St. Patrick is no friend of mine. There were never any snakes in Ireland, but the Irish pagans, like pagans almost everywhere, worshipped the snake as a symbol of both spiritual renewal and chthonic wisdom. The story that St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland actually tells of his attempts to drive the pagan religion from Ireland.
And yet, I love Celtic culture and celebrate the bit of it that I inherited (although my mother’s family was mostly Swedish and my father’s family were Cockneys who were originally Picts). The Celts, who, in the end, were pushed to the very edge of Europe, the boggy, rocky, windy bits that no one else wanted. Europe’s beautiful losers, they’ve been called. But you know they all had the souls of poets and the Celts honored poets more than any other culture I know. So, for me, April 17th is Celtic Heritage Day. And, I’m happy to drink to that!
National Geographic has a nice article on the Celts this month. Go watch the lovely slide show and listen to the lovely music. Happy Celtic Heritage Day!
2 comments:
Hecate, for decades March 17th is Irish Patriot's Day in my household.
I usually start with the reading of Wolf Tone's speech, or the 1916 Proclamation. then after the tears of passion dry, I start making some soda bread, playing various songs and recalling all I can of my mother's people, from Kerry and Cork, and my mother's grandfathers' mother's names.
There's snakes now in Pheonix Park.
The sacred Fire has been rekindled at Kildare.
All Ireland is becoming blessed with more freedoms, slowly, slowly, perhaps not in my lifetime, but certainly in your grandson's, Sean Patrick's and my sweet newest little Goddessdaughter, Isabella's lifetime, I believe that all of Ireland will be united. In peace. With Liberty.
and Poetry.
Erin go Brede!
Yes well uhm he does bite and the hair is not so long anymore... This photo of him was taken at Starwood Festival many moons ago... He is amazed at how many places this not so innocent little pic of him has turned up however (the parts you dont see are even sweeter)... It was taken by the artist who made the torc and we in his nest have seen it all over the net...
Blessed Be
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