Bloomsday comes from a character in Joyce’s best known work of fiction, Ulysses. The title is a nod to the story’s modern parallels to Homer’s Odyssey with the main characters, Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and his wife, Molly Bloom corresponding to Telemechus, Ulysses and Penelope. All of the action of Ulysses takes place in Dublin on one particular day, June 16, 1904. This day also happens to be Joyce’s first date with his future wife, Nora Barnacle. But Bloomsday did not become “a thing” until 1954, 13 years after Joyce’s death.
A Bloomsday Challenge: Walk Across Dublin Without Passing a Pub
It is from the character Leopold Bloom that Bloomsday takes its name. In Dublin, Bloomsday has expanded to a weeklong festival of activities tipping the hat to James Joyce and reveling in his bawdy snapshop of early 20th century Dublin citizenry. In nearly 200 cities worldwide, Bloomsday is observed on June 16 by dressing in period costume, reciting quotations from the book, taking walking tours and pub crawls. (A famous Bloomsday challenge is to walk across Dublin and NOT pass a pub.) You don’t even have to read the book to get into the festivities of Bloomsday!
Bloomsday Festivities Rooted in Scandal
In fact, to read Ulysses is no small commitment. But if you’re feeling subversive, you can treat yourself to reading this “dangerous” book. Ulysses was infamous in the United States even before the book was released. The US-based magazine, “The Little Review” began to serialize Ulysses in 1918, with some naughty bits resulting in a ban on the magazine being sent in the mail. Ulysses, the novel, was banned in the US until 1933.
Put a Rose in Your Hair and Raise Your Glass to Joyce
It is interesting to note that the US ban on Ulysses was lifted the same year as the nation-wide constitutional ban on alcohol, also known as Prohibition. So, when you lift a glass on Bloomsday in honor of James Joyce, you can also remember an era of progressive thought ushered in with the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt. When we host a “speakeasy” at The Whiskey Snug, we do it for fun and nostalgia, just like “putting a rose in your hair like an Andalusian girl” for Bloomsday!
Lori McAlister
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
Celtic symbols are used throughout ShanOre’s designs to represent love, friendship, loyalty, connection, and tradition. Each piece is designed by skilled artisans in Ireland and lovingly crafted in the ShanOre workshop.
Some of our favorite ShanOre gifts are the birthstone claddagh rings, tree of life earrings, and pendant necklaces.
Because ShanOre is made with the finest quality, you can expect each piece to be a lifelong addition to your collection. This month, you can get a ShanOre celtic knot pendant for just $79.99!
]]>[CHORUS]
Hal-an-tow, jolly rum-a-lo
We were up long before the day-oh
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-oh
The summer is a-comin’ in
And winter’s gone away-oh
Take no scorn to wear the horn
It was a crest when you were born
Your father’s father wore it
And your father wore it, too
[CHORUS]
Robin Hood and Little John
Have both gone to the fair-oh
And we will to the merry green wood
To hunt the buck and hare-oh
[CHORUS]
What happened to the Span-iard
That made so great a boast oh
They shall eat the feathered goose
And we shall eat the roast oh
[CHORUS]
The Lord and Lady bless
With all their power and might oh
And send their peace upon us
And bring peace by day and night oh
[CHORUS]
This jaunty May Day song has a myriad of versions and a jumble of meanings assigned to the words and symbols contained therein. Does hal-an-tow refer to “raising the roof” or “calend” meaning the start of a new calendar month or is it a dance reference to “heel and toe?” As one Norfolk history website puts it: “…the customs are transformed into ritual spectacles, festivities, distractions, opportunities for a good time, such as the old May Games that once comprised four sections: the election and procession of the May king and queen: a sword or Morris dance of disguised men; a hobby horse dance; a Robin Hood play. The Hal-an-Tow song was sung for the procession that ushered in the summer. A variant of it still accompanies the Helston [Cornwall] Furry Dance on May 8th.”
May 1st is a new quarter day in the Celtic calendar – Beltaine (say BYEL-tin-uh) – a fire festival to celebrate “the force that drives the green fuse through the flower,” to quote Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. It’s a time of brilliance and heat. It was on Betaine that St Patrick lit a fire on the Hill of Slane near Tara in defiance of the High King as a sign of the New Faith succeeding the old religion.
Here is riddle describing a Beltaine custom that you can easily recreate provided you’re willing to rise before dawn on May 1:
I washed my face in water
That had neither rained nor run,
And I dried it on a towel
That was never woven or spun.
(Answer: wash your face in the dew and let it dry in the air – to wipe it off will diminish its power.) I understand that some, with patches of grass sufficiently private, go out in their altogether and roll in the dewy grass to take full advantage of the beautifying properties from head to toe. It only works before daybreak on May 1.
There are so very many ways to tell the story and to join with nature in the fecundity of life, growth and sexuality. Take the May Pole, for instance. Thought to be a phallic symbol from ancient fertility rites, the May Pole has continued through time with a variety of uses from an object to decorate with flowers to the ribbon bedecked centerpiece of lively dancing. In some villages, the May Pole was often seen in place of the market cross. In turbulent times, rebels were hung from the May Pole. In Dublin, it was painted fresh each spring, then soaped to make the climbing of it all the more difficult to win the prize attached to the top.
Weather signs were carefully noted on May Day to predict the coming summer’s weather. A cold east wind was a bad sign and frost indicated hard times to come. “A wet and windy May fills the barns with corn and hay.” “A wet May and dry June make the farmer whistle a tune.” “A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.”
It’s an auspicious time as the weather is changing and the seasons are turning. Familiar characters play out the drama of “Old Man Winter” facing off with “The Green Man” to do battle over the fair maiden of springtime. Robin Hood is often featured as the handsome greening that gains strength to vanquish the Sheriff of Nottingham or treacherous King John to win the hand of Maid Marion. Like the greening earth, people still cover themselves and their livestock with showy flowers and ribbons.
Like Celts everywhere, The Celtic Ranch is joining with all nature to celebrate the burgeoning summer. Stop in the shop this week between Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 26) where you can take home a Red Oak seedling for $2. Speak gently to the shy nymphs of oak trees, and you may befriend a dryad! Bring Mom to the shop on Saturday, May 11 where she’ll be treated like Anu, the Earth Mother Goddess herself. Try a complimentary luxuriating exfoliating scrub by Green Angel to soften the hands. Peruse our selection of Mother’s Day jewelry to soften the heart. Raise a glass to Mom back in the Whiskey Snug, but not so much as to soften the head, okay? Let’s do summer the Celtic Ranch way!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Shillelaghs are clubs or Irish walking sticks crafted from the stout, knobby branches of trees which are shaped into a heavy “hitting” end with varying lengths of handle. Blackthorn and oak, especially the root, are commonly used to craft shillelaghs. The wood is honed into the perfect shape and then treated with butter or lard and placed in a chimney to cure. Some shillelaghs have molten lead added to the hitting end to increase the weight of the club.
