I’m doing this book review for Christopher Penzcak’s Feast of the Morrigan a little bit differently. This is a book that is often brought up and that people really like, and it has its good points for modern practice. The author is very clear that his own approach, and that of the rituals and meditations he provides, is based in Wicca and neopagan witchcraft and for people utilizing that style I’m sure what he offers is quite valid. However there are some important issues with the book, specifically…
Author Archives: Lairbhan
The Morrigan’s Call Retreat 2015
Bealtaine or Beltane?
I recently, publicly, made the choice not to use Anglicized versions of certain words, specifically holiday and deity names. There’s several reasons for this decision but the core of it is that as an Irish Polytheist who is striving to speak the language it seems disingenuous to publicly use different forms of the words just because they are more familiar to most people.
Several Short Book Reviews
First a couple for the kids or parents with kids:
The Ancient Celtic Festivals: and How We Celebrate Them Today by Clare Walker Leslie
A Child’s Eye View of Irish Paganism by Blackbird O’Connell
Then some more adult books:
Teagasca: The Instructions of Cormac Mac Airt by C. Lee Vermeers
The Secret Commonwealth and the Fairy Belief Complex by Brian Walsh
Stalking the Goddess by Mark Carter
Translating De Gabail in tSida
The Morrigan The Dagda, and Unions
If there is one story in Irish mythology relating to the Morrigan that the most people are familiar with it is probably the scene in the Cath Maige Tuired where the Morrigan and the Dagda meet at a river, join, and then plan strategy for the coming battle with the Fomorians. There are several interpretations of this incident but possibly the most common are that it shows the Morrigan as a goddess of sex and that it is a case of the Dagda trading sex for victory.
Probably not surprisingly to anyone who has read my blog, particularly my previous blog on the story of Dian Cecht and Miach, I have a different opinion. First let’s look at the actual story:
the Morrigan’s Satire Poem
I have done another version of the Morrigan’s satire poem from the Tain Bo Regamna but I thought it would be interesting to show you all the differences between the two versions. The previous one is the von Egerton version. The following is the Yellow Book of Lecan version:
A Modern American Tale of the Consequences of Angering the Good People
So a few months back at Pantheacon I was lucky enough to attend a class on the Other Crowd taught by Lora O’Brien. I enjoyed the class very much (and recommend it to anyone who may have a chance to attend it themselves). At one point Lora told a story of a friend of hers and the consequences he’d dealt with after trying to build a house partially on a Fairy Path, a story I was reminded of while reading Jane Brideson’s blog today which had a similar theme. Later at Pantheacon, I shared a story with Lora that I’d like to share here as well, of my own family’s experience with what happens when you anger the Good Neighbors.
Táin Bó Regamna
This is my first attempt at translating an entire story. I chose the TBR both because it is one of my favorites and because it is fairly short. I will give the full Irish text first then follow with my translation of it; normally I’d go with a rather literal version but I’m going to try to find a balance between staying true to the language and staying true to the intent of the phrasing. Unlike the previously translated versions I could find I did tackle the Morrigan’s satire poem but I will say upfront that the wording is obscure and it was given in the Irish text I have as a single block which I had to break down into lines at my own discretion; the translation should be taken as a suggestion rather than definitive. It does however include what appear to be intriguing references to the Tain Bo Cuilgne and I think it deserves inclusion even if it is difficult. Also it explains why Cu Chulain’s reaction to hearing it is to leap back….
translation tidbits
So here’s the thing. I’m kind of swamped right now working on a couple writing projects and am having a hard time sitting down to get a focused blog put out. So today I give you, random Old Irish translations.
Enjoy.