Rowan: The Tree Of Life

Search for the Tree Of Life.

Legends tell of the first people coming to Ireland approaching from the west searching for the "Tree of Life" said to be west of the lands. In Tuatha De Dannan times the Rowan is said to have been sacred to the goddess Morrigan and then onto her daughter Brighid during Celtic times. The Tuatha De Dannan are said to have burned Rowan during any threat of conflict to call upon the protection of Morrigan.

There is an ancient story that was passed on from the Chaldeans that tells of the zodiac being of 10 signs. When the Tree of Life grew it split up the signs that are now Virgo and Scorpio and the Libra sign was the tree of life. In ancient times the tree of life was of the T shape cross with 5 apples, as shown on some of Ireland's high crosses and possibly on the many ancient tree cross gravestones in ancient Irish cemeteries. Not that there are 5 signs after Libra before the zodiac restarts at Aries.

Was the Tree of Life really a Rowan Tree, though apple trees, especially crabapple trees are also "trees of protection". When the Rowan blossoms have fallen in mid June the trees appear to be full of forming crab apples so its easy to understand people thinking these are apple trees. They are both in the same botanical family. The Rowan blossom also provides a scent of strong apple blossom.

The mystery of Ceis Corran mountain, Co. Sligo

If the gaelic Ceis Corran is pronounced Kesh Corran is has an odd meaning of of "willow road of Corran", Corran being a legendary Tuatha De Dannan harper, but there is no evidence of a willow road here.

I live below Ceis Corran and local people pronounce the mountain differently to sound like "kaysh koaran" which gives it an entirely different meaning. "Ceis" becomes a blending of two words meaning "a woman carrying life" and "Corran" appears to be the shortening of "Caorann", a spelling that fits more into how the locals pronounce this, and this means "of the Rowan".

Put together we could make a sentence saying "a woman of the rowan carrying life" or, more harshly, "a pregnant woman of the Rowan". On top of Ceis Corran mountain, or should we now say Ceis Caorann, is Morrigan's cairn and this mountain becomes symbolic of the goddess Morrigan about to give birth to Brighid. Her cairn is in alignment to the Samhain and Imbolc sunrises from Lambay volcanic island, Tara, and Ward's Hill (Tlachta). With its Keash Caves opening at one end and two small hills like breasts with additional cairns appearing like nipples on the other end folklore calls this mountain the "womb of Ireland". Was it also home of the "Tree of Life"

On a beautiful sunny Samhain day, just passed, Claire and I climbed Ceis Corran to remind ourselves of the view, peace and warmth of the site. It was as well we did because the standing stone, known as the Pinnacle, had fallen so with the help of the compass resurrected it. Morrigan's cairn is the highest cairn in Co. Sligo, even higher than Maeve's cairn on Knocknarea.

The spirit of the Rowan

Another point of interest I discovered was the changing name of "Caorann" that became "Caorthann", Caorthinn, Caorthy, Carthy and MacCarthy meanin "son of the Rowan".

In Scandinavia it seems the spirit of the Rowan was revered as more abundant at Yule time. At midwinter the Rowan bears no leaves and the hard frost twinkles on it like stars. The Scandinavians also linked the Rowan tree to the goddess and their goddess was of the moon. At Yule they dressed the top of the Rowan trees with full or crescent moons to honour her. This was the ancient origin of the Christmas trees today, a symbol of protection and bringing light and life back to earth.

Some folklore says that Morrigan gave birth to twins, Brighid and Brigantes, while other legends say the two names are of the same spirit. Brighid remained in Bréifne while Brigantes made her home in Yorkshire, England and her name evolved into Britannia, the goddess of Britain today. In both Bréifne and Yorkshire Brighid and Brigantes were both weavers as well as poets and healers. Bréifne and Yorkshire became important regions for weaving industries where Rowan wood was and still is used for the manufacture of spindles and spinning wheels.

It appears that Rowan twigs formed the first sign of the cross, not the vertical-horizontal crucifix cross but the "X marks the spot" cross. This was due to Rowan being the earliest known divining tools for underground water. When the Rowan twigs crossed it indicated the life of crossing waters were below and the marking of sacred places. Earliest below ground burials were of the passed person's skull and Rowan twigs forming an "X" below, these being the earliest origin of the "skull and crossbones" symbol. This seems to be a tradition that started where Jordan is today and arrived with the Tuatha De Dannan in Bréifne. It was believed that the presence of Rowan at death prevented the body's "ghost" from wandering off before passing to the "otherworld".

