The battle of Gavra and the death of Oscar
Have you ever heard of the Battle of Gavra? The battle of Gavra. It was
at the Battle of Gavra that Oscar was killed. Oscar son of Oisean,
grandson of Fionn.
Fionn was away. Thus Oscar had leadership of the Fianna. Oscar was a
real hero. There was enmity between Oscar and Cairbhi. Three days
before the Battle of Gavra, Cairbhi invited Oscar to a feast in his
palace. Oscar took three hundred men with him.
On the way, he met a fairy woman. She was cleaning clothes in a burn.
‘What do you think, old woman,’ said Oscar. ‘Who will fall in the
battle?’
‘Oh,’ she said, ‘you will kill five thousand men, and the King
himself.’
‘And who will fall on our side?’ asked Oscar.
‘Ah, well,’ said the fairy women. ‘Your most valuable man will also
fall.’
‘Oh,’ said Oscar. He knew that the fairy woman was talking about him.
But he continued to the feast in Cairbhi’s palace. It lasted three
days.
On the day of the battle itself, the two armies confronted each other
in a gorge. Oscar’s host killed hundreds of Cairbhi’s people.
Cairbhi threw his spear and it went through Oscar. Oscar fell to his
right knee and he threw his spear. It hit Cairbhi in his head.
Cairbhi’s son, Art, arose and picked up his spear. But Oscar threw
another spear and he killed Art.
The Fianna came together and removed Oscar. They heard a sound from the
beach. ‘Your grandfather’s fleet is there,’ they said. ‘Fionn has come
to help us.’ But Oscar didn’t have long left, and he died. The fairy
woman had been [was] right.
I’ll finish my account with two verses from the Lay of Oscar. It’s his
grandfather, Fionn Mac Cumhail, who is speaking.
But the howling of dogs beside me, and the wailing of the old heroes,
and the weeping in turn of the crowd of women, that’s the thing that
pained my heart.
You are the calf of my calf, the calf of my calf, the child of my white
slender child, my heart leaps like a deer and I am devastated that Oscar
will not rise.’
Cath Gabhra agus Bàs Oscair
An cuala sibh riamh mu Chath Gabhra? The Battle of Gavra. ʼS ann
aig Cath Gabhra a chaidh Oscar a mharbhadh. Oscar mac Oisein, ogha Fhinn.
Bha Fionn air falbh. Mar sin bha ceannas aig Oscar air na Fianna. ʼS e
sàr-ghaisgeach a bha ann an Oscar. Bha nàimhdeas eadar Oscar agus Cairbhi.
Trì latha ro Chath Gabhra, thug Cairbhi cuireadh gu Oscar dhol gu fleadh
anns an lùchairt aige. Thug Oscar trì cheud duine leis.
Air an rathad, thachair e ri bean-shìthe. Bha i a’ nighe aodach ann an
allt. ‘Dè ur beachd, a chailleach,’ thuirt Oscar. ‘Cò thuiteas anns a’
chath?’
‘O,’ ars ise, ‘bidh sibhse a’ marbhadh còig mìle duine, agus an Rìgh
fhèin.’
‘Agus cò thuiteas air an taobh againne?’ dh’fhaighnich Oscar.
‘A, uill,’ ars a’ bhean-shìthe. ‘Bidh am fear as luachmhoire agaibhse a’
tuiteam cuideachd.’
‘O,’ thuirt Oscar. Bha fios aige gun robh a’ bhean-shìthe a’ bruidhinn
airsan. Ach lean e air don fhleadh ann an lùchairt Chairbhi. Mhair e trì
latha.
Air latha a’ chatha fhèin, thàinig an dà armailt mu choinneimh a chèile ann
an caol-ghleann. Mharbh sluagh Oscair na ceudan daoine aig Cairbhi.
Thilg Cairbhi a shleagh agus chaidh i tro Oscar. Thuit Oscar do a ghlùin
dheis agus thilg esan a shleagh-san. Bhuail i Cairbhi na cheann.
Dh’èirich mac Chairbhi, Art, agus thog e a chlaidheamh. Ach thilg Oscar
sleagh eile agus mharbh e Art.
Thàinig na Fianna cruinn còmhla agus thug iad Oscar air falbh. Chual’ iad
fuaim bhon tràigh. ‘Tha luingeas do sheanar ann,’ thuirt iad. ‘Thàinig
Fionn airson cobhair a dhèanamh oirnn.’ Ach cha robh fada air fhàgail aig
Oscar, agus chaochail e. Bha a’ bhean-shìthe ceart.
Cuiridh mi crìoch air mo chunntas le dà rann à Laoidh Oscair. ʼS e a
sheanair, Fionn Mac Cumhail, a tha a’ bruidhinn.
Ach donnalaich nan con rim thaobh, ʼS bùireadh nan seann laoch, ʼS gul
a’ bhannail mu seach, siud an rud a chràidh mo chridhe.
Laogh mo laoigh thu, laogh mo laoigh, Leanaibh mo leanaibh, ghil, chaoil,
Mo chridhe leumadh mar lon, ʼS mo chreach lèir nach èirich Oscar.
