#ollamh

[rasclin]

Night 2 of gaming for the second week in a row! Come join us at 9:15 pm Central at Ollamh Productions on YouTube!

[good--merits-accumulated]

big fan of the 17th century Irish poet Ó hEoghusa who, upon being asked to join his lord Cú Chonnacht for a military campaign, wrote him a very elegant, emphatic, and affectionate No

(source: Society and the Bardic Poet, James Carney)

[amuseoffyre]

I've ended up reading up on the Filí thanks to Sinners. I'd wondered why the Statutes of Iona had specified very particularly that bards were banned and thanks to the Filí, I have found out.

The Irish and Gaelic elite class of bard/poet, there were a number of orders of Filí, with Ollam being the very top one. Back in the day they were seen as diviners, the poet-prophets for kings and chieftains in both Ireland and Gaelic parts of Scotland. It's a tradition going back hundreds and hundreds of years.

From the sounds of it, the kings and chieftains treated them with wary respect and generosity in the intention of getting good omens and prophecies. They were treated as equals and there are records of folk in England being appalled to see them sitting beside their Chieftain and sharing from his plate.

In Medieval Scotland we had Ollamh rig Alban (Master poet of Scotland), who would recite the lineage of the kings at their coronations, kind of like an authenticating voice to confirm his right to the throne.

Enter James VI in the 16th century. Our man was determined to stamp out the Gaelic culture in the highlands and islands. He tried several times and one of his big pushes was the Statutes of Iona in 1609, where new laws were laid down to the clan chiefs.

Item 8 reads:

VIII. The chiefs not to entertain wandering bards, or other vagabonds of the sort “pretending libertie to baird and flattir,” and all such “vagaboundis, bairdis, juglouris, or suche lyke” to be apprehended, put in the stocks, and expelled from the Islands.

While it doesn't specifically say it is targeting the Ollam, the comment on 'pretending liberty to baird and flattir' speaks measures of how James and his southern and English courts viewed the bardic tradition.

This is where the tradition starts to die out in Scotland and no wonder, with the push towards Anglicising the region with Chieftains "to send at least his eldest son, or, failing sons, his eldest daughter, to some school in the Lowlands, there to be kept and brought up “until they may be found sufficiently able to speak, read and write English”", setting up protestant schools to push out the Gaelic and Catholic traditions and expecting everyone to be "in conformity with the rule".

I had been quite puzzled why the bards had been significant enough for Jamie to include them in the statutes and now I know.

[needcurse]

⨯ 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚢: eimile o'dienne

a deconstruction of the epithet: the last filí

☆ , for some context eimile was born in doolin, ireland in 1968. after the passing of who she believed to be her birth mother she was sent to be raised in a welsh orphanage. she is subsequently killed by her fiance, lochlann hanley, in 1993 at the age 25, while obtaining her masters in irish history and poetry at trinity college dublin. when she rises agin it is within the ruins of her family's ancestral home; the lus mór estate settled atop the cliffs of moher, overlooking the north atlantic ocean,

what is a filí and how does this relate to eimile? simply put a filí is an irish poet of olde but is a bit more nuanced than that. in ireland, poetry exists typically in two forms; normal poetry which is a learned skill and inspired poetry, which is seen as a gift from the deities. essentially oral history and divine providence which is a sign and prophecy bestowed by higher powers. a practice which was outlawed with the subsequent christianization of ireland.

imbas forosnaí ( meaning illuminated inspiration ) in old irish. is the gift of sacred poetic inspiration, clairvoyance or visionary ability. it was not uncommon for those who received visions to employ sensory deprivation techniques or ingest substances to induce a trance state to reach these "realms of inspiration". for eimile specifically typically chanting and music is her way of connecting with the divine.

sometimes a seer and filí are described as two separate entities but more often than not the skills and abilities of the two overlap. they are essentially one in the same especially in eimile's case she was a poet in life and in death a ben síde who heralds death, her acts of keening...

originating from the gaelic caoineadh meaning “crying”; keening is a vocal ritual artform, that is typically performed at the graveside when mourning the dead. keens are a display of pure, unfiltered raw emotion. many contain spontaneous recitations, repeated motifs, crying, and elements of song.

essentially i'm saying, keening is an act of prophecy as ben síde begin their weeping before a death occurs and not after the fact. eimile, who would be classified as both a seer and a filí. as prophecy and poetry tending to exist in the same format in the times where king's kept prophets at their side. some filí were even seen at a status above kings and queens given their latent connection to the divine.

the seer or ‘fáith’ in old irish refers to the ability of having a second sight to see possible future events. one of the most famous examples of a fáith within irish legend was the warrior woman scáthach who taught the hero cúchulainn. she was described as a ban-fháith ( woman fáith )

the filí or sometimes as referred to as an t-ollamh or ollam in early irish literature, is a member of the highest rank of filí. a filí os a member of an elite class of poets in ireland and scotland, up until their inevitable decline during the renaissance. essentially the official duties of a filí were to know and preserve the tales and genealogies of their people and to compose poems recalling the past and present. they are prophets as well as keepers of oral history.

so why the "last"? as i've said above eimile passed in the 90s but the filíd have been in decline since the coming of saint patrick. it is no longer a position recognized by any governing body and therefore is not taken seriously by the broader public. of course, time flows differently in the nether world were eimile now dwells. they have a deep reverence for poets and prophetesses, even amongst the ranks of ben síde. that being said, even despite her status as a daughter of clíodhna eimile is one of many children of the queen. it is her title as a the last of the filí that grants her a higher station then her siblings. of course, this results in much jealousy and sabotage at court for her when it comes politics. thus eimile attempts to fashion herself into more of wallflower as opposed to heiress apparent and her title is not something she offers up lightly, as her court is folk-adjacent and they adhere to the rule of true names. revealing ones position is also a form of giving away a fraction of ones identity thus relinquishing some of her power over to those who are aware of what she is.

