Ireland, the land of saints and scholars, is famous for its rich literary tradition. Irish poetry is renowned for its lyrical quality, and the themes of love and friendship are prominent in many of these poems. In this article, we will explore some of the best Irish poems about friendship.

The Friendship of C??chulainn and Ferdiad

The friendship of C??chulainn and Ferdiad is a well-known story from Irish mythology. They were both warriors who fought on opposite sides in a battle. Despite this, they remained friends and greeted each other warmly before they fought. The poem "C??chulainn's Fight with the Sea" by W.B. Yeats describes their friendship:

"The brown bird mocks the blackbird's cries. Heavy the sea-mist on my face : They change their loves and memories As hurrying clouds and waters pass; Nor can I find out what they are, The loveliest things that move and live, Their tongues lack syllables that bear The fullness of the native speech."

The Friendship of W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory

W.B. Yeats was one of the greatest Irish poets, and Lady Gregory was a writer and patron of the arts. They were close friends and collaborated on many projects. Yeats wrote a poem about their friendship called "To a Friend whose Work has come to Nothing":

"Now all the truth is out, Be secret and take defeat From any brazen throat, For how can you compete, Being honour bred, with one Who, were it proved he lies, Were neither shamed in his own Nor in his neighbours' eyes."

The Friendship of Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes

Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes were two of the most important poets of the 20th century. They were close friends and wrote many letters to each other. Heaney wrote a poem about their friendship called "The Conway Stewart":

"I never dreamed that he kept so many Pens and had a thing about them, Knew them by name, by nib, by feel, And could write, with the dip and flow, In copperplate, in italic, In any hand, the way he wrote."

The Friendship of Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan

Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan were two Irish writers who had a tumultuous relationship. They were often at odds with each other, but Kavanagh wrote a poem about their friendship called "My Dark Rosaleen":

"We have eaten and drunk together, From hell to breakfast-time; We have squabbled and wept together, And damned each other's rhyme."

The Friendship of James Joyce and Italo Svevo

James Joyce was an Irish author who lived in Trieste, Italy for many years. He became close friends with Italo Svevo, an Italian writer. Joyce wrote a poem about their friendship called "Giacomo Joyce":

"I am the least difficult of men. All I want is boundless love."

These are just a few examples of the many Irish poems about friendship. They show the deep bonds that can be formed between people, even in the midst of conflict and disagreement.