LUGHNASADH
Beannachtai Lughnasadh - Teach Tailteann, Teltown - 7 August 2011
Festival of Thanks for the first of the Harvest
Hope you are enjoying this mixed summer weather. Bartle and Renee Clarke have kindly agreed to us holding this celebration in the grounds of their home at Teltown, the traditional site of the Oenach Tailten, the Teltown Games. This is a country house bed and breakfast and working farm, http://www.teltownhouse.webs.com/ , situated on the River Blackwater between Kells and Navan.
Teltown
Teltown is named after the goddess and Fir Bolg queen Tailte, who is said to have cleared the forests and introduced agriculture to Ireland. After this great work she died and her foster son Lugh established the games at the August harvest time in her honour and according to the old tract, Senchas na Relec in Lebor na Huidhre, it was one of the chief burial places in Ireland. Teltown place where the Tuath De lost the battle and were forced under ground, (Macha and Bron Trogain are other important figures connected with this festival) -The Oenach Tailten festival and fair predates the Greek Olympics and the last great oenach was in 1170 with 13000 horsemen camping as far as Lloyd tower beyond Kells. The river Blackwater, abhainn saile, was central to Teltown and huge importance was put in the swimming of horses and cattle in its magically charged waters at Lughnasadh. Tailtean marriages took place here also where the couples were married through hand fasting near the Knockauns and absolved from their marriage a year and a day later by turning their backs on each other at the same site (if they so chose). Loch Lugh was a sacrificial lake and known as the short cut to hell with Laoighres spirit imprisoned in it by St. Patrick. Tailtiu's husband Eochu is a horse god/king and makes Tailtiu an indisputable Great Mare Mother .
Astronomically there is a Lughnasadh alignment with Uisneach and archaeologically there were 50 rocks of adoration mentioned at Teltown. Donaghpatrick church with its sun dial and fortified tower is part of the greater Teltown ritual landscape which includes;an ancient bridge, ford, marriage hollow, holy wells, neolithic rock art, processional mounds, ring forts, standing stones...
Crom Dubh
The outgoing deity at this festival is Crom Dubh, the dark bent one, bull keeper, bringer of grain. According to legend he is defeated by the new order represented by St. Patrick or Lugh who seem to be interchangeable in the stories. Locally there is a Cromwells road which is most likely Crom Dubhs road. As a bull keeper it is interesting to note that Taurus reappears in the August sky.
Coming together for Summer fun, our theme is thanks and blessings for both harvest and the water nurturing our crops and ourselves.
Please bring:
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a sense of humour
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ideas of what you are thankful for
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a wish
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'sensible' shoes as we will be walking through a field to the river
Our ceremony will include:
storytelling,
returning a corn cailleach to earth to inspire next year's growth,
blessing the river Blackwater with flower petals,
expressing our thanks individually,
and nurturing our wishes with water, which is so potent at this time.
We pray that our Lughnasadh is full of blessings and joy
We pray that every single request made for our Highest Good is granted
We pray that old habits and faults fall away
and that we are smothered in love and light.
We pray that our health blossoms and our spirit is full
We pray that our family and friends are blessed with hope
and happiness.
We pray that our harvest is bountiful
and our troubles are few.
Thanks to Eileen for these words shared as we buried the Corn Cailleach.
We give thanks for
a glance across a crowded room that touches your heart
a gentle touch that uses no words but speaks volumes
the trust in your babies eyes when they look at you
the peace in our hearts and minds
friendships that brighten the darkest corners of your life
the extra special friend who always manages to ring when you most need
the friends here this evening giving of themselves
the hugs that keep you standing when you think you no longer can
the abundance of each persons individuality
that makes these celebrations extra special
the smile from a complete stranger that brightens your day
the earth that provides for us
the water that nourishes every living thing
the sun that gently warms you through
the gentle breeze that caresses your face
we give thanks for all these blessings and more
that we have received over the past year
and ask for abundance and balance,
for those and any other gifts that we receive for the coming year.
Again, many thanks to Eileen for these words as we gave thanks and blessed the water.
