Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

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38 h'ish D}'uids.
alogy of their chiefs. With white robe, harp in hand, they
encouraged warriors in battle. Their power of satire was
dreaded ;
and their praise, desired.
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. As heralds they were
called Seanachies. As Bards they sang in a hundred different
kinds of verse. One Ollamh Fodhla was the Solon
of Ireland ;
Amergin, the singer, lived 500 B.C. ;
Torna
Egeas, was last of the pagan bards. Long after, they were
patriots of the tribes
" With uncouth harps, in many-colour'd vest,
Their matted hair with boughs fantastic crown'd."
The Statutes of Kilkenny (Edward 1 1 1.) made it penal to
entertain any Irish Bard ;
but Munster Bards continued to
hold their annual Sessions to the early part of last century.
Carolan, the old blind harper, called last of the Bards, died
in 1738.
Bards sang in the Hall of Shells : shells being then the
cups. There were hereditary bards, as the O'Shiels, the
O'Canvans, &c., paid to sing the deeds of family heroes.
A lament for Dalian ran
" A fine host and brave was he, master of and Governor,
Ulla ! Ullalu !
We, thrice fifty Bards, we confessed him chief in song and war—
"
Ulla ! Ullalu !
In the far-famed Trinity College Library is The Dialogue
of the Tzvo Sages, in the Irish Fenian dialect, giving the
qualifications of a true Ollamh. Among 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