133-576: Brigid or Brigit ( / ˈ b r ɪ dʒ ɪ d , ˈ b r iː ɪ d / BRIJ -id, BREE -id , Irish: [ˈbʲɾʲiːdʲ] ; meaning 'exalted one'), also Bríd , is a goddess of pre-Christian Ireland . She appears in Irish mythology as a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann , the daughter of the Dagda and wife of Bres , with whom she had a son named Ruadán. Her sacred tree appears to have been
266-538: A beard and mustache , and it was often seen as dishonourable for a Gaelic man to have no facial hair. Beard styles varied – the long forked beard and the rectangular Mesopotamian-style beard were fashionable at times. Warfare was common in Gaelic Ireland, as territories , kingdoms and clans fought for supremacy against each other and later against the Vikings and Anglo-Normans . Champion warfare
399-450: A dealg ( brooch ), with men usually wearing the dealg at their shoulders and women at their chests. The ionar (a short, tight-fitting jacket) became popular later on. In Topographia Hibernica , written during the 1180s, Gerald de Barri wrote that the Irish commonly wore hoods at that time (perhaps forming part of the brat ), while Edmund Spenser wrote in the 1580s that the brat
532-467: A fine (plural: finte ). This was a large group of related people supposedly descended from one progenitor through male forebears. It was headed by a man whose office was known in Old Irish as a cenn fine or toísech (plural: toísig ). Nicholls suggests that they would be better thought of as akin to the modern-day corporation. Within each fine , the family descended from a common great-grandparent
665-473: A perpetual fire burning at Kildare in honour of Saint Brigid, and that this fire was kept burning since Brigid's time. It has been suggested this fire originally belonged to a temple of Brigit the goddess. The Roman goddess Vesta and the Greek goddess Hestia had perpetual fires tended by priestesses. According to Gerald, it was ringed by a hedge that no man was allowed to cross, lest he be cursed. The saint
798-732: A baronial plan to put Louis VIII of France on the throne of England in the First Barons' War was warmly welcomed by him. He died in about 1223 in his 77th year, probably in Hereford and he is, according to some accounts, buried at St Davids Cathedral . There is a statue, by Henry Poole of Gerald in City Hall, Cardiff , and he was included in the vote on 100 Welsh Heroes for his Descriptio Cambriae and Itinerarium Cambriae . His reputation in Ireland, due to his negative portrayal of
931-759: A certain number of their father's cattle as their marriage-portion. It seems that, throughout the Middle Ages, the Gaelic Irish kept many of their marriage laws and traditions separate from those of the Church. Under Gaelic law, married women could hold property independent of their husbands, a link was maintained between married women and their own families, couples could easily divorce or separate, and men could have concubines (which could be lawfully bought). These laws differed from most of contemporary Europe and from Church law. The lawful age of marriage
1064-401: A clergyman could never regain his standing. Some laws were pre-Christian in origin. These secular laws existed in parallel, and sometimes in conflict, with Church law . Although brehons usually dealt with legal cases, kings would have been able to deliver judgments also, but it is unclear how much they would have had to rely on brehons. Kings had their own brehons to deal with cases involving
1197-488: A great measure weakened and destroyed by your and other powers, and it will also prevail by its laudable exertions, but it can never be totally subdued through the wrath of man, unless the wrath of God shall concur. Nor do I think that any other nation than this of Wales, nor any other language, whatever may hereafter come to pass, shall on the day of severe examination before the Supreme Judge, answer for this corner of
1330-435: A half feet high. Chariots were generally drawn by horses or oxen, with horse-drawn chariots being more common among chiefs and military men. War chariots furnished with scythes and spikes, like those of the ancient Gauls and Britons , are mentioned in literature. Boats used in Gaelic Ireland include canoes , currachs , sailboats and Irish galleys . Ferryboats were used to cross wide rivers and are often mentioned in
1463-467: A helmet, but they sometimes wore simple helmets made from animal hides. Artwork from Ireland's Gaelic period is found on pottery , jewellery , weapons , drinkware , tableware , stone carvings and illuminated manuscripts . Irish art from about 300 BC incorporates patterns and styles which developed in west central Europe. By about AD 600, after the Christianization of Ireland had begun,
SECTION 10
#17327873907931596-414: A hierarchy of kings and chiefs. The smallest territory was the túath (plural: túatha ), which was typically the territory of a single kin-group. It was ruled by a rí túaithe (king of a túath ) or toísech túaithe (leader of a túath ). Several túatha formed a mór túath (overkingdom), which was ruled by a rí mór túath or ruirí (overking). Several mór túatha formed a cóiced (province), which
1729-598: A kind of fosterage was common, whereby (for a certain length of time) children would be left in the care of others to strengthen family ties or political bonds. Foster parents were beholden to teach their foster children or to have them taught. Foster parents who had properly done their duties were entitled to be supported by their foster children in old age (if they were in need and had no children of their own). As with divorce, Gaelic law again differed from most of Europe and from Church law in giving legal standing to both "legitimate" and "illegitimate" children. For most of
1862-783: A letter to Innocent III, "Because I am a Welshman am I to be debarred from all preferments in Wales? On the same reasoning so would an Englishman in England, a Frenchman in France, and Italian in Italy. But I am sprung from the Princes of Wales and the Barons of the Marches, and when I see injustice in either race I hate it." At this point he resigned his position as archdeacon of Brecon. Gerald spent
1995-473: A market of foreign traders. In the Middle Ages the main exports were textiles such as wool and linen while the main imports were luxury items. Money was seldom used in Gaelic society; instead, goods and services were usually exchanged for other goods and services ( barter ). The economy was mainly a pastoral one, based on livestock ( cows , sheep , pigs , goats , etc.) and their products . Cattle
2128-418: A payment based on their closeness to the victim, their status, and so forth. There were separate payments for the kin-group of the victim's mother, and for the victim's foster-kin. Execution seems to have been rare and carried out only as a last resort. If a murderer was unable or unwilling to pay éraic and was handed to his victim's family, they might kill him if they wished should nobody intervene by paying
2261-471: A royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taught in France and visited Rome several times, meeting the Pope. He was nominated for several bishoprics but turned them down in the hope of becoming Bishop of St Davids , but was unsuccessful despite considerable support. His final post was as Archdeacon of Brecon , from which he retired to academic study for