[irish-dress-history]

Moí Coire coir Goiriath or

'The Cauldron of Poesy'

An untitled Old Irish poem by an unknown poet written in the early 8th century (Breatnach 1981). In Irish, it is commonly known by the first line of the text: "Moí Coire coir Goiriath". The title 'The Cauldron of Poesy' was given to it centuries after it was written. The complete text of the poem, along with the Middle Irish annotations and glosses added by a later scribe, is found in the manuscript TCD MS 1337.

This poem is about the kinds of knowledge and ability required to be a great poet. It describes 3 metaphorical cauldrons found within each person. These cauldrons are vessels for different kinds of knowledge and skills. They are called Coire Érmae (the Cauldron of Progression), Coire Sofis (the Cauldron of Knowledge), and Coire Goiriath (Breatnach 1981, 1990). They can be upright (full of knowledge), inclined (half-full), or upside-down (empty), and events during a person's life can change the position of the cauldrons.

8th-9th c. bronze vessel from the Derrynaflan Hoard

This poem is frequently misinterpreted as describing some kind of metaphysical energy centers. Some people go as far as to link the cauldrons to Asian concepts like qi or chakras. The inaccurate translations used in these interpretations obscure the fascinating blend of Christian, Pagan, and possibly ancient Greek influences in this complex work of medieval Irish poetic lore.

Poetry was a complicated profession in medieval Ireland. Professional poets, known as filid, had a minimum of 7 years of formal education and were divided into 7 different grades with ánroth and ollamh being the 2 highest. In addition to writing and preforming poetry, an ollamh was required to memorize genealogies and compose satires (Carey 1997, Breatnach 1983, Breatnach 1981, eDIL). Bards were poets who lacked formal education and were considered to be of inferior grade to a fili (eDIL, MacNeill 1924).

I don't feel qualified to talk about these topics in depth, but I want to share an accurate translation of the poem and to discuss at least some of its cultural elements.

I know of 2 authoritative translations of this poem, one by P. L. Henry (1980) and one by Liam Breatnach (1981) which has some additions and corrections (Breatnach 1984, 1990, 2023). The translation of the poem I give here is almost entirely Breatnach's with the exception of a small section that I rewrote, because I found Breatnach's wording confusing. For the glosses and annotations, I included a few of Henry's translations and some additional information from other authors. My changes and additions are in purple. I chose to leave out more than half of the annotations, because there were so many they overwhelmed the poem. This did mean losing some information about the role of poets in medieval Irish society.

We don't actually know what the word goiraith means (eDIL). Henry translates it as warming, incubation, or maintenance, based on the inference that goiraith comes from gorad (heating or warming), the intransitive form of guirid (Henry 1980). This interpretation doesn't make sense semantically in the context of the poem. The gloss for goiraith translates as, "i.e. 'it has closed off great falsehood', i.e. 'near to me in every land'," (Breatnach 1981). The text of the poem indicates that the Cauldron of Goiraith is related to having knowledge of language and grammar, and to learning and knowledge in childhood (Breatnach 1981). I don't see how warming/incubation could relate to either closing off lies or knowing grammar.

In addition to not fitting the semantic context, the interpretation of goiraith = gorad = warming doesn't fit the poetic form. The 3 cauldrons form a triad in the poem, and triads in poetry are typically written using parallel structure. The names of the other 2 cauldrons, sofis (knowledge) and érmae (progression), are both nouns (Breatnach 1981, 1990), so it follows that goiraith should also be a noun. Guirid/gorad is a verb (Henry 1980). Breatnach identifies goiraith as a compound noun with the first syllable likely being gor 'warm.' He suggests that goiraith might mean something like 'raw material' but stresses that this translation is "speculative in the extreme; the only thing that we can be reasonably sure of is that it has to do with the initial stages of study" (Breatnach 1981).

Old Irish glossary for this post:

Amairgen: mythical ollamh of ancient Ireland

ánroth: the second highest rank of fili (eDIL)

bairdne: bardic craft or metre, a type of poetry considered inferior to the work of a fili (eDIL)

Éber and Donn: mythical Irish kings

Érmae: progression (Breatnach 1990) or motion (Henry 1980)

fili (pl filid): a professional poet with at least 7 years of formal education (Breatnach 1983)

imbas: poetic inspiration or prophetic knowledge which poets (filid) obtained through magical or supernatural means (eDIL, Carey 1997)

ollamh: the highest rank of fili (eDIL)

raind: verses of poetry? (cf eDIL rann)

síd: fairy mound (eDIL)

túath: group of people or territorial unit (eDIL)

(I apologize for the formatting. I can't figure out how format this nicely on tumblr.)

'The Cauldron of Poesy' translated by Liam Breatnach:

Mine is the proper Cauldron of Goiriath,(1) warmly God has given it to me out of the mysteries of the elements;(2) a noble privilege which ennobles the breast is the fine speech which pours forth from it.(3) I being white-kneed, blue-shanked,(4) grey-bearded Amairgen, let the work(5) of my goiriath in similes and comparisons be related - since God does not equally provide for all, inclined, upside-down (or) upright- no knowledge,(6) partial knowledge(7) (or) full knowledge,(8) in order to compose poetry for Éber and Donn with many great chantings,(9) of masculine, feminine and neuter,(10) of the signs for double letters, long vowels and short vowels, (this is) the way by which is related(11) the nature of my cauldron.(12) 1 goriath, i.e. 'it has closed off great falsehood', i.e. 'near to me in every land'. 2 Well has God given it to me out of the mysteries of the elements, or 'that naming which ennobles' is a raw instrument which He has granted to me out of the mysteries of the elements. 3 which pours forth poetry from it. 4 a tattooed shank, or who has the blue tattooed shank. 5 What my cauldron does is the relation of poetry on which there are said to be many forms, i.e. white and black and speckled, or the colour of praise on praise. 6 when it is upside-down, i.e. in foolish people. 7 inclined, i.e. in those who practice bairdne and raind. 8 when it is supine, i.e. in ánroth's of knowledge and poetic art. 9 with numerous displays out of the many 'great seas' of poetry, i.e. many chantings of poetry. 10 Old Irish had 3 grammatical genders. 11 This is the law which I relate about them, or it is the declaration by which poetry is related. 12 This is the function of my cauldron. I acclaim the Cauldron of Knowledge where the law of every art is set out as a result of which prosperity increases(1) which magnifies(2) every artist in general which exalts a person(3) by means of an art. 1 It confers increase of wealth on everyone. 2 'It makes great of' every art in general, or it generally 'makes great of' him who has that skill. 3 It gives exaltation to persons together with granting something to them, or his art exalts every person.