It’s not the size of the shillelagh, it’s how you use it:
The shillelagh was originally used as a gentleman’s weapon in duels and disagreements. Shillelagh fighting is much like sword fighting in that the wielder must skillfully parry and disarm their opponent. Shillelaghs used in modern sparring are split into short, medium, and lengths.
Modern use:
The shillelagh is one of the most recognizable symbols of Irish heritage, especially in America. Sports teams, musicians, and even military groups reference the symbol of the shillelagh, including:
A shillelagh of your own:
Feeling inspired to sport a piece of Irish symbolism? View our in-store selection of shillelaghs in a variety of sizes, including a miniature key-chain version!
Somehow through the ages, the “moral of the story” has gotten caught up with the burgeoning of springtime in nature, pagan fertility rights, German hares that lay colored eggs and a huge season for candy sales (second only to Halloween).
As Christian Easter is a “moveable feast” with a date falling on the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after the Spring Equinox, it was never connected to an existing sacred day (as Christmas and Halloween have been). Some have speculated that pagan fertility traditions were made part of the Easter celebration to make it easier for pagans to convert. But I can’t help but think that the urges and observations of spring in Celtic communities was so strong and instinctual that those implementing Easter really had no choice in the matter.
Holy Week, the final week of the season of Lent (40 days that are often a time of private privation to share in part with the suffering of Christ’s passion) begins with Palm Sunday, then Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The Feast of Easter begins a new liturgical season – the 50 days of Eastertide.
With such a strong history of Catholicism in Ireland, there is a trove of Holy Week traditions. Completing your “spring cleaning” by Good Friday is important preparation for the priest to visit and bless your home on Easter. The old ban on alcohol this day is still in force in some areas. No work with tools is to be done to avoid bloodshed. You should get your hair cut (to avoid headaches) and shop for new Easter clothes. If a child is born in Good Friday and then baptized on Easter, he or she will have the gift of healing (a boy born on Good Friday will go into the priesthood). Anyone who dies on Good Friday will do directly to heaven. On Holy Saturday, an Easter Vigil often begins at 11 pm with a service called Tenebrae (Latin for “darkness”) characterized by a meaningful extinguishing of candles and a stripping of the vestments ending with a loud noise in total darkness. Out of this darkness, a single Paschal candle is often carried in procession out of the church. This is a nod to the sacred fires lit on the high hills of Ireland to mark significant holy days.
On Easter Sunday, rise in early darkness to climb the highest hill to witness the dancing of the sun. As this was a day to break the Lenten fast, you could finally roast and eat those eggs you’d been saving a decorating. Cake dances were popular on this day. An elaborately decorated cake was set upon a stand while couples danced their best. The “winning” couple got to retrieve the cake, hence the saying “That takes the cake!”
If you happen to be in Scotland this year, you can participate in a huge Easter egg hunt sponsored by Cadbury’s. Almost 40,000 chocolate eggs are hidden on the 44 properties owned by the National Trust for Scotland. If you’re in Dublin, head over to Deerpark for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party with activities including giant chess, an Easter egg hunt and croquet.
If you happen to stop in the Celtic Ranch, you can find some unique imported chocolate treats for your own Easter basket. If caffeine was something you gave up for Lent, pick up some hardy Brady’s Coffee to perk your springtime right back up again. But above all, remember that new commandment about how to love others well. What a different world this would be if all of us would make that our intention, regardless of faith or creed.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Recall Dr Seuss’ Lorax – he speaks for the trees! Or how about Treebeard and the other Ents in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings? From Shel Silverstein’s Giving Tree to the singing of O, Tannenbaum (Oh, Christmas Tree), trees have a long and abiding place in the human imagination as significant imagery, possessed of ancient wisdom and life-givers, even kindred. Irish legend tells the first man was an alder and the first woman was a rowan tree. But for all of their size and power, they are also vulnerable.
The ancestral Celts held trees in high esteem, as elders of the natural community. Practically, trees provide food, healing, shelter, and warmth (fire). Spiritually, they are magical beings and bestowers of blessing. Their powerful roots reach far down to the Otherworld, their branches reach to the Heavens and in between – their trunks connect the powers of both worlds with Middle Earth, the physical plane we occupy. Trees represent the axis mundi, the cosmic axis, the world pillar.
Before there were formal, made-made places of worship, the Celts practiced spirituality in the Sacred Groves of old growth forests like Scotland’s Wood of Caledon or Ireland’s ancient oak woodlands. The sacred symbol of a tribe or village was often a tree where councils, celebrations and inaugurations were held. To cut down your enemy’s sacred tree was to demoralize and defeat them.
A rather pedestrian symbol harkening to the Tree of Life is the Market Cross (Mercat Cross in Scots). Not really a “cross” in the cruciform sense, the Market Cross was often raised to denote a major crossroads and the site where vendors could set up their market stalls and engage in commerce. They often shared the space with an older standing stone that preceded it. In time, some of these Market Crosses became extremely ornate or were turned into more of a pavilion or building. One such cross you may have in memory is Banbury Cross, from the Nursery Rhyme.
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse.
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes.
It is but a short hop from the Market Cross to the High Celtic Crosses of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and anywhere the Celtic diaspora took this art form. The Celtic cross, with its distinctive “wheel” shape is thought to have grown quite organically from a sun wheel (with equidistant arms inside a circle) to the elaborately carved Christian crosses so often found in monastic graveyards. Interestingly, the Celtic cross imagery has more to do with a representation of Christ in Majesty (the circle as halo) or Divine Light (the powerful Son/Sun) rather than anything to do with crucifixion. These intricately decorated monuments are all about hope and the power of life over death. (The Ranch offers lovely examples in metal, clay and peat turf!)
April is a good month to think on trees. Monday, April 22 is Earth Day and Friday, April 26 is Arbor Day. We’ll be celebrating trees and all of the good gifts they so generously give us with a variety of fun activities and special promotions that week. Branch out, turn over a new leaf and feel the sap rising at The Celtic Ranch!
Meanwhile, tap into the power of trees. Spend some time in the presence of a specific tree; receive the peace and strength it has to offer. Stand yourself barefoot on the good earth on one of these spring warmed days. Dig your toes into the ground and imagine your roots running deeply to the source of water, nourishment and stability. Stretch your arms and trunk high in the air with open hands to receive the abundance all around you. Be the Tree of Life.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>April Fools’ Day is most widely believed to have started in the 16th century when the Gregorian Calendar replaced the Julian Calendar, moving the beginning of the new year to January 1. Those who didn’t get the update or who were slow to abandon their traditional new year celebrations during the last week of March and first week of April were often labeled “April Fools.”
