Irish Celtic Paganism FAQ

[CuAnnan]

Welcome to my Irish Celtic Paganism FAQ.
Ok. Post away to your hearts contents. I'll do my best to answer any questions. I have loads more that I want to add but there's no point increasing the quantity of info until I know that there's interest and understanding.  

[CuAnnan]

Preamble
Hey all, I figured it was about time I did this somewhere and I asked Nuri if she minded and she didn't so here goes. I'm (at the moment) 23 years old, Irish (by which I mean I was born in Ireland, raised in Ireland and live in Ireland), Pagan (Aes Denai).

I have a first degree in Wicca, with a lineaged coven, but that's largely irrelevant on this thread.

Like I said, I grew up in Ireland. This gives me a phenomenal advantage when it comes to all things Celtic. Ireland, until the early 20th Century, was under the rule of the United Kingdom and our culture was massively suppressed. As a direct result of this, our culture was forced down our throaths as children. Most some kids hated learning it, I was one of those freaky kids who loved learning it. From the first time I heard the name Setanta, I was enamoured.
I have been following my path now for the best part of five years but I have always been pagan, except when I was a fluffy but we don't talk about those dark days *shudder*  

[CuAnnan]

The Druids
The word druid comes from the word Draoi (dree), meaning Oak. Draoi can mean Oak, Druid or Magic (which is generally, but not always, Draoicht (dree ucht). The druids were the Lawyers, Judges and Beaureaucrats of the Celts. Yes, they used magic, but we know nothing about their rituals.

Their primary function, though, was a lawkeeper function. They kept gaurd over, interpreted, tried and judged people according to the Brehon law. The Brehon is the oldest, most complete and extensive medieval law system in Europe.

The Druids were very, and utterly, wiped out by the Christians of Rome because they were engaged in Heresy. They had been heavily influenced by the Coptic and Gnostic sects. The druids were represented by, and wore tatooed around their arms, the snake. Hence Patricus Succatus (St Patrick) banishing the snakes from Ireland.

Modern "druids".
I don't and will never respect anyone's claim to druidship. ADF (ar N-draoicht fein) do not represent any form of classical druid. Isaac Bonewit essentially made up a religion and tacked the word druid on to it. He admits as much himself. I respect what he's done but I won't ever respect his use of the word druid to describe what they believe or do.  

[CuAnnan]

The Gods
The Gods in Irish Lore are a mixmatch of the Tuatha de Dannan (the "people" the Celts (milesians) displaced and banished to the Otherworld in the 1500s BC) and the Celtic Gods.
Anu is prime over all. She is the Great Mother, the Creator, the All-Knowing and All-Seeing. From Anu we get the names Tuatha de Dannan (the people of Anu) and Aos Dana (lit "Chosen of Anu", taken to mean gifted ones). Anu is often confused for Danu, they are not the same. Danu is Anu's daughter, or grand-daughter depending on who you listen to.
There was no one religion to the Celts. Each took their God according to what they did with their life. Blacksmiths might take Brigid or Goibniu for example. Small list of Gods and Goddesses

Magic

The Geas (gass/gyass) is very difficult to explain to non-Irish Pagans. The Geas is like a task you are born to. It is placed upon you by the Gods when you are brought into the mortal coil.

A person cal place a Geas on someone else to do, or not to do, something. It is similar to a fate or a small destiny and yet not (because I could place one on you or vice versa).

Ogham (oh um/ oh m) is the writing system of the Celts. It's actually a cypher of the Roman Alphabet, hence the lack of K, and was a secret written language known only to the Druids. It's most common function was to mark land-boundaries or to record important births, marriages and deaths.

However, it was also used as a method of binding a spell to a stone. One might find a Druid and ask to buy such a stone with a charm for good luck or good health bound to it.

Ogham is read from root to top, left to right. Each symbol, as well as representing a root sound, represented a tree and a line from the Song of Amergin.

Witches and Shamans were respected in Celtic Society. The midwives, doctors and vets. Many of these paths have been kept alive in Ireland. I have had the good fortune of learning a few tricks from a traditional Irish Witch in Sligo, but not being a member of her family she would teach me very little. They worked with the spirits, the fair folk and the shamans.  

