Hello:) I have a few questions and a couple of small statements:) Please indulge me:) My name is Amy:) You will find me in your chat room under the name Fiach.


"Divination by the voices of birds was very generally practiced, especially from the croaking of the raven and the chirping of the wren: and the very syllables they utter, and their interpretation, are given in the old books"

To which books specifically do you refer?


" There were druids in every part of Ireland, but, as we might expect, Tara, the residence of the over-kings of Ireland, was, as we are told in the Life of St. Patrick, "the chief seat of the idolatry and druidism of Erin."


What about Mide, the coiced? (please excuse the lack of accent marks, my Irish language fonts are failing right now.) What about the Aill na Mireann? What about the horse Temple in Uisnech, the abode of Eochaid Ollathair?

And what about the Dindshenchas manuscript? In it,Mide, foster son of Eriu, was the first to light a fire in Erin. This fire was the center of all worship in Ireland, and it was the source fire for all hearths. The one which all the hill fires wee lit from, you know? The druids attempted to extinguish it, unsuccessful, having their tongues cut out:) However, after that the druids revered it with equal fervor as everyone else. They were protesting the pig tithe. (Iron Age)

Uisnech? I mean all the ancient sites revolve around Uisnech in two rings, the hill ring and the coast ring.:) But you knew that:)

"but I cannot find that the Irish druids had any special veneration for the oak : although, like other trees, it occasionally figures in curious pagan rites"

As you duly noted, the rowan (quicken) and the Yew tree are the two major sacred trees. Rowan is a healing tree and associated with rebirth, the Yew is the tree of the otherworld, and associated both with death and reincarnation:) The dog and the horse (the sun) were both very sacred animals. Often the sacrifice of such was intended to empower your army, i,e. to overcome your enemy :). The boar was another such animal.

As for druids in Ireland never meeting. Well, their is evidence the women did, and do:). The men were often at the mercy or at the patronage of chieftains. However, the women were regarded as the keepers of the land, and of course, the hearth-or fire:):) (you get into the worship of Anu, Brid, etc. sub groups.) You know about all this, so no need to go on:). Druidesses did keep council in three locations, Kildare of course:) , out near Ballyvaghan on the West coast south of Galway, and at another location near Sligo and the Shannon Pot.


On invisibility:
My grandma says the celtar was constructed of bird feathers. Ancient camouflage:) However, my uncle says it was "blue mud" a kind of clay that was imported from England, that for a battle would make one blend in with the sky:) I sort of like the thought of the second one. Makes more sense. It also reminds me of Woad.

Anyhow, I look forward to your response:)

Many Blessings,
Amy

LOL! Look at the date of the original book (from which the material is taken).
Joyce is long dead, and would be an original source (i.e. his ideas came from walking and talking to 'folk', rather than reading and referencing the works of his contemporaries :).
He's a bit discredited by later research which had the advantage of better science and archaeology. He's also - as befits his times and station - a trifle opinionated and bombastic (a bit like me).
The books that Joyce refers to would be the 'original' well-known manuscripts that survived the ravages of time.

i wish to say that druids and St.Patrick did not live happly together. he ran the druids out of Ireland; not the snakes the as the story says.

The passage of a book which I read made understand that the Queen was the personification of the sovereignity,and a man became King marring her.How did the things really stand? Who chose a woman to become a Queen?

are there or aren't there snakes in Ireland?

Outside of the Zoo's? - Only two-legged ones

did the druids wear any particular uniform?

when it comes to the question about snakes in Ireland,yes there are. the "snakes" in the stories are really druids and other pagans. at the time snakes and pagans were considered syminims. you see Saten's symble is a snake. so if you were a druid to the church you worshipped Saten.

As far as I know the actual creature we call a snake is not native to Ireland...As far as the story about St.Patrick and his having rid the Island of 'snakes', it is the symbolical snake that is being referred to. The snake is a common symbol in mythology, and like so many other mytholological symbols or characters, it's origin is quite varied. Some say it is the symbol of the devil, others say it is the symbol of wisdom.For every culture there is a slightly different take on the matter. Seems to me that when Cristianity emerged and enveloped the ancient world, it was common for the old ways to be 'demonized', in order to make way for the new...Seems far easier for some to challenge,or 'overcome' something by insighting fear and hatred. Whatever the origin of the story, and however one feels about Christianity and the Druids, I think it is best to keep an open heart for all faiths and views of, and in this world....better to make peace with ones adversaries, rather than to become the conquerer or the conquered. Christianity itself absorbed many of the beliefs of the pagans...Rome itself was once a centre for Pagan beliefs. Many of the first monks of the Celtic Christian Church were originally Druids that converted. I think that the true strength of religion and spirituality,..(whatever the faith may be)is the way in which it touches our lives ..reaches into our hearts and souls, and speaks to us.

did the druids wear any particular uniform yes or not,please?

i think they wore hoodded capes, but i'm not sure. i'll see if a guy-friend of mine knows. the soonnest i can tell you will be Thur.

do you know if there's a site where there are pictures of ancient irish clothing,houses etc?

This site has some descriptions and links to other sites.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4715/costume/costumeindex.html

what about homosexuality in ancient Ireland?

There are several mentions in Irish mythology of men sharing their bed with other men. I don't know of any incidents involving women, but there may be some. One reason a woman could legally divorce her husband was if he abandoned her for another man. It seems to have been accepted and was not condemned.

can you give me any example?

I'll have to search through the stories to give you specific references. As for the reason for divorce, a woman who was deprived of sexual intercourse because her husband "prefers the company of servant-boys" could divorce her husband because "it is not necessary for him."

I'll get back with other examples as soon as I can.

Myself failing to become christian; despite my parents determined efforts; I can only feel loss at the defeat of the driuds. None the less, I do admire what the Christians tried to do. Tis a shame that they failed!

Mayhem the Druids were doctors. what Christians tried to do was kill the wise people. i myself am a Druid. many of my people would take your post as a thearet to their lives. i wouldn't suggest saying it to a person face to face, for they might be a Druid.

Ah, little one....Mayhem can, though I am wondering what she? he? (guessing she) admires about "what the Christians tried to do"...what in particular are you saying you admire?, say what she (?) likes to whomever she likes. To say one "admires" what someone does is not a "threat to someone's life"' it is a comment. Now if one said, "I admire what the Christians did and plan on irradicating any "heathens" and beliefs and that do not mesh with mine", then THAT is a threat.

Either way...there's this lovely thing called "Freedom of Speech" that keeps thoughts and ideas freely flowing, regardless of whether or not one agrees with them.

i'm sorry if i took Mayhem's comment the wrong way. to me it sounded like she/he was talking about the Burning Times.

Dear Gypsywench! NO!!! All Gods fail me if that's what i meant!!! What I admire is the effort to united all men to some sort of fellowship and brotherhood. The vehicle is good but the navigator stank!! And I did say I felt the LOSS of the druids. I call myself Zen-Druid. I hope I have relieved you various minds. Also, LostSoul-- again you come to my rescue. It feels wonderful to have a champion! It's usually me what does the guide thing!

Oh, yes I will mention for any who care to know-- the original bestowal of my nickname was Mama*mayhem. All better now?

i am soooooooo sorry, please forgive me.

Gypsy Dearest, Nothing to forgive.Believe me sweet lady if any one understands survival paranoia it's me. and probably skads of others too. Youngest only girl Irish/Scot and Pop was an historian.And now Mom has recently Converted Jewish! Have I got a clue?

So Sweet Gypsy girl I accept *KOTC!*