The Sacred Flame
By: Aisling Bronach of House Shadow Drake
Ireland is a land that still holds much mystery. Many people have tried to
fraudulently document the Irish past. We must look at a combination of folklore,
history, and the archeological record if we are to be able to understand what life
was truly like before the advent of Christianity.
Ireland was once a savage country filled with ferocious beasts. In this land
lived a people, brutal in battle and gifted with the flame of inspiration. Within
them they held the legacy of Brigit, the patron goddess of the process of creative
thought itself which was made manifest through poetry, healing, and
blacksmithing.
Ireland has long been a safe haven for the refugees of war and persecution.
Pushed ever westward, many peoples fled their oppressors to find a place where they
could live in peace. However, the people of Ireland thrived on war and the taste of
blood, and thus Ireland was cleansed in blood of its people. Through the constant
struggle they became stronger. Within these struggles were born the songs of the
deeds of heroes and chieftains which were immortalized by the song of the bards and
set aflame by the touch of Brigit's hand.
Bibliography
Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Religions in America Today. revised and expanded ed. Boston: Beacon Press, 1986.
Ann, Martha and Imel, Dorothy Myers. Goddesses in World Mythology. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 1993.
Beeson, Patricia. "A Sliver of Scotland for Lairds and
Cows.: The New York Times. 9 July, 1995, Late Edition,
Travel Desk, sec. 5, col. 3, page 14.
Branston, Brian. The Lost Gods of England. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1974.
Browne, Malcolm W. "'Bog Man' Reveals Story of a Brutal
Ritual." The New York Times. Tuesday Late City Final Edition, 26 June, 1988, sec. C, page 1, col. 2.
Bonwick, James. Irish Druids and Old Irish
Religions. New York: Arno Press, 1976.
Bord, Janet and Colin. Earth Rites: Fertility Practices in Pre-Industrial Britian. New York: Granada Publishing, 1982.
Bunney, Sarah. "'Pit of the bones' yields early human
skulls; Burgos, Spain." New Scientist. 22 May, 1993, v.138, n.1874, page 20.
Buzbee, John. "Modern Pagans Practice That Old-Time
Religion; Spirituality Local Adherents Say It's Not Easy To Worship Nature With
Traffic In the Background. But All You Really Need Is a Patch of Earth." Los
Angeles Times. 15, January, 1995, Valley Edition, Metro; Part B, col. 1, page 15.
Buzbee, John. "Westside Cover Story; Keeping the Faith;
Modern-Day Pagans Practice That Old-Time Religion." Los Angeles Times. 8
January, 1995, Home Edition, Westside, Part J, page 12.
Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved
Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall
of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe. New York: Nan A. Talese, 1995.
Dhomhnaill, Nuala Ni. "Traveling in Style;
Survival of the Irish; On Ireland's Dingle Peninsula, the Landscape and
the Language Are Revered, and You'll Hear More Poetry Than Can Be Found
In Most Books." Los Angeles Times. 5 March, 1995, Home Edition, Magazine, Part 2, Magazine Desk, page 24.
Dottin, Georges. David MacRae, trans. The Civilization
of the Celts. New York: Crescent Books, 1970.
Edwards, Nancy. The Archaeology of Early Medieval
Ireland. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylavania Press, 1990.
Ellis, Peter Berresford. A Dictionary of Irish
Mythology. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc., 1987.
Fell, Barry. America B.C.: Ancient Settlers in the New World. New York: Pocket Books, 1978.
"500,000-Year-Old Bone Oldest Found In Europe." The
Record. 26 May, 1994, Science, sec. News, page A54.
Frazer, Sir James George. The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. London: Macmillan & Co., 1922
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.. New York: Facts On Facts, 1989.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York: Mentor Book,
1969.
Hammond, Norman. "The Oldest European Is Dug Up In Deepest
Sussex." The Times. 17 March, 1994, Home News.
Harbison, Peter. Pre-Christian Ireland. London:
Thames and Huson, Ltd., 1998.
Hartley, R. B. The Brigantes. Gloucester: Alan
Sutton Publishing, Ltd., 1988.
Henig, Martin. Religion in Roman Britian. New York:
St. Martin's Press, 1984.
Hurry, Jamieson B. The Woad Plant and Its Dye.
Clifton, New Jersey: Augustus M. Kelley Publishers, reprinted 1973.
Jackson, Nigel Aldcroft. Call of the Horned Piper.
Berks: Capall Bann Publishing, 1994.
Johnson, Maria Miro. "Witches' Charms Induction ceremony
yields 'secrets' of Rosegate cove." Providence Journal-Bulletin. 26
February, 1995, sec. Sunday Brunch, page IE.
Jubainville, H. D'Arbois De. Richard Irvine Best, trans.
The Irish Mythological Cycle and Celtic Mythology. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis,
& Co., Ltd., 1903.
Kendrick, T. D. The Druids: A Study in Keltic
Prehistory. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1966.
Macalister, R. A. S. The Archaeology of Ireland.
New York: Arno Press, 1977.
Macalister, R. S. A. Ireland in Pre-Celtic Times.
New York: Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1970.
O'Curry, Eugene, M.R.I.A. Lectures on the Manuscript
Materials of Ancient Irish History. New York: Burt Franklin, reprinted from
Dublin: 1861.
O' Se', Diarmuid, and Sheils, Joseph. Irish: A Complete
Course for Beginners. London: Hodder & Stoughon, 1993.
Otway-Ruthven, A. J. A History of Medieval Ireland.
2nd. ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980.
Owen, A. L. The Famous Druids: A Survey of the Three
Centuries of English Literature on the Druids. Oxford: Claredon Press,
1962.
Pennick, Nigel. Magical Alphabets. York Beach,
Maine: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1992.
Pennick, Nigel. The Pagan Book of Days: A Guide to the Festivals, Traditions, and Sacred Days of the Year. Rochester, Vermont: Destiny Books, 1992.
Raftery, Barry. Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age. London: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1994.
Relethford, John H. The Human Species: An Introduction to Biological Anthropology. 2nd ed. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1994.
Rolleston, T. W. Celtic. London: Senate,
1994.
Sellner, Edward C. "Brigit of Kildare-A Study in the
Liminality of Women's Spiritual Power." Cross Currents. Winter 1989, v.39, n.4, pages 402-419.
Shah, Sayed Indries. Oriental Magic New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1973.
Wernick, Robert. "What were Druids like, and was the
Lindow Man one?" Smithsonian. March 1988, v.18, n.12, pages
146-166.
