![]() O'Reilly had a chronological account of 400 Irish writers.Īs Froude truly remarks, “Each celebrated minstrel sang his stories in his own way, adding to them, shaping them, colouring them, as suited his peculiar genius.” Was it for such songs that Irish-Danes were cruel to Bards? The Irish war odes were called Rosg-catha, the Eye of Battle. ![]() He was surely useful who rhymed susceptible rats to death. In rhapsody, some would see the images of coming events pass before them, and so declare them in song. One Bard directed his harp, a shell of wine, and his ancestor's shield to be buried with him. Such rhymes were not to be patronized by the Anglo-Normans, in the Statute of 1367. One, in Munster, stopped by his power the corn's growth and the satire of another caused a shortness of life. Sir Philip Sydney praised the Irish Bards three centuries ago. Ireland's Mirror, 1804, speaks of Henessey, a living seer, as the Orpheus of his country.Īmergin, brother of Heber, was the earliest of Milesian poets. Fergus Finbheoil, fair lips, was a Fenian Bard. In the far-famed Trinity College Library is The Dialogue of the Two Sages, in the Irish Fenian dialect, giving the qualifications of a true Ollamh.Īmong the famous bards were, Lughar, “acute poet, Druid of Meidhbh” Olioll, King of Munster Oisin, son of Cormac, King of Tara, now nearly unintelligible to Irish readers Fergus finbel of the Dinn Senchus Oisin, the Fenian singer Larghaire, whose poem to the sun was famous Lughaidh, whose poem of the death of his wife Fail is of great antiquity Adhna, once chief poet of Ireland Corothruadh, Fingin, &c. We, thrice fifty Bards, we confessed him chief in song and war. “A fine host and brave was he, master of and Governor, There were hereditary bards, as the O'Shiels, the O'Canvans, &c., paid to sing the deeds of family heroes. The Statutes of Kilkenny (Edward III.) made it penal to entertain any Irish Bard but Munster Bards continued to hold their annual Sessions to the early part of last century.Ĭarolan, the old blind harper, called last of the Bards, died in 1738.īards sang in the Hall of Shells: shells being then the cups. Their matted hair with boughs fantastic crown'd.” “With uncouth harps, in many-colour'd vest, Long after, they were patriots of the tribes. Torna Egeas, was last of the pagan bards. One Ollamh Fodhla was the Solon of Ireland Amergin, the singer, lived 500 B.C. ![]() ![]() As Bards they sang in a hundred different kinds of verse. There is a story of the Ard Ollamh, or Archdruid, sending to Italy after a book of skins, containing various chosen compositions, as the Cuilmeun, &c.Īs heralds they were called Seanachies. Their power of satire was dreaded and their praise, desired. With white robe, harp in hand, they encouraged warriors in battle. They acted as heralds, knowing the genealogy of their chiefs. They were Ollamhain Re-dan, or Filidhe, poets. They studied for twelve years to gain the barred cap and title of Ollamh or teacher. On this, Walker's Historical Memoirs, 1786, observes that “all the eminent schools, delectably situated, which were established by the Christian clergy in the fifth century, were erected on the ruins of those colleges.” ![]() The Ollamhs had colleges at Clogher, Armagh, Lismore, and Tamar. The BARDS proper occupied a high position in Ireland. ![]()
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