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108 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
is told that in the sixth century, when the High-King Diarmuid pursued King Guaire of Connacht and was about to launch his forces against his, Guaire sent an emissary request- ing a stay of twenty-four hours, as he was not yet fully prepared to meet the attack. Now if this situation occurred in modern warfare, any commander armed with such intelligence, would lose no time in launching his full force against such an unprepared enemy, and in turn overwhelm him. But the High-King Diarmuid, schooled as he was in the lofty ideals of the ancient Irish, sent the following answer back to Guaire:
“I gladly grant your request, and would have granted you a much greater time had you asked for it.”
As already referenced, in such high regard was learning and the arts held in ancient Ireland, that poets, scholars, musicians, law-givers and smiths, ranked with chieftains in equality, and it is widely documented, that because of the Irish people’s passion, devotion and love for beauty of mind and beauty of imagination, her poets were especially esteemed. Unsurprisingly, it was once recorded, that with the possible exception of Greece and Rome, there was no country in Europe in which poetry was so loved, so carefully cultivated, or so much of it of such high quality created, as in ancient Ireland.
The poets of Ireland travelled the land in princely fashion, always accompanied by great retinues appropriate to their standing. Everywhere they went, the gates of palaces and forts were opened wide and welcoming to them; and while they resided as guests, they were honouring the king or chief with both their presence and their songs and poems. Such visi- tations were eagerly awaited and celebrated accordingly as periods of high festivity by all.
And when the time came for the poet to depart, he always left, laden down with expen- sive gifts, for it is told that the poet could, if he so wished, demand whatever price he desired for his poems.
One such ancient tale relating to poets and their worth and which is gleaned from The Book of Leinster, tells how Ruman Mac Colmáin, a renowned eight-century Meath poet who was hailed as “the Homer and Virgil of the Gael” once went to the then Viking stronghold of Dubh-Linn-the stronghold of the Black Pool, present day Dublin, with the intention of extracting money from these Galls or foreigners. According to the story, upon arrival Ruman addressed a lengthy poem to the inhabitants, praising them mightily. When he finished his poetic exhortations, the delighted Galls enquired of him what his payment should be; after a moment of expressive thoughfulness, Ruman answered, saying that he wanted one penny
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