The healing from the Rowan

Due to the strong acids of the berries that are harmful to digest there's been little use of them for healing. Cooking does release the acid and Rowan jelly is prepared as a condiment for meat but any healing benefits of this are unknown. Tuatha De Dannan folklore tells of the "salmon of knowledge" being a red spotted salmon with red spots caused by eating Rowan berries so "wise men" are said to have become wise by eating these salmon but do salmon eat fallen Rowan berries?

The healing from Rowan comes from the scent of its blossoms. Sitting and meditating beside a Rowan tree flowering in late May and June truly opens the mind and allows wisdom and inspiration to flow like no other essence. This experience truly makes this the "Tree Of Life". Stress and tension melt away to be replaced by inspiration, purpose and a full energy of life. The book of Ballymote, written just a couple of miles away from Ceis Caorran, has references to the scent of rowan opening the "poetical delights of the eye". Is this the "third eye"

Folklore also speaks of meditating and praying at a Rowan tree by water calls on the spirit of Brighid to guide you. Similar is said of picking a few berries at the end of summer, throwing them into a well, pond, stream or river will call Brighid's hand to you for healing, guidance and new wisdom.

The song of the Rowan

From our land we will be making Rowan plants available as part of our series of "trees of protection" that we will encourage you to obtain and plant at sacred places that may be decaying away such as crumbling cairns and disappearing wells. The planting of Rowans at these enhances protection and enhances bird song. Folklore tells of planted Rowan trees taming the chaos creating fire of dragons who would coil up around the Rowan tree and their stillness restored the balance and flow of nature

Though we are unable to digest Rowan berries from the tree they are a valuable food for birds. It is said the food of Rowan berries enhances the song of songbirds like blackbirds, thrushes, robins and finches. Recent science has indicated that the sound vibrations of birdsong in spring enhances the growth of surrounding vegetation. The sweeter and more abundant the birdsong is in Spring the higher the yield of the surrounding flora.

From Samhain until Imbolc Brighid is said to be present as healer, protector and nursing mother of the infant new year. When she leaves at the time of the swans and new birth its as if her spirit of protection, nurturing and health continues through the rowan along with the rose, hawthorn and apple.feeding the birds who's song welcomes the maturing of new life.

I'll have some photos and books to add to this article shortly
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The Torch Stone of Loughcrew

Lighting The Stone

November the 6th, 2006, and I witnessed the most perfect sunrise phenomena that can be seen at any of Ireland's megalithic temples. That was the sunrise lighting of the Torch Stone of Loughcrew.

About Loughcrew

Loughcrew is the current name given for a range of 4 hills in County Meath, near Oldcastle and not far, north west, from Kells. It may seem strange for a bunch of hills to have Lough, meaning lake, as part of their name. This is because its name comes from nearby Lough Creeve and somehow the townlands around Lough Creeve became known as Loughcrew. Creeve is derived from the name given to a sacred tree by the lake where season rites were performed.

The hills on the Loughcrew lands have been named in the past as "Tri Choiscéim na Caillighe" that translates as "three footsteps of the hag", Later they became known as the "Calliagh Steppes" and then the "Witches Hops". Three of the hills then became known as Carn Beg and Carn Mor with Loar in the middle.

I mentioned there are 4 hills. Legend tells of the goddess Cailleach Bhérra creating the cairns on the three hills with herself being buried at the 4th hill, now known as Patrickstown Hill. Carn Beg and Carn Mor are now Carnbane West and Carnbane East while Loar is now known as the Red Hill.

About the Torch Stone

Cairn T on Carnbane East is quite well known for its equinox sunrises lighting up the cairn's backstone of ancient sun images plus Carnbane East is well signposted and is a popular visiting place all year round and popular for summer picnics.

Carnbane West is less known due to the signs being taken down and some complexities that I will not feature in this article. However, its Carnbane West that is hosts to Cairn L This five chambered cairn is the home of a mysterious free standing quartz stone. Beside this stone is a huge stone basin, a huge ballaun stone, with many holes where chalk balls once sat to be involved in some kind of ritual or rite.

At Samhain and Imbolc, at the sunrise of the cross quarter days, that are centre of Equinox and Solstice, casts a shadow that darkens all around while it lights up the top of the quartz standing stone

Male or Female?