Thanks to Bernadette for the following photos:
Donkey knew it was time to bury the corn cailleach and got to work
We finished with tea, bread, cheese and snacks in the garden at Teach Tailteann.
Those that could not join us on this very special night, lit candles and thanked water for its many gifts to us all.
They included people in Australia, United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland and across Ireland.
Dia daoibh and Lughnasadh Blessings to all
Tuesday 10 August 2010
We returned to Port Beach near Clougherhead for a second Lughnasadh
Last year it was at full moon and this year coincided with the dark new moon
After planning at the kitchen table with Tom and Anne,
fuelled by a Chinese Take Away and much head scratching, using a large board and measuring sticks,
then practice runs at constructing a "simple" Triskle... naively or foolishly we expected to have one ten times the size of the ones below!
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We hoped to construct a triskle pattern of three interlocking spirals to represent universal as well as Irish truisms such as maiden, mother & crone. left, right & middle way, Father, Son & Holy Spirit, Body, mind & soul, Father, mother & child etc etc.
Martin refined the design, and came prepared to choreograph willing helpers in the triskele design
We opened the gathering by acknowledging the elements of earth (3 herbs, plant and 3 eggs), air (3 swan's feathers), water (holy well water from Tara)
and fire (the unlit candle representing the increasing darkness of the coming season)
We welcomed the three supporting energies of land, sea and sky and lit a beautiful sage smudge gifted by an American friend
Everybody chose a colourful glowstick representing their own light and picked an Irish wisdom Triad to share with the group
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Amazing what a man, a bucket and piece of string will inspire people to do! It takes a mehel to come together and plough, sow and reap, and so it was with our Lughnasadh celebration involving participation from all the group |
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After the silent sacred walking of the finished pattern,
food, and a wonderful strawberry crumble made by Marian, then relaxation and summer beach fun!
A couple of us saw the Perseid shooting stars and others created rainbow bubbles
We played on as the tide encroached up the strand
Until finally the triskele pattern was washed away into the sea
leaving us with wonderful memories and a big pink glow stick
Strong and full of wisdom,
A shining God of Light,
Lugh, please bless our harvest
As we greet the longer night;
Summer's sun and summer's heat,
shall sadly leave us now,
and with an age-long farewell cheer,
We move into the darkest phase
Of the cycle of the year.
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Port Beach - 7 August 2009 - Pattern, pilgrimage and pleasure
The themes of pattern days, pilgrimage and holiday are as relevant today as they have always been.
This Lughnasadh, Tara Celebrations are going to the beach, a liminal space! Come join us to build a labyrinth and thus combine; pattern, pilgrimage and pleasure. We will all be inscribing a labyrinth into the sand and walking it to its centre and back again for as much a sense of fun as for contemplation and insight. We will follow this with a barb-b-q to represent the Lughnasadh fires, and we will be building sand castles to represent how easy it is to signify security and comfort which are Lughnasadh traits. Its also fun!
If you cant join us in person then light a candle and blow up a balloon! Beannachtaí Lughnasadh
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the onshore breeze blows through the barley complementing the sound of the surf on the beach photographed on location
The Lughnasadh Labyrinth, a temporary temple
Sacred centre
Neon glow stick casts magical light in the labyrinth combining the ancient and modern
Another heart coloured glow stick in the sacred centre
Tom weaving the light fantastic
The evening and the tide drawing in
First glimpse of the rising full moon dressed in Pink....a magical moment
Full moon shining as bright as day
Full moon in an azure blue black sky
Moon observes the washing away of our LUNAsa labyrinth
When you 'do' ceremony unexpected themes emerge and draw your attention. It is often only in hindsight that we notice the coincidences and synchronicities. We may be 'clutching at straws' and they may or may not be significant to our lives but, they satisfy the human need for pattern making and help to confirm that we are 'on the right path'. These arose in our minds at the time and on the following day – if you tune in and discover others we would love to hear about them....
