Old Celtic Romances

translated from the gaelic
One of the Commissioners for the Publication of the Ancient Laws of Ireland President of the Royal Society of Antiquaries, Ireland
Author of
A SOCIAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT IRELAND THE STORY OF ANCIENT IRISH CIVILISATION A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND IRISH NAMES OF PLACES ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND
I shall tell you a pretty tale —Coriolanus.
DUBLIN THE EDUCATIONAL CO. OF IRELAND, LIMITED 89 TALBOT STREET
LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND COMPANY 39 PATERNOSTER ROW
1920

Among the Celtic people of Ireland and the north-west of Scotland, story-telling has always been a favourite amusement. In the olden time, they had professional story-tellers, variously designated according to rank—ollaves, shanachies, filès, bards, etc.—whose duty it was to know by heart a number of old tales, poems, and historical pieces, and to recite them at festive gatherings, for the entertainment of the chiefs and their guests. These story-tellers were always well received at the houses of princes and chiefs, and treated with much consideration; and on occasions when they acquitted themselves well, so as to draw down the applause of the audience, they were often rewarded with costly presents.