Little Mannanan was son of Leirr,
He was the first that ever had it;
But as I can best conceive,
He himself was a heathen.
It was not with his sword he kept it,
Neither with arrows or bow,
But when he would see ships saving,
He would cover it round with a fog.
He would set a man, standing on a hill,
Appear as if he were a hundred ;
And thus did wild Mannanan protect
That Island with all its booty.
The rent each landholder paid to him was,
A bung of coarse meadow grass yearly,
And that, as their yearly tax,
They paid to him each midsummer eve.
Some would carry the grass up
To the great mountain up at Barrool;
Others would leave the grass below,
With Mannanan's self, above Keamool.
Thus then did they live;
l think their tribute very small,
Without care and without anxiety,
Or hard labour to cause weariness.
Manannan mac Lyrr is the God who protects the Isle of Man;
He is a defender of the defenseless who protects his people by enshrouding them in his cloak.
He is the God of the Ocean;
Rejoicing in the wild wave, but shielding his people from its tempests.
He is the God of the Dead;
From his undying Islands he watches over the departed,
He is a God of Oracles;
From his timeless Islands, he can see all that was and will be.
On the morrow Bran went upon the sea. The number of his men was three companies of nine. One of his foster-brothers and mates was set over each of the three companies of nine. When he had been at sea two days and two nights, he saw a man in a chariot coming towards him over the sea. That man also sang thirty other quatrains to him, and made himself known to him, and said that he was Manannan the son of Lír, and said that it was upon him to go to Ireland after long ages, and that a son would be born to him, even Mongan son of Fiachna-that was the name which would be upon him.
So [Manannan] sang these thirty quatrains to [Bran]:
33. 'Bran deems it a marvellous beauty
In his coracle across the clear sea:
While to me in my chariot from afar
It is a flowery plain on which he rides about.34. 'What is a clear sea
For the prowed skiff in which Bran is,
That is a happy plain with profusion of flowers
To me from the chariot of two wheels.35. 'Bran sees
The number of waves beating across the clear sea:
I myself see in Mag Mon
Red-headed flowers without fault.36. 'Sea-horses glisten in summer
As far as Bran has stretched his glance:
Rivers pour forth a stream of honey
In the land of Manannan son of Lír.37. 'The sheen of the main, on which thou art,
The white hue of the sea, on which thou rowest about,
Yellow and azure are spread out,
It is land, and is not rough.38. 'Speckled salmon leap from the womb
Of the white sea, on which thou lookest:
They are calves, they are coloured lambs
With friendliness, without mutual slaughter.39. 'Though (but) one chariot-rider is seen
In Mag Mell of many flowers,
There are many steeds on its surface,
Though them thou seest not.40. 'The size of the plain, the number of the host,
Colours glisten with pure glory,
A fair stream of silver, cloths of gold,
Afford a welcome with all abundance.41. 'A beautiful game, most delightful,
They play sitting at the luxurious wine,
Men and gentle women under a bush,
Without sin, without crime.42. 'Along the top of a wood has swum
Thy coracle across ridges,
There is a wood of beautiful fruit
Under the prow of thy little skiff.43. 'A wood with blossom and fruit,
On which is the vine's veritable fragrance,
A wood without decay, without defect,
On which are leaves of golden hue.44. 'We are from the beginning of creation
Without old age, without consummation of earth,
Hence we expect not that there should be frailty,
Harm and hatred have not come to us.
—
Mannan Beg Mac Y Lir by Idlewild—a short and simple rendition of the tune named for the God.
—
C’raad ta’n Ree? T’eh er cheet veih Flaunys
Harrish y cheayn dys mullagh Varrool
C’red t’eh jannoo? T’eh jeeaghyn my heear,
Soie fo chay er mullagh Varrool
Qoui ta’n ree? Ta’n ree Manannan,
Ta cashtal echey er mullagh Varrool
—
Where is the king? He has come from Heaven
Over the sea to Barrule summit
What is he doing? He's looking to the west
Sitting under the mist of Barrule summit
Who is the king? He's King Manannan
His castle is on Barrule summit
Manannan Beg Mac y Leir, Skeeal
—
She calls out to the Sea God/ She calls him without fear
I am coming home; Oh, take me home/ Manannan Mac Lir
Manannan mac Lir, Ginger Ackley
Manannán Beg Mac y Lir, Manannán Beg Mac y Lir,
Bannee orrin as nyn maateyn, Manannán Beg Mac y Lir.
Mie goll magh as ny share çheet stiagh, Manannán Beg Mac y Lir.
Lesh ny bioee as ny merriu aynjee, Manannán Beg Mac y Lir.