A theachtaire tig ón Róimh ("Messenger, come from

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

") is a poem "somewhat doubtfully attributed to

Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe, or Gilbride McNamee () was an Irish poet. Background and family Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe was hereditary Ollamh to the Cenél nEógain. The '' Ceart Uí Néill'', a late medieval document dealing with the rights a ...

" The poem insists upon the need for

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

to "preserve due class distinctions in Irish society, while the versifying of battle deeds guarantees immortal fame for the chieftains concerned."

Extracts

*''The suppression of encounters and battles of the men of Ireland would be a faulty matter:'' *''there would be no interest shown in prince nor noble descendants after their death, though their courage had been good ...'' *''If poems did not preserve all that they had done, even though they were noble heroes,'' *''there would long since have been a cloak of silence upon Niall, Conn and Cormac ...'' (i.e.,

Niall Noígíallach Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

Conn Cétchathach Conn Cétchathach (; "of the Hundred Battles"), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Irelan ...

and

Cormac mac Art Cormac mac Airt, also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High King ...

) *''Were it not for poetry, sweet-tongued harp of psaltery would not know of a goodly hero after his death'' *''nor of his reputation nor his prowess.''

References

* Katherine Simms (1990) "Images of Warfare in Bardic Poetry", ''Celtica'' 21. * Nicholas Williams (ed.) (1980) ''The poems of

'', Irish Texts Society, 210-13 Irish literature Irish poems Medieval texts in Irish Early Irish poetry Irish-language literature Medieval poetry {{Ireland-hist-stub