April Fools’ caught on across the British Isles in the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition lasted two days starting with “hunting the gowk.” Much like the “snipe hunts” I grew up with in Nebraska, you sent guillible people on phony errands. Gowk means cuckoo bird, ie a fool. This was followed by Tailie Day, with a focus on the innocent victim’s backside. You might see people about sporting a fake tail or wearing a “kick me” sign on their back.
In Ireland, a common practical joke was known as “send the fool farther.” You would prepare a letter and enlist someone to hand-deliver “an urgent message” for you. When the recipient opened the envelope, they would find a note instructing them to “send the fool farther.” If the messenger didn’t catch on right away, they might find themselves many miles from home before the day was over.
This holiday of trickery fits well with the Northern Hemispheric change of season at the Vernal Equinox. Spring weather is nothing if not temperamental and unpredictable. There is much weather lore connected to the vagaries of springtime. Most of us know that if “March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb” and “April showers bring May flowers.” Here are some Irish maxims: “Thunder in April (or on All Fools’ Day), floods in May.” “A cold April and a full barn.” And “When April blows its horn, ‘tis good for hay and corn.”
From this springs the idea of “the borrowed days.” My favorite version of the Irish tale involves an overconfident Brindled Cow who made the mistake of boasting that even the rigors of March could not kill her. March, being thus challenged, borrowed days from April and using these with extraordinary fury, killed and skinned the poor cow. When the cow is the only braggart mentioned, the borrowed days number three. When a black-bird and a stone chatter (another bird) join the cow, March must borrow nine days – three to deal with the insolence of each. The Scots sum it up thus:
March borrowit from April
Three days, and they were ill:
The first was frost, the second was snaw,
The third was cauld as ever’t could blaw.
And speaking of cattle… I often enjoy catching a glimpse of the auld Scottish landscape driving on Highway 273 southeast of Weston. There is a lovely little herd of Belted Galloway, a traditional Scottish breed of beef cattle. They’re nicknamed “Oreo” cattle because of the distinct white belt around their midsection. Most Galloways are black, but there are even a couple of dun critters in this pasture. It doesn’t take much imagination to put yourself right there in the Highlands. It’s sometimes all I can do to keep from driving on the wrong side of the road…
Stop by the Celtic Ranch in spring time for a little transportive therapy. We’ve got the sights, the scents, the sounds, the sweaters, the sips… all that’s missing is you. You’d be a fool to go farther.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>For some, to harm a hare would invite dreadful consequences. Druids were said to employ hares in prophesy by first catching them, then turning them loose to interpret the path of their escape. Shapeshifters would often take the form of a hare. The Celtic warrior Oisin hunted a hare, wounding it in the leg. Oisin followed the animal into a bramble where he found a door leading underground. He went in and came to a large hall where he found a beautiful young woman sitting on a throne bleeding from a leg wound.
The versatile hare seems to do a bit of shape-shifting itself; sometimes the trickster, sometimes the good guy/gal, sometimes the moon goddess, sometimes the ruffian. Depending on your state of mind, seeing a hare was a bad omen, a harbinger of death, a messenger from the Otherworld or perhaps the old lady next door that you suspect of being a witch.
You’ve probably heard “Madder than a March hare.” It has to do with rabbits going a bit crazy in spring, which just happens to be their breeding season. As they say, “Multiplying like rabbits.” One mother hare can produce up to 40 furry little offspring in one season.
The White Rabbit in “Alice and Wonderland” is heard to say, “I’m late, I’m late! For a very important date! No time to say ‘hello, goodbye,’ I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!” (Perhaps he’s from Ireland?)
Celtic Saint Melangell is the patron saint of hares. She became associated with them when, to escape marriage, she took a vow of celibacy and crossed the Irish Sea to take refuge in a remote spot in Powys, Wales. She lived in isolation without seeing the face of any man for fifteen years. One day, Brochfael, Prince of Powys, was hunting hares with his hounds. Having driven one of the animals into a thicket, he pursued the hounds to retrieve his prize. Instead, he found the hare sitting in the folds of Melangell’s dress. When Brochfael heard Melangell’s story, he endowed her with land to build a monastery, which she did on the condition that not only people could find refuge there, but all gentle creatures who were being pursued. This legend is beautifully preserved on a wooden screen that depicts hares running to her for protection. Hares are still sometimes called St. Melangell’s Lambs.
Have you tried Welsh Rabbit? Fear not – no leporids were harmed in the making of this really tasty toasted cheese. It’s also called Welsh Rarebit, which might have started as “rearbit” or a treat to have at the end of your meal. In any case, the Welsh are passionately fond of their ‘Caws pobi."
Now there are variations on this superstition (which was told to me as being of Irish derivation), but from me to you, here’s a charm for bringing you a full month of luck! On Sunday evening, March 31, let “hare, hare, hare” be the last thing spoken aloud before sleep. Upon waking on Monday, April 1, before saying anything else, speak “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.” Repeat at the turning of every month!
On the other hand, you may prefer your superstition lightly peated with hints of smoke and spice as in Jura Superstition, a single malt Scotch whisky found in our Whiskey Snug. Whatever the occasion, it will be our lucky day to see you hop on in to The Celtic Ranch.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>
The “Wheel of the Year” in Celtic tradition is divided into the Dark Half and the Light Half. Samhain (Oct 31) is the beginning of the Dark Half and Beltane (May 1) begins the Light Half; between these thresholds fall Imbolc (Feb 1) and Lughnasa (Aug 1). These are the “sign posts” of the seasons. Dividing these quarters yet again are the Summer and Winter Solstices and the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes; known as the four “Albans.” Alban is “rock” in Gaelic, “white/light” in Latin; related to “Alba,” the Gaelic name for Scotland. Today is Alban Eiler meaning “Light of the Earth.”
To the Moon
Greeting to you, gem of the night!
Beauty of the skies, gem of the night!
Mother of the stars, gem of the night!
Foster-child of the sun, gem of the night!
Majesty of the stars, gem of the night!
(Scottish Gaelic; traditional folk prayer)
Today’s celestial activity is recognized as the beginning of summer, a genuine warming that confirms the Cailleach of Winter is moving on to make way for the Spring Maiden. The sun shines directly on the earth’s equator while the earth’s axis is pointing neither toward nor away from light’s source. Day time and Night time feel approximately equal. Today, eggs can be stood balancing on end!
It’s an auspicious time for starting something new, bringing to fruition a project or dream that’s been dormant, to unleash the spring cleaning – literally and figuratively.
There are liminal times and liminal places; thin places where the veil between this world and the other world can be crossed with ease. A Super Worm Moon Equinox is certainly such a time and standing stones are such places.
