These extracts from Aodhagan O Rathaille’s poem “The Ruin that Befell the Great Families of Ireland” (c. 1720), were translated by Michael Hartnett from the original An Milleadh D’imigh ar Mhor-shleachtaibh na hEireann.O Rathaille (c. 1670 — c. 1729) was bom in Screathan an Mhil or Scrahanaveele, 16 km east of Killamey in the Sliabh Luachra area of Co. Kerry. By all accounts, he received a good formal education, which included history, Irish literature, Latin and English - still a minority language but growing in usage during his life. His parents were reasonably prosperous and leased land from Sir Nicholas Browne, according to Sean O Tuama and Thomas Kinsella (1981).
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