LOUGH GUR - “a personality loved, but also feared.”

The land surrounding Loch Goir, Lough Gur in Co. Limerick 

has been inhabited continually for 6,000 years.  

Early Bronze Age wedge tomb on the shore of the Lough.

Pics: loughgur.com & ancientireland.org

The bronze Lough Gur Shield, known as the ‘Sun Shield’, dates to 700 BCE 

and appears on the beautifully designed information boards adjoining the lake.

Stone circles, standing stones, tombs, barrows and hill forts dot the landscape 

and there is a wealth of folklore. 

Map from visitballyhoura.com

However, the heart of this sacred landscape is the Lough. 

Although it was a spring day when I visited, the water was still and silent, holding mysteries 

dimly remembered in folk tales. 

“ Lough Gur dominates the scene. It was to us a personality loved, but also feared.
Every seven years, so it is said, Gur demands the heart of a human being.”

It is believed that Lough Gur was originally a circular lake belonging to Fer Fi, 

leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann and brother of the Goddess Áine, who has her palace beneath 

the waters.
As Bean Fhionn, the White Lady, it is Áine who summons a victim to the lake every seven years and takes them to her realm below. 

“Called the Enchanted Lake; some say that in ancient days there was a city where the lake is now.”

Áine is described in folklore as a fairy Bean-tige, housekeeper to Gearóid Iarla, the enchanted son of one of the Earls of Desmond.
Gearóid, banished to the lake, is doomed to return every seven years and gallop over its’ surface seated on a milk white horse shod with silver shoes.

Knockadoon © michaeldebarra.com

The hill of Knockadoon, once an island, has on its’ shore a rock formation 

known as the Suideachan Bean-tige, the Housekeeper’s Chair, 

which is the seat of the goddess Áine. 

Pic © Derek Ryan Bawn - more information The Tipperary Antiquarian

Also known as Áine’s birthing chair and the Old Hag’s Chair, 

no mortal may sit on this stone without losing their wits.

© 2015 National Folklore Collection, UCD. 

Across the Lough from Knockadooon stands Knockfennel, named for Áine’s sister. 

It is understood that this hill too is hollow and within resides Fer Fi, the king of the fairies. 

Knockfennel

His realm is entered through a cave which has a small opening at the back.

“It was said anyone who had the courage to squeeze through the hole would find himself in the hollow heart of the hill.”

Entrance to the Otherworld courtesy of The Standing Stone.

More photos of the cave can be found on The Standing Stone.ie  

In the distant past on Samhain night, when the bonfire was lit on Knockfennell and on the sixth night of every moon, the sick were brought out into the moonlight to be healed. 

This night was known as ‘All-Heal’.

If the patient did not recover by the eighth or ninth night of the moon they would hear the ceolsidhe, the fairy music which Áine brings to comfort the dying. 

The music itself, the Suantraighe, is sleep music played by Fer Fi on his harp .

“They say the Suantraighe is the sweetest tune of all, 

and that anyone who hears it falls into a trance with its beauty. 

But ‘tis a sleep from which no mortal man or woman will ever awake.”

Words of the late Tom McNamara, local seanchaí, storyteller. 

Lough Gur Heritage Centre - loughgur.com

The design of the centre is based upon the ancient lake-dwellings.

Today Lough Gur is a wildlife sanctuary, popular with local people and tourists yet there is a feeling of stepping into a landscape still alive with the old stories. 

And once the visitors have departed and the Lough settles into night

Moonlight over Lough Gur © Michael de Barra.

The Shining Ones race in their boats across the water whilst Áine’s enchantment remains irresistible 

to those who hear her call. 

‘The Enchanted Lake’ Video - Nicky Fennell, produced by Mike McNamara.

To hear more stories about the Lough from the late Tom McNamara 

please visit Voices From The Dawn.

Spring & The Three Hags.

Cailleach Bheara - a commission for a resident living near the Bheara Peninsula, Co.Cork.

At the Spring Equinox, when the hours of daylight and darkness are equal, it feels that we are held
at a place of balance between Summer and Winter.
Here the past few days have been full of sunlight and gentle warmth as the crows build their
nests and the trees begin to green but this morning saw a frost return to the land.

In Ireland we have no evidence or folklore to support the idea that the Celts celebrated a festival
at this point in the year, however an old story from Coolea, Co. Cork tells of the three Cailleach,
Old Women or Hags, who are responsible for the development of growth during March.
The tale begins on Brigid's Day at the start of February when one Hag, described as
a 'veiled one', stands under the ground attempting to push up the vegetation whilst the two other
Hags stand above ground to keep it down.
After the middle of March the single Cailleach below is joined by another and both push up the
plants together whilst one Hag remains above ground to resist.
By the end of the months all three Hags are beneath the land pushing up the new growth for Spring.

