The following English translations from the original Irish may be cited. The cult seems rooted in the notion of the poet’s relationship with his royal or chiefly patron being equivalent to a marriage, the two sharing the same bed. However, scholars seem, for whatever reason, either to ignore, play down or deny this.
Evidence of such tolerance is to be found especially in Gaelic Irish poetry of medieval and early modern date. It may come as a surprise to learn that in late medieval/early modern Ireland a cult of male homosexuality/bisexuality was apparently not only prevalent but widely tolerated among the upper echelons of Gaelic society, particularly the literati, but including also native kings and chieftains. In recent years, Irish society has undergone sweeping transformations, including legalisation of same-sex marriage and decriminalisation of homosexuality.