2394-548: A style melding Irish, Mediterranean and Germanic Anglo-Saxon elements emerged, and was spread to Britain and mainland Europe by the Hiberno-Scottish mission . This is known as Insular art or Hiberno-Saxon art, which continued in some form in Ireland until the 12th century, although the Viking invasions ended its "Golden Age". Most surviving works of Insular art were either made by monks or made for monasteries, with
2527-523: A title than a personal name". The Lebor Gabála Érenn also calls Brigit a poetess and daughter of the Dagda. It says she has two oxen, Fea and Femen, from whom are named Mag Fea (the plain of the River Barrow ) and Mag Femin (the plain of the River Suir ). Elsewhere, these are named as the two oxen of Dil, "radiant of beauty," which may have been a byname for Brigid. It also says she possesses
2660-432: A valuable resource but had a lesser role in Irish pastoralism. Horticulture was practised; the main crops being oats , wheat and barley , although flax was also grown for making linen. Transhumance was also practised, whereby people moved with their livestock to higher pastures in summer and back to lower pastures in the cooler months. The summer pasture was called the buaile (anglicized as booley ) and it
2793-502: A woman of smith's work, and it was she first made the whistle for calling one to another through the night." Historians suggest that the goddess Brigid was syncretized with the Christian saint of the same name. According to medievalist Pamela Berger, Christian monks "took the ancient figure of the mother goddess and grafted her name and functions onto her Christian counterpart," Brigid of Kildare . The goddess and saint have many of
SECTION 20
#17327873907932926-577: Is cognate with the name of the ancient British goddess Brigantia , with whom Brigid is thought to have some relation. It is also cognate with the Old High German personal name Burgunt, and the Sanskrit word Bṛhatī (बृहती) "high", an epithet of the Hindu dawn goddess Ushas . The ultimate source is Proto-Indo-European *bʰr̥ǵʰéntih₂ (feminine form of *bʰérǵʰonts , "high"), derived from
3059-614: Is a common theme in Early Irish mythology , literature and culture. In the Middle Ages all able-bodied men, apart from the learned and the clergy, were eligible for military service on behalf of the king or chief . Throughout the Middle Ages and for some time after, outsiders often wrote that the Irish style of warfare differed greatly from what they deemed to be the norm in Western Europe. The Gaelic Irish preferred hit-and-run raids (the crech ), which involved catching
3192-409: Is a stone ringfort. The ringfort would typically have enclosed the family home, small farm buildings or workshops, and animal pens. Most date to the period 500–1000 CE and there is evidence of large-scale ringfort desertion at the end of the first millennium. The remains of between 30,000 and 40,000 lasted into the 19th century to be mapped by Ordnance Survey Ireland . Another kind of native dwelling
3325-474: Is also thought to have some relation to the British Celtic goddess Brigantia . Saint Brigid shares many of the goddess's attributes and her feast day , 1 February, was originally a pagan festival called Imbolc . It has thus been argued that the saint is a Christianization of the goddess, or that the lore of the goddess was transferred to her. Cormac's Glossary , written by Christian scribes in
3458-413: Is associated with many holy wells and clootie wells in Ireland and Britain, where small strips of cloth or ribbons are left as part of a healing ritual. Celtic healing goddesses, such as Sirona and Coventina , were often associated with sacred springs. Saint Brigid's Day is 1 February. It was originally Imbolc , the first day of spring in Irish tradition. Because Saint Brigid has been linked to
3591-547: Is generally agreed today that his most distinguished works are those dealing with Wales and Ireland, with his two books on his beloved Wales the most important: Itinerarium Cambriae and Descriptio Cambriae which tell us much about Welsh history and geography and reflect on the cultural relationship between the Welsh and the English . Gerald, despite his desire for an independent Welsh Church and admiration for parts of Welsh life,
3724-502: Is noteworthy that the Irish word for boy ( buachaill ) originally meant a herdsman. Many moorland areas were "shared as a common summer pasturage by the people of a whole parish or barony". Gaelic Ireland was well furnished with roads and bridges. Bridges were typically wooden and in some places the roads were laid with wood and stone. There were five main roads leading from Tara : Slíghe Asail, Slíghe Chualann , Slíghe Dála, Slíghe Mór and Slíghe Midluachra . Horses were one of
3857-473: Is still practised today, especially in competitions for the eisteddfod chair. Cynghanedd did not become a formal system with strict rules until the fourteenth century, but its uniquely Welsh forms had been honed for centuries before that. Finally, in Descriptio Cambriae , Gerald penned the following words that give so much pride to Welsh singers of today, especially those who participate in
3990-638: Is the more accurate term. He followed it up, shortly afterwards, with an account of Henry's conquest of Ireland, the Expugnatio Hibernica . Both works were revised and added to several times before his death, and display a notable degree of Latin learning, as well as a great deal of prejudice against foreign people. Gerald was proud to be related to some of the Norman invaders of Ireland, such as his maternal uncle Robert FitzStephen and Raymond FitzGerald , and his influential account, which portrays
4123-411: Is very evident too. Chapter XI of Distinction III ( Topographia Hibernica , Of the incomparable skill of the Irish in playing upon musical instruments): The only thing to which I find that this people apply a commendable industry is playing upon musical instruments; in which they are incomparably more skilful than any other nation I have ever seen. For their modulation on these instruments, unlike that of
Brigid - Misplaced Pages Continue
4256-607: The seanchaidhthe . Writing, in the form of inscription in the ogham alphabet , began in the protohistoric period , perhaps as early as the 1st century. The conversion to Christianity , beginning in the 5th century, accompanied the introduction of literature . In the Middle Ages, Irish mythology and Brehon law were recorded by Irish monks, albeit partly Christianized . Gaelic Irish monasteries were important centres of learning. Irish missionaries and scholars were influential in western Europe and helped to spread Christianity to much of Britain and parts of mainland Europe. In
4389-495: The Brehon Laws as subject to strict regulations. Sometimes they were owned by individuals and sometimes they were the common property of those living round the ferry. Large boats were used for trade with mainland Europe. Throughout the Middle Ages, the common clothing amongst the Gaelic Irish consisted of a brat (a woollen semi circular cloak) worn over a léine (a loose-fitting, long-sleeved tunic made of linen). For men
4522-575: The Irish round towers were built. In the fifty years before the Norman invasion , the term "castle" ( Old Irish : caistél/caislén ) appears in Gaelic writings, although there are few intact surviving examples of pre-Norman castles. After the invasion, the Normans built motte-and-bailey castles in the areas they occupied, some of which were converted from ringforts. By 1300 "some mottes, especially in frontier areas, had almost certainly been built by