In a time before the Celts, the Neolithic people were aware of the Equinoxes and
this knowledge of astronomy and the landscape can be seen at many sites across the island.

 Spring Equinox solar alignments at Grianán of Aileach, Co. Donegal & Gossan Stones, Co. Wicklow.

The most well known of these sites is probably Cairn T on Sliabh na Caillí, "the hag's mountain"
in Co. Meath, part of the Loughcrew Megalithic complex. 
The sun's rays at the Equinox sunrise shine down the passageway of the cairn to illuminate an 
inner chamber.
Slowly the light travels across the rear stones shining on the megalithic stone carvings...

© Clare Tuffy

bringing the sun into the body of the land and into the place of the ancestors ...

The Cailleach painting : here

until the home of the Cailleach returns to darkness once more.

To see this special event please watch Michael Fox's video below :

For more information on the Grianán of Aileach please visit the Unknown Swilly blog HERE
The Gossan Stones can be found HERE

Time of The Cailleach

Watercolour, gouache & pastel on watercolour paper 20" x 27".

Model: Siobhán ní Ghabhann.

"Three great ages; the age of the yew tree, the age of the eagle, 

the age of the Old Woman of Beara (Cailleach Bheara)." - Old Connacht proverb

When daylight decreases and the cold wind nips at my nose as I walk along the frosty road I know 

that it is the time of The Cailleach.

Cailleach means 'old woman, hag or veiled one' and she also known in Ireland as
Cailleach Bhéara,  Cailleach Bhiorach, Cailleach na Huibhe, Boí / Buí & Sentainne Bérri.
She has many different guises in folklore: she is the bean ghlúine - the midwife, the bean fasa -
the wise woman and the bean chaoínte - the keening woman.
She is also the hag who is embraced by the hero to become the beautiful Goddess of Sovereignty.
The Old Woman may originally have been a lunar goddess associated with the sea, the formation
of the land and various horned animals especially deer and cows.

1 On the left, beneath the waxing moons and the Bealach na Bó Finne, the Milky Way

can be seen Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh where the southern cairn, the largest, is known as 

the Calliagh Berra's House and to its north lies the Calliagh Berra's Lough. 

She is said to have tricked Fionn McCool into jumping into its waters and when he emerged he 

was transformed into an old man. 

Beneath the mountain is a small herd of red deer, the only species native to Ireland, believed to have had a continuous presence here since the end of the last Ice Age, c. 10,000 BCE.

2 On the right, beneath the waning moons, lies Cnóbha, Knowth, Co. Meath. 

The mound is also known as Cnoc Buí where it is believed that the ancestor, Buí,
'cow like one' is buried.

3 An Cailleach sits at the centre of the painting within the west recess of Cairn T,
Sliabh na Caillí, part of the Loghcrew passage tomb complex in Co. Meath which dates
from around 4,000 BCE .

She is surrounded by the many, richly decorated stones which line the tomb and around her neck
hang some of the objects discovered in excavations of the complex.
Above her is a carved stone set into the roof and beneath it the 'Equinox' stone of the recess which is illuminated by the rising sun at the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes.

4 The complete complex of Loughcrew spreads across the lap of An Cailleach.

Patrickstown Hill is on the left, Carnbane East with Cairns T, U and V visible at the centre and Carnbane West on the right, showing Cairns D and L. Altogether there are the remains of 25 cairns here, each aligned to various astronomical events, with Cairn T on the highest peak commanding views over 18 counties.

Several of the mounds originally had a mantle of white quartz & must have been an impressive sight 

in sunlight or under a full moon. 

5 Her hands are placed in the crack of the sill stone as she connects the earth, the sea and the moon. 

6 To the left is the pale Calendar Stone found at Cairn X on Patrickstown Hill, thought to show
both solar and lunar cycles.
On the right is kerbstone 15 from Knowth also thought to be a Calendar Stone depicting the
suns' annual journey.

7 Below this is Carrauntoohil, Co. Kerry with the Hag's Tooth just visible.
To the left is Oiléan Buí, Dursey Island off the Bheara Peninsula, Co. Cork.
Close to the coast of the island is a rock standing in the sea known as Bó Buí, Buí's Cow,
which is said to have been turned to stone by An Cailleach herself.

 Carrantuohill & Hag's Tooth - wikipedia

8 At the centre bottom is An Cailleach Bhéarra, The Hag of Beara, a metamorphic rock

unlike any other in the area.

There are many stories about The Hag of Beara locally, one being that she turned herself to stone 

so that there would always be a hag on Beara. 

Another tells that she stands on the hillside above Coulagh Bay gazing out over the Atlantic 

watching for the return of her lover Manannán Mac Lír.

