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The Departure of the Sidhe by Karina Tynan

Below is a poem of mine written, with a lament in my heart, because those who have power in the world continue to think of our beautiful planet as an economy. I am reminded of the Tuatha Dé Danann’s departure into the hills after the Celts arrival in Ireland. Let us choose to believe that the Tuatha Dé Danann will never be gone, as long as people believe in the spirit alive in the land; always there, revealing secrets to those who are open, those with the capacity for true happiness. This poem is dedicated to you : The Keepers.

illustration by Kathy Tynan

Our world is blue with change.

We are contrary with it.

Still we dance; in again, out again,

over and under the hills.

War is in the past. 

Losing has brought relief of a kind.

We have released our craft for forging 

symbol and soul on swords and spears. 

The clash of lightening will replace them. 

Thunder will be our drum. 

Cauldrons of stars to light

mysterious elsewhere.

The kings must be trusted, 

kings must not be trusted.

They’ll stop believing 

stars can sing.

They’ll stop believing 

stones will cry 

without alignment with the sky. 

They’ll stop believing

we could make a day seem like a year,

a year seem like a day. 

Some will forget the horse of Lugh,

But some will not;

in the halfway of rippling verse

the mist will hold

for those whose hearts will not grow old 

while they ride the waves of Manannán, 

and in Magh Meall, fall into the lap of Fand,

swim the water of Bóinn,   

feel the fierce heart of Macha.

They will sing our song, play our instrument. 

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The Wooing of Étaín

WOMEN AND POWER SERIES at Bard Mythologies : bardmythologies.com

Last week we talked about the dark feminine in the sorceress, Fuamnach. She was married to Prince Midir of Brí Leith (A hill in Co Longford). Together they had fostered the beautiful Aengus Óg who was son of Bóinn the river goddess and the Daghda, one of the principle gods of the Tuathe Dé Danann (People of the goddess Danú).

When Aengus had grown he left them to claim his inheritance which was Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange County Meath). Alas the couple missed Aengus terribly but when Midir went to visit him he left his wife behind, and while away he met the beautiful Étaín. Then since it was the way of the times that a man could have more than one wife, he brought her home. However Fuamnach’s jealousy didn’t bow to the way of the times and so her jealousy went very very far……

….. so far that she changed her rival into a fly. But a fly will never let you forget its presence.

From SÍDH : Stories from the Women in Irish Mythology. Illustration by Kathy Tynan : kathytynan.net

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Reading Brigid: Goddess and Saint

Wednesday 13th November at the Bard Mythologis Event: Women and Power

see bardmythologies.com

Along with me, the author of SÍDH : Stories from the Women Irish Mythology, Bard Mythologies will explore these stories and the matter of power. Maybe to find and highlight a whole new interpretation of power in today’s world.

Badly needed

Image by kathytynan.net