Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/MacConmidhe, Gillabrighde
MACCONMIDHE, GILLABRIGHDE (fl. 1260), historian and poet, was a member of a family which for more than three centuries acted as hereditary poets of the Cinel Eoghain, the O'Neills, and their kindred septs. He was born about 1200, and wrote a poem on Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor [q. v.] during the lifetime of that king, who died in 1224. Brian O'Neill, chief of the Cinel Eoghain, once gave him twenty horned cows (fiche bo bheannach) for poem, and on another occasion, after the feativities of May day, gave him twenty cows, besides gold and clothing. When not attending O'Neill the poet travelled through Tyrone and Derry, and frequently visited the chief of the Clan O'Glairmleadhaigh, whose blue eyes he praises, and Amlaibh, chief of the O'Laithbheartaighs. He was with Brian O'Neill at the battle of Down in 1260, when that chief was slain by the Lord-justice Stephen Longespée. The king's head was gone when his body was found on the field, and the poet believed that it had been sent to Henry III of England. He attended the body to Armagh, where it was buried on the north side of the church, west of the tomb of Brian Boroimhe [q. v.] He also visited the disert at Derry, where the body of O'Gairmleadhaigh, who was also slain at Down, was buried. He then wrote a lament of 280 lines on the defeat and the death of Brian. In this be recalls the achievements of the Cinel Koghaln. how they defeated the Oirghialla and the Ulidians, and made the Danes of Dublin pay tribute; how in very old times they made chessmen of the bones of defeated Leinstermen, carried off Ceallachan [q, v.], king of Munster, and made Conchohhar, king of Connaught, a captive. Then he praises O'Neill and his allied chieftains, tells of the battle and the slain, and ends with an invocation of St. Bridget. Four copies of the poem were known to O'Donovan, who from the oldest, a vellum manuscript, belonging to John Nugent of Farranconnell, co. Cavan, printed the text with a translation in the 'Miscellany of the Celtic Society.' Dublin, 1849. The name in sometimes erroneously anglicised MacNamee.
Subsequent members of this literary family who are mentioned in the Irish chronicles are:
Eachmareach MacConmidhe (d. 1420), poet
Maelisa MacConmidhe (d. 1434), ollav (i.e. chronicler) of O'Neill,
Tadhg MacConmidhe (d. 1493), poet, son of Conchobhar Ruadh, and grandson of Eachmarcach, who was murdered by one of his own henchmen.
Solamh MacConmidhe (d. 1507), ollav of O'Neill, famous in general literature and poetry, son of John (d 30 Oct. 1607),
Brian MacConmidhe (d. 1542). man of letters, cursed by MacRohhartaigh, keeper of the Cross of Columcille, for insulting the Brian MacConmidhe (d. 1583), poet, son of Donogh.
[Annals Bioghacachta Eirennn. ed. J. O'Donovan; Original Poem on Battle of Down in Miscellany of Celtic Soc., ed. J. O'Donovan, 1849).]