Comracc Liadain i Cuirithir

Comracc Liadain i Cuirithir(Comracc Líadaine ocus Chuirithir) an 9^th century poem of love.

Comracc Liadain i Cuirithir is a classic love poem, but what makes this poem so special is that it is about the love of two poets, Cuirithir mac Doborchu and Liadian. The poem was written in the 9^th century but Cuirithir and Liadian lived in the 7^th century, according to this site. Also one thing about this poem is that the actually is unknown. This poem does more than tells of their love and their hardships it gives us insights into their time period and gave us insight on what these poets lives were like.

Liadian was a female poet, note that nowhere does it say bafili meaning there must have been another form of female poet, who lived in the 7^th century. If it isn’t strange enough to have a female poet at this time, she also was traveling around which is when she met Cuirithir. Soon after their first meeting they had relations without being married, which was against the religion at that time. After her first encounter with Cuirithir she became a nun. Though Cuirithir found her again she was already a nun. Several times throughout the text she was also called a scholar meaning she must have had some education.

Cuirithir was a male poet in Corkaguiney also living in the 7^th century.  Unlike his lover Cuirithir was not travelling. When Liadian became a nun and Cuirithir broke his chastity vows to the church he was forced to admit he did not love Liadian anymore, which in turn according to the story made Liadian die of a broken heart.

This story reveled just how religion and love affected each other. Also it gave great insight into the lives of female and male poets, traveling and city based. Poets’ lives could get a lot more complicated then what we previously thought, it’s not all about mythology and taken records like it seems. Love plays a role in this medieval poetry as well.