Irish Bardic Poetry
Keating, Geoffrey / Seathrún Céitinn Historian and poet of Anglo-Norman extraction. Born in Burges, near Cahir, Co. Tipperary and attended a bardic school in the area. Became a priest in 1603 and went to study at Bordeaux and Reims. He wrote 'Eochair-sciath an Aifrinn' in 1610-13. He returned to a parish at Tubrid, Co. Tipperary and gained a reputation as a stirring preacher. He was driven into hiding in 1618-19 when a local gentleman's wife interpreted one of his sermons on adultery as an insult to her, and she set her lover, the President of Munster, on him. He was in hiding until 1624, and in that period he is said to have planned 'Foras Feasa ar Eirinn'. Other works include: 'Trí Biorghaoithe an Bháis' ('Three Shafts of Death'), and 'Óm Sceól ar ardmhagh Fáil'. He sided with the Old Irish Party under Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill in the rebellion of 1641. Mac Gearailt, 4th Earl of Desmond, Gearóid (1338-1398) The first person of Norman extraction known to have composed poetry in Irish. His writing introduced the French convention of courtly love into Irish poetry. Thirty of his poems are contained in the Book of Fermoy. 'Mairg adeir olc ris na mnáibh' is a poem in defence of women contained in the Book of the Dean of Lismore. See Studia Hibernica, 3 (1963), Gearóid Mac Niocaill's article, and Micheál MacCraith, 'Lorg na hIasachta ar na Dánta Grá'. Mac an Bhaird, Eoghan Ruadh mac Uilliam Óig (?1570-?1630) Born in Co. Donegal, his father hereditary poet to the Ó Domhnaills. Wrote 'Rob Soruidh t'eachtra, a Aodh Ruaidh' on Red Hugh O'Donnell's journey to Spain in 1602. 'Dána an turas trialltar sonn' was written in 1603. Other works include: 'Rob Soraidh an séadsa soir', 'Truagh do chor a chroidhe tim', 'A bhean fuair faill ar an bhfeart'. Left the country with his patron, Rudhraighe O'Domhnaill, in 1607 (Flight of the Earls). He is said to have composed much religious verse, giving rise to the suggestion that he may have joined the Franciscans in Louvain. Nothing is known of him after 1626. Mac an Bhaird, Fearghal Óg Wrote between 1560 and 1620. Poet, member of a learned Donegal family. Enjoyed the patronage of James VI of Scotland for a time. Wrote 'Beannacht siar uaim go hÉirinn' while in Scotland. Back in Ireland, he was court poet to Aodh Mág Aonghusa of Rathfriland, and also gained the patronage of Cú Chonnacht Mág Uidhir of Fermanagh, Cormac Ó hEadhra of Sligo and Red Hugh O'Donnell. Red Hugh's successor, Rudhraighe, banished the poet to Munster and when he was recalled to Ulster, he wrote 'Slán agaibh, a fhiora Mumhan'. Other poems include: 'Trí coróna i gcairt Shéamais', 'Truagh liom Máire agus Mairgrég', 'Fuaras iongnadh a fhir chumainn' and 'Teasda Éire san Easbáinn'. Fearghal Óg died in poverty in Louvain. Sixty of his poems survive. See Dioghluim Dána ed. Lambert MacKenna, and The Gaelic Mind and the Collapse of the Gaelic World (1990). Mac Con Midhe, Giolla Brighde (?1210-?1272) Poet. Born into the Mac Con Midhe bardic family near Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone. Chief patrons were the O'Gormley family, although only one poem to an O'Gormley survives -'Atá sunn seanchas Muain'. He also dedicated poems to the O'Donnells. Three of these are: 'Caidhead ceithre teallaigh Teamhra' 'Teasta eochair ghlais Gaoidheal', 'Tug th'aire riomsa, a rí Gaoidheal'. 