Boy, thats a new one on me! One of my (very liberal ) priest friends says the ban is bound to fail; that there will be women priests, and that it will njt be a result of any feminist crusade, but simply the nees of the faithrul that will bring it about.
As to the irish verse, I am moving into the later period after the 13th centry, and what a difference in the poetry. When the early poets wanted to refer to a certain part of a wom1n's anatomy they woere's afraid to use the Celtic equivalent of the four letter word. Now we hear references to "the grove of Venus" , and similar flowery euphemisms.
But a last poem frm the old times. King Cormac was presiding at Tara, and Carbery asked him some questions.
The Instructions of King Cormac
"Oh Cormac, randson of Conn,
What were yuour habits when you were a lad?"
"Not hard to tell" said Cormac.
"I was a listener in woods,
I was a gazer at stars,
I was blind where secrets were concerned,
I was ilent in a wilderness,
I was talkative among many,
I was mild in the mead hall,
I was stern in battle,
I was gentle toward allies,
I wasphysician to the sick,
I was weak toward the feeble,
I was strong toward the powerful,
I wasnot close, lest I should be burdensome,
I was not arrogant, though I was wise,
I I was not given to promising, though I was strong,
I did not deride the old, though I was young,
I was not boastful, though I was a good fighter,
I would not speak about anyone in his absence,
I wiould not reproach, I would give praise,
I would not ask, but would ive,
For it is through these habits that the yung become old and kinly warriers."
"Oh Cormac, grandson of Conn,"said Carbery,
"What is the worst thing you have ever seen?"
'Not hard to tell", said Cormac. "Faces of
foes in the rout of battle."
Oh Cormac, son of Conn, what is the sweetest thing you have heard?"
"Not hard to tell", said Cormac.
"The shoouts of triumph after victory,
The invitation of a lady to her pillow."
