

(CORMAC shows his arm. )

This arm is mangled, maimed, and pierced.

These wounds are not white, old satirist. Still, more can be endured. We will fall upon the marauders and wreak vengeance on them.

The dawn is coming on the seas, and I see the fleet of the foreigners lifting sails to the wind. The destruction is accomplished. The sovereignty of Tara is broken and the shame of the men of Ireland will be perpetuated.

(MAINY enters. )

Champions, ye will not slay me. I am of the reivers, but it is I who know the full story of the Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel.

We give you security, Mainy. Relate to us how the King died.

I will tell how the reivers prevailed against those who were outside the House. Then Conall Cernach came forth with nine companions and a Piper in red went before them. He made the circuit of the House, going through the reivers as the hawk goes through the small birds. He passed through the ranks and he did not return. Then Cormac Condloingeas came forth, and with him also there was a Piper in red. As the ship goes through the waves this champion went through the reivers. He broke the ranks, and he did not return. Then the man of the Hostel, Da Derga himself, armed his house-folk and came forth. Great and strong was the fight they made, but they were overpowered by the fierceness of Ingkel's onslaught. Then issued from the house a band terrible to the reivers, a band of men whose dress was of rough hair, who had girdles of oxhide and who were armed with flails, each flail having chains of iron triple-twisted. They were the giants taken by Cuchulainn at the beleaguerment of Faldal. They went through the reivers, their savage eyes shining through cow's hair. But Ingkel called out to them and made terms with them and drew them to his own side. It was then that the head of Ferrogain was flung into the Hostel. The King wept over it. He called in his champion and put his little son in charge of Mac Cecht. Then he armed his harpers and jugglers and cup-bearers, and with the last of the Red Pipers he went out of the Hostel. Good was the fight the King of Ireland made, but a harper cried out that the people of the Fairy Hills were against the King, because the King's father had torn up the Fairy Hills in his search for the Queen who had been brought from the world. Then the harper made sad music, the music of defeat. The giants turned against the King's company—all perished—the sword of a reiver cut off the head of the King.

(They stand with heads bowed; a cry is heard. )

Who calls?

Mac Cecht, the Champion of the King.

What do you bring, Mac Cecht?

The son of the King of Ireland.

(MAC CECHT comes from right carrying the child in his arms. )

I lift up the child and I hold him with his face towards Tara. O Royal Child, may'st thou grow in strength so that all strength may flow towards thee!

(They strike their shields and cry out, "The King of Ireland's son." )