ollamh

The term "ollamh" refers to the highest rank of fili, a professional poet in ancient Ireland. These poets were highly educated, requiring at least 12 years of study to master over 300 meters and 350 stories. An ollamh was distinguished by a crimson cloak and a wand.12

The filid inherited the role of learned scholars from the Druids and were responsible for preserving tribal histories, genealogies, and composing poetry that celebrated the ruling class. They held significant power, capable of inflicting reputational damage or even physical harm through a feared poet's curse called an áer. After the spread of Christianity, the filid often associated with monasteries, which became centers of learning and where much of their oral tradition was eventually recorded. By the 12th century, their poetic style evolved, and the distinction between fili and bard began to blur.13