'Aoidhe mo chroidhe ceann Briain' is an elegy for Brian O'Neill. Other poems include: 'Iongnadh mh'aisling in Eamhain', 'Déan oram trócaire, a Thríonnóid' and 'Lá bhraith an Choimhdheadh an Chéadaoin'. He married, and all his children died young. Reference: The Poems of Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe, N. J. A. Williams(1980) Ó Bruadair, Dáithí (1625-98) Poet. Born around Carrigtwohill in east Co. Cork. Trained in a bardic school, studying Irish, English and Latin. In his poems he often expressed disdain for English and Irish who took advantage of the defeat of Catholic and aristocratic interests in the 1600s. In 1660 he moved to west Co. Limerick and wrote 'Iomdha scéimh ar chur na cluana', for the daughter of John Bourke and Anna Ní Urthuile, who became his patrons. Another epithalamium was 'Cuirfead cluain ar chrobhaing ghealghall'. Having apparently enjoyed the patronage of many Jacobite households, in 1674 he wrote 'Is Bearnadh Suain', bemoaning the disappearance of kindness and generosity, even among the Gaelic nobility. Other works include: 'Adoramus te Christe', 'Créacht do dháil mé', 'Is mairg nach bhfuil im dhubhthuata', 'Muirear re mí', 'Seirbhíseach seirgthe', 'Searc na suadh', 'D'aithle na bhfileadh n-uasal', 'Suim Purgadóra bhFear nÉireann', 'Caithréim an dara Shéamuis' (in honour of the new regime under James II), 'Caithréim Phádraig Sáirséal', 'A chaithbhaile dár tháirgeas' , 'An Longbhriseadh', 'Mithigh soichéim', and 'Geadh scannail le daoinibh'. He lived for some part of his life in dire poverty, in the 'Corner of a Churchyard in a Cottage... as well-contented with his Stock, which is only a little Dog, a Cat, and a Cock, as the Prince of Parma.' The corpus of his verse registers the flux and trauma experienced by Gaelic Ireland during the turbulent period of the 17th century. References: 'Duanaire Dháibhidh Uí Bhruadair' (3 vols 1910-1917) ed John C. Mac Erlean SJ; 'Ó Bruadair', Michael Hartnett, trans. and introd. (1985). Ó Cléirigh, Mícheál (?1590-1643) Annalist, Gaelic historiographer, historian. Born in Kilbarron, near Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, given the name of Tadgh, but adopted Mícheál when he was ordained as a Franciscan lay brother in Louvain. For eleven years, he worked on research for what eventually became John Colgan's 'Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae' (1645). The research included the compilation of hagiographies, genealogies and martyrologies. With the help of the other masters, he also carried out recensions of the 'Martyrology of Oengus', the 'Martyrology of Donegal', the 'Réim Ríoghraidhe' and 'Lebor Gabála'. Ó Cléirigh, Fear Feasa O'Maolchonaire, Cuchoigríche Ó Cléirigh and Cuchoigríche Ó Duibhgheannáin were called the four masters, and wrote The Annals of the Four Masters, begun 1632 and finished 1636. Ó Cléirigh also produced an Irish lexicon, 'Foclóir nó Sanasán Nua' (Louvain 1643), the only work of his to appear in print in his lifetime. Peregrine O'Clery / Cuchoigríche Ó Cléirigh One of the Four Masters with Michael O'Clery, Fear Feasa O'Maolchonaire, and Cuchoigríche Ó Duibhgheannáin. Ó Dálaigh, Muireadhach Albanach (1180-1250) Poet, probably born in Co. Meath, studied bardic poetry and may have attended monastic schools. When he killed a steward of Domhnaill Mór Ó Domhnaill, he was forced to look for patronage from Riocard de Búrc, for whom he wrote the poem, 'Créd agaibh aoidhigh i gcéin'. He could not stay in Ireland however, and fled to Scotland where he was in exile for some time. In Scotland, his offspring took the name Mac Muireadhaigh, thus establishing the Scottish poetic family, Mac Mhuirich. 