If you visit her today you will find offerings of ribbons, flowers and crystals adorning the rock 

in honour of the Cailleach Bhéarra.

Photo © Jane Brideson

To find out more & take a virtual tour please visit:

http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/loughcrew/

http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/slieve-gullion/

Information on The Wild Deer Association of Ireland can be found HERE

For a fascinating study of the Cailleach see: 

"The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer" by Gearóid Ó Crualaoich.

PAGES RETURN

I have finally completed reposting my paintings.

Please see below for updated pages.

And a new one.

Paintings and info on Irish Goddesses HERE

Paintings and info on Irish Gods HERE

Information on Art Cards & Posters HERE

My paintings from the Hill of Tara HERE

NEW PAGE:

My older designs now available to order again - more info  HERE

MÓRRIGAN / MÓR-RÍOGHAIN

1 She offers a gateway into darkness and the entrance to her cave,
Uaigh na gCat, Owenygat, in Co. Roscommon.

Owenygat : photo © www.rathcroghan.ie

2 Two mounds near Brú na Bóinne known collectively in mythology as Mur na Morrigna,
‘The Wall of the Mór-Ríoghain or Great Queen’ and later as Da Cich na Mórrigna,
'Two Paps of the Mórrigan'.
One text names these mounds individually as cirr & cuirrel,  comb and brush of
the Dagdha’s wife. Today they are referred to as satellite mounds K and L, passage graves
which contain decorated stones. 
Below them stands the stone known as the Lia Fáil on the Hill of  Tara, Co. Meath
where the Mórrigan resided for a time.
The stone now commemorates the graves of the Croppy Boys of 1798.

Paps of Anu, Co. Kerry.

3 Da Chích Anann, the Paps of the Goddess Anu, who was associated with the Mórrigan.
Between the mountains lie Gleannfreagham, 'The Glen of the Ravens'.

4 Below the Paps is Gort-na-Morrigna, Mórrigan’s field, Co. Louth, which in Irish mythology
was the gift given to the Mórrigan by her husband, the Dagdha.

Drombeg: photo © Megalithic Ireland.com

5 Several fulacht or ancient cooking places within the landscape are known as Fulacht na Morrigna,
Mórrigans' hearth. When the Goddess resided at Tara her cooking spit was famous for its' size
and ability to hold and cook three sorts of food at one time.

6 Within the hearth sits a cauldron from the Late Bronze Age found in a bog in Castlederg,
Co. Tyrone and believed to have been made for ritual purposes.
The bronze cauldron is on display in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.

Bronze cauldron: © 100objects.ie

7 Within the rising steam curls a wolf, a raven & an eel each of which the Mórrigan,
as shape-shifter, transformed into.

8 The final element of the painting shows the River Barrow.

The Goddess is associated with Samhain and with various rivers also appearing in mythology as
the 'Washer at the Ford', an aspect of the Mórrigan who prophecies the death of warriors in
forthcoming battle by standing in a stream washing their bloody armour.

We are also told that The Mórrigan had a son, Mechi, who had three hearts each containing
the shapes of three serpents within them.
Mac Cecht killed Mechi so that the serpents would not grow to consume or blight the island.
He removed the hearts, burnt them and threw the ashes into a river which boiled up.
The 'boiling'  river, the berba, is thought to be the River Barrow, one of the three sister rivers.

The model for the painting was Carmel Ní Dhuibheanaigh.

Carmel

Please also visit:
http://www.rathcroghan.ie
http://www.voicesfromthedawn.com/drombeg-stone-circle/
http://storyarchaeology.com

If anyone is interested in cards or posters of the Mórrigan please email me at -
morrigan@mac.com 

Áirmid - Goddess of herbs and healing

As well as enjoying the summer I have recently completed 'Áirmid', a gift for dear friend who also modelled for the painting.

The Goddess Áirmid and her cloak

According to Irish mythology the goddess Áirmid (sometimes spelt Áirmed) was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the daughter of Dían Cécht, the god of healing.
Áirmid, together with her father and her brother, Miach, healed those injured in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh and by singing incantations over the well of Sláine were able to resurrect the dead warriors.

Later Dían Cécht killed Miach because he was jealous of his sons' healing skills and as Áirmed wept over her brother's grave her tears watered all the healing herbs of Ireland. Some say that 365 herbs sprung from the earth over Miach's body. 
Áirmid gathered and organised them all by spreading them on her cloak. 
Once again Dían Cécht became angry and jealous and scattered the herbs across the land
and it is for this reason that no human in Ireland knows all the secrets of herbalism and only Áirmid remembers.

Ocus atbert Dén Cécht,  ‘Mane pé Míoach, méraidh Airmeth.’