Where is the source of poetic art in a person; in the body or in the soul?

Some say in the soul since the body does nothing without the soul. Others say in the body since it is inherent in one in accordance with physical relationship, i.e. from one's father or grandfather,(1) but it is more true to say that the source of poetic art(2) is and knowledge is present in every corporeal person(3), save that in every second person it does not appear; in the other it does.

1 a fili only had full status (honor-price) if his father or grandfather was a fili (Corthals 2014). 2 of bardic art. 3 that it is in the body.

What does the source of poetic art and every other knowledge consist of? Not difficult; three cauldrons are generated in every person, i.e. the Cauldron of Goiriath and the Cauldron of Progression and the Cauldron of  Knowledge.

The Cauldron of Goiriath,(1) it is that which is generated upright in a person from the first; out of it is distributed knowledge to people in early youth.

The Cauldron of Progression, then, after it has been converted(2) it magnifies; it is that which is generated on its side in a person.

The Cauldron of Knowledge, it is that which is generated upside down, and out of it is distributed(3) the knowledge of every other art besides poetic art.

1 a cauldron in which 'great falsehood' has been 'closed off'. 2 Afterwards, after being turned over, it magnifies a person. 3 measured.

The Cauldron of Progression,(1) then, in every second person it is upside down, i.e. in ignorant people. It is on its side in those who practice bairdne and raind. It is upright in the ánroth’s of knowledge and poetic art.(2) And the reason, then, why everyone else does not practice at that same stage is because the Cauldron of Progression is upside down in them until sorrow or joy converts it.

How many divisions are there of the sorrow which converts it? Not difficult; four: longing,(3) grief,(4) and the sorrow of jealousy,(5) and exile for the sake of God,(6) and it is internally that these four make it upright,(7) although they are produced from outside.

1 a cauldron 'which turns over afterwards' in him. 2 the ollam of bardic art. 3 for his father. 4 for friends (Henry 1980). 5 after cuckolding. 6 on account of the extent of his sins. 7 it is out of its interior that these four convert the cauldron, although they are put into it from outside.

There are, then, two divisions of joy through which it is converted into the Cauldron of Knowledge, i.e. divine joy and human joy.

As for human joy, it has four divisions: (i) the force of sexual longing, and (ii) the joy(1) of safety and freedom from care, plenty of food and clothing until one begins bairdne,(2) and (iii) joy at the prerogatives of poetry after studying it well, and (iv)* joy(3) at the arrival of imbas which the nine hazel trees of fine fruit at Segais(4) in the síd’s collect and which is sent upstream(5) along the surface of the Boyne, as extensive as a ram’s fleece(6), swifter than a racehorse, in the middle of June once every seven years.* 

1 after (recovering from) sickness. 2 until he practices poetry. 3 at the coming of imbas along the Boyne or the Graney, ie a bubble which the sun cause on the plants, and whoever consumes them will have an art. 4 Segais is a well at Síd Neachtain which is the source of the River Boyne according to the Dindsenchas (Gwynn 1913). 5 Possibly referring to the hazel nuts falling into the well and being eaten by salmon. See discussion on imbas below. 6 ('extensive as a ram's fleece' refers to the surface area of the river covered). (A ram’s fleece being the largest size of fleece) *Division (iv) is the section of the translation I altered.

Divine joy, moreover, is the coming of divine grace to the Cauldron of Progression, so that it converts it into the upright position, as a result there are people who are both divine and secular prophets and commentators(1) both on matters of grace and of (secular) learning, and they then utter godly utterances and produce the corroborations(2), and their word are maxims and judgments, and they are an example for all speech. But it is from outside that these make the cauldron upright,(3) although they are produced internally.

1 (ie people versed in both secular and ecclesiastical learning) as were Cumain, etc. Colmán mac Lénin and Colum Cille. 2 (that is, commentaries confirming the truth of Scripture (Breatnach 2023)). 3 it is from outside that these 'are handed over’ into his cauldron. although they are produced on the inside, i.e. it is outside the person that the divisions of enlightenment 'operate' the converting of the cauldron, while composing poetry (?) i.e. the performing of their deeds caused the converting of the cauldron.

Concerning that, what Néde mac Adnai said: I acclaim the Cauldron of Progression with understandings of grace with accumulations of knowledge with strewings of imbas, (which is) the estuary of wisdom the uniting of scholarship the stream of splendor the exalting of the ignoble(1) the mastering of language quick understanding the darkening of speech the craftsman of synchronism the cherishing of pupils, where what is due is attended to where senses are distinguished where one approaches meanings(2) where knowledge is propagated where the noble are enriched where he who is not noble is ennobled, where names are exalted(3) where praises are related by lawful means with distinctions of ranks with pure estimations of nobility with the fair speech of wise men with streams of scholarship, a noble womb in which is cooked the basis of all knowledge(4) which is set out according to law which is advanced to after study which imbas quickens(5) which joy converts which is revealed through sorrow; it is an enduring power whose protection does not diminish. I acclaim the Cauldron of Progression. 1 ‘Its essence raises up' the ignoble people to make them of noble status ie with regard to equal honor-price. 2 Many varieties of knowledge are approached in it, i.e. tales and genealogies. 3 It gives exaltation to the names of the people to whom praises are made if they are uttered according to lawful means. 4 The imbas of the Boyne which is distributed lawfully afterwards. 5 The imbas of the Boyne or the Graney moves the cauldron.