4655-591: The Lordship of Ireland – and the island as a whole. However, the Gaelic system continued in areas outside Anglo-Norman control. The territory under English control gradually shrank to an area known as the Pale and, outside this, many Hiberno-Norman lords adopted Gaelic culture. In 1542, the Lordship of Ireland became the Kingdom of Ireland when Henry VIII of England was given the title of King of Ireland by
4788-539: The Parliament of Ireland . The English then began to extend their control over the island . By 1607, Ireland was fully under English control, bringing the old Gaelic political and social order to an end. Gaelic culture and society was centred around the fine (explained below). Gaelic Ireland had a rich oral culture and appreciation of deeper and intellectual pursuits. Filí and draoithe (druids) were held in high regard during Pagan times and orally passed down
4921-555: The Scoti or Irish "believing in Christ". Early medieval traditions credit Saint Patrick as being the first Primate of Ireland . Christianity would eventually supplant the existing pagan traditions, with the prologue of the 9th century Martyrology of Tallaght (attributed to author Óengus of Tallaght ) speaking of the last vestiges of paganism in Ireland. In Gaelic Ireland each person belonged to an agnatic kin-group known as
5054-400: The birch , given some older Imbolc-related traditions. She is associated with wisdom, poetry, healing, protection, smithing and domesticated animals. Cormac's Glossary , written in the 9th century by Christian monks, says that Brigid was "the goddess whom poets adored" and that she had two sisters: Brigid the healer and Brigid the smith. This suggests she may have been a triple deity . She
5187-508: The early modern Irish period. Since the spelling reform of 1948, this has been spelled Bríd [bʲɾʲiːdʲ] . The earlier form gave rise to various forms in the languages of Europe, starting from the Medieval Latin Brigida , and from there to English Bridget , French Brigitte, Swedish Birgitta and Finnish Piritta. The name comes from Proto-Celtic *Brigantī and means "the high one" or "the exalted one". It
5320-412: The léine reached to their ankles but was hitched up by means of a crios (pronounced 'kriss') which was a type of woven belt. The léine was hitched up to knee level. Women wore the léine at full length. Men sometimes wore tight-fitting trews (Gaelic triúbhas) but otherwise went bare-legged. The brat was simply thrown over both shoulders or sometimes over only one. Occasionally the brat was fastened with
5453-420: The pantheons of other European nations. Two groups of supernatural beings who appear throughout Irish mythology—the Tuatha Dé Danann and Fomorians —are believed to represent the Gaelic pantheon. They were also animists , believing that all aspects of the natural world contained spirits, and that these spirits could be communicated with. Burial practices—which included burying food, weapons, and ornaments with
Brigid - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-417: The timpan (a small string instrument played with a bow or plectrum ), the feadan (a fife ), the buinne (an oboe or flute ), the guthbuinne (a bassoon -type horn ), the bennbuabhal and corn ( hornpipes ), the cuislenna ( bagpipes – see Great Irish Warpipes ), the stoc and sturgan ( clarions or trumpets), and the cnamha ( castanets ). He also mentions the fiddle as being used in
5719-486: The éraic . Habitual or particularly serious offenders might be expelled from the kin-group and its territory. Such people became outlaws (with no protection from the law) and anyone who sheltered him became liable for his crimes. If he still haunted the territory and continued his crimes there, he was proclaimed in a public assembly and after this anyone might lawfully kill him. Each person had an honour-price, which varied depending on their rank in society. This honour-price
5852-568: The "king of boars", Torc Triath (from whom the plain of Treithirne is named), and the "king of wethers ", Cirb (from whom the plain of Cirb is named). The animals were said to cry out whenever plundering was committed in Ireland. This suggests Brigid was a guardian goddess of domesticated animals. In Cath Maige Tuired , Bríd is the wife of Bres and bears him a son, Ruadán. His name is cognate to several words in Indo-European languages that mean "red, rust", etc. The story says she began
5985-445: The 1170s. Thereafter, it comprised that part of the country not under foreign dominion at a given time (i.e. the part beyond The Pale ). For most of its history, Gaelic Ireland was a "patchwork" hierarchy of territories ruled by a hierarchy of kings or chiefs, who were chosen or elected through tanistry . Warfare between these territories was common. Traditionally, a powerful ruler was acknowledged as High King of Ireland . Society
6118-404: The 1180s. Certainly the book has valuable details about Irish birds: while the common kingfisher is now common in Ireland, Gerald states clearly that it was not found there in his time: on the other hand the white-throated dipper , which he had evidently not seen before, was very common in Ireland. He also observed the great numbers of birds of prey in Ireland, including the golden eagle and
6251-482: The 12th century), they did not wear armour , as they deemed it burdensome to wear and "brave and honourable" to fight without it. Instead, most ordinary soldiers fought semi-naked and carried only their weapons and a small round shield — Spenser wrote that these shields were covered with leather and painted in bright colours. Kings and chiefs sometimes went into battle wearing helmets adorned with eagle feathers. For ordinary soldiers, their thick hair often served as
6384-440: The 8th century as compliment to Irish music. As mentioned before, Gaelic Ireland was split into many clann territories and kingdoms called túath (plural: túatha ). Although there was no central government or parliament , a number of local, regional and national gatherings were held. These combined features of assemblies and fairs . In Ireland, the highest of these was the feis at Teamhair na Rí (Tara), which
6517-445: The 9th century and based on earlier sources, says that Brigit was a goddess and daughter of the Dagda . It describes her as a "goddess of poets" and "woman of wisdom" or sage , who is also famous for her "protecting care". It says that Brigit has two sisters: Brigit the physician or "woman of healing", and Brigit the smith. It explains that from these, all goddesses in Ireland are called Brigit ; suggesting that it "may have been more of
6650-570: The 9th century, Vikings began raiding and founding settlements along Ireland's coasts and waterways, which became its first large towns. Over time, these settlers were assimilated and became the Norse-Gaels . After the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169–71, large swathes of Ireland came under the control of Norman lords, leading to centuries of conflict with the native Irish. The King of England claimed sovereignty over this territory –
6783-630: The Britons to which I am accustomed, is not slow and harsh, but lively and rapid, while the harmony is both sweet and gay. It is astonishing that in so complex and rapid a movement of the fingers, the musical proportions can be preserved........ it must be remarked, however, that both Scotland and Wales strive to rival Ireland in the art of music...... Gerald's works on Ireland, although invaluable for their detail, are obviously biased, and have been attacked by Irish writers such as Stephen White . The following passage from his Topographia Hibernica shows why
