Aoghan O Rathaille Poem by Francis Duggan

There was a man named Aoghan O Rathaille
And he lived by the immortal Paps of Shrone
The first great Gaelic Bard of Sliabh Luachra
And in Gaelic speaking Ireland his stature has grown.

I can't say that i know that much about him
For he died in the eighteenth century
And on the facts of his life there is much disagreement
But on his poetic greatness there is harmony.

It's been said that he was born in the sixteen seventies
And that he died between seventeen twenty six and twenty nine
He was the first great talent of Sliabh Luachra
And still his genius in his verses shine.

Sliabh Luachra home of poets and musicians
Great names the cultural experts still recall
And many rate the famed Aoghan O Rathaille
As good as any if not best of all.

Long years before Sliabh Luachra became famous
And before the bard Eoghan Rua saw light of day
Aoghan was dead but by no means forgotten
True genius never seems to fade away.

And like i said i don't know much about him
But i do know that he died in poverty
He was the first great poet of Sliabh Luachra
And he lived in the eighteenth century.