'Éistidh riomsa, a Mhuire mhór' to the Blessed Virgin, is contained in the Book of the Dean of Lismore. Other works include: 'M'anam do sgar riomsa a-raoir' and 'Tabhrum an Cháisg ar Chathal'. He visited The Holy Land while in exile, and eventually returned to Ireland and made his peace with Ó Domhnaill. He is said to have ended his days in a monastery. Ó Dálaigh, Donnchadh Mór (1175-1244) Poet. Trained in bardic and monastic schools. Noted as a religious poet, with more than 160 religious poems attributed to him. He has only one secular peom accredited to him, although he described himself as a professional praise-poet. Wrote a lament for the death of his son, Aonghus. Ó Dálaigh, Gofraidh Fionn (d. 1387) Poet. Probably born in Duhallow, Co. Cork, educated in a bardic school. Described in The Annals of the Four Masters as the chief ollamh of his time. Poem beginning 'Madh fiafraidheach budh feasach...' is in the Book of Uí Máine. Served as a professional poet with the O'Briens of Thomond, the MacCarthys and the Earls of Desmond. 'Mór ar bhfearg riot, a rí Saxan', 'Flaitheas nach gabhaid Gaoidhil', 'Filidh Éirionn go haointeach', 'A Cholmáin mhóir mheic Léinín', 'Mairg mheallas muirn an tsaoghail', 'Is tú, a chros an mheic mhuirnigh'. Reference: Lambert McKenna, 'Díoghluim Dána' (1938) and Aithdíoghluim Dána (1939). Maghnus Ó Domhnaill, Lord of Tyrconnell (+1563) Poet and hagiographer. Composed a life of Colum Cille, which was written under his direction at his castle in Lifford, Co. Donegal, 1532. ('Betha Colaim Chille'). Composed a number of poems of the dánta ghrádh type, also some epigrams. O'Duigenan, Peregrine / Cuchoigríche Ó Duibhgheannáin One of the four masters with Míchéal Ó Cléirigh, Fear Feasa O'Maolchonaire, and Cuchoigríche Ó Duibhgheannáin Ó h-Eodhasa, Eochaidh (1567-1617); Poet and ollamh to three successive Maguire chieftains of Fermanagh. The family home was near Lower Lough Erne and Eochaidh studied under his father, and also in Thomond, Munster. Some poem titles: 'Atáim i gcás idir dhá chomhairle', 'Anois molfam Mág Uidhir', 'Connradh do cheanglas re hAodh', 'Bíodh aire ag Ultaibh ar Aodh', 'Suirgheach sin, a Éire ógh', 'T'aire riot a rí ó nUidhir', 'Mór an t-ainm ollamh flatha', 'Fuair leam an adhaighse d'Aodh', 'Fada re hurchóid Éire', 'Fada léightear Eamhain a n-aontomha', 'Fada óm intinn a hamharc'. Fifty poems survive, over half dedicated to the Maguires. Ó hEódhasa epitomises the bardic poet in traditional Gaelic society, expressing affection for and loyalty to his patrons, and a keen awareness of his social standing. References: James Carney, 'The Irish Bardic Poet' (1967) and Pádraig A. Breatnach, 'The Chief's Poet' in Proceedings of the RIA, 83/C (1983) parra Ó h-Eodhasa, Giolla-Bhrighde A file and brother to the poet Eochaidh Ó h-Eodhasa. He left Ireland and his profession to become a Franciscan monk (at this time, the English had long since dissolved the Irish and British monasteries). He taught in European universities and wrote religious poetry until his death. Ó Gnímh, Fear Flatha (?1540-?1630) Succeeded his father as head of the bardic Ó Gnímh family of Co. Antrim, ollamhs to the O'Neill dynasty. Bemoaned the demise of the Irish aristocracy and the anglicisation of the country. Some poem titles: ' Beannacht ar anmain Éireann', 'Mo thruaighe mar táid Gaoidhil' (c 1612) and 'A Niocláis nocht an gcláirsigh'. Reference: 'Measgra Dánta' ed T.F. O'Rahilly. Ó Huiginn, Tadhg Dall (1550-91) Poet, of a bardic family, born in Co. Sligo, fostered in Donegal. Lived a long time in Kilmactigue and was a man of substance. Patronised by Cathal Ó Conchubhair of Sligo, Risteard Mac Uilleam Búrc of Mayo, Brian Ó Ruairc of Leitrim and Cormac Ó hEaghra of Sligo. Tradition says that he was murdered by six members of the hEaghra family on account of a satire accusing them of having abused his hospitality. Forty poems survive, in the conventional styles, but with great technical command and intelligence. Reference: The Bardic Poems of Tadhg Dall Ó Huiginn, (2 vols. 1922, 1926) ed and trans Eleanor Knott. O'Mulchrony, Farfassa / Fear Feasa O'Maolchonaire One of the four masters with Míchéal Ó Cléirigh, Fear Feasa O'Maolchonaire, and Cuchoigríche Ó Duibhgheannáin
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