The evening times., 1900-03-03
CELTIC VERSE and music /
Or. Henebray's Lecture at the
Catholic University.
Poetry and Song of Ancient Ireland
Described i'm Detail-CIasses of
Writers and Their Privileges-The
Bards and the Filids-The Passing
of the Harpist-An Interesting Talk

of the Harpist-An Interesting Talk
A lecture was delivered yesterday after
noon at 4:3O O'Clock by DR.. Richard Hene-
bray in MacMahon Hall, Catholic Univer-
sity, on the subjects OF the poetry and mu-
sic of ancient Ireland. Under the former
I head was discussed the old Irish system
of verse building, especially in its prosodi-
| cal aspect
The question of prosody," said the lect-
urer, lis very wide one, and would re-
! quire a course of lectures for its exposi-
| ton Nothing better exemplifies the high
/ degree of civilization prevailing at the
| time from which this system of verse me-
tres sprang than the study of their nature,
and the privileges accorded to the poets
and prosodians of that epoch. These lat
ter formed particular class
There were in fact, two classes of poets
in ancient ireland, known respectively as
the Bards and the Filids. While modern
literature has glorifed the Bards. they re-
ally occupied a merely secondary position
among their contemporaries, being in fact
the amateurs in the poetic art, while the
Filids were the professionals. There was
no fixed price for Bardic poems, and the
fine which they were entitled to impose
upon a party who had offered them insult
or injury was only half that which was
baid TO the Filids.
The Bards were divided into two great
classes. called respectively. the Scars and
Doars. and each of these divisions COM
prised eight sub classes. Each sub-class
had its proper metre assigned 10 it and
each metre had its proportionate price,
which was always represented in so many
heads of cattle. Thus. for Filid poem in
the Dechnid metre. five COWS formed the
legal compensation; for poem in the Set
mad metre there were two COWS and
three -year-old helfer, and SO Oh, the price
varying as the metre was accounted more
or less honorable a vehicle for the cele-
bration of virtuous or heroic deeds.
The course OF training necessary for
the title or degree of Filid necessitated in
the earlier times a seven-year college
training and during the later period twelve
years Each year was devoted TO a pecu
liar line of study involving grammar pros
ody belles-lettres etc
The Filid was entitled also TO the
designation of 'Ollan,' and ranked next 10
the Prince One of their rights was that
they could get whatever they asked for
which privilege sometimes led 10 en-
barassing results. They were, however
held in great reverence and awe. and all
classes of society were fearful of exciting
their ill-will.
The two really distinctive metres Of the
Filid or Ollan were the "Anamaim Nor,
and the "Anamam Becc." The 'Rochetil'
or Apex of Wisdom was also held in
great veneration. Two poems of this lat
ter class are published in the Windish
Irishetexte' Leipzig, ISS0)
In all the history of the world there
is no parallel to this poetic caste of
ancient Ireland"
Dr. Henebray then gave a list of the !
technical terms used in the poetic art of |
the old Gael. He cited the fact that there
were also grammatical rules which are
still in existence in the old Celtic manu- !
scripts, for fostering the beauty of CONVEX
sation. and the proper use OF the lang !
uage. The most valuable and easily OBJ |
tanned data on this subject" he said. was /!
to be found in the Books of Lewister and |
Balbymote' He defined poetry in its !
structural aspect as that form of SEN /
tence which is submitted to the rhythmati- |
The ingredient added to language in order |
to constitute poetry was differently re- |
garded by different peoples. and by the !
same people at different times. This !
variety arose in all probability, from their |
changing notions regarding music
Then followed dissertation on the vari- |
Gus verse metres in Sanscrit, Greek, Latin, |
and Old English. or Anglo Saxon, all OF |
which differ radically from the Irish |
system.
There are found in all" said the lee |
turer 1888 different metres in the ancient |
Celtic tongue"
DIR. Henebray then took up the subject |
of the music OF ancient Ireland. There !
were" he said, about twenty musical in 1
struments in use. the most important OF |
which was the croft or harp. The harp |
continued to be played in Ireland from |
e-historic times down to the year 1918, |
when the last harper who belonged 10 the /
class in which the art was handed down |
from father TO son. died" The lecturer |
quoted the account OF Gerold de Barry. /
Welsbman who visited Ireland in compa- |
nv with Prince John in 1855, and who gives |
a rapturous account of the superiority OF |
musical culture in the Emerald Isle.
and the marvellous proficiency of the Irish
harpists.
The folk songs OF Ireland" continued
DR. Henebray. ARE the most extensive IN |
the world as we'll as the most peculiar and
The Irish musical scale.
differing radically from the Italian. is in
capable OF being translated into the lat
fer and hence the marvellous cadence OF
that vast musical store is lost to the mod
ern world