[Bards] in response to Esther

[Pádraig Ruad Ó Maolagáin]

Michael Silverhands wrote:
> Exactly. You can end up with some pretty green goobers in the
> Eisteddfod list, while many of the kingdom's best must stay home.
>
> Also consider this: I've seen a young bard (who was having a good
> year) go out and win 5 branch championships. If the branch
> championships are the "prelim" to Kingdom, then 4 branches aren't
> going to be sending anyone in that scenario.
>
> But if there's a need for a "filter" for those entering Eisteddfod
> (and I'm not sure that there is... just saying *if* there is), how
> about this: you must have won a branch or Kingdom bardic competition
> previously. Not necessarily that year's competition, just sometime.
>
> That at least raises the bar to exclude absolute newcomers to bardic
> who've never won any competition anywhere before, but otherwise
> doesn't exclude any of our "best and brightest".
>
> If you want to lower the bar a bit, you could say that all entrants
> to Eisteddfod must have at least *competed* in a branch championship
> before. Or you could say they have to be sponsored by someone --
> their branch nobility, a Peer, or a previous winner of Eisteddfod.
>
> Or you could just leave it as it is: anyone with the courage to enter
> is free to do so. :-)
>
> At the moment, I don't think the problem is "too many in the list".
> Quite the opposite.
>
> Michael

I rather like the idea of sponsorship, as it might encourage some bards
who otherwise might shy away from entering, and it would also encourage
the Peerage to become more involved with the bardic community.

But I must agree with Michael that the current problem isn't "too many in
the list".

Padraig
-- 
Nunc est bibendum.
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Politicians prefer unarmed peasants.