BRIGANTICA – A Seasonal Prayer

Brigid, Bríg, Bride, Brigantia; Birch, beith, bedw, betula – Bright boles break the dark of winter Buds swell on branches of pubescens and pendula. Deep wells springing with rising waters, Sunlight growing as snowlight falters, Swift streams tumbling over mountain boulders Swelling through valleys to meet wide rivers. So fills the cup that she will…

Taranis: Celtic Thunder by Sheena McGrath

It seems strange, if you look at Irish or Welsh mythology, that there doesn’t seem to be any thunder-god like Thor. However, among the Celtic peoples of continental Europe, we find the god Taranis, whose name means “thunder” and who sometimes wields a thunderbolt.1 Three altars dedicated to him come from France (Thauron, Orgon and Tours),…

ROSMERTA

Rosmerta, from a relief in Gloucester You bring to us The Cup of Plenty For the Harvest The Vat , the Dish The Mixing Bowl The Vessel from the Well Shaft Drawing sweet water from the Earth Bringing for us the Waters of Life Bringing before us the Mirror Pool of Vision So you are…

Lleu Llaw Gyffes …. is that Lugus?

The character Lleu Llaw Gyffes in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi tales, has been associated with the Irish god Lugh and therefore the pan-Celtic god Lugus. Linguistically the name ‘Lleu’ cannot have developed from the Irish ‘Lug(h)’ and can only have developed from Brythonic ‘Lugus’, so if we can indeed associate Lleu with Lugus,…

MAPONOS

Matrona with Child

Gogyfarch Vabon o arall vro
-*-
Call upon Mabon from the Other Realm

(Book of Taliesin : 38)

For Rigantona at Calan Mai

Rigantona, the gates of your world are open As are the blossoms on the boughs Scenting the air with Summer As you ride across the land. Rigantona, you are radiant in the dawn As sunlight on the morning dew. You are radiant at the middle-day As the Sun climbs higher in the sky. Rigantona, the…

Cernunnos and Flidais by Sheena McGrath

Flidais is still less well known than she should be, but Cernunnos, thanks in part to Wiccan theology, is a very famous god. It’s tempting to put them together as a Wiccan-style divine couple, but Flidais is Irish, while Cernunnos is a Gaulish god who is best known from art found in Paris and Rheims,…

‘What Blodeuwedd Never Said To Lleu’ by Megli

My skull which you cradle is a mossy nest of woven wood and feather-tangles. Behind my eyes storms a hive, bee-heat and bee-murmur – Do you feel it when you stroke your man’s thumbs on my eyelids? Bend for the silk of my kiss? Do you hear her, the queen in the cells of my…