Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17th, the day that it is believed that he died. In Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is both a holy day and a national holiday. The real St. Patrick wasn't Irish... he was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family with a townhouse, a country villa, and plenty of slaves. Patrick professed no interest in Christianity as a young boy. At 16, Patrick's world turned....

He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly, mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years. It was a terrible time for him but it was during this time that he was converted to christianity. Although it began in Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in countries around the world. People with Irish heritage remind themselves of the beautiful green countryside of Ireland by wearing green and taking part in the festivities.

Saint Patrick’s Day is usually celebrated with a parade. The one in Dublin, Ireland is known to some as the Irish Mardi Gras. But the one in New York City is actually one of the biggest. It lasts for hours. Two Irish wolfhounds, the mascots of the New York National Guard infantry regiment the “Fighting 69th”, always lead the parade. More than one hundred bands and a hundred thousand marchers follow the wolfhounds in the parade.

We Interrupt This Normally Scheduled Post...

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, my normal "Tarot Tuesday"  blog post will be posted on Thursday instead, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. On a giddy note...I will be writing a regular column for the Portland Examiner.com based on my weekly "Tarot Tuesday" posts...I'm so excited, I will let you all know the specifics as soon as I find out!

The Shamrock: a 3-Leaf Clover, is Ireland's most recognized National Symbol. Here are some interesting facts about the shamrock.... 

~The diminutive version of the Irish word for "clover" (seamair) is "seamróg", which was anglicised as "shamrock", representing a close approximation of the original Irish pronunciation. 

 ~The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times.

~In mind of this St. Patrick used to the Shamrock to explain the concept of the holy trinity .. that God was composed of three entities ... the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit ... yet each entitiy was part of the other just like the shamrock has three leaves but a single stem.

~The tradition of wearing a Shamrock on Saint Patrick's Day can be traced back to the early 1700's.

~In the 19th century it became a symbol of rebellion and began to be strongly associated with Irish identity. Apparently anyone wearing it risked death by hanging. People even ate the shamrock in times of famine.


~For good luck, it's usually included in the bouquet of an Irish bride and also in the boutonniere of the groom.

~The true Irish Shamrock (as identified by Nathaniel Colgan c. 1893) is a clover. It is not one of any or many clovers, it is one species... Trifolium repens or a form of this plant.
 
Shillelagh
 

A short, gnarled, very hard club usually made from the roots of a large tree. They usually have a knobbed head and double as a walking stick. The shillelagh is a traditional folk weapon among the Irish, and can be quite effective in skilled hands. Leprechauns are often pictured with a shillelagh
 

 

Bodhran

The bodhrán is the heartbeat of Irish music. This ancient framedrum is traditionally made with a wooden body and a goat-skin head, and is played with a double-headed stick called a cipín, tipper, or beater. The modern Irish word bodhrán is properly pronounced bow-rawn, like Cow brawn, with a slight emphasis on the first syllable.
 


Harp
 

The Harp is the official Emblem of Ireland, not the Shamrock. Legend tell us the first harp was owned by Dagda, a chief among the Tuatha De Danaan. At one time during a war with the Fomorians, the gods of cold and darkness, his harp was stolen but later recovered by Lugh and Ogma. When it was returned it had acquired two secret names and the ability to call forth summer and winter.
 
From then on, when Dagda played, he could produce a melody so poignant, it would make his audience weep, he could play an air so jubilant it would make everyone smile, or bring forth a sound so tranquil, it would lull all who listened to sleep. So thus did the harp became the dispenser of Sorrow, Gladness and Rest.

Out, Out... Damn Ye Snakes!

I'm sure nearly everyone has heard the story that Ireland has no snakes because St. Patrick got rid of them and  how he climbed the Hill of Tara, raised his staff and commanded all the snakes to leave the island. Legend has it that there was one snake in particular that was just too stubborn to leave.

So  St. Patrick made a box into which he invited the slithery little fellow to crawl, but the snake resisted, insisting the box was too small for his svelte but still impressively bulky form. This disagreement led to an argument that could only be solved when the snake agreed to crawl into the box to prove to St. Patrick that it was, indeed, too small for him to fit into. Of course, once he crawled in, wily old Patrick shut the door on the box and tossed the snake into the sea. And that's why there are no snakes in Ireland....but is this story really true?

