The Irish standard., 1893-02-11

Lycurgus, became king of Ireland about
200 B. G. This monarch, the "ollamh, .
or doctor" par excellence of ancient Ire
land, stands pre- eminent among the
ealy sages and kings. His reign forms
one of the most glorious epochs in Irish
history, for science and art we're fQstered
and developed by his wisdom and energy,
peace spread her wings over the land
| and plenty reigncd It is not a wonder
that through the mists which time has
cast upon that portion Of Irish history,
when multitude of kings and princes
pass like shadows before us, the fame OF
this royal sage should stand out, glori-
ously distinct, in the strong light that
history and tradition have thrown about
him. Among other important lnstitu-
tions he established the "Feis Thean
hair feast Of Tara which was trien-
sial assembly OF the principal orders OF
which the State consisted, namely, the
mouarch, the druids or ollamhs and the
nobility. These national assemblies
were convened at the above-stated peri
cd for the purpose of promul eating
salutary laws for the public good and in
the presence of these assemblies the
recor Of the kingdom were examined.
All the materials for national history
that the provincial annals supplied were
here sifted, eritomized and the result
entered in the great national register, ,the
psalter Of Tara.
Much could ,be said about the bard un-
der the different monarchs,i ,if space would
permit, but as it is, we must content
ourselves with a general rsview of them.
After Fodhia, about 400 years later,
came the renowned Fionn MacCumhail,
son-i law of the then reigning monarch.
Cormac O'Connor Tlfadha, and general
of the then famed Fianua Erinn, OF ma
tonal militia of Ireland Fionn was
highly acc ,mplished as poet and musi-
clan, and as such, excelled all the men
of his day. He was assassinated in 273
A. D., at Rathbrea, now known as Kill
leen, (Cill Fhionn, i. O., Fionn's tomb).
The Scotch, without any foundation,
have laid calm to Fionn and his famous
son Ossian, but eminent historians have
shown their theories to be pure sophis-
try, despite the literary forgeries of Mac
Pherson and several other over jealous
antiquarians.
Ossian, or Oisin, as it is correctly
spelled in, the Gaelic, the famous warrior
bard, became even more fam ,us than his
father, and although many fugitive
pieces of Irish poetry have been attri-
buted to him, but few fragments of his
poems have reached cut time Accord
| ng to several eminent authorities, this
''Son of Song fourished about 800 AID.
His poems, in point of grandeur and
flowers OF rhetoric, excel alm st every
thing that has ever reached us from
those early ages.
The arrival of ST. Patrick in Ireland
caused a complete revolution in the
bardic order. All the mystic rites oi
the Druids wers thrown aside and theil
new hymns O praise directed to the ON.
nipotent Ore Not single drop of blood
was shed in the cause of religion, but al
Ireland was brought under the dominion
of the Gospel. The books relating to the
affairs of the Druids were burnt, and the
! l. 81 f~o fHo
ing the light of Christianity throughout
the land. The Influence of the bard!
did not diminish in the least, for Sc
strong was the attachment Of the people
or them, that amidst all the changes o.
| their government and manners. ever
long after the religion of the Druids wal
swept away, the bardic order continusd
to flourish, not as set of songsters, bu'
as body of men highly respected by the
peaple and supported by public estab
lishment. Many of the bards received
Holy Orders from St. Patrick, among
whom we're Cairneach, Dubhteach, Fer
gus and Fiach. The latter was appointed
bishop, to preside over the Church al
Slattery. Century after century pro
duced its harvest Of minstrels, whose in.
fuence on the nobility really shaped the
destinies of the country. Their passion.
ate songs Of ohivalry, acting on the i'm.
impuleive natures of the chieftains
reused the latter to deeds dictated by
valorous sentiments, the results of which
were often disastrous in the extreme
Even as late as the reign of Henry VIII
we have an eminent instance of it. The
Earl OF Kildare, then Lord Lieutenant
OF Ireland, was summoned to Engi and
by the King to answer grave charges
brought against him. Shortly after his
departure, his son, Lord Thomas Fitz-
gerald, who, had charge of his affairs
was informed that his father had been
treacherously executed in the Tower OF
| London.
Burning with desire for vengeance,
ISilken Thomas rushed into council as
/ romhlA7 in Sk Marvia Ahhey with fhc