Overall the provincial ollams was the Ard-Ollamh (Rí-Ollam, Rí-Eigeas, Príméces) who held the official post of Chief-Ollamh of Ireland or "Ollamh Érenn".
According to Daniel Corkery, in 18th century Munster, a custom similar to the Welsh Eisteddfod continued long after the destruction of the Irish clan system.
A Munster Cúirt would begin with "bailiffs" delivering often humorously worded "warrants" which summoned local Irish-language poets to a Bardic competition with the Ollamh acting as the "judge".
An old Irish tale "Immacallam in dá Thuarad" ("The Colloquy of the Two Sages")[3] gives an idea of the type of lofty speech of the chief ollamh.
It relates "Ollamh Fodla, fierce in valour, Marked out the Scholar's Rampart, The first mighty king with grace, Who convened the Festival of Tara.
"[6] The Irish chiefs and kings were supposed to give food and gifts to these wandering bands of ollamhs which proved a great burden to them.
Geoffrey Keating's History of Ireland states that St Columba or Columcille interceded on their behalf as follows: "'I do not wish to keep the filés,' said the king, 'so unjust are their demands and so numerous are they.