What is the Progression? Not difficult; an artistic* ‘noble-turning’(1) or an artistic 'after-turning'(2) or an artistic course, ie it confers knowledge(3) and status and honour after being converted. *The MS has sai here, Breatnach tentatively interprets this as soí (artistic) 1 The 'conversion of knowledge’ to that which it has not done before is noble. 2 or 'which reverts afterwards' to that which it has done. 3 poetry or eloquence.

The Cauldron of Progression it grants, it is granted it extends, it is extended it nourishes, it is nourished(1) it magnifies, it is magnified it requests, it is requested of(2) it acclaims, it is acclaimed it preserves, it is preserved it arranges, it is arranged it supports, it is supported. Good is the source of measuring,(3) good is the acquisition of speech,(4) good is the confluence of power,(5) which builds up strength. It is greater than any domain, it is better than any patrimony, it brings one to wisdom,*(6) it separates one from fools.

1 He feeds a person together with (his) retinue, and he is fed together with (his) retinue, i.e. he provides entertainment and entertainment is provided for him. 2 He makes demands on the members of the túath, and entreaties are made to him for their forcibly removed cattle'. (This gloss refers to the function of the poet in enforcing claims on behalf of the members of his túath outside the boundaries of the túath, his means of enforcement being satire, and to the entitlements due to him for performing this function (Breatnach 1984).) 3 Good is the cauldron out of which one measures by letter and verse-foot. 4 Good is the cauldron in which is the 'fire of knowledge' 5 Good is the cauldron out of which all this is obtained. *Henry translates this line as 'it brings to (the grade of) a scholar'. 6 the same honour-price as a king. This gloss refers to the fact that an ollamh was considered worthy of the same honor-price as a king in medieval Ireland (Carey 1997).

Discussion: Divine Joy, Imbas, and Philosophy

An early 8th century composition date (Breatnach 1981) means that this poem was written a few centuries after the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. That the original author was Christian can be seen in the description of the divine joy that turns the Cauldron of Progression. Divine grace and divine prophets are common themes in Christian writing. The consistent use of God singular (Dia) as a proper noun and the mention of the body and soul as 2 separate entities also indicate a Christian author (cf Henry 1980). The mentions of imbas, however, suggest the acceptance of continued Pagan magic practices by the Christian author (Carey 1997).

The early 10th c. text Cormac’s Glossary clearly marks imbas as Pagan magic when it condemns the ritual of imbas forosnai for requiring offerings to Pagan gods (Russell 1995, Carey 1997). This attitude is in sharp contrast with earlier Irish texts like Bretha Nemed where having imbas forosnai is considered a required qualification for an ollamh (Carey 1997). 'The Cauldron of Poesy' is, perhaps, a middle ground between a pre-Christian norm, and later Christian intolerance. It categorizes imbas as one of the 4 kinds of human joy that can turn the Cauldron of Progression, something which is beneficial for an ollamh to have but not essential (Carey 1997).

How did a medieval poet obtain the supernatural knowledge known as imbas? In the ritual described in Cormac’s Glossary, the poet chews on raw meat, chants over his hands, and then sleeps with his palms against his face (Russell 1995), a practice which bears no resemblance to the one hinted at in 'The Cauldron of Posey'. Some modern scholars have questioned whether Cormac actually knew what he was talking about (Carey 1997). Some later medieval sources are more useful for making sense of the the arrival of imbas on the River Boyne mentioned in the poem.

The Dindsenchas about the River Shannon mention 9 hazels growing around the well of Segais which is the source of 7 rivers. The hazels, which are associated with poetic wisdom, drop their nuts into the water. The nuts are then eaten by salmon (Gwynn 1913). The 12th c. Macgnimartha Find explicitly connects eating salmon from the Boyne to gaining imbas. It tells how Finn Éces spent 7 years by the Boyne waiting to catch a salmon that would grant him knowledge only to have his student Fionn mac Cumhaill accidentally eat a bit of the fish while cooking it and gain the knowledge of imbas forosnai instead (Carey 1997). Salmon swim upstream to breed during the spring and summer in Ireland (Inland Fisheries Ireland) which might explain why the poem describes imbas as being sent upstream in the middle of June.

Based on these sources, it appears the ritual for gaining the joy of imbas was simply: go to the Boyne on the summer solstice of the 7th year, catch a salmon, and eat it. How you identified the correct year, I don't know, but perhaps it was linked to the 7 years of a fili's education.

Although the joys which turn the Cauldron of Progression could be either Christian or Irish Pagan, the metaphor of the cauldrons appears to have a completely different origin. The 3 cauldrons serve as vessels for different things. Coire Goiriath, given out of the (natural) elements, contains basic childhood knowledge. Coire Érmae (Progression) contains the capacity to expand a person's knowledge based on experiences of joy or sorrow. Coire Sofis (Knowledge) contains advanced knowledge of the arts. This setup bears a striking resemblance to Aristotle's 3-part concept of the human soul. Aristotle divides the soul into (1) the nutritive soul, possessed by all living things, which contains the most basic faculties necessary for survival, (2) the animal soul, possessed by animals and humans, which contains faculties for sensation and movement, and (3) the rational soul, possessed by humans, which contains faculties for thinking and logic (Corthals 2014).

The similarities between Aristotle and the cauldrons go beyond just dividing the inner workings of humans into 3 categories of increasing intellectual complexity. Coire Érmae is moved by experiences of joy or sorrow, much like Aristotle's animals, with their animal souls, move in response to desires to experience pleasure or avoid pain (Corthals 2014, Aristotle 350 BCE/1907). Furthermore, the sensations experienced by the animal soul that lead to pleasure or pain are caused by external forces much like the sorrows that move the cauldron are caused by external forces (Aristotle 350 BCE/1907).

If Coire Goiriath is inspired by Aristotle's nutritive soul, this might explain the enigmatic glosses: 'it has closed off great falsehood', i.e. 'near to me in every land'. As the nutritive soul was only concerned with basic survival, Aristotle believed it was incapable of producing lies (Aristotle 350 BCE/1907), hence the Cauldron of Goiriath would be incapable of producing falsehood. As for the second gloss, a person always has their basic survival instincts with them, no matter where they go. The decision to replace types of souls with types of cauldrons might have been made by an Irish poet who was looking for imagery that was more familiar to their audience. (See Henry 1980 for other examples of cauldrons used in medieval Irish literature.)