Stone Circles are a feat of engineering, an astronomical wonder, and a tantalizing mystery for each generation to observe their silent witness across the British Isles. From Stone Henge in Wiltshire England to the unusually landscaped Kenmare Stone Circle in Ireland, there are dozens of formations large and small. Some of them have been designated as World Heritage Sites; others are inconspicuously keeping watch in back gardens or fields of sheep. I think it is a tremendous testimony to the locals and their relationship with the land that these features are accorded timeless respect. That’s why so many are still around for us to ponder and enjoy.
The Callanais Stones on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland may also spring to mind with the current popularity of Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series. At the Celtic Ranch, you can find a series of jewelry pieces inspired by the story. Among them are pendants and brooches featuring the Callanish Standing Stones depicted on a moonlit night. Whether you dream of time travel or travel across the pond, these are a lovely inspiration for the creative energy rising like sap in these gentle days of warming spring.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>12T melted butter cooled slightly
2T buttermilk powder
4 large eggs
2T real vanilla extract
1/2c Guinness Stout
2 cheap (not name brand) brownie mixes
1/2c Ghirardelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chips
1/2c Ghirardelli double chocolate bittersweet chips
Instructions:
Frosting
12T Salted Butter
1/2t kosher salt
1T real vanilla extract
1/2c Irish Whiskey
1/2c Hershey Cocoa Powder
5 1/2c Powdered Sugar
Instructions:
The good natured welcome in this season is so typical of Irish hospitality. And the irony of a day of excesses in the name of a humble and austere man of faith; born Patricius and immortalized as Saint Patrick. Henry D Spalding, the author of a number of books on humor and folklore, wrote: The treatment of sacred objects by Irish wits differs from that of most Catholic countries. Saint Patrick is hardly regarded as a conventional saint by Irish humorists… Only those who are in the closest intimacy with objects venture to treat them familiarly, and the Irish find it easy to joke, without disrespect, of that which is dearest to them. However, only an Irish-American could ever have conceived the ideas of Saint Patrick as an editor of Prayboy magazine.
The Pulitzer prize-winning poet, Phyllis McGinley, gave us a narrative that conveys the high points of Patrick’s legacy summed up in his “gift of gab.”
PATRICK the MISSIONER
Saint Patrick was a preacher
With honey in his throat.
They say that he could charm away
The miser’s dearest pence;
Could coax a feathered creature
To leave her nesting note
And fly from many a farm away
To drink his eloquence.
No Irishman was Patrick
According to the story.
The speech of Britain clung to him
(Or maybe it was Wales).
But ah, for curving rhet’ric,
Angelic oratory,
What man could match a tongue to him
Among the clashing Gaels!
Let Patrick meet a Pagan
In Antrim or Wicklow,
He’d talk to him so reachingly,
So vehement would pray,
That Cul or Neall or Reagan
Would fling aside his bow
And beg the saint beseechingly
To christen him that day.
He won the Necromancers,
The bards, the country herds.
Chief Aengus rose and went with him
To bear his staff and bowl.
For such were all his answers
To disputatious words,
Who’d parry argument with him
Would end a shriven soul.
The angry Druids muttered
A curse upon his prayers.
They sought a spell for shattering
The marvels he had done.
But Patrick merely uttered
A better spell than theirs
And sent the Druids scattering
Like mist before the sun.
They vanished like the haze on
The plume of the fountain.
But still their scaly votaries
Were venomous at hand.
So three nights and days on
Tara’s stony mountain
He thundered till those coteries
Of serpents fled the land.
Grown old but little meeker
At length he took his rest.
And centuries have listened, dumb,
To tales of his renown.
For Ireland loves a speaker,
So loves Saint Patrick best:
The only man in Christendom
Has talked the Irish down.
We hope you’ll join us at The Celtic Ranch for a little celebration, and that’s no blarney! From Celtic crosses to pub socks, flashing shamrocks and leprechauns, we’ve got you covered. Every color is green and everyone is Irish this week in Weston. Remember -- "The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself."
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>But wait, there’s more to Celtic pigs… both domestic and the wild “boarish” types.
In Celtic lore, the (sow) pig was honored as a mother, provider figure. Pigs were a common measure of wealth. Look to Manannan (a sea god in Irish Mythology) who owned a heard of pigs that never diminished in size; the herd magically replenished its numbers. In Celtic symbolism – pigs are icons of abundance and fertility.
The ferocious wild boar is the most frequently depicted animal in Celtic art (second only to birds of prey). There are iconic examples left in stone by the Picts across Scotland. Available archaeological and numismatic evidence suggests that boar hunts may have played an important role in Iron Age warrior initiations, forming part of a ‘rite of passage’ ritual.
And speaking of numismatics, you find pigs on Irish coinage well into the 20th century. The halfpenny (½d) was the second-lowest value coin of the pre-decimal Irish pound. First issued in 1928, it ceased to be legal tender on 1 August 1969. Minting a pig was extremely controversial. Critics felt the depiction was too close to the derogatory cartoons of ‘Paddy and his pig’ that had appeared in Punch magazine since Victorian times. Pork and bacon were major Irish exports at the time, so the committee ‘went with the money.’
“Pigs as wealth” also shows up in Wales. Behold the magical herd of pigs belonging to King Pryderi in the Welsh national epic – The Mabinogian. Pryderi sadly lost his life attempting to recover his stolen herd, which he lost to codes of Welsh hospitality and trickery motivated by lust for a virgin. A war was fought and Pryderi was killed, but the perpetrators were punished by magic. It’s a very satisfying read – I recommend it! (And if you have a chance to hear the Celtic music band, Moch Pryderi, I highly recommend them, too!)
While we’re in Wales, consider the frightening hwch ddu gwta (tail-less black sow) also known as the Cutty Black Sow, which appeared around Samhain (Halloween). She is a demon or monster that steals the souls of any she catches. She’s often described as a black female pig with glowing eyes that walks upright on hind legs. Sir James George Frazer documents the Cutty Black Sow in his book, The Golden Bough. From page 348:
“According to Sir John Rhys, the habit of celebrating Hallow’een by lighting bonfires on the hills is perhaps not yet extinct in Wales, and men still living can remember how the people who assisted at the bonfires would wait until the last spark was out and then would suddenly take to their heels, shouting at the top of their voices, “The cropped black sow seize the hindmost!”
Here is a Welsh expression you can make your own: Cachu hwch, pronounced: Cach-ee hooch (The 'ch' sound is the same as the Scottish loch). It translates as “Pig’s poo” and means “It’s all gone wrong.” I hope you don’t have to use it often.
