with Ua Briain. This new relationship was cemented
by the fosterage of Gerald’s third son James (d. 1463)
with Conchobhar Ua Briain (d. 1426).
Gerald served as the chief governor of Ireland
from February 1367 until June 1369 and refused a
second, temporary appointment in 1382, but otherwise
his involvement in the government of the lordship of
Ireland was largely restricted to holding offices in
Munster: he received several judicial commissions
(1363 and 1382); he was appointed keeper of the peace
in Cork, Limerick, and Kerry as well as chief keeper
of the peace for that region (various appointments
1387–1391); and he received an unusual appointment
as the chief governor’s deputy in Munster (1386).
Despite his long and active political career, he is
best known for his poetry. A number of poems written
in the Irish vernacular attributed to him survive; most
have been published, but without translation. His skill
and importance as a poet have often been overesti-
mated by historians. Gerald lacked the training of a
true bardic poet, so his poems imitate the bardic style
rather than achieving the full bardic form. This should
not be taken to suggest his poems lack literary merit:
they show significant talent as well as a substantial
knowledge of Irish mythological cycles and historic
tales. His poetry also offers historical insights includ-
ing information concerning Gerald’s capture and
imprisonment by Brian Sreamhach Ua Briain (d. 1400)
in 1370 as well as a close relationship with Dairmait
Mac Carthaigh (d. 1381). This relationship has led to
speculation that Gerald himself may have been fostered
with the Mac Carthaigh Mór.
Gerald was succeeded as earl by his eldest son John
(d. 1399).
KEITH A. WATERS
References and Further Reading
Mac Niocaill, Gearóid. “Duanaire Ghearóid Iarla.” Studia
Hibernica 3 (1963): 7–59.
Carney, James. “Literature in Irish, 1169–1534.” In A New His-
tory of Ireland, edited by Art Cosgrove, 2:688–706. Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1987.
Simms, Katharine. “Bards and Barons: The Anglo-Irish Aris-
tocracy and the Native Culture.” In Medieval Frontier Soci-
eties, edited by Robert Bartlett and Angus MacKay,
177–197. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989.
Otway-Ruthven, A. J. A History of Medieval Ireland. New York:
Barnes and Noble, 1993.
Gibbs, Vicary. The Complete Peerage. Vol. iv. London: St. Catherine
Press, 1916.
See also Chief Governors; Gaelicization
GILLA-NA-NÁEM UA DUINN
See Dinnshenchas; Placenames
GILLA-PÁTRAIC, BISHOP
Nothing is known about the date or place of Gilla-
Pátraic’s birth. All that is known about him before his
consecration as bishop of Dublin is that he had been
a priest and Benedictine monk under Wulfstan, abbot
and bishop of Worcester in England. Neither is it clear
how he was chosen to succeed Bishop Dúnán, the first
bishop of Dublin. According to a church document,
a copy of which still exists among the archives of
Canterbury, he was elected by the clergy and people
of Dublin, but it is possible that Archbishop Lanfranc
of Canterbury may have been involved in choosing
him. This man, in fact, consecrated him bishop at St
Paul’s in London in 1074 and exacted a profession of
obedience from him to both himself and his successors
at Canterbury.Gilla-Pátraic and Reform
of the Irish Church
Two years before, in 1072, there is evidence in a letter
written by Lanfranc to the pope that he considered
Ireland to be part of the area over which Canterbury
exercised primacy. The death of Bishop Dúnán pre-
sented him with an opportunity to put this claim to
primacy over the Irish church into practice. His plan
was to make Dublin the metropolitan see for all Ireland
under the primacy of Canterbury. It was the only option
he had; it was impracticable to incorporate the whole
of Ireland into the metropolitan see of Canterbury.
Thus a process was set in train that would ultimately
lead to the introduction of a new organizational struc-
ture to the Irish church in the following century. In this
Gilla-Pátraic played a crucial role, for it would appear
that it was he, backed by Archbishop Lanfranc, who
engaged the interest of the most powerful king in
Ireland at the time, Tairrdelbach Ua Briain, in the
matter of church reform. This can be seen by the pres-
ence of Tairrdelbach at a synod held in Dublin in 1080,
which may have been a response to the urgings of
Lanfranc as expressed in a letter brought back by Gilla-
Pátraic after his consecration; the synod was probably
facilitated by Gilla-Pátraic. It can also be seen by his
presence at the selection of Gilla-Pátraic’s successor,
Donngus, in 1085 and his dispatch to Lanfranc for
consecration.
But perhaps more important still would have been
the influence Gilla-Pátraic most likely brought to bear
on the young Muirchertach Ua Briain, the son of king
Tairrdelbach, whom the latter installed as king of
Dublin the year after Gilla-Pátraic took possession of his
see in the same town. Muirchertach initially continued
his father’s policy of cooperation with Canterbury’s
activity in Ireland after he succeeded his father as kingGILLA-PÁTRAIC, BISHOP