[vincent_1126]

is there a creation story in the irish celtic beliefs?  

[CuAnnan]

vincent_1126

is there a creation story in the irish celtic beliefs?

Funnily enough, no there isn't. Amergin's ballad, which describes the Milesians landing on Eire, is the nearest thing to it.  

[Charity.Solei]

reagun ban

vincent_1126

is there a creation story in the irish celtic beliefs?

Funnily enough, no there isn't. Amergin's ballad, which describes the Milesians landing on Eire, is the nearest thing to it.

So what did most of them believe for creation?  

[CuAnnan]

Charity.l.bedell

So what did most of them believe for creation?

I've seen no reference to any creation myth other than the Creation Myth of Anu and the Dark One which I'm in the proccess of digging up  

[Charity.Solei]

reagun ban

Charity.l.bedell

So what did most of them believe for creation?

I've seen no reference to any creation myth other than the Creation Myth of Anu and the Dark One which I'm in the proccess of digging up

Interesting.  

[vincent_1126]

Charity.l.bedell

reagun ban

Charity.l.bedell

So what did most of them believe for creation?

I've seen no reference to any creation myth other than the Creation Myth of Anu and the Dark One which I'm in the proccess of digging up

Interesting.

that is  

[CuAnnan]

vincent_1126

Charity.l.bedell

reagun ban

Charity.l.bedell

So what did most of them believe for creation?

I've seen no reference to any creation myth other than the Creation Myth of Anu and the Dark One which I'm in the proccess of digging up

Interesting.

that is

It was in the Lewwelyn Alamanack one year, when I was working for the crystal and beads shop in dublin. It was nice and pretty, but I'm not sure how much stock I put in it.  

[vincent_1126]

reagun ban

vincent_1126

Charity.l.bedell

reagun ban

Charity.l.bedell

So what did most of them believe for creation?

I've seen no reference to any creation myth other than the Creation Myth of Anu and the Dark One which I'm in the proccess of digging up

Interesting.

that is

It was in the Lewwelyn Alamanack one year, when I was working for the crystal and beads shop in dublin. It was nice and pretty, but I'm not sure how much stock I put in it.

off topic, what is it like living there? on topic,
are there like any scriptures or stuff like that or is the religion kind of up to personal interpretation(sp?)  

[CuAnnan]

vincent_1126

off topic, what is it like living there?

I love Ireland. There's a vibe in the air that I haven't felt abroad, barring at places like Ullaroo(sp?) and the occassional japanese temple. But the vibe is everywhere in Ireland.
The government are capitalist scum bags, though.

vincent_1126

on topic, are there like any scriptures or stuff like that or is the religion kind of up to personal interpretation(sp?)

There are the three cycles which we use to give us our mythological core. From that we extrapolate an awful lot. I personally use only my God and Goddess for moral guidance and justification.  

[vincent_1126]

reagun ban

vincent_1126

off topic, what is it like living there?

I love Ireland. There's a vibe in the air that I haven't felt abroad, barring at places like Ullaroo(sp?) and the occassional japanese temple. But the vibe is everywhere in Ireland.
The government are capitalist scum bags, though.

i've always wanted to go there, mainly because i like the rain and i heard it was humid and rained a lot, among other reasons. (potatoes)

reagun ban

vincent_1126

on topic, are there like any scriptures or stuff like that or is the religion kind of up to personal interpretation(sp?)

There are the three cycles which we use to give us our mythological core. From that we extrapolate an awful lot. I personally use only my God and Goddess for moral guidance and justification.

cool, that sounds pretty interesting, i'd like to know more about your religion.  

[CuAnnan]

vincent_1126

i've always wanted to go there, mainly because i like the rain and i heard it was humid and rained a lot, among other reasons. (potatoes)

True on both fronts. When I was first down in the boyfs family home, we planted potatoes (the plants of which are now three feet tall).

vincent_1126

cool, that sounds pretty interesting, i'd like to know more about your religion.

I was trying to keep it to general Irish Celtic Paganism as opposed to my specific branch. The person who brought me into our rather small obscure cult claims that WB Yeats had a hand in starting us off, but I don't know how much credence I lend that.