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Gaelic literature (Irish:Litríocht na Gaeilge;Scottish Gaelic:Litreachas na Gàidhlig) isliterature in thevernacularGaelic languages ofIreland,Scotland and theIsle of Man.
Gaelic literature is recognised as the third oldest literature tradition[1] ofEurope, behind onlyLatin literature andGreek literature: literature has been written in Gaelic languages from the 1st centuries AD to the present day.Latin had been used extensively in the Gaelic lands, with the advent ofChristianity, however, theGaels were in the vanguard as regards using their own language to write literary works of merit.
Before the arrival ofChristianity inIreland, theGaels had a limited level of literacy inPrimitive Irish. This manifested itself inogham inscriptions in wood and stone; typically memorials to the dead or boundary markers.[2] The traditional stories of the people were circulated in the form oforal culture, rather than written down. Works of a Christian nature were the first to appear in theSean-Ghaeilge (Old Irish), the earliest form written inLatin script, as it would appear that the Gaelic speakingmonks wanted to impart the religion to their flocks in the native tongue. It is thought likely that the first churchhymns and prayers were composed in Old Irish as early as the 6th century. The workAmra Choluim Chille is the earliest extant literary work of this nature left to us. It is written in a very early form of theSean-Ghaeilge, and themeter has an old-fashioned appearance, more so than the rest of the literature of this period. Experts think that it was composed byDallán Forgaill, towards the end of the 6th century, whenColm Cille had died.
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