Géibheann on this year’s Irish exam?

Géibheann is a poem written by Caitlín Maude, and one of five poems assigned for students to study in preparation for Irish Paper 2.

You can find the English translation of Géibheann, plus our summary of it, below.

Géibheann

Ainmhí mé

ainmhí allta

as na teochreasa

a bhfuil clú agus cáil

ar mo scéimh

chroithfinn crainnte na coille

tráth

le mo gháir

 

ach anois

luím síos

agus breathnaím trí leathshúil

ar an gcrann aonraic sin thall

 

tagann na céadta daoine

chuile lá

a dhéanfadh rud ar bith

dom

ach mé a ligean amach

Continuing reading: Géibheann on this year’s Irish exam Part II now. 

Prisoner

I’m an animal

wild animal

from the tropics

my beauty

is renowned

 

I tame trees of the forest

time

with my roar

 

but now

I am fallen

considering the three eyes

of that lone tree over there

 

hundreds of people come

every day

who’d do anything

for me

but let me out

A fairly straight-forward poem, Géibheann is narrated by the captive creature, a lion or tiger, we assume. The speaker highlights the conflict between their magnificence (their beauty, their roar), and the fact that they have been taken prisoner by man for man’s amusement. They feel powerless.

Want more? Access our teacher-written Géibheann Caitlín Maude Ardleibhéal revision notes.