Cumtha agus curtha i láthair ag Lorcán Mac Mathúna (guth), Martin Tourish (cairdín), agus Éamonn Galldubh (feadóg agus píoba).

Thit an domhan Gaelach as a chéile le linn saol Aodhagáin Ó Rathaille, agus bhí sé ar dhuine de phríomhthráchtairí an chasadh cinniúnaigh sin i stair agus litríocht na hÉireann. Rugadh é le linn Ré na mBardscoil ach fuair sé bás i mbochtanas in aimsir na bpéindlíthe agus na gcúirteanna filíochta. Bhí sé ar dhuine de phríomhbhunaitheoirí na gluaiseachta nua litríochta a chruthaigh an Aisling, ceol an dóchais le linn tréimhse dhorcha.

Filíocht dhomhain, dána, láidir a scríobh an Rathailleach. Thug a chuid filíochta léiriú géarcháinteach ar am brúidiúil agus tubaisteach, an fhilíocht scríofa go soiléir agus le háilleacht focal i gcónaí. Scríobh sé go liriciúil, le rithim cheolmhar agus le friotal truamhéala. An file ba chumasaí de Ré nua na Gaeilge, b’fhéidir. File nach bhfacthas a shárú fós. Lena chuid scríbhinní sui generis sa stíl nua filíochta a bhí ag teacht chun cinn, is féidir a rá go mba é An Rathailleach athair na litríochta nua-aimseartha.

Rachaimid ar aistear leis an Rathailleach trína chuid filíochta. Filíocht a thugann léargas ar an 18ú céad in Éirinn. Filíocht cheolmhar, liriciúil, a léiríonn dearcadh an fhile ar shaol a bhí ag athrú go tubaisteach. Tugann a chuid liricí dearcadh idir éadóchas agus dóchas dúinne.

“Breathuighim cuisle cheartchumasach Aodhagáin ghrinn”

Composed and presented by Lorcán Mac Mathúna (voice), Martin Tourish (accordion), and Éamonn Galldubh (pipes and flute).

The Gaelic world fell apart during the life of Aodhagáin Ó Rathaille, and he was one of the leading chroniclers of this traumatic turn in Irish history and literature. He was born during the era of the Bardic School but died in poverty during penal times and the times of the subverted Bardic Court. He was one of the chief generators of the new movement in literature which produced the Aisling; the music of hope during a hopeless first.

The Rathailleach wrote deep, bold and fierce poetry. His poetry was a savage witness to a brutal and tragic time, written with clarity and always an eye for beauty in words. He wrote lyrically, with musical rhythm and alliterative pathos. The most capable poet of a new era of Irish. A poet who has not yet been surpassed. With his sui generis writings in the newly evolving style of Irish poetry, it can be said that O Rathaille is the father of modern Irish literature.

We will travel with O Rathaille through his poetry. Poetry that stands as one of the clearest witnesses of the 18th Century in Ireland. Musical, lyrical poetry, which gave the poet’s perspective on a world that, was changing traumatically. His unique lyrics give us a perspective divided between despair and optimism.