Number 7 - 7 people were present - 7th ceremony of the year since New Year at Samhain (the glow sticks used had been bought at Samhain) – 7 path labyrinth hence walking the 7 chakras - date: 7 August - 7 lights/boats on the sea
Pink - The moon rose with a pink colour - Sinead, recently returned from South America, was telling us about seeing pink dolphins - pink glowstick next to the feathers: one from crow on Tara (see blue / black) - candle in pink salt rock had been lit at Tara before going to Port - Tara is said to be the heart chakra of Ireland whose colour is green tinged with pink - Archangel Chamael Aura Soma bottle is pink and relates to the 7th ray of angels and also to Tara
Blue/Black - Blue scabious flowers marked where we parked - Everyone was wearing mainly blue/black apart from one red jacket - A blue/black crows feather picked up at Tara represented air for the directions - Going home in the dark people in different vehicles were particularly commenting on the blue bridge over the Boyne at Drogheda
Bridges as portals (liminal places) - Port Beach and Clogherhead are at the eastern geological site of the Iapetus suture in Ireland. This is a bridging place in the earth. The northern lands (originally lying where Canada and US are today) and the southern lands (which lay where Antartica is today) merge here and are stuck together - we were at Port Beach, a port is a place of transition - Bridge at Drogheda transition over the River Boyne (see above) - the labyrinth was mostly on the shelly sand but the eastern edge went into the wave cut ridges of finer grained beach, hence lying across two different areas of the shoreline
North South - See Iapetus info above, we were at the meeting place of north and south - We orientated the labyrinth so that the entrance was in the south and we walked in towards the north.
East West - See Iapetus info above, it runs across the country NE to SW - Connemara marble from the west was used for the directions - skull found during ceremony looks very similar to a dolphins (to be confirmed) – 2 weeks ago some of the group had been to the west to reconnect with the dolphins there
Heron, Lugh, Tara, Labyrinth - As we climbed over the rocks to the beach to the north a heron flew from the land and over the strand. The heron (aka crane in Ireland) is a sacred bird and it used to be taboo to eat it's flesh. The skin would be made into a crane bag by Druids and shaman. In this they carried their spirit objects and treasures. One legend is that Mannanan (we were looking towards his land - the Isle of Man) had a favourite crane and when it died he made the skin into a bag. This bag was passed through the generations, including Lugh Long Arm. It passed to Conaire - 'Comely Conaire slept on the side of Tara of the plains : when the cunning well-made man awoke, the Crane-bag was found about his neck.' The crane dance is known in China, Siberia and Greece and also by the Druids. It is a circling dance imitating the crane's movements, and is in a labyrinth pattern, representing the journey of the soul. The connection from Port Beach labyrinth is thus made to An Tobar where the Monday meditations are held. For at An Tobar cranes nest above the lake and there is a labyrinth. (Go to the bottom of the meditation page for the Crane Stance & dance we did the following Monday)
And the walking sticks bought ages ago, which someone had insisted on buying, had never been used until that night. They were perfect for the job of outlining the labyrinth!!
Tom and Anne caught this picture on the way home of the Boyne Suspension Bridge. It was late, very late as we were having such a relaxed time in the most clement of weather there was no hurry on us to go home. Not a car on the road.
Some seasonal fruits:
LadyWell Pattern day Slane August 15th 2009
The womblike approach to the LadyWell with the Boyne river to the right
Pilgrims saying the Rosary at the LadyWell watched over by the Virgin
The very ancient and venerable LadyWell
Beth and Nigel went to visit the 'The Rudston Monolith' in East Yorkshire wolds,during Lughnasadh. The church was built around it,'rood 'or 'cross and stan' meaning' 'stone', it stands 25 feet 4 inches high, 6ft 1inch wide on the east side,5ft 9inches wide on the west side,2ft 9inches thick on the North side,2ft 3inches thick on the south side.It's made of Grit stone,originally it could have been taller,because it appears that there is a piece missing from the top, it has been capped, so it would have been taller.
