Gaelic literature

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Gaelic literature is literature in the native tongue of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Gaelic literature is recognised as one of the oldest literature traditions of Europe, excepting Latin and Greek. Latin had been used extensively in the Gaelic lands, with the advent of Christianity, however, the Gaels were in the vanguard as regards using their own language to write literary works of merit. Works of a religious nature were of course the first to appear in the 'Sean-Ghaeilge' (English : Old Gaelic), the earliest form written in Latin script, as it would appear theat the Gaelic speaking monks wanted to impart the religion to their flocks in the native tongue. It is thought likely that the first church hymns and prayers were composed in Gaelic as early as the sixth centuary. The work 'Amra Choluim Chille' is the earliest extant literary work of this nature left to us. It is written in a very early form of the 'Sean-Ghaeilge', and the meter has an old-fashioned appearance, more so than the rest of the literature of this period. Experts think that it was composed by Dallán Forgaill, towards the end of the sixth centuary, when Colm Cille had died.

In this same period, Félire Oengusso was also composed. As its title suggests it was a diary or calendar (Féilire = calendar/diary) and is written in a poetic form: it has a poem for each day of the year, and religious subjects, each poem giving an account of the saint of the day in question, and the contributions of the saint to the spread of the faith.

Another work of a similar nature is Saltair na Rann, written in the tenth centuary.

[edit] Internal

• Early Irish literature

[edit] External links

• Literature, Language & Music*Comparative Reading of Manx Cultural Revivals
• Gaelic Literature
• Modern Gaelic Literature
• The Gaelic Literature of Argyll
• Gaelic Literature
• Clare's Gaelic Bardic Tradition
• GAELIC LITERATURE IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
• New Publications in Irish Gaelic2006-07

[edit] See also

• Irish Gaelic Poetry
• Gaelic Rare Books
• Scottish Gaelic Books
• COMHAIRLE NAN LEABHRAICHEAN