While it seems unlikely than an 8th c. Irish poet actually read Aristotle, the poet may have had access to other works inspired by Aristotle's ideas. For example, the 7th c. writer Virgilius Grammaticus describes a 3-part soul that seems to have been derived from Aristotle. Virgilius might have been Irish, and even if he wasn't, parts of his writing definitely made it to Ireland (Corthals 2014).

In addition to the religious and philosophical elements I've discussed, 'The Cauldron of Posey' also contains quite a bit of material on secular Irish society with topics including the education of poets, the status of poets, and the role of poets in settling disputes (Breatnach 1981, 1984, Corthals 2014). In the section on divine joy, it appears the poet is trying to create unity between secular and ecclesiastic views of learning (Breatnach 1981). These things are well outside my area, but I do want to point out that there is more to this poem than religion.

'The Cauldron of Posey' contains an intriguing mix of Christian and Pagan, secular and ecclesiastic, foreign and native, cooked together into a single harmonious poem. It shows us that the transition from Pagan to Christian was a gradual process with elements of both existing side by side. It also shows us that religion was just one piece of Ireland’s cultural history, and if we focus exclusively a search for spiritual meaning, we risk missing out on the rich cultural details.

Bibilography:

Aristotle. (1907). De Anima (R. D. Hicks, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published ca. 350 BCE) https://archive.org/details/aristotledeanima005947mbp/page/n7/mode/2up

Breatnach, L. (1981). The Cauldron of Poesy. Ériu, 32(1981), 45-93. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30007454

Breatnach, L. (1984). Addenda and Corrigenda to 'The Caldron of Poesy' (Ériu xxxii 45-93). Ériu, 35(1984), 189-191. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30007785

Breatnach, L. (1990). On the Citation of Words and a Use of the Neuter Article in Old Irish. Ériu, 41(1990), 95-101. http://www.jstor.com/stable/30006290

Breatnach, L. (2023). Varia 1. Proclitic mis. 2. fírad. 3. Further to In Coire Érmae, ‘The Caldron of Poesy’. Celtica, 35(2023), 66-77. https://journals.dias.ie/index.php/celtica/article/view/6/5

Breatnach, P. (1983). The Chief's Poet. Proceedings of the RIA: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, 83C(1983), 37-79. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25506096

Carey, J. (1997). The Three Things Required of a Poet. Ériu, 48(1997), 41-58. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30007956

Corthals, J. (2014). Decoding the 'Caldron of Poesy'. Peritia, 24-25(2013-14), 74-89. https://www.scribd.com/document/721674860/Decoding-the-Caldron-of-Poesy

eDIL 2019: An Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, based on the Contributions to a Dictionary of the Irish Language (Dublin: Royal Irish Academy, 1913-1976) (www.dil.ie 2019). Accessed on 6/30/24

Gwynn, E. (1913). Royal Irish Academy Todd lecture series: The Metrical Dindshenchas Part III (Vol. X). Hodges, Figgis, & Co., LTD. https://archive.org/details/toddlectureserie10royauoft/page/n3/mode/2up

Henry, P.L. (1980). The Cauldron of Poesy. Studia Celtica, 14/15(1979/1980), 114-128. https://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/henrycauldronpoesy.pdf

MacNeill, E. (1924). Ancient Irish Law. The Law of Status or Franchise. Proceedings of the RIA: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, 36(1921 - 1924), 265-316. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25504234

Russell, P. (1995). Notes on words in early Irish glossaries. Etudes Celtiques, 31(1995), 195-204. https://www.persee.fr/doc/ecelt_0373-1928_1995_num_31_1_2070Russell 1995

[finnlongman]

True. Except for me it's less actual history and more things like waking up from surgery and immediately trying to explain to the nurse why this was just like Cú Chulainn, actually,

The thing they don't tell you about getting really into one specific historical period is that very quickly every conversation turns into an attempt to avoid sounding like the "horribly wet in wexford today but not as bad as in the 690s" tweet

[talonabraxas]

Lugh 'Celtic God' Talon Abraxas

The Irish god of nobility, Lugh of the Long Arm was a master of crafts and a cunning warrior. He was both Ollamh Érenn and King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and wielded the Spear of Assal, which none could stand against.

His dwellings were at Tara in County Meath, and at Moytura, in County Sligo. His holy day was Lughnasa, which fell on August 1st.

[fiadhvance]

fiadh the filí

the filid

a filí is a member of the elite poet class the filid, with filid being the plural of filí.

they are an elite group of poets in the riverlands, stemming from ancient clover traditions.

the filid are important figures within riverlands society. with most of the population being illiterate, it is their job to pass on and preserve oral traditions, relay current news, and teach important historical events through poems and storytelling. they are renown for their accuracy, authenticity and reliability.

while primarily known to the masses as poets, the filid are also seanchaí (historians)

a filí may also involve themselves in politics - a lord may choose to patronise a filí, and have them advise them on political matters or to keep them updated with current events. it is an unspoken rule for lord to treat the filí with respect and reward them handsomely for their work, as the filid all talk to one another and can portray lords in a positive or negative way to neighbouring leaders.

people of any gender or status may become a member of the filid.

the hierarchy of the filid

within the filid, there are seven classes. once, all filid served several functions - magicians, lawgivers, judges, councillors, and poets. over time, this divided, and the classes emerged.

the lowest class is the bard, which all filí begin as. the brehon focus on the study of law and political advisement, and druids on more fantastical and supernatural elements. there is a class simply known as filí, which devotes itself to storytelling, history and philosophy. other classes include the cli, which is reserved for those who reach a particular level of fame or notoriety, and the cana, an evolution of the filí class who are the most accomplished.

