Introduction : I found this poem in Part II of Lady Gregory's God's and Fighting Men. The stories in that section are about the Fianna who were a band of warriors trained in the arts of fighting, oratory and poetry. Their leader was Fionn Mac Cumhaill who is said to have written the poem …
Continue reading "The Talking Of The Rushes Has Begun By Fionn Mac Cumhaill"
Green and Blue … ...Are the colours of his bedroom painted up since he left for down under on the matching globe and the day today: a surreal three quarters blue light; a backdrop for the hedge taking it out of the ordinary or the dream I had last night; blue curtains pulled …
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Introduction: The Mór-Ríoghain is a phantom Queen known to be the Irish Goddess of war often taking the shape of a crow. She features in the first and second battles of *Maige Tuired. The first between the *Fir Bolg and the *Tuatha Dé Danann and the second between the The Tuatha Dé Danann and the *Fomhóire. …
Introduciton : Scáthach was a warrior queen who lived on Skye, an island that is part of the archipelago called the Hebrides, west of Scotland. Young warriors from Ireland and other kingdoms nearby were sent to be trained by her in the arts of battle. But while Scáthach taught her pupils she also had to …
Continue reading "Against my Sister a Retelling by Karina Tynan"
Introducion: Dechtine daughter of Neas was the mother of the legendary Cú Chulainn whose birth name was Setanta. This is her account of the story of his conception, birth and early life before he left his home at Muirthemne to join the Court of her brother King Conchubar Mac Nessa. There was a cup, …
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Introduction : Midir and Étain is an ancient Irish myth from the mythological cycle of the myths of Ireland. It is a story about love, reincarnation and transformation. I have told it from the perspectives of the three women in the myth: Fuamnach, Étain and Meas Buachalla Fuamnach I tell you this from the only place it …
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They did not know her - gods are hard for mortals to recognise - Homer His gate was closed. A rusty lock kept a low profile pretending its job but there was no quibble in the creak. It seemed like time had stopped. The flowers were gone. Weeds filled the cracks consolidating the …
There are some places in this world that are almost untouched; where mother nature has made it impossible to be conquered. Scorching heat, mountains that defy agriculture. On Crete, as on the other islands in Greece you are almost always in landscape and the myths are never far away. As in Ireland the …
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Introduction : The beautiful Gráinne, daughter of King Cormac Mac Airt was promised to be the new wife of the ageing Fionn mac Cumhaill, the leader of the band of warriors called *The Fianna. At their betrothal feast Gráinne slipped a sleeping potion into the drinks of the guests so she could ask Diarmuid Ua Duibhne to come away …
Continue reading "The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne a Retelling by Karina Tynan"