Some say that Carnbane East with the Hag's Chair and Cairn like an entry into a womb is a feminine energy hill while Carnbane east with its phallic standing torch stone creating life for the year ahead is of male energy. Interesting thought. My own reasoning is different but the symbolism for the different energies is there.

Being present at its lighting

I arrived at 6:45 am, in good time for the 7:33 am rising. Skies were clear but I could feel a fog rising. A barrier of hazy cloud started to rise from the horizon, which commonly blocks out Loughcrew sunrises. 7:15 the first of the advance red glows of the sun appear but a black cloud forms on the peak of the Red Hill right above Carrigbrack Cairn and the mist was rising furiously to form a fog.

The sun rises at this time from behind Lambay Volcano Island in the Irish Sea, over Tara Hill and Kells to rise above the Carrigbrack to shine on the Cairn L stone, the Pinnacle Stone of Morrigan's Cairn on Keash Corran and the peak of Maeve's Cairn on Knocknarea.

7:30 and it seems the black cloud was set to block the event, but a sudden miracle stepped the cloud aside, the landscape around darkened, and the torch stone lit celestially for about 4 minutes.

Well protected

After its spectacular curtain raiser the sun stepped aside from glowing the stone to passing its light onto the stone basin. Unfortunately, that part I could not witness. Cairn L is secured by a thick steel railing gate with a very heavy lock. Getting into Cairn T is simple, just pop down to Loughcrew House and pick up the key, in exchange for €50 deposit.

For Cairn L, with the Torch Stone, a kind of essay has to be written to the Office Of Public Works in Dublin explaining why you want entry. That takes 2 to 3 months to sort out and then you pick up the key from their office in Trim about 40 km away. Considering there is no way of knowing if and when there with be a clear sunrise at Samhain or Imbolc its an arrangement that's a bit tricky.

I had to take photos and video by poking my lenses through the railings, but am very happy with what I caught, that I would like to share with you now.

If you click on any of the thumbnails below you can visit my selected gallery story of this phenomena. The video will follow as soon as I can.

dark stone before sunrise

sun is rising, stone is glowing

a few minutes of glow

above, sun that lights the stone and, left, is an indent image of the sun and the light moves from the stone

sun risen, and now the fog lifts

A wonderful easy read illustrated guide to Calendars, Sundials, and Stone Chambers of Ancient Ireland by Martin Brennan. The most comprehensive collection of Irish megalithic art ever published You can read more about, and order, The Stones Of Time from these links ... USA Canada UK/Ireland

quartz standing stone is the pillar on the left and cairn entrance is from the right

Michael Quirke: Woodcarver

Samhain with Michael and Eithne Quirke

Michael Quirke is well known in Sligo Town and by people all around
the world, and many come to Sligo just to visit and chat with Michael.
We were honoured to share Samhain with not only Michael but his equally
inspiring and encouraging wife Eithne.

They arrived with Brighid cross walking sticks, one of rowan and one
of hazel, passed along our driveway of candles, and as they parked their
crosses into the soil each side of our cottage door the local church struck
the bells at seven.

It was a wonderful evening of chilli based dinner with mulled wine around
a turf fire and shared stories between Michael, Eithne, Claire Roche, her
friend Patricia and myself.

History

Michael arrived in Co. Sligo from Mallow in Co. Cork as a boy with his
family. He became a butcher in his father's business in 1957 in the same
premises that is now his wood carving workshop.

It was In 1970 that Michael started to carve wooden figures in his butchers
shop while still preparing and selling meat.

It was 1988 when Michael dropped the butcher's side of his business
to become a full time woodcarver. Today, his workshop store still has the
white tiles and certain looks of the original butcher's shop.

For awhile Eithne became a local guide to ancient sites in Co. Sligo
and together they set off on various USA tours sharing their stories. Today,
the Quirkes travel little, but many travel far to meet them and to admire,
and collect, Michael's intricate and meaningful work.

Is Michael's Work Available?

Though Michael is a teller of many stories he has never put them to
paper and print and that's by his choice. I do have a series of audio and
video and may, with his permission and arrangement, make these available.

