What is This Site All About?
The foremost thing any student of ancient Celtic, Faery, Sidhe, or Danaan culture should be aware of is that our ancestors were highly educated people… learning was something they held in high esteem. And even though they didn’t for many generations have a written language, they did keep their histories, geneaologies, knowledge of all the arts and sciences, crafts and skills, through memorization and recitation… usually in poetic form. In fact, there were (by modern estimates) approximately 700+ such poetic forms which had to be memorized and recalled at a moment’s notice. Each poetic form was for a specific type of content, as well.
The difficulty in trying to reconstruct an ancient culture is that we who live in this modern world do not have the same sort of educational training that our ancestors did… and in that sense, we are handicapped. Another difficulty lies in not knowing what sources of information are “for real” and which are unreliable.
What this site aims for is to be a place to learn about all kinds of things… not just Celtic culture, but a great many things that can help us to develop our minds (and get rid of some preconceived ideas) so that we can eventually understand what is and what was and what will be… without having our 21st Century preconceived notions interfere too much and give us a distorted view of the past.
One of the things that has always left me feeling disappointed over the years about Celtic reconstructionism has been the incorporating of some very modern ideas into a pattern of reconstruction which has no place in that reconstruction. For example, if we suddenly decide that our ancestors were Wiccan and we incorporate that into our studies and practices… that would be incorrect and would tend to skew our beliefs in a direction that our ancestors did not go. Wicca, however, is not an ancient belief system, and it is certainly not Celtic, but borrows heavily from many vastly different cultures, time periods, and geographic areas of the world. I have nothing against Wicca, if it works for you that’s fine, but don’t mistake it as a Celtic religion or belief system because it is not.
That’s just an example, by the way. There are many other examples of modern ideas seeping into the reconstructionist’s pathway.
If we wish to understand a culture such as the Celts or the Danaans, however, we cannot study them in isolation either. A brief look at what has already been written about them will tell a person right away that the Celts consisted of many tribes of peoples located in a huge geographic area which stretched from Ireland and the UK to Spain, to Italy, to Scandinavia, and to the east as far as the Russian steppes and parts of southwest asia. In short, our ancestors were not always completely isolated from the rest of the world by virtue of living on an island offshore of mainland Europe. The Celts traded with other cultures and even intermarried with other peoples in their movement across the continent. They sang songs, recited poems, raided other encampments, etc.
In order to seriously study the Celts, their deities, the Danaans, culture, and history, and come to some sort of intelligent understanding of what they (and we) are all about, it is necessary that we study the entire world in which they lived (and still live in). Any study of any culture should also begin with a study of linguistics… the root words of a language and the pattern of usage of those words can give us insights into the culture itself. However, if we aren’t even competent in modern English, how can we ever hope to become competent in ancient Irish (or Scottish Gaelic, or Welsh, or Manx, or… you get the idea…)?
Thus, this site is meant to be a place of learning… and teaching. If you have relevant information, papers, articles you may have written, etc., you are more than welcome to Contact Me with regards to becoming a registered contributor to this site. My email link may be found in the sidebar.
I’d also like to add that this site is not about any specific religion. It’s not Wiccan, it’s not Neo-Druidry, it’s not Christian or Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist… if anything, it’s about finding the spirituality within YOURSELF and realizing that, in spite of the body you inhabit, you are a spiritual being who is, ultimately, responsible for your own spirit.
This site is also not about role-playing, the SCA, re-enactments, or anything of the sort… though, likely, some of the people who hang out here may be involved or interested in such things.
What you get out of this site is entirely dependent upon what you put into this site. If you contribute knowledge, you will get the same in return. If you contribute nothing, likely that is also what you will reap.
Good luck and I hope you’ll find a treasure or two here. I also recommend using the Search feature in the sidebar. You might be surprised at what’s here, lurking in the depths of this site.
PS: Áine Ní Mhic Diarmuid = Áine MacDermot
Queen Maeve by J. Leyendecker, 1916
I would be interested to know how you feel Christianity effected the Irish culture and vice versa. In what I have studied, I have come to believe that Ireland had as much effect upon the Christianity there, as Christianity did upon Ireland.
No religion stands alone. It affects the people just as much as they affect it. In Ireland’s case, this is particularly notable. As you read the history, you begin to see that Christianity in Ireland was very different from Christianity in other parts of Europe. I’m not saying it was better or worse, just different.
I think, however, in many ways the attitudes towards and the social standing of women was likely better prior to Christianity’s influence in Ireland. Many legal and social rights that women enjoyed in pre-Christian Ireland were revoked or went unrecognized under Christianity. I suppose you’d have to look at how it affected specific groups of people to really get a clear picture of its effects.
I’m sure you get asked this question all the time… but what is your connection with the Hitchiker’s guide and why are there entries in your site about Ford Prefect? Just wondering… it’s odd to be doing research on the Greek god Pan and come up with one of your favorite modern literary characters. ^_^ I really like your site, by the way, and it is incredibly easy to navigate.
Brandy, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was meant to be a Guide to everything known and being found out about the Galaxy. Since the Galaxy we are in is but one small part of the Universe (or Multiverses, if you believe that there are more than one), I thought it would be a good idea to use that model to construct my own little Guide. The entries run the gamut, and although it is not even a quadrillionth as large as wikipedia, it is a handy way for me to make notes on various things.
I also have a wicked sense of humor, though somewhat twisted.
I have to comment on your characterization of Celtic Reconstructionism. The purpose of CR is not to reconstruct the culture, but to build a basis for a valid Celtic religious/spiritual that fits the modern world. And Wicca has no place within that purpose. However, adaptations of what was done in the Iron Age (and before and after that period) have to be made as some of them are just not practical in the current era.
