Writing & Illumination Education
Above: Photo of Kuno Meyer
ILLUSIONS to education, to schools, and to teachers are amongst the earliest features of our history. Feineas Farsaidh and his son Niul are found in charge of schools in Scythia. The Tuatha De Danan, after expulsion from Ireland, went, we are told, to Greece; thence, after much wandering, to Norway, where four cities were placed under four of their sages that they might there teach their crafts and sciences. Cairbre the poet and Bridhe the poetess are mentioned amongst the noblest of their race at home. Aimheirgin was the great poet of the sons of Mileadh. Another poet of the time was his cousin Lughaidh. OUamh Fodla is the reputed founder of the Feis of Tara and a college for poetry and law. Thence education advanced steadily in national esteem as is seen from the fact that Eochaidh Fionn son of king Feidlimidh Reachtmhar was engaged as teacher by Laoighseach Ceannmor ancestor of the kings of Leix.
In the reign of Conchubhar mac Neasa the bards of Ireland assembled in convention. There were ten hundred poets with retinues, and they contemplated going to Scotland. Conchubhar and the Craobh Ruadh hearing of their intention had them approached by Cuchulainn, who got them seven years’ maintenance and conciliated them. " Men came to the guarded Gap of Ulster," says the Tain, " to offer a lay or to fight with a warrior," while in the South flourished Feircheirtne the distinguished bard of Curoi mac Daire of Corca Dhuibhne, contemporary of Cuchulainn. Thrice in all did the men of Erin cast off the poets, says Keating, and the Ulstermen each time retained them. On their second banishment, Fiachna son of Baodan king of Ulster maintained them, and their number was seven hundred under Eochaidh Righeigeas. At the third banishment, Maolchobha king of Ulster retained them, and their number amounted to twelve hundred, under Dalian Forgaill and Seanchan.
At Tara three schools, for the study respectively of military science, law and general literature, are said to have been founded by Cormac mac Airt. We are told, too, it was Feirceas son of Coman Eigeas, who at the instigation of Cormac mac Airt slew Mac Con the while he distributed gold and silver amongst poets and professors, his back resting against a pillar stone. The great bards of the Liana have been referred to. Oisin lamenting them is said to have sighed: I hear no music, I find no feast,
I slay no beast from a bounding steed, I bestow no gold, I am poor and old, I am sick and cold, without wine or mead.
They were succeeded by the distinguished Kerry poet Torna Eigeas, reputed teacher of Niall Naoighiallach and of Core, king of Munster. Hence, we need not wonder that Ethicus of Istria is recorded1 as having been in Ireland a hundred years before the coming of Saint Patrick, moved amongst the people, and " delayed some time turning over their volumes." Keating, indeed, gives a long list of authors of Seanchus 2 antecedent to the coming of Patrick, including those who laid the national records before the national Apostle at Tara ; and Kuno Meyer, in his " Primer of Irish Metrics," enumerates over a thousand leading Irish poets, ancient and modern. The reputed poets of the sixth, century included St. Brigid and St. Ita, Seachnall nephew ofj St. Patrick, Benen bishop of Armagh, Cailin bishop of Down, Fiach bishop of Sletty, Colm Cille, and Dalian Forgaill, already referred to, who wrote the Amhra in Columba’s praise.
