Textual classifications • CODECS: Online Database and e-Resources for Celtic Studies

A collection of bardic poetry written for and addressed to the Ó Broin (O’Byrne) chieftains of Co. Wicklow, the main sept of Gábhail Raghnaill. According to its modern editor, Seán Mac Airt, the “Leabhar Branach, apart from its linguistic value, is important in that it affords us some insight from an Irish standpoint into the life and fortunes of a sept bordering the Pale, during an interesting if unhappy era of our history” (vii).

Marbh anocht mo cholann-sa

verse

38 st.

beg. Marbh anocht mo cholann-sa

Medieval Irish poem (38 qq), unattributed but apparently uttered by Colum Cille, who laments the disintegration of his familia in Ireland and Scotland.

Mesce Chúanach

verse

8 st.

beg. Is pind limp / In tan gabther mo dúan dam

Cúanu mac Ailchíne

Cúanu mac Ailchíne

King of the Fir Maige Féne.

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Medieval Irish poem (8 st.) attributed to Cúanu mac Cailchíni, king of the Fir Maige Féne.

Mo chreach is mo léun thú

verse

beg. Mo chreach is mo léun thú, a Bhéul Átha na Cairrge

Irish poem lamenting the exile of Pilib mac Aodha Uí Raghallaigh in Spain after the Irish Confederate Wars.

Ní théd an égean a n-aisgidh

verse

44 st.

beg. Ní théd an égean a n-aisgidh

Ó Dálaigh (Mathghamhain)

Ó Dálaigh (Mathghamhain)

(fl. 15th century)

Mathghamhain (mac Domhnaill mheic Eoghain) Ó Dálaigh, Irish poet. The Book of Lismore contains a poem ascribed to him, which is addressed to Fínghin Mac Carthaigh Riabhach, patron of that manuscript.

Ó Dálaigh (Mathghamhain)

Ó Dálaigh (Mathghamhain)

(fl. 15th century)

Mathghamhain (mac Domhnaill mheic Eoghain) Ó Dálaigh, Irish poet. The Book of Lismore contains a poem ascribed to him, which is addressed to Fínghin Mac Carthaigh Riabhach, patron of that manuscript.

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Early Modern Irish poem (44 qq) addressed to Fínghin Mac Carthaigh Riabhach. Ó Cuív remarks that it is written in a “highly technical legal language”.

Duanaire Finn

Oenach indiu luid in rí

verse

54 st.;44 st.

beg. Oenach indiu luid in rí

Oráid ríghda réil d'Ó Néill nósmhar

verse

beg. Oráid ríghda réil d'Ó Néill nósmhar

Ó Siaghail (Eoghan Carrach)Ó Siaghail (Eoghan Carrach)

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

Irish poem (22 lines), apparently in praise of Niall Connallach Ó Néill, which concludes the copy of Ó Domhnaill’s Life of Colum Cille in UCD MS Franciscan A 8.

Pecthach ar síl 'nar slúagaib

verse

43 st.

beg. Pecthach ar síl 'nar slúagaib

Ó Leannáin (Maelmhuire)Ó Leannáin (Maelmhuire)

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

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Religious Irish poem ascribed to Maelmhuire Ó Leannáin

Relta na cruindi Caiterfhina

verse

11 st.

beg. Rélta na cruindi Caiterfhína

Irish poem (11 qq) on St Catherine of Alexandria.

Sa ráith-se rugadh Muire

verse

beg. Sa ráith-se rugadh Muire

Giolla Brighde Albanach

Giolla Brighde Albanach

(fl. 13th c., first half)

Scottish poet who became active in Connacht.

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Medieval Irish poem on the infancy of Christ.

Samhoin so, sodham go Tadg

verse

beg. Samhoin so, sodham go Tadg

Mac Líacc [Muirchertach]

Mac Líacc ... Muirchertach

(d.. 1014 / 1016 (AU))

Middle Irish poet, who is described as 'chief poet of Ireland' (ard-ollamh Érenn) in the Annals of Ulster; becomes the subject of a body of later medieval Irish literature.

