This is the day of Bride
the Queen will come from the mound…… Seguir leyendo »

In Ireland Lugh was a hero and High King of the distant past. Seguir leyendo »

Mistletoe has symbolised the emasculator of the old king, a sexual symbol which is latent with fertility, or a good luck charm for a dairy herd. It’s been used as an antidote for poison, a fire suppressant, a protection against evil spirits, a pain reliever for rheumatoid arthritis and as a gift of peace between warring neighbours. Seguir leyendo »

Beltane is one of the most important festivals of the pagan year traditionally marking the arrival of summer in ancient times.With its counterpart Samhain, Beltane divides the year into its two primary seasons, Winter the Dark and Summer the Light. Seguir leyendo »

Easter - it’s hard enough trying to work out the date without developing permanent wrinkles by pinning down a deity called Ostara. Or perhaps the name was Eostre, Ostarun, Eastre, Eoastrae, or even Oestre. Seguir leyendo »

The Scots say they have invented just about everything in the modern world. Anything worthwhile, they claim. Perhaps those canny engineers and early tinkerers had a touch of Thomas the Rhymer in them, and they could get a little glimpse of the future. For Thomas is Scotland ’s answer to Nostradamus. Seguir leyendo »

My great grandmother warned me about fairies. Some are kind, and beautiful, she said, while others are hostile to mortals. She would leave out a saucer of milk at night for the Brownie, but nothing more, in case he took offense. Seguir leyendo »

Patrick must be the best known of all Patron Saints with parades, parties and craic in his name being celebrated across the globe. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, but who has the heart to let truth spoil the result of hundreds of years of good storytelling? Seguir leyendo »