Gillebríghde Albanach Explained

Gillebríghde Albanach (fl. 1200–1230) was a medieval Scottish poet and crusader. He took part, along with his fellow-Gael Muireadhach Albanach, in the Fifth Crusade, reaching Acre in 1218 or 1219, and following the main Crusader army via southern Cyprus to Damietta;^[1] He may have been on crusade until 1224 or after.^[2]

When not crusading, Gillebrìghde spent much, if not most, of this life working as a poet in Ireland. His panegyric poems are all dedicated to Irish patrons. We know he was Scottish, however, because of references to Scotland describing it as "duthchas damh", my dúthchas ("native place", "heritage", "birthright", etc.) and "dom thír", my country.^[3] About seven of his poems survive, five panegyric poems,^[4] and two crusading poems.^[5]

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")

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)

Notes and References

1. Alan MacQuarrie, Scotland and the Crusades, (Edinburgh, 1997), p. 38.
2. Thomas Owen Clancy (ed.), The Triumph Tree: Scotland's Earliest Poetry, 550 - 1350, (Edinburgh, 1998), p. 247.
3. Wilson MacLeod, Divided Gaels: Gaelic Cultural Identities in Scotland and Ireland, c. 1200-1650, (Oxford, 2004), p. 88
4. Actually, Dr. Wilson MacLeod, op. cit., p. 87, says "Approximately eight poems survive ... these include six panegyrics", but his lists only five of these.
5. 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.