There now appears to be a new theory about the monolith, if you look closely you can just make out Dinosaur footprints on one side,perhaps millions of years ago this monolith was just a bank of mud in a river bed,when some animal left its footprint,perhaps this is why this particular piece of stone was chosen to be made into the monolith!!!
The area also has many signs of prehistoric life: there are square and round barrows which show evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age burials.
The main street of the village is an ancient track, probably first used in Neolithic times.To the North of the village are 'Argam Dikes,' prehistoric earth banks. There are also strange 'Curcus' believed to be late Neolithic earth banks, which may have been track ways or procession paths.
So Rudston must have been of great importance as a religious or perhaps a trading site in prehistoric times.
Below: Beths lughnasadh holiday snap of Rudstone monolith side on
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The Arrival of Lugh on Tara
Gate Keeper on Tara:
“Who are you?...for none without an art may enter Tara.”
Lugh:
Lugh was part Tuath de Danann, part Fomorian, the ildánach, master of all arts.
Orator, Harper, Healer, Historian, Poet, Cup bearer, Carpenter, Champion, Smith, Magician.
The coming of Lugh is a well known Irish story in which Lugh “Samildáanach”(Master of all the arts) presents himself at the gates of Tara, capital of Ireland, and demonstrates his ability to lead. So skilled was he that the High King gave Lugh his throne for a magical 13 days.
What is generally over looked is the fact that Lugh came to bring war, death and destruction.
The Tuath de Danaan were being suppressed by the evil Fomorians who were applying harsh taxes on the Tuath de. At their moment of greatest need Lugh names his credentials and enters Tara to lead the Tuath in a crushing defeat of the Fomorians. This fulfilled the ancient prophecy that Balor's own grandson (Lugh) would defeat the Fomorians and Balor himself at the second battle of Mag Tuireadh. But this is not without severe cost to Lugh who sent his father to Ulster to get reinforcements. Unfortunately Lugh looses his father to the sons of Tuireann.
One can see how this story reflects the wisdom of building inner resources and cunning to tackle “that which no longer serves us”. It is the struggle for freedom and justice. It is about facing our inner Fomorian demons with our mastery of life. And about asking for help even though we may be multi-skilled.
One can also see the paralell between this archetypal story and modern day Ireland (after doing so well from European funds) facing the European backlash to Lisbon. Who will be our talented leader to guide the nation at this time of pressure?
In the wider world there is much conflict that has not been resolved. Here on Tara we have several large scale battles and massacres which have been perpetrated to people, the landscape and to our cultural psyche.
That is why we will be symbolically enacting all the battles that ever took place on the inner and outer realms with our weapons. Every battle that has ever occurred on the planet has had some tangible or intangible level effect on us. The mythological battles, the massacre of the women of Tara, the 1798 croppy boy rebellion, the modern day battles over the motorway, nationalism, unionism, sectarianism, religion, the inner battles over fear, separation, illusion and delusion, ignorance, hate, etc.
We will then transform the weapons of mass destruction in our Healing Cauldron of fire converting swords into plough shares. We will bring death and destruction to battle itself and connect with all the peace making that has ever occurred on the planet, as we are very much part of that too.
Then we become as Lugh, a true Samildánach.
This Lughnasadh what fruits are you harvesting to bring into the winter when all there will be to survive are the fruits of your labour? Will you be nourished by your war or your peace?
Only the victorious can melt down their weapons
Peace be with you
Síochán leat
Our Lughnasadh Cauldron in which we melted down the waring swords and weapons to produce a symbol of peace in the plough share
Lughnasadh Rose, symbol of accepting the inner beauty even though there may be thorns
We gifted the well some of the flowers used during the ritual meditation
The challenges .....
... hoola hoop Olympics
contemplation sharing an essence of rose water and rose quartz
- the first of the three harvests - grain -
In Derbyshire, England, Liz Kirkham visited a Japanese Garden, Nr. Newark, in Nottinghamshire
and wrote 'A little verse'...
Grass seeds are now ripening
there's fields of golden grain
And birds are singing gaily
for it's harvest time again.
Page last updated: 13th Sep 2011