SECTION 50
#17327873907936916-581: The Gaelic Irish in imitation". The Normans gradually replaced wooden motte-and-baileys with stone castles and tower houses . Tower houses are free-standing multi-storey stone towers usually surrounded by a wall (see bawn ) and ancillary buildings. Gaelic families had begun to build their own tower houses by the 15th century. As many as 7000 may have been built, but they were rare in areas with little Norman settlement or contact. They are concentrated in counties Limerick and Clare but are lacking in Ulster, except
7049-522: The Gaelic period, dwellings and farm buildings were circular with conical thatched roofs (see roundhouse ). Square and rectangle-shaped buildings gradually became more common, and by the 14th or 15th century they had replaced round buildings completely. In some areas, buildings were made mostly of stone. In others, they were built of timber, wattle and daub , or a mix of materials. Most ancient and early medieval stone buildings were of dry stone construction. Some buildings would have had glass windows. Among
7182-600: The Irish as barbaric savages, gives important insight into Cambro-Norman views of Ireland and the history of the invasion. Having thus demonstrated his usefulness, Gerald was selected to accompany the Archbishop of Canterbury , Baldwin of Forde , on a tour of Wales in 1188, the object being a recruitment campaign for the Third Crusade . His account of that journey, the Itinerarium Cambriae (1191)
7315-435: The Irish might not always be too enamoured with Gerald's views: Distinction III *Chapter XXXV (Of the number of persons in this nation who have bodily defects): Moreover, I have never seen in any other nation so many individuals who were born blind, so many lame, maimed or having some natural defect. The persons of those who are well-formed are indeed remarkably fine, nowhere better; but as those who are favoured with
7448-419: The Irish, is much less friendly. Gerald's writings in good-quality Latin, based on a thorough knowledge of Classical authors, reflect experiences gained on his travels as well as his great knowledge of the standard authorities. He was respected as a scholar in his time and afterwards. The noted scholar Edward Augustus Freeman , in his Norman Conquest , said he was "the father of comparative philology," and in
7581-441: The Norman invasion, it was common for priests and monks to have wives. This remained mostly unchanged after the Norman invasion, despite protests from bishops and archbishops. The authorities classed such women as priests' concubines and there is evidence that a formal contract of concubinage existed between priests and their women. However, unlike other concubines, they seem to have been treated just as wives were. In Gaelic Ireland
7714-528: The See of St Davids, despite the strenuous exertions of Gerald. Travelling back to France, he was briefly imprisoned there for these actions. He was afterwards reconciled with the king and was forced to vow never again to support the primacy of St Davids over Canterbury. The expenses of his unsuccessful election were paid by the crown. Gerald maintained his appointment had been prevented by fear of its possible effect on national politics in Wales. He famously complained in
7847-417: The Welsh church at the time. He was appointed in 1174 as Archdeacon of Brecon , to which was attached a residence at Llanddew . He obtained this position by reporting the existence of the previous archdeacon's mistress; the man was promptly dismissed. While administering this post, Gerald collected tithes of wool and cheese from the populace; the income from the archdeaconry supported him for many years. Upon
7980-401: The Welsh to rebellion and was put on trial, but the trial came to nothing as the principal judges were absent. After this long struggle, the chapter of St Davids deserted Gerald, and having been obliged to leave Wales, he fled to Rome. The ports had been closed against him, so he travelled in secret. In April 1203 Pope Innocent III annulled both elections, and Geoffrey of Henlaw was appointed to
8113-465: The archbishop had forestalled him, and his agents in Rome undermined Gerald's case; and as the pope was not convinced that St Davids was independent of Canterbury, Gerald's mission failed. Gerald had pleaded not only his own cause, but that of St Davids as a Metropolitan archbishopric (and thus of the same status as Canterbury) reviving the earlier claims of Rhygyfarch and Bishop Bernard of St Davids . It
SECTION 60
#17327873907938246-532: The area around Strangford Lough . In Gaelic law, a 'sanctuary' called a maighin digona surrounded each person's dwelling. The maighin digona's size varied according to the owner's rank. In the case of a bóaire it stretched as far as he, while sitting at his house, could cast a cnairsech (variously described as a spear or sledgehammer). The owner of a maighin digona could offer its protection to someone fleeing from pursuers, who would then have to bring that person to justice by lawful means. Gaelic Ireland
8379-464: The army was made up of light infantry called ceithern (anglicized 'kern'). The ceithern wandered Ireland offering their services for hire and usually wielded swords, skenes (a kind of long knife), short spears, bows and shields. The cavalry was usually made up of a king or chieftain and his close relatives. They usually rode without saddles but wore armour and iron helmets and wielded swords, skenes and long spears or lances . One kind of Irish cavalry
8512-558: The canons followed Richard I to France, but before they could interview him he died; his successor, King John, received them kindly and granted them permission to hold an election. They were unanimous in their selection of Gerald, and Gerald acted as bishop-elect for much of the next four years; and, as Hubert still refused to confirm the election, Gerald started for Rome to have his election confirmed. There he had an interview with Pope Innocent III . He visited Rome on three occasions (1199–1200; 1201; 1202–3) in support of his claims. But in 1198
8645-414: The crown and Prince Rhys ap Gruffydd . He was chosen to accompany one of the king's sons, John , in 1185 on John's first expedition to Ireland . This was the catalyst for his literary career; his work Topographia Hibernica (first circulated in manuscript in 1188, and revised at least four times) is an account of his journey to Ireland; Gerald always referred to it as his Topography , though "history"
8778-411: The custom of keening , a combination of wailing and singing, while mourning the death of Ruadán. She is credited in the same passage with inventing a whistle used for night travel. In her English retellings of Irish myth, Lady Augusta Gregory describes Brigit as "a woman of poetry, and poets worshipped her, for her sway was very great and very noble. And she was a woman of healing along with that, and
8911-469: The dead—suggest a belief in life after death . Some have equated this afterlife with the Otherworld realms known as Magh Meall and Tír na nÓg in Irish mythology. There were four main religious festivals each year, marking the traditional four divisions of the year – Samhain , Imbolc , Bealtaine and Lughnasadh . The mythology of Ireland was originally passed down orally , but much of it