The prefix meaning pig/pigs is Mhuc (Scots Gaelic), Mochyn (Welsh) and Muc or Muic (Irish Gaelic). In the case of “Muckross” - A ros is a wood or headland, so this beautiful and much-visited place is actually called “The Pig Wood”. While visiting Muckross House in Killarney National Park, you can also find the talented crafts people of Mucros Weavers. Every purchase of a scarf, hat, cape, etc. by Mucros Weavers helps support the Muckross Trust. Did you know that The Celtic Ranch offers a fine selection of Mucros woolens? Use your browser at www.CelticRanch.com or browse the old-fashioned way in our shop. No danger of getting a “pig in a poke” here – we carry only the best!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>March 1st is a day to remember Wales and its patron saint. In anticipation of that other Celtic saint venerated in March, it’s easy for David to get lost in the hoopla, but here at the Celtic Ranch – we give every saint his or her due.
It’s thought that David was born into an aristocratic family during the 6th Century, though the exact date is unsure. Accounts of his life and legend were not recorded until nearly 500 years after his death, but many stories connected to St David are part of the collective memory of Welsh people.
David’s biographer, Rhygyfarch, wrote that he was the son of Sandde or Sant, prince of Powys and the son of King Ceredig, the founder of Ceredigion. David’s mother was Non, a nun said to have been raped by Sandde after she resisted his advances. Legend holds that she gave birth on a cliff top amidst a violent storm. So intense was her experience that she left finger marks on the stone. As David was born, a bolt of lightning struck the rock, splitting it in two.
From his youth, David is credited with a number of miracles, some of which involve healing the blind. In some accounts, he splashes water on their eyes; in others he uses his own tears. In one instance, he raised a young person from death and a well spring appeared on the site.
David is also known as 'Dewi Ddyfrwr' (David the Water Drinker) and, indeed, water was an important part of his life - he is said to have drunk nothing else. As a self-imposed penance, he was known to stand neck-deep in a lake of cold water, reciting scripture. He was a strict ascetic and enforced harsh rules on the brothers in his community. Like many Celtic saints, Dewi could be mistaken for an early Puritan!
Perhaps the best-known story of Dewis Sant happened at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi. Dewi was being considered for Archbishop. A large crowd gathered and when Dewi stood to speak, someone shouted that they couldn’t see or hear him. At that instant, the ground rose till everyone could see and hear Dewi. Not surprisingly, the counsel decided that Dewi would be the Archbishop.
David preached until the week of his death. He left behind this well-known sentiment: 'Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.' 'Do the little things' ('Gwnewch y pethau bychain') is a well-known and inspirational phrase. On a Tuesday, March first, in the year 589, the monastery is said to have been 'filled with angels as Christ received his soul'.
St David's Feast Day dates back to 1120, when Dewi was canonized. Many pilgrimages are made to St. David's; two pilgrimages there equal one to Rome, and three pilgrimages equal one to Jerusalem. March 1st was celebrated until the Reformation as a holy day.
Put a daffodil in your lapel and come by the Celtic Ranch in March to remember good Saint David and Wales. We’ll raise a glass and toast your health, “Iechyd da!”
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
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As you may have already discovered, genealogy is not an exact science. Family stories and community lore must be placed on the scales along with the facts. I am also a firm believer in listening to “the voices in your blood,” as these resonances can reveal as much about your ancestry (and dare I say - past lives) as a dowsing rod pointing you to water.
The Welsh arrive first on the presidential scene, most notably with John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Quincy Adams followed closely by Scots-Irish frontiersman, Andrew Jackson. Among other things, Jefferson was fluent in the Welsh language (Cymraeg). This led to the “urban legend” that he used Welsh to communicate secret messages with Meriwether Lewis during the famous Lewis & Clark expedition of 1804-1806. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson - the only two Presidents to actually sign the Declaration of Independence - died on exactly the same day: 4 July 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing.
Abraham Lincoln’s great, great grandfather, John Morris, lived in a stone farmhouse known as Bryngwyn, near the village of Ysbyty Ifan in Wales. “Bryngwyn” translates as the white hill; an interesting foreshadowing of the White House, eh? Lincoln definitely understood the power of the Welsh in 19th century America. In 1860, he had nearly 100,000 Welsh language election pamphlets printed.
Richard Nixon is credited with both Irish and Welsh ancestry. He was portrayed on screen in the Oliver Stone biopic Nixon by one of Wales’ most celebrated actors, Anthony Hopkins.
One of Barack Obama’s great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers is Robert Perry, born in Anglesey (Wales) on September 16, 1786. Garrison Keillor commented on “Prairie Home Companion” that it was good to have an Irishman in the Whitehouse again, referring to O’Bama. (He really does have a Kearney ancestor.) Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Wales when attending the NATO summit in 2014.
The three US Presidents with the strongest ties to Scotland are James Knox Polk, William McKinley and Woodrow Wilson. Polk’s mother was a relative of the fiery Scots reformer, John Knox. Legend has it that Wilson was proud of his “Scottish conscience” and his firm Calvinist beliefs. Even “Uncle Sam” was Scots! The iconic white-bearded face on vintage military recruitment posters is based on that of Greenock-born Sam Wilson. The New York food purveyor supplied the Army with food during the early 19th century, and rumor has it that the ‘U.S.’ markings on food packages were in reference to the army’s real benefactor, not the United States.
Likely the most famous Irish presidents are John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. The Kennedy connections to Co Wexford are well known – his paternal great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy was born in Dunganstown and married Bridget Murphy from nearby Owenduff. However, the man with closest Ireland ties whose work has benefited presidents since John Adams and is recognized by each of us – the architect James Hoban from County Kilkenny. His best-known work is the White House.
The numbers vary (a lot), but depending upon the sources, you have 9 – 12 US Presidents with Welsh connections; 24 – 33 with Scots (which often gets bundled with Scots-Irish even though there are distinctions between the two) and 10 – 13 with Irish roots. Suffice it to say, generations of Celts have held the highest office in the land and helped shape the nation that we now call home. Hail to the Chieftain – Aye!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>We are featuring all Irelands Eye Knitwear and Keith Jack Jewelry starting Monday, February 18 through Saturday, March 16. Make a purchase and get 10% off any item from these fine crafters.
Like most of the items we carry, our support of these makers is as much about their story as it is about the quality of their product.
Irelands Eye Knitwear is one of Ireland’s top manufacturers. The O’Sullivan family has been involved in creating high quality 100% natural Irish clothing pieces from their home base in Dublin since 1968. “We inherited a very strong sense of how our business should be run, including a preference for using natural yarns that are simply nicer to wear. Our vision has always been that an Irelands Eye sweater should be a cocoon of warmth to shield you from the elements and that a garment is worth nothing if it is not supremely comfortable – just as comfortable at the end of a long day as at the start of a great night out – a perfect fusion of style and functionality.” Come check out this seasons NEW colors and some of the lighter-weight transitional pieces that Terry and Cara selected at the trade show in Dublin in January. Named for a rugged little island off the coast of County Dublin, Irelands Eye stands as a testament to courage, vision and remarkable dedication. During an era when many weavers were going out of business, Irelands Eye flourished. Hear the story first-hand at www.irelandseyeknitwear.com.
