|
Other Tirconaill Bards
"Danta Diadha Uladh", collected by Enri Ó Muirgheasa, published
by Oifig Díolta Foillseacháin Rialtais in 1936, carries an inscriptory
line by Feargal Mac an Bháird, "Is diomhaim gac dan acht dan Dé--Every
song/poem is useless except a song to God". Ó Muirgheasa's foreword,
in Irish, pays tribute to the Celtic bards whose religious poems helped succour
their people during the prosletysing heyday of Protestant planters, satirising
the few weaklings who succumbed, and laughing at the newly transplanted English
churches' efforts to persuade the poor and the dispossessed to part with their
sole remaining treasure, their Catholic faith.
Of special interest are the notes appended to most of the poems by Ó
Muirgheasa, detailing where he found them and tracing their origin. The source
of seven of them he places in a manuscript compiled by Micheal Mac a' Bháird
of Ros Inbhear, in 1825. The first of these is "Friday's Poem"--"Dán
na hAoine", a reflection on the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday. I
mention it solely for the reason that Good Friday is a highly significant date
in recent Irish history.
Of more immediate interest is that one of the poems he preserves is "Aodh
Beag an Dóchtuir", an excoriation of a turncoat cleric, which Micheal
discovered in manuscript in Belfast City Library, wherein it is stated that
the poet was Brian Mac an Bháird.
The surviving bards of Donegal, however, were not slavish in their praise of
all Catholic clergy. If something were amiss, they were not remiss in their
criticism. In this they were following their traditional role and duty. An observation
by Mata Ó Graeme, quoted by Ó Muirgheasa at p.374 o his "Dánta
Diadha Uladh" is worth noting:
"Though the Catholic clergy of Ireland were justly beloved of the people
for their privations and sufferings, yet whenever they infringed on the rigid
rules of the Church, or imposed on the people under any pretense, they were
sure of meeting the opposition of the bards. Seldom indeed did the priesthood
incur their censure, but if at any time that censure was called for it was
not called for in vain."
The above observation is appended to a poem "Da mBeinn-se Saidhbhir"
by Art Mac Cubhthaigh, condemning over-exaction of tithes or other levies from
poor parishioners. This same Art composed a famous bilingual poem "Tagra
an Da Theampall," a dispute in rhyme between an English and an Irish church
over matters canonical. "Just for the jig of the thing," as the old
woman said when asked why she rode a whin bush, one of its English verses is
given herewith:
In spite of your beads my English shall reign,
While Irish grows daily odious;
England and Wales have riches in heaps,
To flourish away most glorious;
My flock has estates, with land and demesnes,
All riding in state in their coaches,
While taxes, arrears, and cesses severe
Are on your Gaedhelian broaches.
The estates are gone (mostly), the demesnes, and the coaches. Only the land
remains, and the original owners, not to mention "taxes, arrears, and cesses
severe".
Pity!
The Bards Of Ireland - Part II - Navigation First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page
Home
| About
| Canadian Vindicator
| Literature
| Gallery
| History
|
|