Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/MacCuairt, James
MACCUAIRT, JAMES (fl. 1712), Irish poet, often called Seamus dall, or Dall MacCuairt, was born at Creevin, co. Louth, became blind early in life, and was well known as a musician and poet. He was a friend of Carolan [q. v.] He wrote a poem of 210 stanzas on the battle of Aughrim and the death of Sorley MacDonnell, 'San Eachdhruim an air staid na comhnaidh' ('In Aughrim of the slaughter there dwells'). His address to Carolan on his return to Meath from Connaught, 'Da milliuin deag feilte dhibh, o arus Meadhbha ingean Eachael' ('Twelve million welcomes to you from the mansion of Meave, daughter of Eochaidh'), is of eighteen stanzas. He wrote five devotional poems, 'Iarraim do bbeannacht gan fheirg' ('I beseech thy blessing without anger'), of fifty-two stanzas; 'A dhuine nach leir dhuit creachta croidhi on dall' ('Oh man to whom from blindness the wounds of his heart are not clear'); 'A bhladh na bpatiarc sa naingeal' ('Oh flower of the patriarchs and angels'), of 176 stanzas; 'Is claoidhte chuiv Adhamhrena clannuibh' ('Adam put destruction. upon his children'): 'Gach uile peacach bhocht gan treoir' ('Every poor sinner without a guide'). Another of his poems is of value for its celebration of football as played in Ireland in his time, 'Ba haigeanta croidheamhuil mo mhacnaigbsi anios' ('High spirited, stout were my friends above there'). The match described was played at Slane, on the banks of the Boyne, between the mix of Meath and Louth, he wrote many songs, of which the best known are on Brian O'Byrne's horse Punch; on Rose O'Reilly, 'Si mo rois bhreifneacb' ('She is my Rose of Brefny'), and 'A criamhthain sios ata mo mhian' ('In Creevin down by there is my desire'); and a panegyric of forty-eight stanzas on Anna, daughter of MacAnghabhan, 'Is mian leamsa tracht air ageimh na mna' ('I desire to treat on the beauty of the woman'). Paul O'Brien (d. 1820), professor of Maynooth College, knew seventeen other poems of his, and repeated their first lines to Edward O'Reilly.
[Brit. Mus. MSS. Egerton 154, f. 37. and 175. f. 82; E. O'Reilly in Transaction of IbernoC-eltic Society, Dublin, 1820.]