possibly by St. Ita (flourished 8th century)

Ísucán
Language: Irish (Gaelic) 
Ní geb-sa didu, ar isi, óm Thigerna, 
co tuca a Mac a ním i r-richt noíden 
dia altraim dam dono. 
 Co táinic in t-aíngel no gnathaiged 
 tímtirecht disi ara hamus. 
 Míthig em, athered sí fris. 
 Co n-erbairt frin: 
 doberthar duit inní conaigihi.
Co táinic Críst cuicce i r-richt noíden,  
conid ann as-bert-si:

Ísucán 
alar lium im dísiurtán; 
cía beith cléirech co lín sét, 
is bréuile acht Ísucán. 

Altram alar lium im thig, 
ní altram nach dóerathaig -- 
Ísu co feraib nime, 
frim chride cech n-óenadaig. 

Ísucán óc mo bithmaith: 
ernaid, ocus ní maithmech. 
In Rí con-ic na uili 
cen a guidi bid aithrech.

Ísu úasal ainglide, 
noco cléirech dergnaide, 
alar lium im dísiurtán,
Ísu mac na Ebraide. 

Maic na ruirech, maic na ríg, 
im thír cía do-ísatán, 
ní úaidib saílim sochor: 
is tochu lium Ísucán. 

Canaid cóir, a ingena, 
d' fir dliges bar císucán;  
atá 'na phurt túasucán 
cía beith im ucht Ísucán.

Confirmed with Volume 29 of the Henry Bradshaw Society : The Martyrology of Oengus, or Félire Óengusso Céli Dé. Translator and editor: Whitley Stokes. London: Henry Bradshaw Society, 1905, pages 42-45. Manuscript of origin: The Speckled Book, or Leabhar Breac (note: there are many alternative spellings).

Notes (provided by Melanie Trumbull): The first part is the recitative excerpted from the prose commentary. The hymn/poem/'aria' embedded in the commentary to the liturgical calendar follows it.

There are at least six manuscripts that have this poem in them. One of these is: Royal Irish Academy, Dublin: MS 23. P. 16. The "martyrology" is a liturgical calendar, assigning to each date of the year the name-day of various saints. 15 January is the name-day for St. Ita. Copious commentary is attached to the rather cut-and-dried liturgical calendar. It is from the commentary that the context is given for St. Ita and her hymn. This includes a lengthy explanation in Old Irish prose, followed by the poetic lyric for the "Jesukin" hymn.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Whitley Stokes) , "Infant Jesus"


Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2016-09-09
Line count: 34
Word count: 152