Keith Jack has long been The Celtic Ranch’s most popular jeweler. A native of Scotland, Keith now lives in Canada. He spent a lifetime working in the jewelry business, but it was the birth of his two children that ignited his creative passion and led him to build his own line. “Keith draws inspiration from the raw beauty of the Scottish and Irish landscapes. Each of his collections offers something unique that he has seen in a hidden mountain loch, the grey sky over the glen or the ripples on a sandy beach. Inspiration becomes design.” His pieces are enchanting, many of them with hidden functions – like his day and night pieces that reverse for a different look. He has no fewer than 30 collections with titles like “Secret Ogham,” “Celtic Heart,” “Faerie Pools,” “Tree of Life,” and “Dragon Weave.” He has a classy variety of rings for both gents and ladies that are a meaningful choice as wedding bands. There is a great range of price points with some of his designs available in sterling silver, 10k gold or a combination of sterling set with 10K or 18K gold. For example, in his “Norse Forge” collection, you can find a rings starting at $124, earrings at $79 and pendants at $144. Peruse his collection at www.keithjack.com then come by the Ranch to try them on in person. We are proud to bring you the best of fine Celtic craftsmanship that lasts a lifetime… and you don’t even need a passport!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Lambs are frequently associated with St Brigit, whose feast day is February 1, the beginning of Imbolc. As characters acting out an ancient drama, Brigit represents the fair maiden of spring who is pitted against the Cailleach, the old hag of winter. Though the hag sends a dragon against the maiden in these turbulent weather days, the maiden’s gentle lamb proves the stronger and springtime is ushered into the world once more.
Lambswool was the name of a popular drink during the dark days leading up to Imbolc. It was often enjoyed during Wassailing or “Apple Howling” as it was called in orchard country. “Wassail!” was a toast to your health; a wish for you to “Be Whole” or “Be Hail & Hearty.” The standard response was “Drinc Hail!” Wassailing was something you did – typically in community and almost always, out of doors.
“Apple Howling” is a specific wassailing for driving the evil spirits out of the orchard and invoking a blessing for fruitfulness. It often begins with a shotgun blast kicking off a “big hullabaloo” when everyone make as much noise as possible (this would be the “driving out the evil” bit). Then you’d be lifting a glass (or bowl) to an individual tree, selected to represent all of its kind, and wishing it a merry “Wassail!” Before anyone takes a drink for themselves, the first sip is splashed upon the apple tree.
Wassail also referred to the stuff in the cup or bowl you raise in toast. While recipes vary, the basic ingredients found in wassail are: mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.
Which brings us back to a fine wassail concoction called Lambswool. This may be because it was served during the Celtic festival of La mas ubal, that is, ‘The Day of the Apple Fruit’; and being pronounced lamasool, it was corrupted to Lambs Wool. It may have also gotten the name from the fluffy appearance of the apple as it floats above the grog beneath.
In any case, it is never too late for a fine toast and so long as the days are chill and dark, there is nothing that can satisfy quite like a warm, spicy drink. Stop by the Celtic Ranch and you’ll find plenty of wooly warmth, both in the shop and in The Whiskey Snug. I always say, “We can warm you up on the inside and the outside!” Wassail, y’all!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Brighid (BREE’yid) or Brigit is also the patron saint of Ireland, second only to Saint Patrick. She represents a powerful presence in the land and Celtic lore. As goddess, she was Brid (or Bride – the inspiration of our word for a woman in a marriage ceremony) daughter of the Dagda (the Good God) of the sacred Tuatha de Dannan. Her influence shines through time and has not been dimmed with the coming of Christianity. The new faith embraced her as the nursemaid and foster mother of Christ himself, sometimes calling her “Mary of the Gael.”
When the historic Brigit was born on Faughart Hill (near Dundalk, Ireland) about 450 CE, she grew into the mantle of her namesake and took on many attributes of the goddess. As a youth, she was taught by Druids. She was a contemporary of St Patrick who is credited with her conversion. She was generous to a fault and drove her father to distraction giving away anything of value to someone in need. When she gave his jewel-encrusted sword to a leper as she was waiting for him outside the home of a potential husband, her father gave in to her wishes. At age 18, she entered a convent, where she flourished. As an abbess, she founded a con hospitae (double or mixed house) at Kildare in 470 CE where both men and women religious could devote themselves to Christian service in community while raising a family, if they chose. Kildare or “Cill Dara” means Church of the Oak. Oak trees are sacred to Druids; yet another echo of the goddess.
And speaking of Brigit’s mantle, it is said that when the saint approached the King of Leinster to ask for land for her convent, he refused. So she asked if she could have the land covered by her mantle when spread it on the ground. He laughed at the idea and agreed. Brigit spread her cloak on the ground and four friends took up each of the four corners and began walking – north, south, east and west. Brigit’s mantle grew and covered acres of land. The King recognized her as a holy woman and not only gave her the land, but food and supplies as well.
Another Brigit story involves her sitting with a pagan chieftain as he lay dying. (Some versions have it that it was her own father.) In any case, the man was so distraught that she could offer him little but her comforting presence. As she sat, she began to weave a cross from the rushes at her feet. When the man noticed her occupation, he asked what she was making. She then told him of the saving grace of Christ on the cross and the man converted and was baptized before he died. Today, the iconic image of St Brigit’s cross can be found in many forms and sizes. It is often made of rushes and hung near the door of both house and bier (barn) to bring good fortune and protect against fire. Each year, a new cross is woven on Brigit’s feast day (February 1) with the old cross burned in the fire; though some householders tuck the old cross into their thatched roofs for extra “fire insurance.”
There are 15 holy wells associated with St Brigit throughout Ireland, the water at each credited with curative powers. I had the good fortune in 2018 to visit her holy well in the graveyard on Faughart Hill and her shrine and holy stream nearby. On the seventh day of the seventh month, my family and I met Dolores Whelan (teacher, author and spiritual guide) at the site for a personal introduction to Brighid’s presence in this landscape. Along the stream, there are ancient stations in stone that are believed to release healing when touched in faith. There are stones to heal knees, eyes, the head, the waist (perhaps fertility?) and the back. After a few moments of lying on my back (on the back stone), I opened my eyes and immediately saw the formation of St Brigit’s cross in the clouds. I snapped this photo as quickly as I could, but clouds never stand still. It was a holy moment among many in a truly sacred afternoon spent in the company good Saint Brighid.
