HILLS

 

 

Beacons For Tara

Beacons For Tara

Beacons For Tara

 

Form the Morrigu's Prophecy;

"odhb do crann A knot for a tree
crann do ten a tree for the fire,
Tene a nn-ail a fire in a stone
Ail a n-uír a stone in the soil."

this is an ancient fire lighting chant that some may
wish to employ.

slan leibh

Ellen
As with all the Fire Festivals bonfires were a central aspect of the celebration. In ancient times a great central fire was lit by Druids at Tlachtga ,(near Tara), the burial place of the daughter of Mogh Ruith the Druid.

Herself a great sorceress, Tlachtga became conflated with the Land Goddess to whom the fire was dedicated.

The fire was made with nine sacred woods; Willow, Hazel, Alder, Birch,Rowan, Yew, Ash, Elm and Oak, or all Oak .
  All household flames were extinguished and runners carried torches back to the provinces, bearing fresh flames from the Goddess' pyre. Thus, as at Beltaine, the kingdoms and tribes were spiritually united through the medium of sacred fire.

Both the Beltaine and the Samhain fires were built by nine men using nine kinds of sacred woods or just oak and the fires were kindled by friction.
The number nine was the number of change, transformation, and high magic. The identity of the "Nine Sacred Woods"varied slightly from area to area but in general these woods were from trees that held profound practical and spiritual meaning for the Celts.>>

Ellen
 

 

 

 

Uisneach , Tlachtga ~

Uisneach was the home of the perpetual fire of the Ard-Drui.
Runners would come with torches and light them in the Fire Altar
and then carry the let torches to all the provinces. People would put out
their household fires and wait for the new fire at Beltaine. Thus even
though the land was composed of many petty kingdomes, everyone was
spiritually united. ( I have been very puzzled by the fact that Uisneach,
which used to be a public park, was sold to a cow farmer. I understand that
he is a good fellow but it seems an ignoble act for such an important ritual
site).

The Samhain fire was lit from Tlachtga. There is some thought that this fire
was lit by women in honor of the daughter of a famous Druid. There is also
thought that Tlachtga may have been the local name of the Land Goddess.

ellen

_____________________________________
Ellen Evert Hopman, herbalist, author and Druid Priestess
author of "Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey" and "A Druids Herbal -
For Sacred Tree Medicine" (Spring 2008)
See her books, videos and audio tapes at
http://www.celticheritage.co.uk/EllenEvertHopman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit the Virtual Shrine of Brighid ~
http://www.celticheritage.co.uk/virtualshrine/

'The Order of the White Oak' - World Druid Council
Ord na Darach Gile - Comhairle Domhanda na nDraoí
www.whiteoakdruids.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

 


bog-oak sculpture by David Patton



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beacons For Tara

  

Beacons For Tara

Beacons For Tara