Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna (c. 1680 – 1756) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...

Biography

Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna (?1680-1756) is one of the four most prominent south

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

and north

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...

poets in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He has been described as an Irish-speaking

Christy Moore Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his significant success as an individual, he is one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts. His first album, ...

, an incisive ballad singing entertainer for a totally Irish-speaking community of poor people living at or below subsistence in the early 18th century. He was one of a school of ballad poetry that included Peadar Ó Doirnín,

Art Mac Cumhaigh Art Mac Cumhaigh (or Mac Cobhthaigh) (1738–1773), or Art McCooey, was among the most celebrated of the south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the eighteenth century. He was part of the Airgíalla tradition of poetry and song. Origin It is co ...

, and

Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta (c. 1647? – 1733) was an Irish poet. He was the originator of a seventeenth and eighteenth century Irish language school of poets, centred on the south-east of the province of Ulster and north of Leinster.Kilberd, D. (20 ...

. Mac Giolla Ghunna was probably born in

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of a ...

and, having initially studied to be a priest, settled for a career as a rake-poet. It has been remarked about his poetry that 'of the handful of poems attributed to him, most are marked by a rare humanity, but none can match '' An Bonnán Buí'' ''(The Yellow Bittern)'' with its finely-judged blend of pathos and humour'. Although "Cathal Buí", as he is still affectionately termed in the folklore of Bréifne, is now little known in Ireland, his masterpiece '' An Bonnán Buí'' is one of the best known songs in Irish. "An Bonnán Buí" was based in

Lough MacNean Lough MacNean () is a large freshwater lake on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is in two parts. Lower Lough MacNean (or Lough Nilly),The English Cyclopedia 1867 Page 498 " ... and is connected by a short st ...

, which is situated between Fermanagh and Cavan. A monument in his honour lies near there, which was unveiled by

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (; 12 February 1911 – 21 March 1978) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, judge and barrister who served as the fifth president of Ireland from December 1974 to October 1976. His birth name was registered in English ...

. He is buried in Donaghmoyne, Co. Monaghan. A study of the Bréifne school of poetry is forthcoming from

Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin Pádraigín Máire Ní Uallacháin () is an Irish singer-songwriter, academic, and former newsreader

. The memory of Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna is celebrated annually in his home country –

Blacklion Blacklion (; also ''An Leargaidh'') is a border village in west County Cavan, Ireland. It is situated on the N16 national primary road, just across the border from the County Fermanagh village of Belcoo. History The village is within the to ...

(Cavan) and

Belcoo Belcoo ( ()Flanagan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 172. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. is a small village and townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, from Enniskillen. It is on the County Fermanagh/County Cavan border besid ...

(Fermanagh), with a festival for young poets named in his honour, ''Féile Chathal Buí''.Féile Chathal Buí
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Biography

References

See also