As the seasons change from Samhain to Imbolc, I encourage you to be intentional with the transition. On the last morning of Samhain, January 31, stand at your back door or window and bid a thankful farewell for all you experienced. On the eve of January 31, stand at your front door or window and offer a warm welcome to the incoming quarter and all that springtime holds for you. Perhaps you have a special request to make of Brighid at this time. And whether you weave your own cross, or purchase one fashioned in stems, metal, stone, ceramic or canvas– may it be a lasting symbol of the generous spirit and creativity of Brid / St Brighid in your life.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
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Such was the slogan associated with a fifth-century princess, the most beautiful daughter of 24 fathered by Brychan Brycheiniog, King of Powys in Wales. Few suffered heartbreak as she did, and fewer still would devote the remainder of her life to religious devotion specifically to intercede for lovers. Her name is often translated, “She who leads a blessed life.”
The details of her star-crossed encounter with Prince Maelon Daffodrill vary from one telling to another. What is certain is that her beauty won him instantly and he made it known that he wished to marry her. It is said that Dwyn returned his love, but for some reason, the path to marriage was blocked. Some say it was her father that forbade it – because he didn’t care for Maelon or perhaps had already promised Dwyn to another suitor. Others say that it was Dwynwen herself that turned away, having already pledged to embrace the celibate life of the Christian religious. In any case, both Dwynwen and Maelon were each in great anguish.
Dwyn sought the solace of the woods. She prayed fervently that she could be delivered from her affections for Maelon. In a dream, an angel brought her a vial of a sweet-tasting potion, which brought the healing and relief she sought. As Maelon was still in pursuit, when he arrived on the scene, Dwynwen was eager to share her cure. Unfortunately, when Maelon drank, he was turned to a block of ice!
Again, Dwynwen sought God’s intervention. She had three specific desires for her prayer. One that Maelon would be restored to life; the second - that God should look kindly on the hopes and dreams of all true lovers and third - that she would never marry, and never have the desire to do so in order that she would devote the remainder of her life to God.
She retreated to an island in the Menai Strait off of Anglesey that still bears her name - Llanddwyn meaning the enclosure of Dwynwen. There, she and perhaps one of her sisters founded a church and, according to legend, were joined by many broken-hearted women. Dwynwen died c 460 CE, but her island remains a place of pilgrimage for those seeking a sign of love or solace in the letting go. It is said that anyone who visits the island will not leave it with a broken heart.
The ruins found on Llanddwyn today are the remains of a 16th century church (Tudor era), although they are said to be on the same site as her original hermitage. You will also see the remains of two 19th century towers, once serving as lighthouses, and a 14-foot Celtic cross erected in 1903. A further tale relates that the church's well (known as Ffynon Ddwynwen) held a magical fish (probably an eel) whose movements in the water would predict the future for young lovers. When a question was asked of the fish, the answers would be determined by its movements. Women would test the faithfulness of their husbands by sprinkling breadcrumbs on the well's surface and covering these with a handkerchief. If the handkerchief was disturbed by movement in the water, the husband was deemed faithful. Dwynwen is not only the patron saint of lovers, but of sick animals. Her name was often invoked in an attempt to heal an injured animal or pet.
The beloved Welsh bard, Dafydd ap Gwilym is regarded amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. He is renowned for his love poetry. Here, he captures a supplicant’s sensual prayer to St Dwynwen in verse, excerpted in translation:
Dwynwen, your beauty like the hoar-frost's tears;
from your chancel with its blazing waxen candles
well does your golden image know
how to assuage the griefs of wretched men.
What a man so ever would keep vigil in your choir,
a holy, shining pilgrimage, seeking you in kindest radiance,
there is no sickness nor heart's sorrow
which he would carry with him thence from LLanddwyn.
St Dwynwen’s feast day is January 25, and in Wales, a day devoted to lovers. Get a jump on St Valentine’s Day and let your beloved know how much they mean to you. Whether romance, deep friendship, or kith and kin, you can find a little Celtic something to warm the heart of your dear ones. From Claddagh (Love-Loyalty-Friendship) and Anam Cara (Soul Friend) jewelry to Tweed Bears celebrating Irish writers Joyce and Yeats to delicious Butler’s Irish chocolates, you can find a lot to love here at The Celtic Ranch.
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Robert (aka Rob, Rabbie, Robin) was born January 25, 1759 in Alloway to William Burnes and Agnes Broun; the eldest of seven children. Written at age 28, the lyrics to Rantin’ Rovin’ Robin or There Was a Lad capture these autobiographical details as well as prophesy spoken by a way-faring woman on the day he was born. Here is a sample:
Our monarch’s hindmost year but ane
Was five-and-twenty days begun
‘Twas then a blast o’ Janwar’ win’
Blew Hansel* in on Robin
Chorus
Robin was a rovin’ boy,
Rantin’, rovin’, rantin’, rovin’,
Robin was a rovin’ boy,
Rantin’, rovin Robin!
He’ll hae misfortunes great an’ sma’,
But aye a heart aboon them a’,
He’ll be a credit till us a’ –
We’ll a’ be proud o’ Robin.
*A gift for good luck given at the start of a new year.
The elder Burnes was a tenant farmer who knew little financial success. He was dedicated to providing his children a good education, but died young leaving a legacy of hard physical labor and scant means for the family to survive. In spite of grinding poverty and weighty responsibilities, our poet gained much personal freedom and re-invented himself after his father’s passing – including the spelling of his last name.
Burns credits a relative of his mother’s for infusing his imagination with Scottish lore as a child. He wrote of her in a letter, "She had, I suppose, the largest collection in the county of tales and songs concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, brownies, witches, warlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elf-candles, dead-lights, wraiths, apparitions, cantraips, giants, inchanted towers, dragons and other trumpery.--This cultivated the latent seeds of Poesy...." Imagine what those bedtime stories were like!
As Burns grew to manhood, it was his fondness for the lassies that guided (or misguided) his steps. His earliest poems were love letters. He was prolific in every way, eventually fathering 12 children by four women. Nine of these were with his long-suffering wife, Jean Armour, who often took in his illegitimate offspring to raise them with her own. Now there’s a woman!
I’m trying to imagine a man so charming and charismatic that he captivated both men and women, young and old. Shortly after the release of his first book of poetry, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect published in 1786, he was “discovered” by members of the literary class in Edinburgh and was soon sought after as a dinner guest and public speaker. Ironically, he had thrown together this collection of work hoping to raise enough money to catch a boat to Jamaica and escape the wrath of his father-in-law.
The book was successful beyond imagination and remains some of Burns’ most significant work. He captured, as few others could, the perspective of life for the common man. He eloquently expressed his views on politics, society, the church and life and he captured much of it in the vernacular of Scots dialect, which was already on the wane at the time.