9044-528: The death of his uncle, the Bishop of St Davids , in 1176, the chapter nominated Gerald as his successor. St Davids had the long-term aim of becoming independent of Canterbury, and the chapter may have thought that Gerald was the man to take up its cause. King Henry II of England , fresh from his struggle with Archbishop Thomas Becket , promptly rejected Gerald in favour of Peter de Leia , one of his Norman retainers, possibly because Gerald's Welsh blood and ties to
9177-511: The decision; and Gerald, disappointed with the result, withdrew to the University of Paris . From c. 1179 -8, he studied and taught canon law and theology. He returned to England and spent an additional five years studying theology. In 1180, he received a minor appointment from the Bishop of St Davids, which he soon resigned. Gerald became a royal clerk and chaplain to King Henry II of England in 1184, first acting as mediator between
9310-416: The early 700s describe a hierarchy of kings: kings of túath subject to kings of several túatha who again were subject to the regional overkings. Already before the 8th century these overkingdoms had begun to replace the túatha as the basic sociopolitical unit. Before Christianization , the Gaelic Irish were polytheistic or pagan . They had many gods and goddesses , which generally have parallels in
9443-552: The earth. It was Gerald who also wrote (of the Welsh) that "If they would be inseparable, they would be insuperable", and that, unlike the English hirelings, who fight for power or to procure gain or wealth, the Welsh patriots fight for their country. He had pleasant things to say about the poetic talents of his people, too: In their rhymed songs and set speeches they are so subtle and ingenious that they produce, in their native tongue, ornaments of wonderful and exquisite invention both in
9576-518: The enemy unaware. If this worked they would then seize any valuables (mainly livestock) and potentially valuable hostages, burn the crops, and escape. The cattle raid was a social institution and was called a Táin Bó in Gaelic literature. Although hit-and-run raiding was the preferred tactic in medieval times, there were also pitched battles . From at least the 11th century, kings maintained small permanent fighting forces known as lucht tighe "troops of
9709-833: The exception of brooches , which were likely made and used by both clergy and laity. Examples of Insular art from Ireland include the Book of Kells , Muiredach's High Cross , the Tara Brooch , the Ardagh Hoard the Derrynaflan Chalice , and the late Cross of Cong , which also uses Viking styles. Although Gerald de Barri had an overtly negative view of the Irish, in Topographia Hibernica (1188) he conceded that they were more skilled at playing music than any other nation he had seen. He claimed that
9842-424: The expedition. As a royal clerk, Gerald observed significant political events first-hand and was offered appointments as bishoprics of Wexford and Leighlin, and apparently, slightly later, the bishopric of Ossory and the archbishopric of Cashel , and later the bishopric of Bangor in Wales; and, in 1191, that of Llandaff . He turned them all down, possibly in the hope of landing a more prominent bishopric in
9975-579: The exploits of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna . There are also a number of tales that do not fit into these cycles – this includes the immrama and echtrai , which are tales of voyages to the ' Otherworld '. The introduction of Christianity to Ireland dates to sometime before the 5th century, with Palladius (later bishop of Ireland) sent by Pope Celestine I in the mid-5th century to preach " ad Scotti in Christum " or in other words to minister to
10108-626: The famous Arglwydd (Lord) Rhys and his family. Gerald received his initial education at the Benedictine house of Gloucester , followed by a period of study in Paris from c. 1165 –74, where he studied the trivium . He was employed by Richard of Dover , the Archbishop of Canterbury, on various ecclesiastical missions in Wales, and distinguished himself by his efforts to remove supposed abuses of consanguinity and tax laws flourishing in
10241-515: The fulfilment of social and ritual responsibilities were highly important. Like Britain , Gaelic Ireland consisted not of one single unified kingdom, but several. The main kingdoms were Ulaid (Ulster), Mide (Meath), Laigin (Leinster), Muma (Munster, consisting of Iarmuman , Tuadmumain and Desmumain ), Connacht , Bréifne (Breffny), In Tuaiscert (The North), and Airgíalla (Oriel). Each of these overkingdoms were built upon lordships known as túatha (singular: túath ). Law tracts from
10374-464: The future. He was acquainted with Walter Map , whose career shares some similarities with Gerald's. Retiring from royal service, he lived in Lincoln from c. 1196 to 1198, when his friend, William de Montibus , was chancellor of the cathedral. In this period De principis instructione was probably first written, a useful historical source on contemporary events. It was an influential work at
10507-486: The gifts of nature grow up exceedingly handsome, those from whom she withholds them are frightfully ugly. No wonder if among an adulterous and incestuous people, in which both births and marriages are illegitimate, a nation out of the pale of the laws, nature herself should be foully corrupted by perverse habits. It should seem that by the just judgements of God, nature sometimes produces such objects, contrary to her own laws, in order that those who will not regard Him duly by
10640-413: The goddess Brigid, the festival of Imbolc is commonly associated with the goddess. Saint Brigid's Day or Imbolc is traditionally a time for weather prognostication: Thig an nathair as an toll Là donn Brìde, Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd Air leac an làir. The serpent will come from the hole On the brown Day of Bríde, Though there should be three feet of snow On the flat surface of
10773-661: The ground. A tholus on Venus was named after Brigit by the International Astronomical Union in 1985. As the planetary nomenclature rules prohibit the use of national figures and religious figures from contemporary religions, this is a reference to the goddess rather than the saint. Brigid is an important figure for some modern pagans , who emphasize her triple aspect. She is sometimes worshipped in conjunction with Lugh or Cernunnos . Middle Irish Brigit [ˈbʲɾʲiʝidʲ] came to be spelled Briġid and Brighid [bʲɾʲiːdʲ] by
10906-428: The group. For the briugu to fulfill these duties, he was allowed more land and privileges, but this could be lost if he ever refused guests. A freeman could further himself by becoming the client of one or more lords. The lord made his client a grant of property (i.e. livestock or land) and, in return, the client owed his lord yearly payments of food and fixed amounts of work. The clientship agreement could last until
11039-419: The history and traditions of their people. Later, many of their spiritual and intellectual tasks were passed on to Christian monks, after said religion prevailed from the 5th century onwards. However, the filí continued to hold a high position. Poetry, music, storytelling, literature and other art forms were highly prized and cultivated in both pagan and Christian Gaelic Ireland. Hospitality, bonds of kinship and
