Celtic Ways Tales

I was writing an explanation blog, but I am not finding the time to complete it.  So here's an announcement with pics instead. I hope you can assist us ... There are a pair of hawthorn trees in distress at Hill Of Tara due to being covered in rubbish by visitors and locals alike. We are meeting for an Event to clear the trees to try and save them,  as well as have a social craic with performances and picnic. Meet Up Time is 3:00 pm, tomorrow, Sunday, at the twin Hawthorn Trees,  seen from the popular Stone Of Destiny on Cormac's Court . please click here for the event page and say you are coming along . Here's a bit more about the problem ... Visitors have been misguided about the traditions of these hawthorn trees,  the Fairy Trees. They have been told that tying personal items to the trees  will grant them wishes or healing. This is based on an old custom of tying  prayer rags to trees at Holy W ells. The origina...

Bards In The Woods at Dooney Rock On Sunday, 20th July, 2014, at 3 pm South East of Sligo Town, south side of Lough Gill click here for our Google Map for this Last time we were there it was early Spring, before the leaves were out. I write a lot about Forest Bathing and this year I'm focused on what forests existing fit that role. I was not expecting to find the seemingly 'perfect' forest bathing forest at Dooney Rock Woods. The trail here is a figure of 8 walk that climaxes with a climb up to the top of the Dooney Rock. Before you feint, I have quite awful arthritis these days and I found this whole walk was very easy, very relaxing. There are lots of wonderful viewpoint and mindfulness seats all around this walk. Views from the top of Dooney Rock are stunning. Apparently, this is where W.B. Yeats often came with his family when he was a child. His 'Fiddler Of Dooney' is perhaps one of his most famous poems.  During our last vi...

The sign for here that once was and now this is the sign ... This is how the well is today ... and how it once was, not a very long time ago ... This was one of my favourite Holy Wells in Ireland as it included many features that a traditional to wells but rarely found in one place. Sadly, this well, due to its recent changes, no longer makes this possible. The change-around of Lassiar's (Lasir's) Well appears to be part of a local initiative to upgrade Keadue Village and nearby 'attractions' to help it win the national Tidy Towns award again. Regarding this well, I think they have gone too far. I will go through the components and where they are now. Most important, perhaps, is the Ballaun Stone, which used to be positioned like this ... The well water used to overflow out of the well, around the bottom of the bowl, and out under a bridge, that you see part of top left of this pic. That bridge is cut in a way that is distinctly sto...