Maol Ruanaidh Cam Ó Cearbhaill
Encyclopedia
Maol Ruanaidh Cam Ó Cearbhaill (aka An Giolla Caoch, Cam Ó Cearbhaill), Irish
tiompan musician
, murdered Saturday 10 June 1329.
, a district ruleed by the Uí Chearbhaill
family in what is now north County Tipperary
.
He performed upon the tiompan, and conducted a school teaching the instrument. In his lifetime he appears to have been an especially esteemed musician, one of his obituaries calling him " supreme in his art, mighty in precedence and excellence".
John Clyn
(c. 1286?–c. 1349?), who later composed a chronicle
called The Annals of Ireland, had such particular praise for him that Clyn's editor, Bernadette Williams, believes that the two were known to each other, possibly friends. Given the nearness of Gaelic
-Irish Éile Uí Chearbhaill to the Anglo-Irish
lordship in Kilkenny
, this may indeed be possible.
. Bermingham was a member of a well-known Anglo-Irish
family who had been instrumental in the defense of the colony. Brutally so, as one Peter de Bermingham had in 1305 beheaded his guests, Ó Conchobhair of Uí Failghe
and thirteen of his kindred. John was granted the Earldom of Louth for defeating Prince Edward Bruce
at the Battle of Faughart
in 1318. De Bermingham lived in the same general region and would have been regarded as a good patron.
who did not like been ruled by an outsider (de Bermingman was from Uí Failghe
). John Clyn states that "His entire earldom conspired against him, being unwilling that he should rule over them. They took counsel as one, and gathered in a great mass or armed men. Not sparing one of his familia, they killed him with his two brothers and around nine of his cognomine and with one hundred and sixty and more."
However, Clyn reserved his grief for Ó Cearbhaill, writing that:
Bernadette Williams's translates this as:
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
tiompan musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, murdered Saturday 10 June 1329.
Origin
Ó Cearbhaill appears to have been a native of Éile Uí ChearbhaillÉile
Éile, Éle or Éli, commonly anglicised Ely, was an ancient and medieval kingdom of northern Munster in Ireland.-Overview:They claimed descent from Céin , a possibly mythical or spurious younger son of Ailill Aulom and brother of Éogan Mór, and thus kinship with the Eóganachta...
, a district ruleed by the Uí Chearbhaill
O'Carroll
O' Carroll is an Irish family name, deriving from the Gaelic Ó Cearbhail.-O' Carroll name and territorial extent:Notable is the history of the Clan Ó Cearbhail whose territory, known as Ely O' Carroll in Éile, consisted of the pasture lands of Ballycrinass, Rosscullenagh and Drumcan, extending to...
family in what is now north County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
.
He performed upon the tiompan, and conducted a school teaching the instrument. In his lifetime he appears to have been an especially esteemed musician, one of his obituaries calling him " supreme in his art, mighty in precedence and excellence".
John Clyn
FriarFriar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
John Clyn
John Clyn
John Clyn of the Friars Minor, Kilkenny, was a 14th century Irish monk and chronicler who lived at the time of the Black Death.-Background:...
(c. 1286?–c. 1349?), who later composed a chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
called The Annals of Ireland, had such particular praise for him that Clyn's editor, Bernadette Williams, believes that the two were known to each other, possibly friends. Given the nearness of Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
-Irish Éile Uí Chearbhaill to the Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
lordship in Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, this may indeed be possible.
The Earl of Louth
Ó Cearbhaill also seems to have known John de Bermingham, 1st Earl of LouthJohn de Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth
John de Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth was an Irish peer. He was the commander of the Anglo-Irish army in the Battle of Faughart, the decisive battle in the Irish Bruce Wars 1315–1318...
. Bermingham was a member of a well-known Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
family who had been instrumental in the defense of the colony. Brutally so, as one Peter de Bermingham had in 1305 beheaded his guests, Ó Conchobhair of Uí Failghe
Kingdom of Uí Failghe
Uí Failghe was a Gaelic-Irish kingdom, which is preserved in the name of County Offaly, Ireland.-Background:Uí Failghe may have existed as a kingdom since the early historic era, and successfully fought off encroachments by the Uí Néill, the Eóganachta, and the Normans.From the mid eleventh century...
and thirteen of his kindred. John was granted the Earldom of Louth for defeating Prince Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce
Edward the Bruce , sometimes modernised Edward of Bruce, was a younger brother of King Robert I of Scotland, who supported his brother in the struggle for the crown of Scotland, then pursued his own claim in Ireland. He was proclaimed High King of Ireland, but was eventually defeated and killed in...
at the Battle of Faughart
Battle of Faughart
The Battle of Faughart was fought on 14 October 1318 between a Hiberno-Norman force led by John de Bermingham and Edmund Butler, and a Scots-Irish army commanded by Edward Bruce, brother of Robert Bruce, king of Scotland. It was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence and more precisely...
in 1318. De Bermingham lived in the same general region and would have been regarded as a good patron.
Braganstown
Ó Cearbhaill was one of over one hundred and sixty people killed the Braganstown Massacre on Saturday 10 June 1329. The killers were local people of LouthCounty Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
who did not like been ruled by an outsider (de Bermingman was from Uí Failghe
Kingdom of Uí Failghe
Uí Failghe was a Gaelic-Irish kingdom, which is preserved in the name of County Offaly, Ireland.-Background:Uí Failghe may have existed as a kingdom since the early historic era, and successfully fought off encroachments by the Uí Néill, the Eóganachta, and the Normans.From the mid eleventh century...
). John Clyn states that "His entire earldom conspired against him, being unwilling that he should rule over them. They took counsel as one, and gathered in a great mass or armed men. Not sparing one of his familia, they killed him with his two brothers and around nine of his cognomine and with one hundred and sixty and more."
However, Clyn reserved his grief for Ó Cearbhaill, writing that:
In ista strage et eodem die Cam O'Kayrwill, famosus ille timpanista et cytharista, in arte sea fenix, ca pollens prerogativa et virtute, cum aliis tympanistis disciplulis djus circiter 20 ibidem occubuit. Iste ... vocatus Cam O'Kayrwyll, quia luscus erat nec habebat oculos rectos, sed oblique respiciens, et si non fuerat artis musice cordalis primus inventor, omnium tamen predcessorum et precedentium ipsum, ac contemporaneorum, corrector, doctor et director extitit.
Bernadette Williams's translates this as:
And on the same day, in this massacre, Ó Cearbhaill, that famous timpanist and harpist, supreme in his art, mighty in precedence and excellence, lay in the grave in the same place, with about twenty other timpanists, his students. he was called Cam Ó Cearbhaill because he was one eyed and could not see straight, but looked obliquely; and, if he was not the first inventor of the art of string music, all all his predecessors and precursors, he was corrector, scholar and director.
See also
- Tiompan
- ClàrsachClàrsachClàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
- Music of IrelandMusic of IrelandIrish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
- Thomas ConnellanThomas ConnellanThomas Connellan was an Irish composer.Connellan was born about 1640/1645 at Cloonmahon, County Sligo. Both he and his brother, William Connellan became harpers...
- Turlough Carolan
- Derek Bell (musician)Derek Bell (musician)George Derek Fleetwood Bell, MBE was an Northern Irish harpist, pianist, oboist, musicologist, and composer, best known for his accompaniment work on various instruments with The Chieftains....
- Origin of the harp in EuropeOrigin of the harp in EuropeThe origins of the triangular frame harp are unclear. Triangular objects on the laps of seated figures appear in artwork of the early medieval period in Ireland, Scotland and other parts of North West Europe. This page outlines some of the scholarly controversies and disagreements on this...