Trian Rannaigechta Moire is an ancient Celtic poem form that prizes rhymes and consonance. The form is comprised entirely of quatrains that have an internal xABA rhyme structure, in which ‘B’ will correspond to a syllable in the middle of the last line if certain conditions are met.
Rannaicheacht Mhor is an ancient Irish poem form based entirely on quatrains. The lines of the quatrain are isosyllabic, a relative rarity among Irish poem forms, and cross-rhymes are used liberally. In particular, every line includes a word that matches the end rhyme in its paired line.
Lethrannaegecht Mor is a casual form hailing from ancient Ireland. As with many Celtic forms, there is an emphasis on repeated sounds and rhyme. This particular form is fairly compact, with each verse being just twenty syllables, though the poem as a whole can be any number of verses.
The snam suad is an eight-line Irish poem form with an aabcdddc rhyme scheme. It has exactly 24 syllables (three per line) and generally attempts to follow Irish traditions such as cywddydd (harmony of sound) and the inclusion of dunadh (a type of refrain).
The séadna is a type of Irish verse written in quatrains. The lines have alternating lengths and there are various rules regarding the rhymes and syllable counts of the poem. Techniques common in Gaelic poetry, such as dunadh (a special type of refrain) and cywddydd (harmony of sound), are typically used.
The treochair is an Irish poem form consisting of three-line stanzas in which both the stresses and syllable counts are traditionally counted. Each verse has a 3-7-7 syllable pattern, with the first and third lines rhyming with each other. The traditional “harmony of sound” that Irish forms pride themselves on is expected.
The rionnaird is an ancient Irish verse form consisting of quatrains. The poem form is technically a meter, as the ancient Celtic cultures had a very different concept of meter than we do in modern English. A longer version can be formed by repeating rionnairds back-to-back for as long as the poet would like.
Deibide baise fri toin is an asymmetrical Irish verse form that uses quatrains divided up into syllable counts of 3/7/7/1, in which each number represents a different line’s length. This results in a poem that feels oddly stilted both when read and when spoken, though this is arguably part of the charm of the form.
The deachnadh mor is an Irish verse form that uses quatrains with alternating rhyme schemes, exact syllable counts, cross-rhymes, and alliteration. It’s considered an advanced form, even within its native language, and should be approached with caution after mastering more basic forms of poetry first.
Deachnadh cummaisc is an Irish verse form utilizing quatrains with alternating rhyme (ABAB). The syllable counts of the stanzas can either be arranged as 8/4/8/4 or 8/4/4/8, so each verse will have a total of 24 syllables by default. Sound-based techniques like alliteration and cross-rhyme are heavily encouraged.
Cro cumaisc etir casbairdni ocus lethrannaigecht is an Irish verse form based on rhymed quatrains. Despite the intimidating name, it’s a relatively simple form utilizing a syllable structure of 7/5/7/5 with a rhyme scheme of ABAB. Additional restrictions are placed on the length of the last words in each line.
The droighneach is a Gaelic verse form that’s relatively unheard of in English. It consists of quatrains in which each line is 9-13 syllables, with alternating rhyme and a scattering of techniques thrown in that are definitive of Irish poetry. The form’s difficulty has earned it the informal nickname ‘the thorny.’
Cethramtu rannaigechta moire is an Irish verse form in which each line has exactly three syllables and each stanza has four lines. The second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme and the poem may consist of any number of four-line stanzas (quatrains).
Breccbairdne is a type of Irish verse consisting entirely of quatrains. The first line of each quatrain is 5 syllables while the remaining lines are 6 syllables each. Breccbairdne utilizes end rhymes on the second and fourth lines of each stanza.
Awdl gywydd is a verse form from Ireland that consists of rhymed quatrains with interlocking couplets, connected by a unique rhyme scheme that ties the lines together with both internal rhymes and end rhymes. The lines are always seven syllables long and the poems can be any length in multiples of four lines.
Casbairdne is a verse form from ancient Ireland consisting of quatrains that feature isosyllabic lines of seven syllables each. This form heavily employs cross-rhyme and consonance to construct a form that is as interconnected and impressive to the ears as it is difficult for the composer/writer to construct.