[Bards] Eisteddfod participation

[Katherine of Scarborough]

Wow.  Having caught up on the (very exciting) flurry
of activity on this list over the weekend, I wanted to
add my little peep at least to this thread of the
discussion.

Count me as another of those who would enjoy the
experience of competing in Eisteddfod, and who
understands the importance of supporting our Kingdom
bardic competition--but who feels hesitant to
participate because of the weighty responsibilities
attached.  

I think this may be a factor for a lot of folks in
choosing not to compete.  Ansteorra has a reputation
as a kingdom that produces stellar (!) bards, and the
Premier Bard of Ansteorra, it seems to me, should be
ready not only to honor and uphold, but to further
that reputation.  That's a duty I aspire to be ready
for someday, but I know I'm not, yet.  And while I
also know that I have a snowball's chance of needing
to worry about it, I approach Eisteddfod just like I
would approach fighting in a Crown Tourney: I
shouldn't make the attempt unless I'm fully prepared
to accept the responsibility, however far-fetched my
chances.

That said, I think the idea of the "bow out" is worth
consideration.  If I'm not alone in my thinking, and
if increased participation is what we're aiming for,
then that may well be one way to get it.

Either way, I look forward to attending this year and
sitting at the feet of the finest bards in the land. 
Even if the room will be hot and stuffy and those fine
bardic feet start to turn ripe after a while...

Mirthfully,
Catrin ferch Maelgwn
Bard of Skorragardr

--- Robert Fitzmorgan <fitzmorgan at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 10/27/06, Simone Ui'Dunlaingh
> 
> > <SNIP>
> >
> > When participation at Canton shire and Barnial
> bardics are greater and
> > more prestigious than the Kindom Estinfodd. we
> might want to look ast
> > ourselves and not outside our selves. I have seen
> Local Bardic
> > competions sport 30+ participants regularly when
> we cant get that many
> > to show for kingdom..WHY? What is the diffrence?
> Why would a bard be
> > willing to compete at a local level and not
> kingdom? these I think are
> > the questions we  should ask.
> >
> >
> > Simone
> >
> > <SNIP>
> 
> 
>      I think it's a valid point.  I certainly can
> think of several local
> competitions that have more participation than
> Kingdom Eisteddfod.  So what
> do we do to make  Kingdom Bard something that  more
> people want to strive
> for?
>     For myself, I haven't entered in several years. 
> At this time in my life
> I couldn't be the Bard that I think Ansteorra
> deserves, and I don't believe
> that I should enter if I can't do justice to the
> position.  Being Kingdom
> Bard is still one of my unfulfilled goals, but I
> won't go for it until I
> feel I can do the job well.  I'm not entering local
> competitions either.
> 
> Robert
> 


 
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