Meanwhile, when you are in Ireland do schedule some time up in the North
East here, not only to adventure on one of my day tours but to spend some
time with Michael in his Sligo shop and maybe take home a carving

Michael Quirke at work in his workshop store. Wine Street, Sligo. Open 10:30 am - 1:00 pm,  3:00 pm - 5:00 pm , Tues - Sat

This is mine, one of Michael's Brighids with trinities on breast and womb and all kinds of intricate hidden symbolism all round.  Visit Michael to choose your treasure for your sanctuary

An excellent step-by-step guide to drawing a wide variety of Celtic designs for all media. Celtic patterns, knots, spirals, animals, beasts, and Celtic lettering you could use on wood, glass, paper, metal, ceramics and more. There's lots of legend and story background for many of the designs. You can read more about, and order, Draw Your Own Celtic Designs from these links ... USA  Canada  UK/Ireland

Ireland's Ghost Stories

There seams to be all kinds of dates for Halloween or Samhain.

This year .......

Dark Moon (Lunar) Samhain
when the new moon aligns with the sun at 10 degrees Scorpio
October 22nd

Solar Samhain
when the sun is at 10 degrees Scorpio
November 2nd

Full Moon Samhain
the nearest full moon to October 31st
November 5th

Cross Quarter Samhain
the midpoint between autumn equinox and winter solstice
November 7th (quite late this year)

but most people now prefer the

All Hallows Samhain
calculated from the Roman calendar
October 31st - and that is today!

For many, this is an imagery time of ghosts and ghost stories
rather than a celebration of nature and a new Celtic Year
so lets see what's around in Ireland...

Thirty beguiling stories of sprites, wraiths, and specters appear here, as they were told  in rural 19th-century Ireland. Stories include "Tom Connors and the Dead Girl," "Maurice Griffin and the Fairy Doctor," "The Ghost of Sneem," "Tom Moore and the Seal Woman. You can read more about Irish Tales of the Fairies and the Ghost World here, and order worldwide

Haunted Houses, Banshees, Poltergeists and other Supernatural Phenomena. A compilation of stories based on supernatural phenomena recorded from the memories of ordinary Irish folk scattered throughout Ireland. Classified by geographical area, these simple yet compelling narratives provide amazing descriptions. A comprehensive collection. You can read more about True Irish Ghost Stories here, and order worldwide

Unexplained psychic phenomena fascinate people from all walks of life but most are afraid, ashamed and embarrassed to come forward for fear of not being taken seriously.  This book includes experiences of actor Micheal MacLiammoir, playwright and author Hugh Leonard (Jack Keyes Byrne), Lord of the Dance and Michael Flatley who has acknowledged the presence of Isabella in his Castlehyde home. The author, Padraic O'Farrell, tells lesser-known and previously unpublished ghost tales. You can read more about Irish Ghost Stories here, and order worldwide

The ghosts of Ireland are a part of the country's tradition and atmosphere. This guide contains 47 tales of ghosts through the ages, banshees, headless coachman, phantom dogs and fearsome black cats. The book is should be bought for its hauntingly beautiful photographs of world-renowned photographer Simon Marsden as well as for its stories. You can read more about A Ghost Watcher's Guide to Ireland here, and order worldwide

Kindling The Celtic Spirit

What to do on the holidays

From now until Imbolc, the three months of Celtic winter when the ancestors, angels and swans guard, guide and protect us, as the traditions tell, my enquiry emails are more about what traditions can be followed. I receive interesting enquiries about rituals, decor, food recipes, more than enquiries about visiting Ireland. I still do tours through winter, though.

Its Samhain season now, which is not just reflecting on the year past or even dreading the winter to come. In Europe we tend to look to Christmas as our time of "gathering the tribe" the time of getting together with family, inviting the neighbours and having a "sacred" feast. In the USA this is more important at Thanksgiving, a bit closer to Samhain.

Create Your Own Feis

Its occurred to me that really this is the best time to for gatherings, our own little "Feis Of Tara", or own cleaning of the hearth and re-kindling the flame and lighting new candles. It is also the time for Kindling the Celtic Spirit. During my brief spell as a market gardener, years ago, I remember this as being a time when the nursery seed catalogues arrived and we planned for the growing season of the next year and even ordered our seeds now, before the best ones were sold. After the seed order was the time to build things, rockeries, pools, and walls. Its what led to my years as a stone mason.