the highest class of filid is the ollam (the word ollamh meaning master poet). the ollam is made up of several túath ollams, local leaders of the filid, and is headed by the ollamh érenn, the head ollam and leader of the filid. the only requirement for becoming an ollam is to have been a member of the filid for at least twelve years, and have proven themselves amongst both the filid and the people at large.

ollams also serve as teachers to children, though they do not accept payment for this.

amongst themselves, the filid speak their own language - bérla na filed, meaning the language of poets.

the powers of the filid

the word filí means "to see", and it is believed all filí possess the power of divination. the ollam and druids do, though their methods are a secret even to other members.

it is also believed some filí have the ability not just to predict but to influence future events, particularly if they take a disliking to a lord and choose to portray him negatively, with some saying earning their ire places a curse on the family.

some believe the filí have a connection to the otherworld and the dead, with the most skilled able to pierce the veil between worlds. a filí with this ability is saidto be able to give voice to the dead and carry messages between worlds.

fiadh and the filí

fiadh was inducted into the filid at the age of fourteen, the youngest ever person to do so, and she currently belongs to the filí class.

it is rumoured she might soon be promoted to ollam, and again will be one of the youngest to reach the rank.

it is not believed that fiadh possesses any supernatural gifts that some filí claim, though her deep desire to preserve the past may be a hint to a connection with the dead.

[birdsofrhiannon]

Irish Ollamh and an Heraldic Bard by Charles Hamilton Smith 

[blade-liger-4ever]

I remember that game. It was fun!

Just when all seems lost, a goddess steps in and saves our butts.

[mahgnib]

Edwin Longsden Long, “Ireland”, 1887

Charles Hamilton Smith, “An Irish Ollamh and a Heraldic Bard”, 1815

Vassantha, “Siuil a Run”, contemporary

J. C. Timbrell, “Carolan, the Irish Bard”, 1844

[good--merits-accumulated]

found the thesis statement of the anderperry fair folk au

[margridarnauds]

Is "ollamh" an officially bestowed title, or can it be applied to anyone who's generally agreed upon to be extremely proficient?

All I know about ollamhs, I learned from Wikipedia two minutes ago.

Back in the day, it'd have meant someone who was the highest grade of poet, under the patronage of a king, with an honor price equivalent to that of a king. These days, in Irish, it's come to mean a professor, so someone who's gotten a doctorate. Not a term I'd use for myself in English (when I get it), but definitely one I'd use in Irish.

Here's an example of a conference announcement that uses it to imply a higher degree of seniority, even higher than that of "Dr."

[scotianostra]

September 4th 1241 King Alexander III was born at Roxburgh.

Alexander crops up quite a number of times for us due to hi death triggering the Wars of Independence.

He came to the throne at the young age of eight and was crowned at Scone on 13th July, 1249, during that time factions vied with each other for control of Scotland so it was a fractious he came to rule. He married Margaret of England, daughter of Henry III, he was 10, she was 11 nut even at that young age he must have been pretty astute and knew his loyalties lay with Scotland. At the wedding King Henry is said to have asked him to pay homage, he was eager to gain the upper hand and assert England's overlordship of Scotland, The young Alexander is reported to have avoided this by stating that he came in peace.

One of the main things Alexander did for Scotland was exerting our rights to take the Hebrides back from Norway, the wiley King entered into negotiations with King Haakon until auttumn gales diminished the Scandinavians fleet that lay in the Firth of Clyde, Alexander seized the chance and defeated them in The Battle of Largs. Haakon died on his way home and his successor Magnus negotiated a treaty which saw Alexander's daughter, Margaret marry his son the future Eric II of Norway. This led to the Hebrides and The Isle of Man being ceded to Scotland.

So when thinking of Alexander III we should remember him for things other than being the catalysts for years of war with England.

The picture shows Coronation of King Alexander on Moot Hill, Scone. He is being greeted by the ollamh rígh Alban, the royal poet of Scotland, who is addressing him with the proclamation "Benach De Re Albanne" Beannachd Dé Rígh Albanaich - "God Bless the King of Scots"); the poet goes on to recite Alexander's genealogy. Malcolm II, Earl of Fife, depicted holding the sword standing beside King Alexander. (Albannaich is the plural form of Albannach, "Scot" or "Scotsman" and refers to the Scots collectively [as a nation]. The unique title of the Scots monarchs has long been "King of Scots" rather than "of Scotland" as opposed to the monarchs of England and other countries, who are titled "King or Queen of England" etc..

This style is ancient, and reflects the Gaelic tradition of the chief as "father" of his "clann" . As the monarch is the "Chief of Chiefs" he or she is the "father" or "mother" of the people, not merely the ruler of the land.)

[ottobooty]

OC Questionnaire

Tagged by @undead-potatoes

I tag @vakarians-babe, @zevrn @ysali @princesshoneytea and anyone else that might wanna do it

NAME: Anora "Laughter" Hald. When they were younger, they had discovered that Tieflings also can choose their name, so she went with Laughter

NICKNAME: Lah, Songbird

GENDER: Transfemme (She/They)

STAR SIGN: Equivalent to a Leo Cusp, since I have no idea if Faerun is 1:1 with birth signs

HEIGHT: 152 cm / 4'10

ORIENTATION: Bisexual/Poly-Curious

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Tiefling, but technically a half-elf, as her mother is a Wood Elf while her father is a Tiefling. (FR lore: Tieflings make Tiefling kids apparently?). Born and raised in the Icewind Dale area.

FAVORITE FRUIT: Apples.

FAVORITE SEASON: The cusp of Summer into Fall. Not too hot, not too cold.

FAVORITE FLOWER: Purple Saxifrage.

FAVORITE SCENT: Cedar, pine, rosin, leather, sandalwood.

COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE: Hot chocolate! With extra marshmallows.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: No matter how hard she tries, she can only ever sleep about 7 hour a day.

DOGS OR CATS: Dogs, 100%.

DREAM TRIP: So many places! Despite living near it, Ten-Towns as she's never been. The High Forest to see where her mom is from. Waterdeep itself, mostly to see the Bardic College of New Ollamh.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: Two. One for winter months and one for warmer months.

