Heraldry
Wednesday, August 15th, 2007
Heraldry and the “Gaels”
Many people I speak with are not very well informed as to who these ancient natives come from, so let me tell you what I know about them and there part in the history of heraldry!
“Gaels” are the native people from Ireland and the Northern part of that beautiful country Scotland, refered to as the Scottish Highlanders and the similarities between the two countries are very apparent when you visit either country. There is a similiar culture and language spoken by the natives of the two countries called Gaelic and it is belived it goes back to the Iron Age.
The Gaelic tribes in Ireland and Scotland were quiet powerful until the English with its great cruelty and strength defeated them, and with that the people were completely disenfranchised and denied education by the this uncaring foe. But some of the Gaels sought education from priests in hedge row schools and if the priests were caught they were savagely killed. The Gaelic society was one of the most learned societies of all times. The Gaelic church in Ireland was also very powerful ( some would say to powerful and interfering ) especially around the time of St Patrick around the year 400. The church was extremely important for learning and missionary work throughout Europe and if you visit most countries around the world you will find an order, a school, a church or something religious founded by an Irish priest or nun, they have been so helpful in some of the poorest areas of the universe.
The Gaels were further savaged by the British when in the 19th century they ran people from their land to make way for the landlords of England and then they suffered further in Ireland during the potato famine when millions died.
But today they are some of the most affluent people in the world, they are forgiving but will never forget a wrong doing.