Bard's blessing

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The bard’s blessing (Scottish Gaelic: beannachadh-bàird) or poet’s congratulation, was the custom of old in the Scottish Highlands of old, to meet the bride coming forth from her chamber with her maidens on the morning after her marriage and to salute her with a poetical blessing called beannachadh-bàird.

If at any jovial meeting, any man retired, for however short a time, he was obliged, before he was permitted to resume his seat, to make an apology for his absence in rhyme.

If he had no talent for poetry, or if, from humour he did not choose to comply, which was seldom the case, he was obliged to pay such a proportion of the reckoning as the company thought proper to propose. This according to Martin Martin was beannachadh-bàird.

[edit] References

• An Gàidheal, ii 63
• This article incorporates text from “Dwelly’s [Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary” (1911) beannachadh-bàird