Pronunciation Guide). I copy no one, consciously. Let’s say though that I have been ever conscious and most mindful of both Howard’s style and of Lady Gregory’s “Old Gaelic” way of telling Cuchulain’s story, while I told Cormac’s.

That’s enough. All I started off to do was tell you about the lack of stirrups, and what a great joy and sheer fun this has been for me, and to assure you that all I have done here is with love of Howard’s work and what little I know of old Eirrin.

Maybe the publisher will let me write another Cormac story. It’s fun.

andrew j offutt

Kentucky, U.S.A.

April, 1975

Chapter One: The Wrath of Manannan MacLir

Patrick, enquire of God

Whether he recollects when Cormac was alive;

Or hath he seen, East or West

A man his equal, in time of fight.

– from “Cormac the Gael,”

by Ceann Ruadh, the “Minstrel-king”

“I pray that we reach the land of Eirrin, those who are riding upon the great, productive, vast sea:

That they be distributed upon her plains, her mountains, and her valleys; upon her forests that shed showers of nuts and all fruits; upon her rivers and her cataracts; upon her lakes and her great writers; upon her spring-abounding hills:

That they may hold their fairs and equestrian sports upon her territories:

That there may be a king from them in Tara; and that Tara be the territory of their many kings:

That noble Eirrin be the home of the ships and boats of the sons of Milesius:

Eirrin that is now in darkness, it is for her this oration is pronounced:

Let the learned wives of Breas and Buaigne pray that we may reach the noble woman, great Eirrin.

Let Eremon pray, and let Ir and Eber implore, that we may reach Eirrin.”