That said, I agree completely that you have to know what really was going on before you can adapt it to modern conditions & laws. Thank you for this marvelous resource.
friends, homer said ‘the danaan are a people of unknown origin’…not any more…. i have discovered a record carved and painted on stone,which comes from beneath the 14,000 yr, flood plai in the willamette valley in oregon…some photos of these images will appear in the next message…the message is esoteric,the art is hidden,majical…i have found cairns…many sites….the archetypes are gnomic,,,the’s’ is a river ,our lady,danu ..not a snake as appears after the fall of this civilisation…this lost world…best always…tom,,eugene oregon
Tom : Very few of those pictures were clear enough to get a sense as to what they show. I will admit that I did see what appeared to be “faces” on some of those rocks, but it’s not definitive proof of anything yet.
a) What do you think connects it to the Tuatha dé Danaan?
b) What do the so-called “experts” in archaeology and paleontology say about these rocks?
c) Why did you move them from their original locations, rather than simply photographing them in situ and creating a diagram or noting on a map where these were located? That right there could destroy the credibility of the evidence you think you’ve found.
DubhTine : I was, at one time, involved with a serious group of reconstructionists who were, I thought at the time, willing to do the hard work involved in sifting through the miasma of what I can only refer to as “bullshit” in order to present as valid information as we could possibly unearth. Most of us were dedicated to that cause, but a series of really lousy things happened that led many of us to believe that the “leader” of that effort did not live by the precepts we had established for ourselves, thus dishonoring not only himself, but several other members of our group.
For that reason, many of us at various levels of leadership within that organization walked away from that organization and went our merry ways. I haven’t yet heard of one of our number that has joined another organization of that type… I’d guess that that experience soured many of us on the idea of an organized hierarchy and anyone assuming established power over other people, which (these days) seems inevitable in organizations of that type.
Oh my god. I just have to say your site…overwhelms me. I have been into Celtic Lore approximately 20 years of my life (since I was 10) and this is fabulous! Thank you so much for being here!
Kristina : You’re quite welcome. This site has been online for quite some time, although it didn’t always include the contents that you see here now. I don’t always have time to make regular updates to it, but the way I look at it, it serves as a sort of repository or library of information, and as such, these things take time to build and refine. Anyway, thank you for visiting and commenting here. I hope you’ll find something of interest here.
*blush* Yes, I have found a lot here that is interesting to me! For one thing, you have at least two publications here I recognize from reference and bibliography, that seem to be nigh impossible for any but the ‘scholar’ to find! I do note, tho, that you have nothing here on Oghams…or on Celtic healing methods.
oops…i went and searched again…you DO have something on Oghams! ^^
WOW! Great site. I will be back!
For now, perhaps you can help me with a small question (one I was researching when I stumbled upon your site a little while ago)
I am looking for the name of a mythological land, akin to Avalon or Tar N-aill, begins with an M. Seems it was Celtic in origin.
(found it once, the name, I mean, not the land, lol, and lost it/can’t find it again.)
Any ideas?
Aside from that, just wanted to say what a great resource! I could (and am sure I will) spend days exploring it all.
Kimberly : There are many names for the land you may be looking for…
Tir means “land.”
Tir na nÓg means “land of the young.”
Tir Tairngire means “land of promise.”
Tir na mBan means “land of women.”
The only one I can think of that starts with an M is Mag Mell which means “plain of joy.”
Hope that helps.
I can think of another that starts with “M”. Maigh Eo (County Mayo),meaning “Land (or Plain)of the Yew Tree”.
Great Website, Áine!
Strange turnabouts. While it would seem white Alamo Texans bad Mexican beseigers good. I discovered that the Texas navy(?!) helped the Mayans in their struggle with the very oppresive Mexican invaders. Mexicans were more Spanish then Mayan Indios. Strange. Is an expensive? I have a 30 year old Celtic antiquarian bookshop Three Geese In Flight Celtic books that specializes in Celtic Arthurian and Iroquois and eastern woodland culture. The Atlantic is a lake they shares rather then devided. It was the Classical culture which put a wedge between the two. The English took over from the Romans.The English even reincarnated the red tunics of the Romans. America was a chance to reincarnate the other way. The Iroquois confederacy converted the white men back to their democratic roots. Interestingly The Brythonic Celts and the Judeans rebelled twice at about same time.We have been deeply involved in Celtic studies for a long time. I used to teach at the Irish Arts center in N.Y.C Celtic mythology in the 70s. Check out our Boston Celtic bookshop and web http://www.threegeeseinflight.com
10% discount mention this. All the best. Keep fishing the wells in your mind.Sam Wenger Three geese In Flight Books
i have written a trilogy about the way the british celts resisted Caesar`s two invaasions. This has involved an attempt to reconstruct a Celtic tribal life, and i hope this has bee done in a very positive way.
The idea is to put it out on Lulu.com when the cover has been designed. Do get in touch if you want to hear more. Thank you for the site. I found it very interesting
All the best,
Stephen Kerensky
A friend of mine posted your link with some great info today. I must say I am very pleased to have found your site.
You have now been bookmarked
I also agree totally with the statement you made about Wicca!
So nice to hear it from some one else.
Stay Blessed
Rose
I just wanted to take a moment and commend you for taking such a keen interest in Celtic studies. As a writer, I tend to do a great deal of research for my stories and I often find it difficult to locate a free website that offers such a broad spectrum of “complete” and historically accurate information. I must say that this site is a godsend. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge on the subject.
All the best,
Kimberly M.
Thanks, I’ve worked on the content here for many years now. Good to know people are finding it useful.