11172-437: The household", who were often given houses and land on the king's mensal land. These were well-trained and equipped professional soldiers made up of infantry and cavalry . By the reign of Brian Boru , Irish kings were taking large armies on campaign over long distances and using naval forces in tandem with land forces . A typical medieval Irish army included light infantry , heavy infantry and cavalry . The bulk of
11305-588: The immensely popular cymanfaoedd canu (hymn-singing festivals) held throughout Wales and North America: In their musical concerts they do not sing in unison like the inhabitants of other countries, but in many different parts... You will hear as many different parts and voices as there are performers who all at length unite with organic melody. Another part of the above work, however, is less positive. As Gerald puts it, "an attention to order now requires that, in this second part, we should employ our pen in pointing out those particulars in which it seems to transgress
11438-453: The king's own rights and to give him legal advice. Unlike other kingdoms in Europe, Gaelic kings—by their own authority—could not enact new laws as they wished and could not be "above the law". They could, however, enact temporary emergency laws. It was mainly through these emergency powers that the Church attempted to change Gaelic law. The law texts take great care to define social status,
11571-419: The legend that beavers castrate themselves to avoid danger. Likewise he gives a good description of an osprey fishing, but adds the mythical detail that the bird has one webbed foot. His description of Irish wildlife has been the subject of much adverse comment for its inaccuracies and lapses into fiction but nonetheless, despite its faults, some have argued that it gives an important glimpse of Irish fauna in
11704-538: The light of their own consciences, should often have to lament their privations of the exterior and bodily gift of sight. Gerald was a keen and observant student of natural history, but the value of his observations is lessened by credulity and the inability to distinguish fact from legend. He gives a vivid and accurate description of the last colony of the Eurasian beaver in Wales on the Teifi , but spoils it by repeating
11837-573: The line of virtue and commendation". David Powel published an abridged version of Itinerarium Cambriae and Descriptio Cambriae in 1585 omitting Gerald's negative comments about the Welsh. Due to translations into English, the first being done by Sir Richard Colt Hoare, Bart. , and other translations such as in Everyman's Library and Penguin Classics , Gerald's works on Wales are well known today. In Gerald's writing on Ireland, his love of music
11970-486: The lord's death. If the client died, his heirs would carry on the agreement. This system of clientship enabled social mobility as a client could increase his wealth until he could afford clients of his own, thus becoming a lord. Clientship was also practised between nobles, which established hierarchies of homage and political support. Gaelic law was originally passed down orally, but was written down in Old Irish during
12103-660: The main means of long-distance transport. Although horseshoes and reins were used, the Gaelic Irish did not use saddles , stirrups or spurs . Every man was trained to spring from the ground on to the back of his horse (an ech-léim or "steed-leap") and they urged-on and guided their horses with a rod having a hooked goad at the end. Two-wheeled and four-wheeled chariots (singular carbad ) were used in Ireland from ancient times, both in private life and in war. They were big enough for two people, made of wickerwork and wood, and often had decorated hoods. The wheels were spoked, shod all round with iron, and were from three to four and
12236-453: The offender paying compensation to the victims. Although any such offence required compensation, the law made a distinction between intentional and unintentional harm, and between murder and manslaughter . If an offender did not pay outright, his property was seized until he did so. Should the offender be unable to pay, his family would be responsible for doing so. Should the family be unable or unwilling to pay, responsibility would broaden to
12369-542: The ordinary course of the law so that, in general, every woman had to have a male guardian. However, women had some legal capacity. By the 8th century, the preferred form of marriage was one between social equals, under which a woman was technically legally dependent on her husband and had half his honor price, but could exercise considerable authority in regard to the transfer of property. Such women were called "women of joint dominion". Thus historian Patrick Weston Joyce could write that, relative to other European countries of
12502-614: The period 600–900 AD. This collection of oral and written laws is known as the Fénechas or, in English, as the Brehon Law(s). The brehons (Old Irish: brithem , plural brithemain ) were the jurists in Gaelic Ireland. Becoming a brehon took many years of training and the office was, or became, largely hereditary. Most legal cases were contested privately between opposing parties, with the brehons acting as arbitrators. Offences against people and property were primarily settled by
12635-538: The preface to the last volume of Gerald's works in the Rolls Series, he calls him "one of the most learned men of a learned age," "the universal scholar." His writings were prolific, running to about ten volumes in modern printed editions. Gerald was a man of strong opinions whose works are frequently polemical , including bitter attacks on his enemies, but he also had an intense curiosity, recording much valuable detail of everyday life in his ethnographic works. It
12768-433: The property she had brought her husband during their marriage. Trial marriages seem to have been popular among the rich and powerful, and thus it has been argued that cohabitation before marriage must have been acceptable. It also seems that the wife of a chieftain was entitled to some share of the chief's authority over his territory. This led to some Gaelic Irish wives wielding a great deal of political power. Before
12901-409: The remainder of his life in academic study, most probably in Lincoln, producing works of devotional instruction and politics, and revising the works on Ireland and Wales he had written earlier in his life. He spent two years (1204–6) in Ireland with his relatives and made a fourth visit to Rome, purely as a pilgrimage, in 1206. The controversy over St Davids soured his relationship with the crown. In 1216
13034-560: The remainder of his life. Much of his writing survives. Born c. 1146 at Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire , Wales, Gerald was of mixed Norman and Welsh descent. Gerald was the youngest son of William Fitz Odo de Barry (or Barri), the common ancestor of the De Barry family of Ireland, a retainer of Arnulf de Montgomery and Gerald de Windsor , and one of the most powerful Anglo-Norman barons in Wales. His mother
13167-500: The retreating plunderers with a "moving line of defence from which the horsemen could make short, sharp charges, and behind which they could retreat when pursued". As their armor made them less nimble, they were sometimes planted at strategic spots along the line of retreat. The kern , horsemen and gallóglaigh had lightly armed servants to carry their weapons into battle. Warriors were sometimes rallied into battle by blowing horns and warpipes . According to Gerald de Barri (in
