Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta
Encyclopedia
Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta was a central figure in the seventeenth and eighteenth century Airgíalla school of poets and songwriters in the Irish language
. Like his neighbours, Peadar Ó Doirnín
, Art Mac Cumhaigh
and Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna
, Mac Cuarta was part of the Airgíalla tradition of poetry and song.
in County Louth
although Kilkerley to the north-west of Dundalk is also mentioned as bearing links to his life and appears to have spent most of his life moving around this area and the Boyne Valley. As his name suggests, he was either blind or had seriously impaired vision and, at a time when gentry patronage of the poetic class was on the wane, this placed more emphasis on his literary skills rather than the traditional poetic tools of flattery towards their patrons. He was, by all accounts, very sociable and among his friends were fellow musicians and poets Niall Óg Mac Mhurchaidh, Pádraig Mac Giolla Fhiondáin (1665–1733), and Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738).
, 'Mac Cuarta's poetry reflects a familiarity with Irish literature and history, the classics (Greek and Latin), and the Bible.'
and Norman
origin, and he dedicated poems to, among others, Toirealach Ó Néill, Brian Mac Naois, Brian Mac Eoghain, Mac Airt Uí Néill, Baron Slane
. He lamented in particular the overthrow of the Ó Néill chiefs of the Fews in south Armagh, whose castle in Glasdrummond then lay deserted at the time of his writing. However, despite his praise of these nobles, Séamas dismissed nobles who he believed did not resist the English sufficiently and instead promoted men without noble lineage but who resisted the English conquest.
poets. Other poems praise women, although these are not considered to be among his most passionate poems. Some fifty of Mac Cuarta's poems still survive. They are contained in circa 130 manuscripts, the earliest of which is from c. 1690.
, Co. Meath.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. Like his neighbours, Peadar Ó Doirnín
Peadar Ó Doirnín
-Biography:Ó Doirnín is one of the most celebrated of the Ulster poets in the eighteenth century and along with Art Mac Cumhaigh, Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta was part of the Airgíalla tradition of poetry and song...
, Art Mac Cumhaigh
Art Mac Cumhaigh
Art Mac Cumhaigh was, along with Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna, Peadar Ó Doirnín and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta, among the most celebrated of the south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the eighteenth century...
and Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna
Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna
-Biography:Along with Peadar Ó Doirnín, Art Mac Cumhaigh and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta, Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna one of the four most prominent of the south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries...
, Mac Cuarta was part of the Airgíalla tradition of poetry and song.
Background
Mac Cuarta was possibly born in OmeathOmeath
Omeath is a village on the R173 regional road in County Louth, Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly mid way between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439, and is approximately from...
in County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
although Kilkerley to the north-west of Dundalk is also mentioned as bearing links to his life and appears to have spent most of his life moving around this area and the Boyne Valley. As his name suggests, he was either blind or had seriously impaired vision and, at a time when gentry patronage of the poetic class was on the wane, this placed more emphasis on his literary skills rather than the traditional poetic tools of flattery towards their patrons. He was, by all accounts, very sociable and among his friends were fellow musicians and poets Niall Óg Mac Mhurchaidh, Pádraig Mac Giolla Fhiondáin (1665–1733), and Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin (1670–1738).
Works
His works display a close affiliation with the older literary traditions, as well as the influence of contemporary popular song and balladry. In the words of Nollaig Ó MuraíleNollaig Ó Muraíle
Nollaig Ó Muraíle is an Irish scholar. He published an acclaimed edition of Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh's Leabhar na nGenealach in 2004. He was conferred with the honour of admittance to the Royal Irish Academy in 2009.-Life and career:...
, 'Mac Cuarta's poetry reflects a familiarity with Irish literature and history, the classics (Greek and Latin), and the Bible.'
