High Middle Ages
Gaelic has a rich oral (beul-aithris) and written tradition, having been the language of the bardic culture of the Highland clans. However, according to Peter Berresford Ellis, the only extant manuscripts preceding the Book of the Dean of Lismore from 16th century are some notes in the Book of Deer, one 11th century poem and the Islay Charter of 1408, presumably due to the rest having been "destroyed by the anti-Gaelic administrators of the country".
It is clear from John Barbour (d. 1395), and a plethora of other evidence, that the Fenian Cycle flourished in Scotland. There are allusions to Gaelic legendary characters in later Anglo-Scottish literature (oral and written).
Read more about this topic: Scottish Gaelic Literature
Famous quotes containing the words high, middle and/or ages:
“Whenever I dove in a breast high shoal,
Wherever I ramped in the clover quilts,
Whatsoever I did in the coal-
Black night, I left my quivering prints.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)
“We hear the haunting presentiment of a dutiful middle age in the current reluctance of young people to select any option except the one they feel will impinge upon them the least.”
—Gail Sheehy (b. 1937)
“How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)