- Gillebríghde Albanach
Gillebríghde Albanach (fl. 1200-1230) was a medieval Scottish
poet andcrusade r. He took part, along with his fellow-GaelMuireadhach Albanach , in theFifth Crusade , reaching Acre in 1218 or 1219, and following the main Crusader army via southernCyprus toDamietta ; [Alan MacQuarrie, "Scotland and the Crusades", (Edinburgh, 1997), p. 38.] He may have been on crusade until 1224 or after. [Thomas Owen Clancy (ed.), "The Triumph Tree: Scotland's Earliest Poetry, 550–1350", (Edinburgh, 1998), p. 247.]When not crusading, Gillebrìghde spent much, if not most of this life working as a poet in
Ireland . Hispanegyric poems are all dedicated to Irish patrons. We know he was Scottish, however, because of references toScotland describing it as "duthchas damh", my dúthchas ("native place", "heritage", "birthright", etc) and "dom thír", my country. [Wilson MacLeod, "Divided Gaels: Gaelic Cultural Identities in Scotland and Ireland, c. 1200-1650", (Oxford, 2004), p. 88] About seven of his poems survive, five panegyric poems, [Actually, Dr. Wilson MacLeod, "op. cit.", p. 87, says "Approxiamtely eight poem survive ... these include six panegyrics", but his lists only five of these.] and two crusading poems. [The details of the availability of all these poems (both panegyric and crusader) in print can be found in MacLeod, "op. cit.", p. 87, n. 109.]Panegyrics
The surviving panegyrics were written for two Irish patrons,
Donnchadh Cairbreach Ó Briain (d. 1242),King of Thomond ; and Cathal Croibhdhearg Ó Conchubhair (d. 1224),King of Connaught .* "Aisling ad-chonnarc ó chianaibh" ("A vision I saw some time ago") - Written for Donnchadh Cairbreach Ó Briain.
* "Fada Dhamh druim re hÉirinn" ("Long am I with my back towards Ireland") - Written for Cathal Croibhdhearg Ó Conchubhair.
* "Sgían mo charad ar mo chliú" ("My friend's knife at my left side") - Written for Donnchadh Cairbreach Ó Briain.
* "Tabhraid chugam cruit mo ríogh" ("Bring me my king's harp") - Written for Donnchadh Cairbreach Ó Briain.
* "Tháining an Craobhdhearg go Cruachan" ("The Red Hand has come to Cruachan") - Written for Cathal Croibhdhearg Ó Conchubhair.
Crusading poems
* "A ghilli gabhus an stiúir" ("O Lad who takes the helm") -
* "A Mhuireadhaigh, meil do sgín ("Muireadhach, sharpen your knife")
Notes
References
* Clancy, Thomas Owen (ed.), "The Triumph Tree: Scotland's Earliest Poetry, 550–1350", (Edinburgh, 1998),pp. 247-57, 262-68
* MacLeod, Wilson, "Divided Gaels: Gaelic Cultural Identities in Scotland and Ireland, c. 1200-1650", (Oxford, 2004)
* MacQuarrie, Alan, "Scotland and the Crusades", (Edinburgh, 1997)
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