Aonghus Ruadh Ó Dálaigh (born c.1280 - died 1350) was an Irish poet.
Genealogy
His pedigree was: Aonghus Ruadh, son of Donnchadh Ruadh Ó Dálaigh, son of Aengus, son of Donnchadh Mor, son of Aenghusa, son of Tiadgh doichligh, son of Con Connacht na scoile, son of Dalaigh, son of Muiredhaigh, son of Taidgh, son of Giolla coimded, son of Dalaigh (from whom the Ó Dálaighs were named), son of Fachtna, son of Cuirc, son of Adaimh, son of Maile Duin, son of Fergaile, son of Maile Duin, son of Maile Dithrig.
Birth
He was born in
County Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
, probably in the barony of
Corkaree
Corkaree () is a Barony (Ireland), barony in north County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It was formed by 1672.Hugh McOwen O'Conor, in that year of a castle on the hill of Carn Fraoich or
Carnfree
Carnfree (Irish ''Carn Fraoich'', Fráech's cairn) is a site south of the village of Tulsk in Roscommon that also lies close to the more celebrated ancient landscape of Rathcroghan. The chief feature here is the bronze-age mound of Carnfree itself ...
in
County Roscommon
County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...
, ''An tu aris a raith Theamhrach'' (Do you appear again, O Fort of Tara).
He also composed a poem of 448 verses entitled: ''Adhamh, athair, sruth ár sluagh'' (Adam, father and source of our race), which tells of the various races that inhabited Ireland before the coming of the Milesians.
Ó Dálaigh was poet to Ruaidhri O'Maelmhuaidh, chief of Fearcall, then located in County Meath but now comprising the baronies of
Ballyboy
Ballyboy or Ballaboy () is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is about two kilometres east of Kilcormac. The village is in a civil parish of the same name.
Prior to the Plantations of Ireland, Ballyboy was ruled by O'Molloy in a territor ...
County Offaly
County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of UÃ ...
. He got drunk and offended the chief, whereupon to appease his lord's anger he composed a poem of 192 verses entitled: ''Ceangal do shioth riom a Ruadhri'' (Confirm thy peace with me, O Ruaidhri!), in which he urges the chief to attack the English and make friends with his own poet, Ó Dálaigh.
He seemed to make a habit of offending rulers as, in the reign of Cormac Ballach mac Art who was
from 1344 to 1362, he left that kingdom without the king's permission, sometime between 1344 and 1347, to take up the post of
ollam
An or ollamh (; anglicised as ollave or ollav), plural ollomain, in early Irish literature, was a master in a particular trade or skill.
Bard
Generally, ''ollam'' referred to a professional poet or bard of literature and history, and a membe ...
County Clare
County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
. As a punishment the king attacked the poet's property in Westmeath. In revenge Aonghus Ruadh satirised the king. His grandson, Fearghal Ó Dálaigh, later composed a poem about the incident entitled ''Maith fear mar chách, a Chormaic''.MacKenna, Lambert, 'Some Irish Bardic Poems: XCIII', in ''Studies Review'', Vol. 39, No. 153 (March 1950), pp. 91-99
Family
He had at least two sons. The
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
for 1367 state: ''Teige and Loughlin, two sons of Aengus Roe O'Daly, died''. His grandson was the poet
Fearghal Ó Dálaigh
Fearghal Ó Dálaigh (born before 1368 - died 1420) was an Irish poet.
Genealogy
His pedigree was: Fearghal Ó Dálaigh, son of Tadhg, son of Aonghus Ruadh, son of Donnchadh Ruadh, son of Aengus, son of Donnchadh Mor, son of Aenghusa, son of ...
.
Death
The
Annals of Ulster
The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrà Ó Luinà ...
for 1347 state: ''Aengus Ua Dalaigh, the Red, (namely; son of Donnchadh, son of Aengus, son of Donnchadh Mor), a sage without defect, died''. The
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
for 1350 state: ''Aengus Roe O'Daly, the most learned of the poets of Ireland, died''. The
for 1350 state: ''Aenghus Ruadh O'Dalaigh, the most eminent poet in Erinn, quievit''. The
Annals of Connacht
The ''Annals of Connacht'' (), covering the years 1224 to 1544, are drawn from a manuscript compiled in the 15th and 16th centuries by at least three scribes, all believed to be members of the Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin.
The early sections, commenc ...
for 1350 state: ''Aengus Ruad O Dalaig; master-poet of Ireland, rested''.