RANDOM FACT: Laughter's mother is a druid, which has lent itself a lot to how she views and sees the world. She values nature and tends to shy away from larger cities unless she absolutely HAS to go to them.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.19

Holidays

Artigas Day (Uruguay)

Baseball Day

Beggar's Banquets (Brazil)

Clean Air Day (UK)

Día del Nunca Más (a.k.a. Never Again Day; Argentina)

Emancipation Day (Texas)

Farmer’s Day (Ukraine)

Feast of Forest (Palawan)

Festival of the Coming Ice Age

Garfield the Cat Day

International Box Day

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN)

International Fathers Mental Health Day

Jose Rizal Day (Luna, Philippines)

Juneteenth (US)

Labour Day (Trinidad and Tobago)

Mass Market Paperback Book Day

Midsummer’s Eve (a.k.a. Midsommarafton; Aland, Finland, Sweden)

Midsummer’s Eve [Day before Summer Solstice]

National Ding Free Day (Canada)

National FreeBSD Day

National Heroes’ Day (Bermuda)

National Reading Day (India)

National Thank a Teacher Day (UK)

National Tuccelli Day (ASL)

National Watch Day

Never Again Day (Uruguay)

New Church Day (Swedenborgian)

Pediatric Headache Awareness Day

Rare Chromo Day

Red Soda Celebration

619 Day

Spooky Stories Appreciation Night

Svalbard Global Seed Vault Day

"War Is Hell" Day

World Sauntering Day

World Sickle Cell Awareness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Eat An Oreo Day

National Dine Out Day

National Martini Day (a.k.a. Dry Martini Day)

Real Food Day

Nature Celebrations

Arbor Day (Paraguay)

Butterfly Day

Laguna Day (Philippines)

National Parks Free Entrance Day

National Pets in Film Day

Rye Day (French Republic)

Sweet Brier Day (Love; Korean Birth Flowers)

World Albatross Day

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Constitution Day (Seychelles)

Day of the Independent Hungary (Hungary)

Mondero (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Surigao del Norte Province Day (Philippines)

Surigao del Sur Province Day (Philippines)

Thebes (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

3rd Thursday in June

Dump the Pump Day [3rd Thursday]

International Knock Knock Day [3rd Thursday]

Recess At Work Day [3rd Thursday]

Social Mobility Awareness Day (UK) [3rd Thursday]

Theater Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Turkey Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

World Kidney Cancer Day [3rd Thursday]

World Tapas Day [3rd Thursday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 19 (3rd Full Week of June)

Tour of America's Dairyland Week (Multiple Locations, Wisconsin) [thru 6.29]

Festivals On or Beginning June 19, 2025

CiderFeast East Coast Tour (Haverlill, Massachusetts)

Corn Fest (Auburn, Michigan) [thru 6.22]

Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) [thru 6.22]

Cranberry Blossom Festival (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) [thru 6.22]

Haubstadt Sommerfest (Haubstadt, Indiana) [thru 6.21]

Homestead Days (Beatrice, Nebraska) [thru 6.22]

Isle of Wight Festival (Newport, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom) [thru 6.22]

London Strawberry Festival (London, Ohio) [thru 6.21]

Marysville Strawberry Festival (Marysville, Washington) [thru 6.22]

Owego Strawberry Festival (Owego, New York) [thru 6.21]

The Pittston Fair (Pittston, Maine) [thru 6.22]

Stonewall Peach JAMboree and Rodeo (Stonewall, Texas) [thru 6.21]

Summerfest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) {thru 7.5]

TSB Festival of Lights (New Plymouth, New Zealand) [thru 6.22]

Feast Days

Asatru Alliance Founding Day (Asatru)

Boniface of Querfurt (Christian; Saint)

Day of All Heras (Ancient Rome)

Deodatus (a.k.a. Didier or Die) of Nevers (or of Jointures; Christian; Saint)

East of the Holy Ghost begins (Brazil)

Feralia: Day of Purification (Pagan)

Festival for Minerva (Ancient Rome)

Gervase and Protase (Catholic Church; Martyrs)

Hildegrim of Châlons (Christian; Saint)

Jude (Christian; Saint)

Juliana Falconieri (Christian; Saint)

Martini Day (Pastafarian)

Odo Cambrai (Christian; Saint)

Ollamh (Celtic Book of Days)

Pelayo (Positivist; Saint)

Princess Gwendolynda (Muppetism)

Robert Heinlein Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Romuald (Christian; Saint)

Tiger-Get-By’s Second Birthday (Shamanism)

Ursicinus of Ravenna (Christian; Saint)

Zosimus (Christian; Saint)

Christian Liturgical Holidays

Corpus Christi [Thursday after Trinity Sunday; 60 days after Easter] a.k.a. ... 

Corpo de Deus (Portugal)

Corpus Christi Day (Most Christian Countries)

Corpus Domini (San Marino)

Dancing Devils of Corpus Christi (Venezuela)

Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord

El Colacho (Baby Jumping; Castrillo de Murica, Spain)

Feast of Corpus Christi

Feast of the Body of God (East Timor)

Fête Dieu (Monaco, Seychelles)

Fronleichnam (Switzerland)

Leonard P. Howell Day (Rastafari)

Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikhism)

Mystery Plays (Ancient Europe)

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Thanksgiving for Holy Communion (Anglican Church)

Tijelovo (Croatia)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 5 (Ren-Wu), Day 24 (Ji-Wei)

Day Pillar: Earth Sheep

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Remove Day (除 Chu) [Auspicious]

Holidays: None Known

Secular Saints Days

Charles Coburn (Entertainment)

Maginel Wright Enright (Art)

Lester Flatt (Music)

Paul Flory (Science)

Lou Gehrig (Sports)

José Sanchis Grau (Art)

Moe Howard (Entertainment)

Elbert Hubbard (Philosophy)

Louis Jordan (Entertainment)

Cornelius Krieghoff (Art)

Guy Lombardo (Music)

Blaise Pascal (Mathematics)

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (Art)

José Rizal (Literature)

