Torna, nicknamed Éices or Éces ("the poet, sage"), was a legendary Irish poet of the 5th century, noted as "the last great bard of Pagan Ireland." He is not to be confused with Torna Éigeas, the 17th-century bard who figures in the ''

Contention of the Bards The contention of the bards ( Irish: ''Iomarbhágh na bhFileadh'') was a literary controversy of early 17th century Gaelic Ireland, lasting from 1616 to 1624, probably peaking in 1617. The principal bardic poets of the country wrote polemical v ...

''. He was the foster-father of the Irish kings Corc and

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

, and to him is attributed the ''Lament for Corc and Niall of the Nine Hostages.'' In the tale ''Suidigud Tellaig na Cruachna'' ("The Settling of the Manor of Crúachan"), he is the author of a poem on famous men and women who were buried in the cemetery of Crúachan (

Rathcroghan Rathcroghan () is a complex of archaeological sites near Tulsk in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is identified as the site of Cruachan, the traditional capital of the Connachta, the prehistoric and early historic rulers of the western territory ...

References

* ''1000 Years of Irish poetry'', Kathleen Hoagland New York, 1947, pp. 6–8. . 5th-century writers 5th-century Irish people Medieval Irish poets Medieval Irish writers Irish male poets 5th-century Irish writers {{Ireland-hist-stub