And Dían Cécht said, “Though Miach is not, Airmed will persist.”

Áirmid stands above the Well of Áirmid, now Christianised and known Lady's Well, 
which can be found in the grounds of Slane Castle Co. Meath. 
The waters from the well flow into the nearby River Boyne.
Info. on the Lady Well fete at Slane Castle can be found here - 

http://www.newgrange.com/news68.htm

For details about the herbs & their uses click HERE

Two goddesses

As you can see the painting is very detailed and contains 60 herbs and flowers which over the years were used in Ireland as cures for various ailments.
To help in identification I have included a 'map' of the plants below and in a later post will include their the uses and Irish names.

Art cards and posters of Áirmid are available HERE

LEAVES OF BIRCH, ROWAN, ALDER, WILLOW, ASH, HOLLY, OAK, HAWTHORN & HAZEL AROUND HER NECK 

1 YARROW
2 HONEYSUCKLE
3 IVY
4 SPEEDWELL
5 RAMSONS - WILD GARLIC
6 TORMENTIL
7 DOG ROSE
8 MILKWORT
9 AGRIMONY
10 MEADOWSWEET
11 FOXGLOVE
12 MALLOW
13 YELLOW FLAG
14 GOLDEN ROD
15 POPPY
16 SHEPHERD'S PURSE
17 VALERIAN 
18 VERVAIN
19 PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
20 CHARLOCK
21 SOAPWORT
22 CENTAURY
23 DAISY
24 PIMPERNEL
25 ST. JOHN'S WORT
26 BLUEBELL
27 COWSLIP
28 EYEBRIGHT
29 VIOLET
30 WOOD SORREL
31 PRIMROSE
32 MARSH MARIGOLD
33 CHICKWEED
34 CELANDINE
35 HARTS' TONGUE FERN
36 WATER CRESS
37 MAIDEN HAIR FERN
38 WATER AVENS
39 BOG BEAN
40 NETTLE
41 WORMWOOD
42 LADY'S MANTLE
43 MUGWORT
44 RAGWORT
45 DANDELION
46 SELF HEAL
47 DOCK
48 OATS
49 RUSH
50 ARUM LILY
51 WILD SAGE
52 MARJORAM
53 COLTSFOOT
54 GROUNDSEL
55 CLOVER
56 WILD THYME
57 MINT
58 BEARBERRY
59 BILBERRY
60 BRAMBLE

BUTTERFLIES:
A COMMON BLUE
B SMALL TORTOISESHELL
C SMALL WHITE
D PAINTED LADY

& ASSORTED BEES

The Blessings of Imbolg to you!

The name Brigid, Bhríde, has its' roots in Bríg meaning 'exalted' or 'high', a meaning also incorporating ideas of power, strength, vigour and authority. 

As a triple goddess Brigid is known as Brigit of Poetry, Healing and Smith-craft and she illuminates the dawn sky as three swans fly overhead. 

In her hands she holds the triple flame as well as the three-armed Brigid's cross, once common in Co. Donegal.

Fastening her cloak is a gold disc, one of a pair discovered in the roots of a tree at Tedavnet, Co. Monaghan and dating from the Early Bronze Age.

To either side of the main figure can be seen two mounds, part of Loughcrew, Co. Meath, the openings of which are aligned to the Imbolc sunrise around 7th February, the original date of the fire festival.

On St. Brigid's Eve, she is believed to walk the land dispensing her blessing and in folk tradition a cloth left outside overnight, the Brát Bhride, is blessed by Brigid as she passes by and is said to protect her people against 'fire, famine and fever'. La Fhéile Bride, Brigid's day, is now celebrated on the 1st February and marks the beginning of Spring.

Below the hands of the goddess can be seen Croghan Hill, Co. Offaly whose proper name, Cruachán Bríg Eile, means 'mound of the Exalted Eile', the daughter of a king. Locally it is said that Brigid was born near the foot of the hill which she visited later as St. Brigid.

Croghan Hill itself is an extinct volcano and it is beneath here that Brigit Begoibne had her smithy where she created beautiful cauldrons.

The bronze vessel in the painting is from the Early Iron Age and was discovered at Fore, 

Co. Westmeath. From Croghan Hill flow three springs which at one time fed the three 

sacred healing wells at its' base. 

Below the spread of Brigid's cloak can be seen the oak tree and the ridge of clay, where 

St. Brigid founded Cill Dara, 'the Cell of the Oak', Kildare and it was here that Brigid had her shrine and perpetual flame.

At the bottom of the painting, surrounded by reeds and reflecting the gentle sunlight at Imbolc, is a well in Co. Laois symbolising the sacred wells of Brigid throughout Ireland. 

The gold disc & bronze vessel are on display in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.