Amergin rose up then before the Tuatha de Danann, and whatever enchantment he did on the winds and the sea, he said these words along with it:

"That they that are tossing in the great wide food-giving sea may reach now to the land.

"That they may find a place upon its plains, its mountains, and its valleys; in its forests that are full of nuts and of all fruits; on its rivers and its streams, on its lakes and its great waters.

That we may have our gatherings and our races in this land; that there may be a king of our own in Teamhair; that it may be the possession of our many kings.

"That the sons of Mil may be seen in this land, that their ships and their boats may find a place there.

"This land that is now under darkness, it is for it we are asking; let our chief men, let their learned wives, ask that we may come to the noble woman, great Eriu."

After he had said this, the wind went down and the sea was quiet again on the moment.

And those that were left of the sons of Miled and of the Sons of the Gael landed then at Inver Sceine.

And Amergin was the first to put his foot on land, and when he stood on the shore of Ireland, it is what he said:

I am a threatening noise of the sea
Who but I know the secrets of the unhewn dolmen?

I am a wide flood on a plain
I am a wind on the deep waters
I am a shining tear of the sun
I am a hawk on the cliff
I am fair among flowers
I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke
I am a battle waging spear
I am a salmon in a pool
I am a hill of poetry
I am a ruthless boar

I am the womb of every holt
I am the blaze on every hill
I am the queen of every hive
I am the shield the every head
I am the tomb to every hope.
Amergin means "Birth of Song".

According to legend, Amergin was one of the leaders of the "Men of Míl", who battled the Tuatha Dé Danann (or the Faery Clan) for possession of Ireland. As you can see, the Song of Amergin is, in itself, a self-claiming by Amergin of this island, as well as a challenge to the Tuatha Dé Danann, who were considered to be the gods. 

Amergin's invokes the powers of the Land here upon first stepping ashore in Ireland. These words came from Amergin's "imbas" ('poetic inspiration') and they marked the start of battle over sovereignty of the Land. With the words of this poem, Amergin claims the elements of Ireland. This gesture displays his Otherworldly wisdom and power over the elements. Here, he is actually "becoming"... all of these elements, or "duile" as they were called by the Druids. He joins himself (his "Fein" and internal "duile") with the spirit that controls the elements of the Cosmos. With the singing of his song, the wind died down and the Gaels claimed sovereignty on Ireland.



A Song for Amergin
via novelist Morgan Llywelyn

Air of Life, in endless motion 
Breath swirling in, and swirling out 
Carrying song and scent and spirit 
Brush the face of the Earth 
with feathered touch. 

Cleanse our spirits, Inspiration renewed 
Bless our minds, with Your bright touch. 
Wind swirling, Spirit turning 
Stoking the flames of Life.
Whirlwind turning, Spirit burning
Stoking the flames of Life.

Fire of Life, in endless motion
Focused intensity, leap forth in fury 
Rising, dancing high in passion 
Reaching out in soothing warmth. 
Life and danger, poised in balance 
Passion and peril, locked in one dance.

Radiant spirit, Shower of sparks 
Rising to fall, into water hissing 
Enclosing brightness in dark
Water of Life, in endless motion 
River rushing, Ocean rolling, Tides 
turn in Her dance with the Moon. 

Sacred depths and singing surf 
Hear Her voice as She opens you. 
Pulling you deep, splashing you high 
Rising to the sky to dance in a cloud 
To sail over sea and land 
To fall as rain over the Earth.

To touch, to permeate 
with the kiss of life 
As the rain 
makes love to the Earth.

Earth Her body, in endless motion 
Still your spirit, and feel Her dance 
Slow rhythm of trees, of rock flesh shifting 
Earth lips parting as green life births forth. 

Reaching within, with deep brown roots 
Reaching out, with new green shoots
From the silence in your soul 
Hear Her voice expand 
from the centre of Her song 
Feel your spirit expand
(in the Centre 
Spirit expands) 
Spirit of Life. Endless Motion. 

Still-spinning Centre of death and rebirth. 
Cauldron of Change. Constant Motion. 
Inside the mystery of death and rebirth. 
Blessed Paradox. of Stillness and Motion 
Permeating all. Unifying all.

Point of Balance, of reassessment 
Powers of change hold us in Her thrall
And Her power flows through us all 
And Her power flows through all
Weave us together. Set the world 
In motion. Holder of the Wheel, 
Beat the rhythm of the Dance. 

Synch with our heartbeats. Live within us.
Hold us deep within Your Dance. 
Hold us deep within Your Dance.