Political influences
His poems also bear a very strong resonance to the political turmoil of the period or, as Ó Muraíle put it, 'Much of Mac Cuarta's work echoes the political events of his time, such as the catastrophic battle of Aughrim (1691)—which inspired ‘Tuireamh Shomhairle Mhic Dhomhnaill’ (a lament for a Catholic leader who fell in that battle)—and the subsequent subjugation of his people by the English, who are condemned both as foreigners and heretics.' Among Séamas's patrons were chieftains of GaelicGaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
and Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
origin, and he dedicated poems to, among others, Toirealach Ó Néill, Brian Mac Naois, Brian Mac Eoghain, Mac Airt Uí Néill, Baron Slane
Baron Slane
Baron Slane is a Barony in the Peerage of Ireland It was created in 1370 for the Fleming family but forfeited in 1691. - Origins :The Flemings of Slane descend from Archembald le Fleming of Bratton Fleming, Devon, who was alive in 1087...
. He lamented in particular the overthrow of the Ó Néill chiefs of the Fews in south Armagh, whose castle in Glasdrummond then lay deserted at the time of his writing. However, despite his praise of these nobles, Séamas dismissed nobles who he believed did not resist the English sufficiently and instead promoted men without noble lineage but who resisted the English conquest.
Nature influences
His poetry also displayed a great love of poetry, despite his blindness, a love most poignantly shown in 'Fáilte don éan' from c. 1707. His best poems are those in the form of Trí Rainn agus Amhrán- three stanzas in loose syllabic verse and one stanza in song form- where both traditionS are finely merged. Unlike the classic poetry of most of his contemporaries Mac Cuarta work displays a strong feeling for nature, a tendency which marked the Early IrishOld Irish language
Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Goidelic languages for which extensive written texts are extant. It was used from the 6th to the 10th centuries, by which time it had developed into Middle Irish....
poets. Other poems praise women, although these are not considered to be among his most passionate poems. Some fifty of Mac Cuarta's poems still survive. They are contained in circa 130 manuscripts, the earliest of which is from c. 1690.
Death
Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta died in 1733 and is buried in an unmarked grave in the old graveyard at MonknewtonMonknewton
Monknewtown , historically called Rathenskin, is a townland 3km east of Slane in County Meath, Ireland. It stands on the Mattock River, which feeds several historic watermills nearby....
, Co. Meath.
See also
- Piaras FeiritéarPiaras FeiritéarPiaras Feiritéar was an Irish poet.Feiritéar was a Norman-Irish lord of Baile an Fheirtéaraigh in Corca Dhuibhne. Although best known as a poet, it was his role as a leader of the nascent Catholic Irish community of Norman- and Gaelic- Irish origin which ultimately lead to his execution in...
- Dáibhí Ó BruadairDáibhí Ó BruadairDáibhí Ó Bruadair was one of the most significant Irish language poets of the 17th century. He lived through a momentous time in Irish history and his work serves as testimony to the death of the old Irish cultural and political order and the decline in respect for the once honoured and feared...
- Cathal Buí Mac Giolla GhunnaCathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna-Biography:Along with Peadar Ó Doirnín, Art Mac Cumhaigh and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta, Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna one of the four most prominent of the south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries...
- Peadar Ó DoirnínPeadar Ó Doirnín-Biography:Ó Doirnín is one of the most celebrated of the Ulster poets in the eighteenth century and along with Art Mac Cumhaigh, Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta was part of the Airgíalla tradition of poetry and song...
- Aogán Ó RathailleAogán Ó RathailleAodhagán Ó Rathaille, also spelt Aogán Ó Rathaille or Anglicised as Egan O'Rahilly , was an Irish language poet. He is credited with creating the first fully developed Aisling poem.-Early life:...
- Art Mac CumhaighArt Mac CumhaighArt Mac Cumhaigh was, along with Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna, Peadar Ó Doirnín and Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta, among the most celebrated of the south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the eighteenth century...
- Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin
- Seán Clárach Mac Dónaill
External links
- http://www.newryjournal.co.uk/content/view/2341/41/
- http://www.cregganhistory.co.uk/ofiaichcentre/creggan.htm
- http://sources.nli.ie/Record/MS_UR_052539
- http://www.slanegfc.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:iomainnaboinne1712&catid=38:history&Itemid=59