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Poem of 47 quatrains. The speaker of the poem is Mac Líacc, poet to Brian Bóruma, who describes his journey from Limerick to the residence of Tadg Úa Cellaig, king of Uí Maine, with whom he is accustomed to spend the other half of the year. Tadg is one of the chieftains who died fighting on Brian’s side in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

Seacht bpearsain fhichead uair mé

verse

beg. Seacht bpearsain fhichead uair mé

Irish bardic poem on the optative subjunctive (itche). It is atttested in a copy of Irish grammatical tracts III–IV.

Sliocht sceo mo risi fa rún

verse

17 st.

beg. Sliocht sceo mo risi fa rún

Early Modern Irish poem (17 stt) written in the obscure style known as bérla na filed. It survives as the last of three such poems at the end of a legal manuscript (part of TCD 1337), where it is accompanied by an interlinear gloss.

Tarrnig in seal-sa ag Síl Néill

verse

53 st.

beg. Tarrnig in seal-sa ag Síl Néill

Medieval Irish poem (53 qq) on a hunting expedition by the sons of Eochaid Mugmedón and their encounter with a hag who transforms into a beautiful woman, a story known from Echtra mac nEchach Muigmedóin. This is followed by her prophecy of kings from the Ó Conchubhair dynasty, beginning with Toirrdealbach and concluding with In Crobderg, who is readily identifiable as Cath Crobderg, king of Connacht (r. 1202–1224).

Téighim ann do shúr na n-íath

verse

list

beg. Téighim ann do shúr (na) n-íath

A poem found in Agallamh na seanórach, where it is attributed to Cáilte. The poem is largely a topographical catalogue of birds and beasts from all over Ireland, which are pairs of wild animals collected by Caílte as a ransom for Finn, who is imprisoned by Cormac mac Airt, king of Tara.

Toichid brathu coitchinn cha

verse

78 st.

beg. Toichid brathu coitchinn cha

Mac Aodhagáin (Giolla na Naomh) [d. 1309]

Mac Aodhagáin (Giolla na Naomh) ... d. 1309

(d. 1309)

Irish legal scholar.

Mac Aodhagáin (Giolla na Naomh) [d. 1309]

Mac Aodhagáin (Giolla na Naomh) ... d. 1309

(d. 1309)

Irish legal scholar.

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Early Modern Irish poem (78 stt.) on legal distraint, attributed to Giolla na Naomh Mac Aodhagáin (d. 1309).

Tosach féile fairsinge

verse

beg. Tosach féile fairsinge

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Torna)

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Torna)

(ob. 1468)

Irish poet, ollamh of the Uí Chonchobhair.

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Torna)

Ó Maoil Chonaire (Torna)

(ob. 1468)

Irish poet, ollamh of the Uí Chonchobhair.

See more (ascr.)Ó Carthaigh (Aodh Ollbharr)

Ó Carthaigh (Aodh Ollbharr)

(fl. 12th or 15th century?)

Irish poet about whom little is known. A poem on the rights of Mac Diarmada of Magh Luirg, beg. A-tá sonn sochar na ríogh, is attributed to him, with the description ollamh of Crúachan, as is one beg. Tosach féile fairsinge, addressed to Tomaltach Mac Diarmada, although the latter may actually be the work of Torna Ó Maoil Chonaire. The evidence, slight as it is, might place him in 15th-century(?) Connacht and point to affiliations with the Meic Dhiarmada. An older suggestion is that he is to be identified with an earlier poet, the Aed ua Carthaig to whom the dinnshenchas poem on Mide is attributed in the Book of Leinster. This would fit in with the annnalistic evidence for Uí Carthaig ollamha of Connacht in the 11th and 12th centuries.

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Triallam timcheall na Fódla

verse

beg. Triallam timcheall na Fódla

Ó Dubhagáin (Seaán Mór)

Ó Dubhagáin (Seaán Mór)

(d. 1372)

Irish poet and historian.

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Duanaire Finn

Trúag sin a Chaílte a chara

verse

3 st.

beg. Trúag sin a Chaílte a chara

Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh

verse

198 st.

beg. Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh

Ó hUidhrín (Giolla na Naomh)

Ó hUidhrín (Giolla na Naomh)

No short description available

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A long topographical poem (198 stt) attributed to Giolla na Naomh Ó hUidhrín (ob. 1420), created in continuation of Seaán Ó Dubhagáin’s poem beg. Triallam timcheall na Fódla. Where Ó Dubhagáin covered (Gaelic) lordships and lineages of the northern half of Ireland and part of Leinster, Ó hUidhrín focused on the southern half.

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