13300-412: The rights and duties that went with that status, and the relationships between people. For example, ceann finte had to take responsibility for members of their fine , acting as a surety for some of their deeds and making sure debts were paid. He would also be responsible for unmarried women after the death of their fathers. Ancient Irish culture was patriarchal . The Brehon law excepted women from
13433-570: The root *bʰerǵʰ- ("to rise"). Xavier Delamarre , citing E. Campanile, suggests that Brigid could be a continuation of the Indo-European dawn goddess . Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland ( Irish : Éire Ghaelach ) was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Normans conquered parts of Ireland in
13566-486: The ruling family of Deheubarth made him seem like a troublesome prospect. According to Gerald, the king said at the time: "It is neither necessary nor expedient for king or archbishop that a man of great honesty or vigour should become Bishop of St Davids, for fear that the Crown and Canterbury should suffer thereby. Such an appointment would only give strength to the Welsh and increase their pride." The chapter acquiesced in
13699-399: The saint depends on three interrelated points: firstly, that Brigit is not real, secondly that her lives betray that they are an attempt to euhemerise a pagan deity and finally an underlying assumption that a goddess cult is more empowering for the women of ancient and, by analogy, contemporary Ireland". In the late 12th century, Gerald of Wales wrote that nineteen nuns took turns in keeping
13832-400: The saint's miracles, where she multiplies food, bestows cattle and sheep, controls the weather, and is linked with fire or thermal springs. This theory is contested, however, with many scholars including Elva Johnston arguing that the significance of the pagan goddess has been exaggerated at the historical figure's expense. Johnston has written "the argument for the priority of the goddess over
13965-430: The same derbfine and he was elected by other members of the derbfine . Tanistry meant that the kingship usually went to whichever relative was deemed to be the most fitting. Sometimes there would be more than one tanist at a time and they would succeed each other in order of seniority. Some Anglo-Norman lordships later adopted tanistry from the Irish. Gaelic Ireland was divided into a hierarchy of territories ruled by
14098-472: The same associations. Saint Brigid is considered a patroness of healers, poets, blacksmiths, livestock and dairy workers, as well as serpents (in Scotland) and the arrival of spring. The saint's hagiographies "are mainly anecdotes and miracle stories, some of which are deeply rooted in Irish pagan folklore". Dáithí Ó hÓgáin wrote that the melding of pagan goddess and Christian saint can be seen in some of
14231-528: The time, free women in Gaelic Ireland "held a good position" and their social and property rights were "in most respects, quite on a level with men". Gaelic Irish society was also patrilineal , with land being primarily owned by men and inherited by the sons. Only when a man had no sons would his land pass to his daughters, and then only for their lifetimes. Upon their deaths, the land was redistributed among their father's male relations. Under Brehon law, rather than inheriting land, daughters had assigned to them
14364-564: The time, spreading, for example, the legend of MacAlpin's treason . Here Gerald is frequently critical of the rule of the Angevin kings, a shift from his earlier praise of Henry II in the Topographia . He also wrote a life of St Hugh of Lincoln . On the death of Peter de Leia in 1198, the chapter of St Davids again nominated Gerald for the bishopric; but Hubert Walter , Archbishop of Canterbury, refused confirmation. Representatives of
14497-419: The two main instruments were the " harp " and " tabor " (see also bodhrán ), that their music was fast and lively, and that their songs always began and ended with B-flat . In A History of Irish Music (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that there were at least ten instruments in general use by the Gaelic Irish. These were the cruit (a small harp) and clairseach (a bigger harp with typically 30 strings),
14630-414: The wealthy, it was common for women to have their own 'apartment' called a grianan (anglicized "greenan") in the sunniest part of the homestead. The dwellings of freemen and their families were often surrounded by a circular rampart called a " ringfort ". There are two main kinds of ringfort. The ráth is an earthen ringfort, averaging 30m diameter, with a dry outside ditch. The cathair or caiseal
14763-490: The wider kin-group. Hence, it has been argued that "the people were their own police". Acts of violence were generally settled by payment of compensation known as an éraic fine; the Gaelic equivalent of the Welsh galanas and the Germanic weregild . If a free person was murdered, the éraic was equal to 21 cows, regardless of the victim's rank in society. Each member of the murder victim's agnatic kin-group received
14896-415: The words and the sentences... They make use of alliteration in preference to all other ornaments of rhetoric , and that particular kind which joins by consonancy the first letters or syllables of words. Gerald could not have predicted the later perfection of cynghanedd , the complex system of sound correspondence that has characterised the strict-metre poetry of the Welsh for so many centuries and that
15029-417: Was "the main element in the Irish pastoral economy" and the main form of wealth , providing milk , butter , cheese , meat , fat , hides , and so forth. They were a "highly mobile form of wealth and economic resource which could be quickly and easily moved to a safer locality in time of war or trouble". The nobility owned great herds of cattle that had herdsmen and guards. Sheep, goats and pigs were also
15162-455: Was (in general) their main item of clothing. Gaelic clothing does not appear to have been influenced by outside styles. Women invariably grew their hair long and, as in other European cultures, this custom was also common among the men. It is said that the Gaelic Irish took great pride in their long hair —for example, a person could be forced to pay the heavy fine of two cows for shaving a man's head against his will. For women, very long hair
15295-411: Was Angharad FitzGerald, a daughter of Gerald FitzWalter of Windsor , Constable of Pembroke Castle , and his wife Nest ferch Rhys , daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr , the last King of South Wales . Through his mother Angharad, Gerald was a nephew of David FitzGerald , Bishop of St Davids, as well as a great-nephew of Gruffydd ap Rhys , the son and heir of Rhys ap Tewdwr, and a cousin of Rhys ap Gruffydd ,
15428-417: Was called a derbfine (modern form dearbhfhine ), lit. "close clan". The cland (modern form clann ) referred to the children of the nuclear family. Succession to the kingship was through tanistry . When a man became king, a relative was elected to be his deputy or 'tanist' (Irish: tánaiste , plural tanaistí ). When the king died, his tanist would automatically succeed him. The tanist had to share
