ameu nad yw Ollav a Filé y Gwyddyl yn cynrychioli yr hen drefn dderwyddol y mae hyd yn oed chwalwr mor ddiofn a goleu a Dr John Macneill yn derbyn hynny yn galonnog fel y gwelir yn Irish Studies am 1922, td. 23: "The filid were in unbroken succession from the Druids, no longer calling themselves Druids, because, when Christianity prevailed Druidism fell into bad repute." Fel hyn y dywed O'Curry, MS. Mater. 204, 240, 255:
"The Ollamh may be described as a doctor, or a man who had arrived at the highest degree of historical learning and of general literary attainments under the old Gaedhlic system of education.... He was bound to make periodical visits to the provincial courts, and to the mansions of all the chiefs throughout the land; to inspect their books of family history and genealogies; to enter the names and numbers of the leading or eldest branches of each family in his own book; and, on his return to Tara... to write these matters into what was of old called the Monarch's Book. The education of the Ollamh was long and minute. It extended over a space of twelve years of hard work,'...and in the course of these twelve years certain regular courses were completed, each of which gave the student an additional degree, as a Filé or Poet with the corresponding title, rank, and privileges. The Ollamhs of music, or those raised to the highest order of musicians in ancient Erin,...were obliged, by the rules of the order, to be perfectly accomplished in the performance of three peculiar classes or pieces of music."
Os myn neb weled safle'r Ollav yn ei fri, darllened hanes Senchan Torpeist—prif Ollav yr Iwerddon, yn Thurneysen, Heldensaga, 254—8, a Zimmer, Kelt. Beitr. 1, 200; Stokes, Cormac, td. 135—8.
Troer at Filé y Gwyddyl. Sylwasom ar yr Alaw yn gyntaf am ei fod yn amlycach yng Nghymru, ond y Filé oedd
