| The word "Heraldry" is Old-German in origin, | | | | attached to Heraldic memorials. |
| meaning army or host. It also came to mean the | | | | The earliest known example of a Norman type |
| person who announced an advancing army, or | | | | Heraldic shield was found on a tombstone in the |
| could identify its main components, for example | | | | Alsace region of France, it is dated 1010AD. |
| its knights, their method of fighting, and | | | | Heraldry as we know it spread across Europe |
| particularly their record of success in the field, all | | | | from Germany, and was brought to England by |
| very important things for a commander before | | | | the Normans in 1066, eventually finding its way to |
| taking the risky decision to commence battle. | | | | Ireland shortly after. The early Norman/English |
| The earliest Heralds evolved almost entirely from | | | | Coats-of-Arms originally carried fairly simple |
| travelling troubadours, who went about Europe | | | | geometric designs, and later came images of |
| regaling the nobles with songs and tales. They | | | | Lions, Stags, Castles, and Weaponry. |
| acted as messengers, or ambassadors, and they | | | | When this Norman style of portraying Heraldry |
| were free to come and go as the pleased, even | | | | reached Ireland, it began to draw on images |
| across national border; their job being to find out | | | | already present in the country, images that |
| what other nobles were getting up to. On their | | | | harked back thousands of years into the ancient |
| travels they wore a tabard that was emblazoned | | | | past, images like the Tree of life (the oak tree), |
| with their master's coat of arms, this guaranteed | | | | or the Salmon of Wisdom, and the Serpent of |
| them free passage and protection. An attack on | | | | good health. |
| a Herald was considered to be an act of war | | | | Ancient Irish and Greek and Roman civilisations all |
| against his master. | | | | regarded the Oak Tree as the Tree of life, a |
| The Troubadours possessed the skill to both read | | | | belief that stems from the vein-like pattern on |
| and write, and they had the ability to memorize | | | | the back of every Oak Leaf. Ancient Celtic |
| large amounts of detail about the various lords | | | | inaugurations were conducted with the new |
| and knights they met. They were always | | | | chieftain embracing the Oak Tree, whilst uttering |
| welcome at any castle they turned up at, | | | | sacred Druidic saying. Many places in Ireland are |
| because they brought both news and | | | | called after these inauguration oak trees; places |
| entertainment, reciting tales about who they met | | | | like Derry, Derrymore, Adare, Magh Adhair, all |
| on their travels. | | | | commemorate the place where an inauguration |
| They would record personal details about knights | | | | Oak Tree once stood. |
| and lords and fortifications, and the colours and | | | | To inaugurate means simply to bore someone or |
| images displayed on flags and shields, sharing this | | | | plant someone into the very earth of the clan |
| information with other wandering troubadours. In | | | | territory. Druidic priests, called Augurs, performed |
| this way they build up a compressive record of | | | | this ancient ceremony; today an Augur is a |
| important families and their associated Heraldic | | | | machine that bores down into the earth. The |
| regalia. | | | | town of Augsburg in Germany has the very |
| During battle the troubadours would be required | | | | same origins, pointing to the strong Celto-German |
| to brief commanders on the identity and fighting | | | | origins of the Irish People. And in common with |
| qualities of the opposition, moving constantly | | | | the Irish many German Coats of Arms contain |
| between areas of action, identifying battle groups | | | | Oak trees and Serpents. |
| that were either coming on, or going off the | | | | The Latin Robur Querus means "great oak", and |
| battlefield. They also performed the task of | | | | people with the name Robert are called after this. |
| identifying the dead and the captured. Many a | | | | Pope Robert, who reigned in the middle ages, |
| captured nobleman would attempt to pass himself | | | | carried an Oak Tree on his papal coat-of-arms; |
| off as an ordinary soldier, to avoid being held for | | | | which coincidently is the great symbol of |
| ransom. The troubadour could usually identify | | | | Paganism. The word Pagan simply means "People |
| them. And they often acted as deputy | | | | of the land". |
| commander in chief, making on the spot changes | | | | The ancient Irish looked upon the SALMON as |
| to the battle-plan. Out of the troubadours sprang | | | | source of wisdom. All the clans had a special pool, |
| three modern professions, that of Herald, | | | | where Druidic priests would ritually feed Salmon, |
| Ambassador, and Army Staff officer. | | | | to ensure the chieftains were endowed with |
| The term Coat-of-Arms comes from the large | | | | wisdom. This tradition still features in O'Neill's Coat |
| coat worn by a Knight over his body armour. On | | | | Of Arms. |
| sunny days the armour would get extremely hot, | | | | The Serpent of good health has its roots in |
| and on cold days it would freeze; hence the need | | | | ancient Egypt, when every Pharaoh carried the |
| for a blanket-like coat to cover it. The knight's | | | | image of the spitting cobra on his head, to ward |
| colours were replicated on this for easy | | | | off malignant spirits that could bring ill health. |
| identification, hence the term Coat of Arms. | | | | In ancient Greece the serpent was similarly |
| A crest was worn high on a knight's helmet, a | | | | regarded. And today, whenever a medical |
| boar's head, or antlers, or a clenched gauntlet. It | | | | physician is newly qualified, they must sign a piece |
| was there to make him more visible to others | | | | of paper called the Hippocratic Oath; -- and on it is |
| while on the battlefield, and at the same time | | | | a sword entwined with a serpent-the Caduceus. |
| make him appear more impressive. | | | | Today whenever a carved image of the Roman |
| The Mottoe is a saying associated with a | | | | God of Health is found, it is always depicted with |
| particular family, which subsequently became | | | | a serpent entwined around a sword. |