15561-687: Was eventually written down by Irish monks , who Christianized and modified it to an extent. This large body of work is often split into three overlapping cycles: the Mythological Cycle , the Ulster Cycle , and the Fenian Cycle . The first cycle is a pseudo-history that describes how Ireland, its people and its society came to be. The second cycle tells of the lives and deaths of Ulaidh heroes and villains such as Cúchulainn , Queen Medb and Conall Cernach . The third cycle tells of
15694-401: Was fifteen for girls and eighteen for boys, the respective ages at which fosterage ended. Upon marriage, the families of the bride and bridegroom were expected to contribute to the match. It was custom for the bridegroom and his family to pay a coibche (modern spelling: coibhche ) and the bride was allowed a share of it. If the marriage ended owing to a fault of the husband then the coibche
15827-513: Was followed by the Descriptio Cambriae in 1194. His two works on Wales remain very valuable historical documents, useful for their descriptions (however untrustworthy and inflected by ideology, whimsy, and his unique style) of Welsh and Norman culture. It is uncertain whether Gerald was a Welsh speaker ; although he quotes Welsh proverbs and appears familiar with the language, he seems not to have been employed as an interpreter for
15960-416: Was held every third Samhain . This was a gathering of the leading men of the whole island – kings , lords , chieftains , druids , judges etc. Below this was the óenach (modern spelling: aonach ). These were regional or provincial gatherings open to everyone. Examples include that held at Tailtin each Lughnasadh , and that held at Uisneach each Bealtaine . The main purpose of these gatherings
16093-460: Was in connexion with this cause that he wrote his books De jure Menevensis Ecclesiâ and De Rebus a Se Gestis . Gerald returned, and his cause was now supported by the Princes of Wales, most notably Llywelyn the Great , and Gruffydd ap Rhys II , while King John, frequently in conflict with the Welsh, warmly espoused the cause of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1202, Gerald was accused of stirring up
16226-512: Was involved in trade with Britain and mainland Europe from ancient times , and this trade increased over the centuries. Tacitus , for example, wrote in the 1st century that most of Ireland's harbours were known to the Romans through commerce. There are many passages in early Irish literature that mention luxury goods imported from foreign lands, and the fair of Carman in Leinster included
16359-503: Was kept by the wife and her family, but if the fault lay with the wife then the coibche was to be returned. It was custom for the bride to receive a spréid (modern spelling: spréidh ) from her family (or foster family) upon marriage. This was to be returned if the marriage ended through divorce or the death of the husband. Later, the spréid seems to have been converted into a dowry . Women could seek divorce/separation as easily as men could and, when obtained on her behalf, she kept all
16492-492: Was made up of clans and, like the rest of Europe , was structured hierarchically according to class . Throughout this period, the economy was mainly pastoral and money was generally not used . A Gaelic Irish style of dress , music , dance , sport and art can be identified, with Irish art later merging with Anglo-Saxon styles to create Insular art . Gaelic Ireland was initially pagan and had an oral culture maintained by traditional Gaelic storytellers/historians,
16625-467: Was often a thin and flexible band of burnished gold, silver or findruine. When the Anglo-Normans and the English colonized Ireland, hair length came to signify one's allegiance. Irishmen who cut their hair short were deemed to be forsaking their Irish heritage. Likewise, English colonists who grew their hair long at the back were deemed to be giving in to the Irish life. Gaelic men typically wore
16758-464: Was possible to rise or sink from one rank to another. Rising upward could be achieved a number of ways, such as by gaining wealth, by gaining skill in some department, by qualifying for a learned profession, by showing conspicuous valour, or by performing some service to the community. An example of the latter is a person choosing to become a briugu (hospitaller). A briugu had to have his house open to any guests, which included feeding no matter how big
16891-498: Was ruled by a rí cóicid or rí ruirech (provincial king). In the early Middle Ages the túatha was the main political unit, but over time they were subsumed into bigger conglomerate territories and became much less important politically. Gaelic society was structured hierarchically, with those further up the hierarchy generally having more privileges, wealth and power than those further down. Although distinct, these ranks were not utterly exclusive castes like those of India. It
17024-412: Was seen as a mark of beauty. Sometimes, wealthy men and women would braid their hair and fasten hollow golden balls to the braids. Another style that was popular among some medieval Gaelic men was the glib (short all over except for a long, thick lock of hair towards the front of the head). A band or ribbon around the forehead was the typical way of holding one's hair in place. For the wealthy, this band
17157-466: Was the crannóg , which were roundhouses built on artificial islands in lakes. There were very few nucleated settlements, but after the 5th century some monasteries became the heart of small "monastic towns". By the 10th century the Norse-Gaelic ports of Dublin , Wexford , Cork and Limerick had grown into substantial settlements, all ruled by Gaelic kings by 1052. In this era many of
17290-541: Was the hobelar . After the Norman invasion there emerged a kind of heavy infantry called gallóglaigh (anglicized 'gallo[w]glass'). They were originally Scottish mercenaries who appeared in the 13th century, but by the 15th century most large túatha had their own hereditary force of Irish gallóglaigh . Some Anglo-Norman lordships also began using gallóglaigh in imitation of the Irish. They usually wore mail and iron helmets and wielded sparth axes , claymores , and sometimes spears or lances. The gallóglaigh furnished
17423-436: Was to be paid to them if their honour was violated by certain offences. Those of higher rank had a higher honour-price. However, an offence against the property of a poor man (who could ill afford it), was punished more harshly than a similar offence upon a wealthy man. The clergy were more harshly punished than the laity . When a layman had paid his fine he would go through a probationary period and then regain his standing, but
17556-399: Was to promulgate and reaffirm the laws – they were read aloud in public that they might not be forgotten, and any changes in them carefully explained to those present. Gerald of Wales Gerald of Wales ( Latin : Giraldus Cambrensis ; Welsh : Gerallt Cymro ; French : Gerald de Barri ; c. 1146 – c. 1223 ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian . As
17689-465: Was very loyal to Norman Marcher rule, regarding the Normans as more civilised than the Welsh, a feeling reflected in his writings. Professor Davies tells us that Gerald, whom he calls "an admirable story-teller", is the only source for some of the most famous of the Welsh folk tales including the declaration of the old man of Pencader to Henry II which concludes Descriptio Cambriae : This nation, O King, may now, as in former times, be harassed, and in
#792207