From the poem's preface: "Remember there is little sin and no truth in the writing, and therefore the author's excuse is acceptable." --Seán Ó Neachtain

From the anthology's introduction: "From the time of the Williamite wars, the native Irish were often represented as potato-eaters....Nevertheless, not everyone in Ireland favoured the cultivation of potatoes, and there seems to have been strong opposition to it in County Dublin and the neighbouring rich lands. This is apparent from a long poem in Irish:

CATH BÉARNA CHROISE BRÍGHDE

"There is a prose preface, and this in turn is preceded by a letter to the reader, see pp. 24 - 25. The poem is a burlesque by Seán Ó Neachtain on a faction fight at Tallaght near Dublin. It will be seen that in the poem the potato is referred to as 'the Spaniard.' This is in accordance with the old Irish belief that the potato came into this country from Spain."

starting on page 26: THE BATTLE OF THE GAP OF ST. BRIDGET'S CROSS translated from Gaelic to English by Mrs. Nessa Doran, born Nessa Ní Shé/Ní Shéaghdha

Here for you is the Battle of the Gap, which was fought hard and with multitudes, between those who eat porridge and the followers of the beloved potato. 1

First comes McManus, with a full stake from his harvest, he beseeches the God of grace to destroy the potato from Europe.

"Are the potatoes not alone responsible for the absence of demand for barley; are they no responsible for the disrespect shown for the gentle wheat and beans!

"They cause disrespect for the peas; the oats are only a rattle, and the rye only a bundle rods says every ugly man along with him.

"Those who taste potatoes are like oil bags, big bellied, ugly, greedy, without the strength of one in eight men." 5

Says fierce William Brophy, the man who feeds the thousands, "You lie, you fool, you swarthy stump full of manure."

Both of them rose to a contest with vigour and cleverness, but the bottom of the long-limbed man of the beans was thrown aloft.

He put a foot under the ugly one and kicked his bottom on high, and he gave him a fist in the stomach which brought a roar from his breeches.

They struck each other after that, the farmer of the grain lands and a strong follower of the potato on their way to the Gap of Bridget's Cross.

Exchanging gauntlets with each other, these two did quickly on behalf of the friends of the Spaniards and the farmers of the grain lands. 10

The coming, as was aforesaid, of the thousands of valiant warriors of the followers of the beans and the potato -- they came according to promise.

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