Breandan O'Madagain

Breandan O'Madagain (born 1942) is an Irish scholar, writer and celticist. He is Professor Emeritus and past Chair of Department of Irish, University College Galway, was Chairperson of the Irish Academic Council from 1998-2002 and is a member of Royal Irish Academy since 1995.

Breandan O'Madagain was born in Limerick. His main contributions to Irish scholarship have been related to the history of Traditional Irish Song, also known as Sean nos. He inaugurated courses in the history of Irish song at University College Galway, unique in their kind. He is well known for the thesis that the bulk of Irish Bardic Poetry was sung, and that many of the original melodies have been passed down through the oral tradition, although not always with their original lyrics.

Bibliography

*"Caointe Agus Seancheolta Eile", or "Keening and other Old Irish Musics", Clo Iar-Chonnachta, Indreabhan, Ireland, 2005
*"An Gaeilge i Luimneach 1700-1800"
*"Functions of Irish Folk Song in the Nineteenth Century’" in. Bealoideas 1985. Galway: University College Galway. 130 – 216
* "Irish Vocal Music of Lament and Syllabis Verse"
* "Echoes of Magic in the Gaelic Song Tradition,"
* Languages and Celtic Peoples (Nova Scotia, Canada: St. Mary's University, 1992)