So, why are there no snakes in Ireland...really? To put it plainly, they can't swim and don't like the cold. Nope, nothing to do with St. Patrick. I know this may come as quite a shock to many of you and the true reason may not be as fanciful and romantic as the legend but it is indeed quite interesting from a scientific standpoint. So, before you all start sending me nasty letters...let me explain.

Ireland isn't the only island without native snakes. New Zealand doesn't have any either (although it had a snaky reptile 20 million years ago). The only snakes near Hawaii are elusive sea snakes, and the island is pretty serious about keeping out the land varieties. We hear that Greenland and Antarctica are snake-free as well. According to NationalZoo, , there never were any snakes in Ireland and probably has more to do with the vagaries of geography than any neat tricks performed by St. Patty.

Ancient snake fossils are found only on southern continents, suggesting that snakes first radiated from Gondwanaland—a former supercontinent comprised of modern-day Antarctica, South America, Africa, India, and Australia. Migrating to Ireland wasn't an option at this time, as the area was completely underwater. The chalky sediments that would eventually become the 700-foot Cliffs of Moher on Ireland's west coast were being laid down at the bottom of the sea.

So where did the myth of St. Patrick and the snakes come from? Most scholars agree that snakes symbolize paganism, which St. Patrick is also credited for banishing from Ireland. Snakes as symbols of evil are prevalent throughout Judeo-Christian mythology, most notoriously in the Garden of Eden as a tempter of Eve. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is St. Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites.

"What Is...?" Wednesday

The Sidhe

~In Irish mythology, the Sídhe  are a powerful, supernatural race comparable to the fairies or elves. They are variously believed to live underground in the fairy mounds, across the western sea, or in an invisible world that coexists with the world of humans.~

The words “Sidhe," (roughly pronounced and sometimes spelled “Shee”) and “fairy” are almost interchangeable. Mainly it could be said that the Sidhe are fairy or fey but not the tiny winged creatures most associated with the term fairy. Instead the Sidhe were thought to be tall, fair, and other-worldly. That is, when they were not frightening, misshapen monsters. There seem to be two categories of Sidhe... the general, lordly, spirit-like beings that are very much like humans and the rest.

Under the rest falls the Leprechaun, the Phooka, the Merrow and the Banshee. The Leprechaun is probably the most well known of all of these, although it’s mystery and behaviors have been watered down quite a bit... these fairy cobblers are now simply tiny green wearing men who guard the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.


The origin of the Sidhe myths are closely tied to the ancient history of Ireland. The story goes that the Fir-Bolgs, a relatively uncivilized people and the Formorians were in control of the island until the Tuatha De’ Danann (the people of Danu) landed. The Tuatha De’ Danann brought with them technology and culture far beyond the Fir-Bolgs, which made up for their fewer numbers, and they were able to gain control of Ireland.

Perhaps because of the gap in sophistication between the Tuatha De’ Danann and the other populations, many legends and superstitions began to spring up concerning the newcomers. They could only be hurt by weapons of iron, it was said and they possessed artifacts of great and wondrous power, such as the Caludrun of Dagda, which could never be emptied of stew.

The Tuatha De’ Danann were eventually defeated by another group, the Miesians. Of course, the Tuatha De’ Danann were so infused with myth and power that they could not truly be defeated and so the legend goes that they left Ireland by slipping into another time and space, to rule the Otherworld.

"What Is...?" Wednesday

 Pooka (Old Irish for ghost) 
also spelled.. Puca, Pooka, Puka, Phouka

The Pooka is the English equivalent of the Old Gaelic word Púca and refers to the most feared and respected fairy in Celtic folklore. According to legend, the Púca can shape shift into a wide variety of forms, it may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, dog or goblin. However, it's most common appearance is that of a dark horse with yellow eyes and it roams the countryside at night smashing down fences and gates, terrifying livestock and spoiling blackberries.  

One of the agricultural traditions that surround the Púca is at the end of harvesting, a small deformed goblin shows up in search of a small share of the crops, if he is not made happy he will wreak havoc.. so the farmers leave behind a small amount of the crop which has become known as "The Puca’s share"  in order to satisfy this ravenous goblin.In other regions, the Púca is spoken of with  more respect rather than fear, for if treated with due reverence, it may actually be beneficial to those who run into it. 