Gina Rowlands (Entertainment)

Salmon Rushdie (Literature)

Zoe Saldana (Entertainment)

Mia Sara (Entertainment)

John Ralston Saul (Philosophy)

Kathleen Turner (Entertainment)

Ann Wilson (MUsic)

Tobias Wolff (Literature)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 28 of 60)

Premieres

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (Novel; 2001)

Baseball Game (1st Known Game Played; 1846)

Batman Returns (Film; 1992)

The Bird on Nellie's Hat Mello-Drama Walter Lantz Cartoon; 1939)

The Brave Little Toaster (Animated Film; 1987)

Bukowski (Film; 2013)

Canned Dog Feud (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1965)

The Cannonball Run (Film; 1981)

Charlie and the Windmill (Charlie Movca Film Service Cartoon; 1916)

The Chicken Fancier (Paramount Cartoon; 1921)

Dancing in the Street, recorded by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1964)

Devil May Hare (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Died in the Wood (Aesop's Film Fable Cartoon; 1927)

Doctors Should Have Patience (Goldwyn-Bray Comic Cartoon; 1920)

Down to Earth, by Patricia Wrightson (Novel; 1965)

Dragon’s Lair (Videogame; 1983) [1st Laserdisc Videogame]

Dream for an Insomniac (Film; 1998)

The Enigma Variations, by Edward Elgar (Orchestral Piece; 1899) 

FCC or Federal Communications Comission (Gov't Agency; 1934)

Fish Fry (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1944)

For Your Eyes Only, by Sheena Easton (Song; 1981)

From Kitchen Mechanic to Movie Star (Rube Goldberg Cartoon; 1916)

Garfield (Comic Strip; 1978)

The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg (Aesop's Film Fable Cartoon; 1921)

The Gospel According to the Son, by Norman Mailer (Novel; 1997)

Ham and Eggs (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1933)

Hatari! (Film; 1962)

Here Comes the Surfs (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Special; 1981)

He Was Not Ill, Only Unhappy (The Newlyweds Cartoon; 1913)

Horton Hatches the Egg, by Dr. Seuss (Children’s Book; 1940)

How My Vacation Spent Me (Goldwyn-Bray Comic Cartoon; 1920)

How to Save Your Own Life, by Erica Jong (Novel; 1977)

The Idler Wheel…, by Fiona Apple (Album; 2012)

I’m a Honky Tonk Girl, recorded by Loretta Lynn (Song; 1960)

Inside Out (Animated Pixar Film; 2015)

Invention Convention (Kartune Fleischer/Famous Cartoon; 1953)

Jason and the Argonauts (Film; 1963)

Jazz Rhythm (Krazy Kat Cartoon; 1930)

The Last of Us Part II (Video Game; 2020)

Little Herman Paul Terry Thanhauser Cartoon; 1915)

Magoo Express (Mr. Magoo UPA Cartoon; 1955)

Mulan (Animated Disney Film; 1998)

Mumbo Jumbo, by Ishmael Reed (Novel; 1972)

The Music Man (Film; 1962)

No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai (Novel; 1948)

The Oom-Pahs (Columbia Favorites Cartoon; 1957)

The Organ Grinder (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

Play That Funky Music, by Wild Cherry (Song; 1976)

Porky’s Building (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

The Proposal (Film; 2009)

Purple Haze, by Jimi Hendrix (US Song; 1967)

Ramblin’ Rose, recorded by Nat King Cole (Song; 1962)

Robin Hoodwinked (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1967)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (UK Musical Play; 1973)

Rough and Rowdy Ways, by Bob Dylan (Album; 2020)

Roxanne (Film; 1987)

Sketchbook of St. Louis (Vernon Howe Bailey's Sketchbook; 1916)

Sleepy-Time Squirrel (Barney Bear MGM Cartoon; 1954)

The Story of Anyburg, U.S.A. (Disney Cartoon; 1957)

Streamlined Greta Green (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Superman II (Film; 1981)

Time Enough for Love, by Robert A. Heinlein (Novel; 1973)

Tim McGraw, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2006)

A Waif’s Welcome (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Wake Up the Gypsy in Me (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

When Knights Were Bold (Pathe Cartoon Comedy Cartoon; 1915)

Who Killed Who? (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1943)

X-Files: Fight the Future (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Juliana, Romuald (Austria)

Božidar, Julijana, Romuald (Croatia)

Leoš (Czech Republic)

Gervasius (Denmark)

Sigrid, Siiri, Siivi (Estonia)

Siiri (Finland)

Gervais, Romuald (France)

Juliana, Romuald (Germany)

Paisios, Zosimos (Greece)

Gyárfás (Hungary)

Gervasio, Protasio, Romualdo (Italy)

Nils, Vaironis, Viktors (Latvia)

Dovilas, Dovilė, Ramunė (Lithuania)

Elling, Erling (Norway)

Borzysław, Gerwazy, Julianna, Odo, Protazy, Sylweriusz (Poland)

Iuda (România)

Alfréd (Slovakia)

Aurora, Gervasio, Romualdo (Spain)

Germund, Görel (Sweden)

Carisa, Carissa, Jarvis, Jervis, Karissa, Ralna (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Lester Day

National Moe Day

National Zoe Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 170 of 2025; 195 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 4 of Week 25 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 10 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Ren-Wu), Day 24 (Ji-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 12 Baunah 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Fig (June 14-23) [Day 6 of 10]

Hebrew: 23 Sivan 5785

Islamic: 22 Dhu al-Hijjah 1446

Julian: 6 June 2025

Meteorological Summer [Day 18]

Moon: 40%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 2 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Pelayo]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 7 of 15] (thru 6.27)

Season: Spring (Day 91 of 92)

SUn Calendar: 20 Blue; Sixthday [20 of 30]

Week: 3rd Full Week of June

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Gemini (Day 30 of 31)

Sidereal Zodiac: Gemini (Day 4 of 31)

Schmidt Zodiac: Cetus (Day 13 of 26)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Aries (Day 37 of 39)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Aries (Day 37 of 37)