Bardic

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Leader: tim_flatus
Join Policy: Open
Created on: 13 Mar 2008
Description:
This group is for fans of the Celtic, British and Gaelic Bardic tradition, both ancient and modern.

According to mythology, Bardism began in Britain with arrival of a group of refugees from the Trojan War somewhere around 1000BCE. These primitive Bardic seer-shamans were known as the Gwyddoniaid. The Bards were organised into colleges along with the Ovates and Druids by King Dyfnwal Moelmyd in the 5th century BCE. The Bards survived the genocide of the Druids by the Romans, continuing the tradition in the courts of the British and Welsh Kings; the rules for their conduct were revised and updated by King Hywel Dda in 940CE. The Bardic tradition continued through the institution of the Welsh Eisteddfods up to the present day. Notable Bardic works are the poems of Amergin and Aneirin; the Mabinogion; the works of Taliesin; Dafydd ap Gwilym, a 14th century Welsh poet, generally regarded as the greatest Welsh poet of all time; Iolo Goch; and the Triads.

In 1792, Edward Williams (Iolo Morgannwg) held a revived Gorseth on Primrose Hill under a system of rules and ceremonies largely devised by himself. In 1819 it was combined with the Welsh Eisteddfods, which had been running since 1177. On 21st September 1928, Pedrog, Archdruid of Britain, assisted by some members of the Welsh Gorseth, inaugurated the first Gorseth of Cornwall. Henry Jenner was installed as Grand Bard and twelve new Bards were added to the existing eight, who had been raised in August of the same year.

In 1964, Philip Ross-Nichols formed a new Druid Group - the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids - which has become one of the most well-known orders after the Ancient Order of Druids. The current movement to reinstate the Bardic Chairs of Albion began in the 1990's largely promoted by the late Archdruid of Bath, Tim Sebastion, who set up the Bardic Chair of Bath (Caer Baddon) and assisted with the setting up of the Gorseths of Avebury (Caer Abiri), Exeter (Caer Wisca) and Glastonbury (Ynys Witrin).

This group is intended to represent a fairly broad definition of 'Bardic'. We recognise Robert Burns, William Blake, W.B.Yeats, Robin Williamson and the Bard of Barking as well as those honoured by the Welsh Eisteddfods; the Gorseths of Cornwall, Britanny and Albion; and the Goidelic and ex-pat communities.

There is a separate Medieval and Renaissance Reenactment group.
The Russian bards also have a separate group.
There is also a facebook group at http://groups.to/bardic/.

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