The Importance of the Poet in Gaelic Ireland

        In ancient Gaelic Ireland the poet was a powerful official, and as time passed his powers and importance grew.  Edmund Spenser, writing as late as 1596, said poets were "held in so high regard and estimation . . . that none may displease them, for feare to runne into reproach through their offense, and be made infamous in the mouths of all men." 

        In most of the Irish-Gaelic prose epics, the lyrics are put into the mouths of the hero and heroine.  The poetry is apparently of much earlier date than the prose.  The purely lyrical poetry of ancient Ireland was that of the professional bard attached to the court of a king or chieftain, or that of a monk or itinerant bard.  From the earliest period the names of famous bards are known, but the allocation of a particular poem to an individual poet rests upon tradition.   Laws and genealogies were also put into verse for easier memorizing.  A further characteristic of early Irish poetry is the love of nature and recording its phenomena with exquisite precision.

        The File or Ollambh required twelve years of instruction in poetic elements, the bard seven years.  The Book of Ballymote describes the file's ordination:  when he received the degreee of Ollambh he also received the right to wear the mantle of crimson bird feathers, the right to carry the golden musical branch or wand of office, and to fill the highest post in the kingdom next to the king.  Prophecy, miracles and incantation were attributed to poets.  Later, but still in remote times, the offices of the poet were divided, the brehons devoting themselves to the study of law, the druids arrogating to themselves the supernatural functions, and the Fili being regarded only as poets and philosophers.

"Sky Over Tara." Tara was the most important of early royal and ritual sites in Ireland.  Photograph by Stephen Cassidy.

Giolla Mochuda Mor Ó Caiside

          The earliest renowned Cassidy poet is Giolla Mochuda Mor Ó Caiside (also identified as Gilla Mo Dutu Ua Casaide).  In 1147, Ó Caiside composed Banshenchas (The Lore of Woman), which is a list of famous married women in ancient world and Irish history and literature.  Several metrical and prose versions exist.  Reflecting that the use of surnames did not begin in Ireland until the 10th century, there are no surnames in the Banshenchas until about 910.   Banshenchas thus illustrates the extraodinary ingenuity of the Gaelic tongue in coining personal names.

        Banshenchas begins with Eve and other Hebrew women, moving to women found in ancient Greek literature, skipping Roman history, and then entering Irish culture.  There are no names of Latin or Saxon origin, and hardly any medieval saint names.  Instead, some of the most common names are Sadb, Ethne, Mor, Cacht, Gormlaith and Orlaith.   

        The poem consists of 900 lines of verse.   Eventually, the entire poem will posted on the Web site.  The following translation was by Margaret (Maighréad ni) C. Dobbs from 1934.

        1.    Banshenshus, Part I

Tomas Ó Caisaide

        In Gaelic culture, poetry and stories served as inspiration for songs that have been passed down to the present.  A prime example of this legacy is the poetry of Tomas Ó Caisaide.

        Ó Caisaide was ordained an Augustinian friar in the late 1700s, but soon thereafter defrocked on account of his marriage to a young woman.  He left for France, joined the army, deserted and went to Hamburg, and returned to Ireland as a wandering seanchai, a bearer of old lore (seanchas).

        The most famous poem by Ó Caisaide, later given the title An Caisideach Ban no An Brathair Buartha (The Fairhaired Cassidy or the Troubled Friar), tells the story of a priest, who lusts after a fair maiden and his final wish on his death bed would be to get a kiss from her.  A group of folk songs still sung today developed out of this poem and others by Ó Caisaide.  One version of An Caisideach Ban is on Altan’s -- arguably the top Irish traditional band today -- first album from 1987. 

        The well-known traditional song Carrickfergus, which can be found on Van Morrison & The Chieftains’ wonderful 1988 album Irish Heartbeat, was also inspired by An Caisideach Ban, as the narrator yearns for a love from his childhood while spending his days in "endless roving."