Author Archives: Lairbhan

Modern Ethics for a Modern Druid

   Recently the discussion had been brought up about modern Druidic ethics and how – or even if – the concept of “harm none” fits in to a Druid’s ethics. Some people feel strongly that a modern Druid should adhere to an ethical view that avoids any harm to others, although(…)

Continue reading…

Thoughts on the article "the Excellence of Ancient Word"

     The Excellence of Ancient Word by Sean Tuathail is a work which should be essential reading for any Druid or anyone studying Druidism.  This work is essential on several levels: it gives us a description of a Druid based on Irish sources,(…)

Continue reading…

A Modern Lughnasa Prayer

This is a version of a prayer taken from volume one of the Carmina Gadelica, modernized in language and content and made pagan. I have modefied this one more than I usually do to make it applicable to anyone in an urban or suburban setting (as opposed to the normal agricultural(…)

Continue reading…

Manannán mac Lir

   One of the deities that can be found in the mythology of several different Celtic nations is Manannán; called Manannán mac Lir (son of the sea) in Ireland, and Manawydan to the Welsh. His home was said to be the Isle of Man, called Manaw in Welsh and(…)

Continue reading…

Feeling crafty – an alternative Lughnasa

So it’s getting close to Lughnasa again and this year I am trying something a little bit different. Usually my Lughnasa involves a family picnic and either some hiking and plant collecting or some age appropriate physical games. This year though we are facing health problems on several fronts that make an active outdoor Lughnasa much more complicated so I decided we needed  a back-up plan. I noticed several people talking about Lughnasa as a time for both the traditional activity of bread baking and also of crafting, and I thought maybe this would be a good direction to go in.

Continue reading…

Raido

    This month we will be looking at the rune Raido, also called Raidho, Reidh or Rad. Raido is cognizant to the letter R in English and looks very much like our upper case R with the lower angled line shortened. Raido is the fifth rune of the first aett, and(…)

Continue reading…

Cumhacht na Teanga – or why I keep trying to learn Irish

Cumhacht na teanga means ‘the power of language’ in Irish Gaelic, a language I have been trying since my teens to learn. I have a limited proficiency reading it at this point and some ability to converse in writing; my accent when speaking is probably horrifying. So why, after(…)

Continue reading…

The Magic of Hair and the Head

  Well it wouldn’t be the pagan community without some sort of drama but I have to admit the current issue-de-jour sort of baffles me – because its over head coverings in paganism. Basically there is a movement going in support of pagans who choose to veil or cover their(…)

Continue reading…

Book Review: Through the Faerie Glass

  Yesterday I read Through the Faerie Glass by Kenny Klein, a book I had high hopes for and very much wanted to like. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations. I decided to review it here to share my thoughts on it with everyone.
   This book is(…)

Continue reading…

Random Spritual Update…

I promise to get back to my regular style of blogging soon – I have ideas to blog about the Colloquy of Two Sages, Manannan mac Lir, Brighid, maybe Badhbh, wands, and some other assorted fun things – but I wanted to keep everyone who has been following my rambling spiritual quest(…)

Continue reading…