Bardic poetry refers to poems written by trained poets in special schools found in Ireland and the Gaelic regions of Scotland. These schools existed until around the middle of the 1600s or the early 1700s in Scotland. Most of the poems that remain were written in Middle Irish or early Modern Irish. Although many manuscripts from this time were created, very few have been published. This period is known for having a stable literary language that changed very little over time.

Background

According to the Uraicecht Becc in Old Irish Law, bards and filid were different groups. Filid focused on law, language, knowledge, and court poetry, while bards were people who wrote poems. Over time, these terms became used in the same way. When Christianity arrived, poets still held a high social position, equal to that of a bishop. However, even the most respected poet, the ollamh, was now seen as "the shadow of a high-ranking pagan priest or druid." Bards memorized and protected the history, traditions, and customs of their clans and countries. They also learned the rules for different types of poetry, such as the dán díreach, which is a syllabic form that uses assonance, half rhyme, and alliteration.

Much of their work included long lists of family histories and detailed descriptions of the actions of their lords and ancestors. The Irish bard was not always a highly creative poet but was instead an expert in literature and writing. These individuals were highly trained and belonged to a family group with high status in a society that valued tradition and the nobility. They held official roles based on their extensive education and knowledge.

Role in Irish and Scottish society

Bards were officials in the courts of kings and chieftains. They had many duties, such as recording events and writing poems that praised their employers or criticized those who opposed them. Their work followed traditions from the past, similar to the roles of Welsh bards and Viking skalds. These traditions included using complex poetry with repeated sounds at the beginning of words. While many bards followed traditions closely, some also included personal emotions in their work and adjusted their style to fit new situations, even if they were mostly conservative.

Bards worked for kings and other important people in Irish society, but they also acted on their own and were highly respected. Irish society valued fame or shame, and whether someone received praise or criticism often depended on whether a bard liked them. Because of this, people tried to please bards to have songs or poems written about them. The Irish understood that all things eventually die, but they believed that lasting fame could be achieved through a great story written by a bard. This belief gave bards great influence, as they could bring either great honor or great disgrace to individuals.

The tradition of bards was very important to Irish society and even interested people from other cultures. This led to the creation of bardic schools, which often only taught students who had a bard in their family. To join, students needed to be skilled at reading and have strong memories. In these schools, students learned the basics of being a bard. They were often required to compose poems overnight without writing them down, which helped keep the oral tradition alive. The next day, they could write their poems, perform them, and receive feedback. These schools played a key role in keeping the bardic tradition alive into modern times.

Example

The following is an example of a bardic poem from the translations of Osborn Bergin:

Filled with sharp, dart-like pens, flexible tips and strong, freshly cut. Smooth paper under my hand, flowing smoothly over the paper. The writing is neat and even. A book of verse in ennobling Goidelic. I learned the origins of each story, the branches of bravery and knowledge, that I may recite in educated songs of clear family lines and each person's family history, wonderful deeds, travel, and music. Soft, sweet, and calming, like a lullaby for the heart. Grant me the joyful circle, loud, bright, passionate, and polished. Rushing quickly, like a blue-edged, sharp-pointed spear in a tightly tied sheath; the cause itself worthy to contain.

An example of a bardic poet can also be seen in the novel The Year of the French (1979) by Thomas Flanagan. In this book, a character named Owen MacCarthy is a bard who knows both the native language and English. The Whiteboys, a group, ask him to write important letters. They need someone skilled in writing, like MacCarthy.