This is truly a time of conception and plans. By meeting our family, neighbours and friends its a wonderful time to heal wounds of disputes and trade to form treaties to plan a better peace ahead, just like they did in the High King's court at Tara, Our home is our Tara

One thing we do not have any more is the local priest or minister delivering us a flame from a sacred place for our fire. Some places do have bonfires at sacred places where we could take our carved turnip or pumpkin and pick up our blessed fire. So where is your local Tlachtga?

At Christmas we give presents but Samhain was a time of sacrifice, not of the Hammer Horror vision but as gifts from what was abundant from our harvest and our year. Today its a bit of money or something we don't use any more as few of us farm or fish so we cannot tithe a portion of our yields. A bag or two of coal, peat or wood is a good and appropriate gift.

Another loving tradition that seems to have long gone, though we did it when I was a child, was to say prayers of prayer to blend into objects we held, objects that were related to the person of the prayer and then cast the object to the fire. Prayers were also said and writing onto cloth or paper, also put into the fire. For some this might seem demonistic, occultish and even voodoo but prayers need to have sincerity to be powerful and passage to the flame at this time of year seems to enhance that essential healing power of prayer.

This is surely the time of beginnings, kindling new dreams, and commencing projects we've promised to start. Its an ideal time to start new routines that start with plans, writings and construction indoors to prepare for the outdoor creations ahead.

Apple Magic

How about ducking, "dooking", for apples at your "feis"?.. At the heart of the celtic otherworld is an apple tree. Legends say that the reason the first people arrived in Ireland from the west was news of the apple tree of life being here. Ducking for apples is a re-enactment of crossing the sea for that magic apple tree.

Baking them in foil in your hearth coated in brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg is good too and then taken from the hearth with a hazel or rowan stick to eat your apple from. This is said to bless you with the healing flame of Brighid to protect you from the snake.

Oh, before you light your fire fetch three stones from the nearest natural water source to where you live, a stream, brook, bubbling well, each for your mind, body and spirit. Circle them in your hearth to get hot, and that is where you place your apple. As you eat your hot, spicy, sticky apple and as it warms you inside say a quiet prayer for guidance or solution to problems, and somehow, before the apple is fully eaten, a solution will be brought to you. A wonderful way to Kindle The Celtic Spirit.

The Book

Once day I should write a book of all of this lore I collect but while I think of it there is a nice easy read out there by another traveller, Mara Freeman, that is rich in lore and recipes for all of the Celtic celebrations and seasons ..............

This book is an easy read compendium sharing stories, recipes, poetry, symbols, and Gaelic expressions that go with each of the Celtic festivals and celebrations. She sets this out month by month. Very useful is the February chapter covering Brighid, Brigit, and Imbolc. Samhain is very well covered with spooky stories and poems plus how to carve turnip lanterns, using a large rutabaga (swede)  You can read more about Kindling the Celtic Spirit here, and order worldwide arriving in time to prepare for Yule and Imbolc.

Samhain Flame Of Tlachtga

Hill Of Ward

I have often visited Tara Hill, Co. Meath, for Celtic Festival celebrations with an eye watching the fires lighting up at the Hill Of Ward, and meaning to visit there "next time" or at least find out more.

"Hill Of Ward" is a name from the 17th century from a landowner called Ward. Druids prefer to know this hill as "Hill Of Tlachtga" or simply Tlachtga.

The legends of "goddess" Tlachtga are as varied as with Brighid due to her different times of incarnation. The earliest Tlachtga was a druidess type goddess that arrived with the Firbolgs, then as a firbolg druidess somehow close or related to Tailtiu, then vaguely incarnated as a Firbolg goddess at the time of the arrival of the Milesians then with her strongest time of legends at the time of high king, Cormac McAirt in the early 3rd century AD. Her legend is the same in every incarnation.

She was the daughter of a chief druid Mug Ruith who frequently travelled to the east to develop his druid wisdom and Tlachtga travelled with him to develop her druid skills. Mug Ruith, meaning both "slave or devotee of the wheel" was a general term given to a druid but there are also legends of Mug Ruith of Munster causing Cormac McAirt to be blinded in one eye during battle and forcing him to step down as high king.

