An Duanaire

• Daibhi O Bruadair
• first well-known 17th century poet not in verse
• supported by the Fitzgeralds, but forced into labor in 1694 and killed himself in 1698
• "It's Best Be a Total Boor"
• The poet laments that people care about material things as opposed to poetry. But if these ignorant people knew poetry like he did, they would view it like him. He almost envies their ignorant bliss:
• Since happy in word and deed is each boorish clod / without music or metre or motherwit on his tongue, / I regret what I've wasted struggling with hard print / since the prime of life -- that I might have spent as a boor.
• "The High Poets Are Gone"
• This feels emotionally connected to the previous poem. The poet laments that the poetic legacy of the family of Cuchonnacht O Dalaigh is not carry on by his progeny:
• After those poets, for whom art and knowledge were wealth, / alas to have lived to see this fate befall us: / their books in corners greying into nothing / and their sons without one syllable of their secret treasure.
• Too bad for Cuchonnacht his sons are boors!
• "I'll Cast My Spell"
• A jester is officiating a wedding and describing the wedding night:
• But I'll issue no more instructions / -- it's none of my business -- / for fear of the bishop of Ceann Leime / or Cill da Channa.
• Ceanne Leime - north side of River Shannon, west Ireland
• Cill da Channa - north of Limerick
• "Brightness Most Bright"
• A man is upset. He sees a beautiful woman, but he's a prisoner, and she's a prisoner. A gang of goblins gropes the woman. It's unfortunate, because a fine Scottish man is meant for her, but she's being taken by these goblins. The only remedy is to wait until this man returns from over the sea.
• We're less sure about "I'll Cast My Spell," but this story is definitely an allegory where the beautiful woman is Ireland and the Scottish man who is meant for her are the Earls who fled Ireland.
• Pain, disaster, downfall, sorrow and loss! / Our mild, bright, delicate, living, fresh-lipped girl / with one of that black, horned, foreign, hate-crested crew / and no remedy near till our lions come over the sea.
• "The Vision"
• A man sees a group of happy girls passing by. Enchantment fills the harbors from Galway to Cork. The light three candles for their faithful king to return. But then the man wakes up. It was a dream -- a false hope.
• I started up -- soft, sudden -- out of my dream / believing the good news Aoibhill told me was true, / but found that I was nerve-shaken, downcast and morose / that morning ere Titan had thought to stir his feet.
• "Son of the Redeemer"
• A maiden rides toward the speaker. Her name is Eire and she longs for her love to return, the merchant's son, or the redeemer's son. She tells her story. She is in pain. There is no relief. The speaker, however, tells her that her love is dead -- that he died in Spain. Her soul leaves her body.
• This is O Bruadair's last work, depicting his grave disappointment.
• The first 7 stanzas all end with "till he comes, her Mac an Cheannai." The last stanza is the realization of his death.
• I told her, when I heard her tale, / in a whisper, he was dead, / that he found death up in Spain, / that no one heard her plaint. / She heard my voice beside her; / her body shook; she shrieked; / her soul departed in a leap. / Alas, that woman lifeless.