Séafraidh Ó Donnchadha

[1] He was the son of Tadhg Ó Donnchadha an Ghleanna, who was the chief of lands centered around Glenflesk which contained 20 ploughlands.

The house of Geoffrey - short seems the night to hundreds; House of accomplishments, in which songs are sung to harps; House of festivity and hospitality, in which wines are drunk; House of bestowing, in which bards are rewarded substantially; Stronghold of the clergy, where Latin is fluently read; Stronghold, where the maidens embroider silken robes; Stronghold, liberal in dispensing gems to sons of princes; Stronghold of gifts unceasingly given to guests, Mansion of heroes, unsubdued by wicked threats; Mansion of wonders, of the valiant man who stored not jewels; Mansion of verses freely running to honour nobles; Mansion of airiness is the Gaelic dwelling, roomy and delightful.In 1652 Kilaha Castle was hit with newly employed cannon by General Ludlow’s army during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

[4] With the Castle ruined “[t]he Glen became the home of Tories, Robbers, and Rapparees, Persons of the Romish Religion, out in arms and upon their keeping.

A few extracts from the correspondence with Dublin Castle, of some Kerry magistrates and others, gives some idea of the part played by Glenflesk and its Chieftain, in the social struggle; whose centre was Killarney, and in whose vortex the years of our poet's manhood were passed.”[8] The poet married first (a.1643) Siobhán, second daughter of Domhnall Mac Fínghin and Elizabeth Stephenson, and later Alice, eldest daughter of Dominick Coppinger of Cork and Mary Coppinger (née Comine).

[3] Dánta Shéafraidh Uí Dhonnchadha an Ghleanna edited by Pádraig Ua Duinnín and published in 1902 contains a compendium of the works of the poet.

[13] Another memorial to the Four Kerry Poets, originally intended for Killarney, can today be seen in Merrion Square, Dublin is the work of Jerome Connor.