Ar na mhuintir agus ar thír na hÚcráine, bíodh beannacht na síochána an domhan

Once Cú Chulainn was beside the river Boyne in his chariot, and Lóeg mac Riangabra along with him, and the feat (cles) of nine champions was above him; he was killing the salmon in Linn Féic. They saw a little man in purple clothes, (sitting) in a bronze skiff, travelling (?) on the Boyne without

Immrama

I was going through my old vinyl collection and came across a LP from the Cork Black Metal band ‘Primordial’ that was released in 1995 called “Imrama”.  It has a beautiful cover art depiciting a druid meditating in the centre (why the depictions of the rare statue of Boa Island, co. Fermanagh is used is

Imbolg: An Lá Nua agus Tús Nua

Imbolc: A new day and a new start The time of year for rebirth, renewal and healing is just around the corner once again, the time of ‘I mbolg’/ ’in the belly’ or Imbolg/Imbolc. It is time for the one who was born under the halo of fire and nurtured by the Bó Bán Naofa

Ancient Celebrations – Part 8 – Lá Fhéile Bríde/ St. Brigid’s Day

1 February is St. Brigid’s Day, which has been celebrated for hundreds of years in Ireland. Who was St. Brigid, how is her day celebrated today and what are her links to a much older Celtic Goddess? According to the story recorded by an Irish Catholic priest, Saint Brigid was born Brigit and her mother

An Súil Éile ar an Blian Anuas agus an Súil Éile ar an Blian Amárach

Remembering the Past and Looking to the Future From out of the earth, the well pours forth the waters of life which cut a path forward to the seas to return back by air and cloud so that the magickal journey will continue anew. Another year has passed and it hasn’t really been much kind

Draíocht na Síoga na Samhna

Faerie Magick at Samhain Lá agus Oíche Leanaí ag súgradh Amuigh sa ghairdín- Déan deifir abhaile! Tá an ghrian dula luí. Sióga ag damhsa Amuigh sa ghairdín- Déan deifir abhaile! Tá an ghrian ag éirí. (“Oíche Mhaith” , Céim 1 Leabhar B, Duilleoga, An Comhlacht Oideachais Éireann.) I circle the ancient stones clockwise from the

Ag Damhsa ag an gCrosbhóthar i mí Lúnasa

Dancing at the crossroads in August In olden times (yes, I did attend such a chéileadh as a child with my grandparents. I’m middle-aged not old), rural Ireland had a small gathering celebration at August weekends in the evening at crossroads. It was a tradition where families would meet with other ones at crossroads that

An Gréine, an Tarbh, an Foladh, agus an Fómhair.

The Sun, the Bull, the Blood, and the Harvest. It is generally accepted as a common belief that Lughnasadh is the beginning of the Harvest and the festivities associated with this time of year. Andrew Gibbons already posted this today especially on Lugh Lamhfáda’s foster mother, an Tailitú, which is in nearly everyone of the

An Scéal a Trí Sliabh

A Tale of Three Mountains “Some paths are easier than others, but if you take the mountain path you get a better view.” Filtiarn the Druid. Sliabh a hAon I recently took up the challenge for cycling 300km within the month of July for Vision Sports which is a division of the National Council for

Irish Pseudohistory and Lore of the Master Poets Part 6

As a form of hangover of the outmoded idea that the filid were ‘Christian druids’, a phrase to guarantee so called experts to come out of the woodwork, there is a tendency to imagine that the order of professional poets and men of learning remained basically the same between the 6th and 11th Centuries. Scholars