Contention of the bards facts for kids

The Contention of the Bards (in Irish: Iomarbhágh na bhFileadh) was a big literary debate in Ireland a long time ago. It happened in the early 1600s, from 1616 to 1624, and was most intense around 1617. During this time, the main bardic poets of Ireland wrote strong poems against each other. They were supporting the powerful families who paid them.

About 30 poems were written for this Contention. It was a fierce argument about which part of Ireland was better. One side supported the north, whose people were believed to be descendants of Eremon. The other side supported the south, whose people were believed to be descendants of Eber. Both Eremon and Eber were said to be sons of the legendary Milesians.

These poems were first printed in books in 1918. They were put together by the Irish Texts Society. Lambert McKenna edited them, and Eleanor Knott helped a lot with translating them.

What Was Happening in Ireland?

The Contention of the Bards took place during a time of big changes in Ireland. The English had recently taken full control of the country. The Stuart kings were now in charge. This led to important events like the Flight of the Earls in 1607. This was when many powerful Irish leaders left Ireland. It also led to the Plantation of Ulster in 1610. This was when many English and Scottish settlers moved to Ulster in the north of Ireland.

For hundreds of years before 1616, bards were very important. They were supported by powerful Irish families. Bards would recite poems at events to show how important a family's ancestors were. This made them important politically and culturally. Most people couldn't read or write back then. So, bards telling stories in public was the main way to remember a family's history. They would often trace these histories back to the legendary Milesian ancestors.

The Main Argument

The argument started in 1616. The Earl of Thomond was a Gaelic nobleman from the O'Brien clan. He was loyal to the new English rulers and was a Protestant. This was unusual for a Gaelic leader at that time. The Earl of Thomond's bard, Tadhg Mac Dáire Mac Bruaideadha, wrote poems that started the debate.

Tadhg's poems criticized an old bard named Torna Éigeas. He said Torna's work had mistakes and favored the northern part of Ireland. Tadhg's poems praised the southern families, called the Eberians. He even said his patron's Norman ancestors were as great as the Eberians.

This made other bards angry, especially Lughaidh Ó Cléirigh. He wrote poems back, arguing about poetry rules and which part of Ireland was truly better. Lughaidh praised the north, talking about their defense of Tara. Tadhg replied by praising his patron's ancestor, Brian Boru. He said the northern Eremonians only fought among themselves. The northern poets, who supported the exiled leaders from Ulster, accused Tadhg of betraying the bards' true purpose. They said he didn't understand the noble history of the Gael.

Some poets made fun of the main debate between Tadhg and Lughaidh. For example, Ó Heffernan told a fable about a cat and a fox. They were fighting over a piece of meat (Ireland). Then, a wolf came and took it all. This fable showed how silly the bards' fighting seemed to some.

In June 1617, Tadhg suggested a face-to-face poetry contest. He wanted to settle the argument with Lughaidh and the northern poets. We don't know if this meeting happened. But it seems this was when the debate was at its most intense. The Contention ended with very sarcastic poems from a poet named Mac Artúir. He defended the old bardic traditions. He wrote in a new, free-form style, different from Tadhg's traditional poems.

Why Was This Important?

The poems in the Contention show a shared Irish culture. But their loyalty was mostly to their own clan or family. This was a time when the court bards were losing their importance. The fact that they were arguing among themselves suggests they knew their audience was changing. Fewer people in the new English system were listening to them.

During the debate, the argument about North versus South grew. It also became a debate about old traditions versus new ideas. This allowed the poets to express their sadness and anger. They were upset about the English conquest and settlement of Ireland. They also felt bitter about the old Irish political system falling apart.

Throughout the Contention, both sides tried to claim King James I as their own. They said he was a descendant of their Milesian ancestors. This is because King James was descended from Marjorie Bruce. Her ancestors included Gaelic kings of Scotland, like Kenneth McAlpine. Their family line went back to the kingdom of Dál Riata around 400 CE. It's ironic that King James's power came from his Gaelic ancestry. Yet, he was the one destroying or changing the old Gaelic way of life in Ireland.

The Ireland that the bards described in their poems was mostly in the past. It seems the bards found it hard to change their ways. The Contention was the last big moment for the Dán Díreach style of court poetry. Within a few decades, this old style was replaced by looser forms like Amhrán or Aisling. The bards never got back the high respect they once had in Gaelic Ireland.

See also

• Bardic poetry
• Contention of the Bards in Gwynedd
• Irish poetry
• List of poetry collections
• Medieval poetry