Kilcrea Friary

Airt Uí Laoghaire ......

A celebrated lament in Irish, attributed to Eibhlín Dubh, Caoineadh Art Uí Laoghaire, is an emotionally powerful description of her reaction to his death. The tragic appeal of the poem has earned it a lasting place in Irish Literature and ensured that Arthur O'Leary will not be forgotten.

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The following passage of the lament appears to have been sung by Eibhlín at Art's burial:

My love and my beloved
Your corn-stacks are standing
your yellow cows milking.
Your grief upon my heart
all of Munster couldn't cure,
nor the smiths of Oileáin na bhFionn,
Till Art Ó Laoghaire comes
my grief will not disperse
but cram my heart's core,
shur firmly in
like a trunk locked up
when the key is lost.

 Mo ghrá thú agus mo rún!
Tá do stácaí ar a mbonn,
Tá do bha buí á gcrú;
Is ar mo chroí atá do chumha
Ná leigheasfadh Cúige Mumhan
Ná Gaibhne Oileán na bhFionn.
Go dtiocfaidh Art Ó Laoghaire chugham
Ní scaipfidh ar mo chumha
Atá i lár mo chroí á bhrú;
Dúnta suas go dlúth
Mar a bheadh glas a bheadh ar thrúnc
'S go raghadh an eochair amú.