Category: Ireland
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Etched in Stone
Sprawled along the River Boyne, in County Meath, Ireland, is a complex of the largest passage tombs (burial mounds) in Western Europe. Comprising an eight-square mile UNESCO World Heritage site, and carbon-dated to circa 3200 BC, Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth are hundreds of years older than Stonehenge and the Giza pyramids. Some cultural anthropologists suggest…
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Skip the Groundhog—Milking the Origins of Imbolc
Part 2 of 2 Last month, we looked at Brigid, the goddess, warrior, and saint who is honored on February 2. This month we’ll explore Imbolc. Although commonly celebrated on February 1–2, Imbolc is a moveable feast that marks the beginning of spring. Since 1886, the United States and Canada have observed February 2 as…
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Heroism in Kilbaha
Come to think of it, everyone wants a hero in the family tree Admit it! You want a hero in your family tree. Someone “out where the lightning splits the sea, … a streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds,” at least according to Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, who belted out “Holding Out for a…
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Lughnasadh—The Festival
Part 2 of 2 Warrior, King, Craftsman, God—Lugh is so big that explaining his festival, Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah), which occurs on August 1, needs two parts. Last month, we delved into the god’s background in “Lugh is Huge”; this month, the rituals and customs associated with his celebration. History, Traditions, Rituals Although not as recognizable…