Art Mac Cumhaigh

It is commonly believed that Mac Cumhaigh was born in Creggan, County Armagh, where a branch of the Uí Néill had been the traditional patrons of the poets under the old order.

"[5] Seán Ó Tuama and Thomas Kinsella remark about Mac Cumhaigh's most famous poem, Úr-Chill An Chreagáin, that 'in its simple innocence is a more attractive aisling, perhaps, than some more polished vision-songs by the late eighteenth century Munster poets.

'[6] Unlike other works of aisling poetry, that poem does not mention the Stuart Pretender, nor does it hold out hope of foreign help coming to free Ireland.

Another legend is that it was written after he dreamed about a fair maiden inviting him to visit a far off land while he was in the O'Neill's vault, sleeping off the effects of heavy drinking.

[8] "It is one of two or three songs of which a popular version survived in the unbroken oral tradition in Oriel after the loss of the Irish language as the vernacular of the locality.

[10] Some of the poems reveal political history, the sufferings caused by the imposition of the penal laws and the social life of the people of the district.

[16] An alternative version of his death is that he had been drinking at a public house on the Castleblayney Road (close to a chapel known as "Mullens Cross" and was found dead by people going to mass.

[20] On 14 May 2014, the Ulster History Circle unveiled a blue plaque to Mac Cumhaigh at the entrance to Creggan Church (using the name Art McCooey).