The Seanchai (SHAN' a-ky) is a remnant of the old Celtic Bardic system. A Seanchai is a story-teller whose tales were intended to entertain the community during the long dark nights of winter in the days before electric lights, radio, television and movies. But the Seanchai is also responsible to perpetuate the wisdom of our Celtic ancestors by oral repeating of information diligently memorized, and passed on from one generation to another.
I lay no claim to the astounding feats of memory of the Seanchai. But, as a practicing historian, I routinely run across bits of wisdom and lore that I want to share with you.
Let's start with triads. A triad was a typical tool to easily memorize a bit of lore by creating a group of three items related to a single theme. Three was a highly significant number to the ancient Celts, and one of the reasons that Celts were so easily converted to Christianity and the Holy Trinity.
Welsh Triad: Three things for which a person might hazard his/her life and lose it: the search for truth, the upholding of justice, the performance of mercy.
Ancient British Triad: The three chief endeavors of a bard: to learn and collect knowledge; to teach; to make peace and put an end to all injury. To act contrary to these things is not usual or fitting to a bard.
Ancient Irish Triad: The three most ill-mannered sons of the earth: a boy mocking an old man, a strong man swaggering in front of a sick one, a wise man jesting at the expense of a foolish one.
MacBear
Tags: 1, seanchai
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