About Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh
Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh was an Irish poet.
Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh (; 1630), sometimes spelt in English as Carroll Oge O'Daly, was a 17th-century Irish language poet and harpist, who composed the song "".
Cearbhall (Carroll) was a common name amongst people of the Ó Dálaigh (O'Daly, Daly) surname, and more than one poet of that surname bore the name. The Cearbhall Óg who composed "Eileanóir a Rún" was from Pallas, near Gorey in County Wexford. The Eileanóir of the poem was the daughter of Sir Morgan Kavanagh of Clonmullen in County Wexford. In folklore, Cearbhall is presented as a womaniser and trickster similar to the Gobán Saor.
"Eileanóir a Rún" Irish folklore recounts how Eileanóir Chaomhánach (Eleanor Kavanagh) eloped with Cearbhall (Carroll) on the day that she was about to marry another man. Cearbhall arrived at the wedding to play music at the wedding feast, and fell in love with the bride. He composed the song "Eileanoir a Rún" to woo the bride.
Other songs and poems Another song, in the style of the crosántacht, "Seachrán Chearbhaill", is ascribed to Cearbhall Óg. Both a poem by the Dominican priest Pádraigín Haicéad that is addressed to Cearbhall, and Cearbhall's poem in response, survive in a 17th-century manuscript. The story "Mac na Míchomhairle" (The Son of Poor Council) has been ascribed to him in folklore, but current scholarship casts doubt on this ascription.
In recordings A version of "Seachrán Chearbhaill" by Joe Éinniu (Seosamh Ó hÉanaí) is available on a CD with the book Joe Éinniu: Nár fhágha mé Bás Choíche by Liam Mac Con Iomaire (Cló Iarchonnachta 2007); and a later recording of an earlier version of the song on Peadar Ó Ceannabháin's CD, Mo Chuid den tSaol (Cló-Iarchonnachta). There are many commercially available recordings of "Eleanór a Rún".
Both songs are recognised as part of the traditional Irish-language repertoire of unaccompanied ballads known as 'sean-nós song'.
In literature Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh appears as an historical character in Darach Ó Scolaí's Irish-language novel An Cléireach, as a soldier in the Royalist army in 1650 and in the Spanish Netherlands as late as 1662.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh?
Irish poet and harpist
When was Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh born?
Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh was born in Palace.
What was Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh's occupation?
Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh was a poet.
What nationality was Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh?
Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh was Irish.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh
· DBpedia: Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh. https://biography.guide/cearbhall-og-o-dalaigh/
MLA: "Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cearbhall-og-o-dalaigh/.
Chicago: "Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cearbhall-og-o-dalaigh/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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