 Caitilin Dubhh is one of a very small number of pre-18th-century Irish female poets.Her surname is unknown; "dubh" is a nickname.Liam P. O Murchu (2003, p. 149) says ""The absence of a surname points to her probable low social status; as the theme of wandering from place to place is found in some of the poems, it is possible that she was recognised as a semi-professional keening woman who went where her services were needed.