Death of Tlachtga, birth of three sons

Tlachtga's life always ended by being raped by three men at Imbolc and then dying after giving birth to three babies at Samhain. In the firbolg legends these three children became rulers of what is now known as Munster, Leinster and Connaught while Ulster was the region from where the rapists came from. In the Celtic Cormac McAirt era her rapists were the sons of Jerusalem based druid Simon Magnus on a visit with her father to Jerusalem. Some early Christians revered Simon as being a son of God or even God on earth as a human but all Christians later regarded him as the first heretic. Again, Tlachtga's life ended at Samhain as she gave birth to Doirb, Cumma and Muach .

No matter what the true legend of Tlachtga is, a name meaning "Earth Spear", what is now named on maps as "The Hill Of Ward" has been regarded by druids for 100s of years as the "Temple Of Tlachtga" where the old fires of the Celtic Year are ritually smothered out and a new pure flame is lit for the year ahead.

When the Samhain Flame was first lit

Its origin as the source of the Samhain Fire of Ireland also has its range of legends but I favour Lugh, the Tuatha De Dannan hero of Moytura and high king around 1450 BC as being the originator. As well as being king he was a top sportsperson and druid too. His foundation of Tailtiu as a Lughnasa sports event venue is well known so I can equally imagine him founding locations for Imbolc, Beltaine and Samhain ceremonies as well. The Samhain location must surely have been, and remained, the "Hill Of Tlachtga.

If you visit this hill today you can barely make out the rath rings that once were. These were largely destroyed at the time of Ward in the 16th century. There were four very high raths that led to the site of the "flame". Where the new pure flame of Samhain came from is speculative.

We can look at the name of Tlachtga, earth spear, which was also once a term used for lightning. Ancient people easy source of fire was from trees set on fire by lightning. More profound is considering a ritual that has lasted at least 2000 years, and I suspect 3500 years to the time of Lugh when the volcano of Lambay, in the Irish Sea, north of Dublin, was active.

Origin of the flame

It is said that fire was collected at Lambay, from the volcano lava, and brought by boat up the River Boyne, then along the Yellow River that flows close to the "Hill Of Tlachtga". The flame was then carried up the hill to become the new pure flame at Samhain. The druids present, from the clans and communities around Ireland, would then take the flame back to their people to provide for their fires for the year. One of these druids would be the high druid of the high king who would take the flame back to the king holding court, talks, treaties and celebration at Tara Hill. From Cormac McArt's time this flame would have lit the Banqueting Hall to end the celebration and start the new year.

So it may well be that the character Mug Ruith was the symbol of all high druids and Tlachtga was a symbol of the Samhain flame. Her death at the birth of a trinity of sons at Samhain truly fits into the spirit of Samhain.

As Tlachtga, aka Ward Hill, is spiritually much more important than Tara Hill I will be making a stop there in future for visitors to my day tours and vacation packages that I pick up from Dublin Airport. This is especially important for people on my Goddess, Brighid and Tuatha De Dannan tours.

Alignments to Bréifne

As always, I cannot focus on a Co. Meath sacred site without reflecting on Bréifne, where I focus my tours. Not only do I have friendly rivalry with the tour guides of Meath but also usually unearth remarkable connections to Bréifne. This is perhaps one of the most remarkable.

If you draw a line on a map between Lambay and Hill Of Ward, it cuts right through the south of the Hill Of Tara.

Continue that line across Ireland and it passes through many interesting sites, but I find the most remarkable is the alignment to where I live below the Ceis Corran mountain, probably aligned with Morrigan's cairn above and Keash Caves below. This is also where Cormac McAirt was born as well as the Tuatha De Dannan incarnation of Brighid. On the clearest of days Lambay Island can be seen from Morrigan's cairn, the only place it can be seen in Co. Sligo, west of Ireland.

As I was drawing the line I was expecting it to intersect with Lugh's Seat, a cairn above the site of the second battle of Moytura that is said to have been fought over Samhain. At one end is a line of volcanic pillars known as the "Pillars Of Samhain". "Lugh's Seat" is where Lugh threw his spear at the approaching Balor and knocked out his evil eye. Thinking of Tlachtga, earth spear, it makes me now wonder if Lugh's legendary spear is of the same symbolism carried by Tlachtga and a symbol of the Samhain flame.

Now the date of Samhain is a real boggler.
,,,,, and I'm going to leave that one for another Samhain season blog.

Meanwhile, I must recommend you look out for an out of print book by John Gilroy called Tlachtga: Celtic Fire Festival.

To visit Tlachtga do consider one of my day tours or packages that can include a visit to Tara and Tiachtga when I either collect you or return you to Dublin.