The púca is from the mountains and hills and from those areas there are stories of it appearing on "November Day" and giving prophecies and warnings to those who inquire of it. If a human is beguiled into riding on a Púca's back, it has been known to give them a wild ride... though unlike the kelpie (which will take its rider and dive into the nearest stream or lake to drown and/or devour them), the Púca will do its rider no real harm.

It is told that only one man has ever managed to ride the Púca and that was Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. Using a special bridle containing three hairs from the Púca's tail, Brian managed to control the magic horse and stay on its back until, exhausted, it surrendered to his will.

The king extracted two promises from it... firstly, that it would no longer torment christian people and ruin their property and secondly.. that it would never again attack an Irishman (all other nationalities are exempt) except those who are drunk or abroad with an evil intent. The latter it could attack with greater ferocity than before. 

The Púca reluctantly agreed to these conditions.... however over the intervening years, the Púca seems to have forgotten its bargain and attacks on property and sober travellers on their way home continue to this day. I'm so glad I don't drink or leave the house!


* I apologize if you were looking for a six foot, invisible rabbit.

Serenity Sunday

The people known as "The Sidhe" (pronounced Shee) or people of the mounds were descended from the "Tuatha de Danann who settled in Ireland millennia ago.

Down through the ages the Sidhe have been in contact with mortals giving protection, healing and even teaching some of their skills to mortals - Smithcraft or the working of metals being one such skill.  The Gaelic word  "Sidhe" refers to these otherworldly beings now called fairies.

The Irish fairy is not like the diminutive fairies of other European countries, the Sidhe are described as tall and handsome in all accounts, also they are dressed very richly and accounts of their halls are of richly decorated places with sumptuous foods and drinks.

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) Good Friends

3.) Crisp mornings

4.) Pumpkins

5.) Scented candles

6.) Earl Grey tea

7.) Pretty tarot bags

8.) Electric pencil sharpeners

9.) Laughter

10.) Gherkins

Mother Earth's Finest Gifts

I have this stone from Ireland....right off the cliffs of Moher. It's my most prized stone in my collection because it is a small tangible piece of where my family and I came from.

To me it symbolizes a foundation, an origin as well roots and direction. My little piece of Ireland, that my good friend Peggy so bravely retrieved from the cliffs for me on her trip to Ireland, rests in an honored spot on my altar and I use it often as my pendulum.

Even as a child I collected small stones from mother earth at plowing time and I remember how truly great it felt to dig deeply in the soil and feel at one with nature. To see the seeds, planted in the spring, grow all during the summer and at harvest... get to enjoy their goodness at the dinner table. This is truly one of life's finest pleasures indeed.

My children now gather stones, some are quite pretty and some are more plain but I'm beginning to notice that I'm getting an abundance of old coffee cans, brimming with odds and ends of stones, building up behind my shed. I don't mind, not at all...in fact as I look at the overflowing cans of stones I begin to smile to myself remembering doing that very same thing many years ago.

The Day Everyone Is Irish

Irish Blessing

May you always have...
Walls for the winds
A roof for the rain
Tea beside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
Those you love near you
And all your heart might desire.


St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and as you've probably noticed it is brewing up to be a big to-do.....green beer, emerald colored rivers, leprechaun footprints are seen on sidewalks and shamrocks by the hundreds appear like magic. What most folks don't realize is that while St. Patrick is credited with driving the snakes out of Ireland, those snakes were probably just a metaphor for early Celtic Paganism. Once St. Patrick arrived, he spread the gospel far and wide, effectively converting an entire race of people to the new religion. The story of St. Patrick is an interesting one, though, and he was credited with a miracle for his work in Ireland.

The real St. Patrick was believed by historians to have been born around 370 c.e., probably in Wales or Scotland. Most likely, his birth name was Maewyn, and he was the son of a Roman Briton named Calpurnius. As a teen, Maewyn was captured during a raid and sold to an Irish landowner as a slave. During his time in Ireland, where he worked as a shepherd, Maewyn began to have religious visions and dreams -- including one in which showed him how to escape captivity. Once back in Britain, Maewyn moved on to France, where he studied in a monastery. Eventually, he returned to Ireland to "care and labor for the salvation of others", and changed his name to Patrick, which means "father of the people."