Burns endeared himself to most of us through his love of old Scots folk songs and his talent for setting his own lyrics to old tunes. He contributed about 200 songs to the publication of The Scots Musical Museum, which preserved a total of 600 lyrics and tunes in six volumes. His greatest hit by far is “Auld Lang Syne,” the traditional Hogmanay or New Year song of nostalgia which is sung literally all over the world.
Burns was loved and beloved. The first statue raised in his honor stands in George Square, Glasgow. It was paid for by a “shilling subscription.” Within a year, £1,680 toward the £2,000 had been raised. No single large benefactor, just thousands of people contributing a hard-earned shilling each. Note: 20 shillings make one British pound. There are more than 60 statues of Burns worldwide, making him the third most memorialized, non-religious figure after Christopher Columbus and Queen Victoria.
Within five years of his death, some friends of Burns formed the first “Burns Club.” The original objective: “To cherish the name of Robert Burns; to foster a love of his writings, and generally to encourage an interest in the Scottish language and literature.” Today, Scottish Societies, Scottish Rite Masonic organizations and Burns fans host Burns Nicht (Night) or a Burns Supper to toast the bard, recite and sing his immortal memory and enjoy a bit of haggis on or near January 25th.
Why not stop in at the Whiskey Snug this month to raise a glass in honor of Rabbie? Here you’ll find atmosphere and libations reminiscent of his favorite haunt -- The Globe Inn in Dumfries. The Snug hasn’t been in business since 1610; however, you’ll find old world hospitality and the finest beverages that more than 500 years of distilling experience has produced. “An' just a wee drap sp'ritual burn in…”
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>I have.
]]>And I do.
Since I started my sojourn in September 2018 as a ranch hand at The Celtic Ranch in Weston, Missouri, I have heard a remarkable number of people comment on this. And it’s not limited to gender or to age. Sometimes, you can see it coming on a person. They take their first few steps inside the door… and stop. They gaze around, trying to take it all in; the sights, the scents, the sounds. Perhaps they just have to let their eyes adjust from the outside light. But sometimes, these dear souls are transported by the experience.
“Oh, this reminds me of the shops I saw all over Scotland.”
“All these wool sweaters make me feel cozy already.”
“It smells so good in here. I feel like I’m in Ireland.”
“This is my favorite shop in town.”
“We always come to Weston at this time of year and Celtic Ranch is our first stop.”
And then it comes… “I could just live here.”
I hear children say it; “I wish I could live here.”
I hear grown men say it, as in this exchange upon emerging from our Whiskey Snug:
Gent 1 – “Well, I guess it’s time to stop pretending I live here and get back to work.”
Gent 2 – “But, you do live here.” (meaning in Weston)
Gent 1 - “No, I mean living in this shop.”
And I know exactly how they feel.
Having been a big fan of The Celtic Ranch from afar, I was delighted to be closer when our family relocated from Lincoln, Nebraska to St Joseph, Missouri this past autumn. While networking and job hunting, I arranged to stop by the shop to talk with Terry Kast, the Head Honcho. I thought I was just catching up and getting suggestions for possible employment. To my surprise, I found myself also meeting with the store manager and the business manager. It was a full-fledged job interview! Not only that, I walked out the door with a job. I’m telling you… magic happens in this place.
Terry’s vision for the Celtic Ranch reaches well beyond the quality clothing, the beautiful jewelry, the well-stocked pantry and dizzying selection of international whiskey, wine and other adult beverages. Each of us – whether in the shop, in the office or tending bar – conspires to create a singular atmosphere of Celtic hospitality in this space. It’s palpable from the moment you jangle the cow bells on our front door.
I’ve always had the feeling that I’m among kindred spirits here. It’s always been a place that I recommended to others and brought guests, when I had the chance. I still have (and use!) the first thing I purchased here more than a decade ago. It’s a pretty simple little glasses holder on a long cord with a Celtic design on it (of course). And I never forgot where it came from. Yup, I’ve found my tribe.
Even better, now I get to share my view from the ranch with you – right here – each week! We’ll take a little ramble, appreciating the treasures of the Celtic Ranch as the wheel of the seasons turns through the rolling year. Don’t be a stranger. Haste ye back!
Lori McAlister,
Wrangler of Cultural Affairs
]]>Look back no further than those Elizabethans of Great Britain. Now they knew how to party at Christmastide – 12 full days of feasting and merriment! December 25 was only the beginning with the 12th Day falling on January 6, also known as Epiphany, Three Kings Day, Little Christmas or Women’s Christmas. And the biggest blowout of all was on 12th Night, the evening of January 5.
During the 12 Days, mischief and mayhem reigned; the world was topsy turvy. Masters acted as servants and servants as lords; men dressed as women and women as men. Essentially, you could reinvent yourself during this time; try on a different persona, let it all hang out. So long as everyone played along and returned to their “rightful roles” when the 12 Days were over, it served as a pressure relief valve for the whole community.
And if you happened to be in Wales, to all this chaos add the Mari Lwyd (MAH-ree Loyd) – a spectral figure fashioned from the skull of a horse atop a pole with beer bottle glass eyes, bedecked with colorful ribbons and bells with an articulated jaw that snapped and clacked as she came. Our Mari Lwyd is no doubt but a shadow of some pre-historic horse ritual as the Celts have a deeply held relationship with the equine species. Her name has several interpretations. One is “Grey Mare,” and one can certainly say that this old grey mare, she ain’t what she used to be. One might well wonder if she has something to do with the origin of “night mares.” Another is “Holy Mary,” making the connection with the virgin of the Christmas story. One tale posits that Mari represents a pregnant mare who was displaced from her stall that night in Bethlehem by the pregnant Mary and that is why she wonders from house to house at this season of the year, ever seeking shelter and comfort. One thing is sure, she provides a way for the community to face their own fears, their own mortality, in these dark days of midwinter and to enact again the triumph of life over death. Not to mention, having a bit of fun along the way…
The Welsh tradition of the Mari Lwyd typically takes place on 12th Night and looks a lot like a combination of Trick or Treating and Christmas Caroling. The Mari party consisting of gents includes the leader who guides the Mari, someone to animate the Mari while concealed by a white sheet, and an indeterminate number of chaps along for the singing and the reveling. When this jolly gang presents itself on your stoop, a contest ensues. It’s a battle of extemporaneous song utilizing a familiar tune, but each side having to ad lib the lyrics. The Mari party sings, then those in the house make reply. The last group with a verse wins. (Take note – its bad luck for you if the Mari party doesn’t win.) So after this throw-down, the Mari and her handlers are invited into the house for food, drink, money, etc. The carolers were often “well oiled” before they arrived at the first house, so after a few stops, they could make rather rowdy house guests. There are stories of young ladies being chased about by a furiously snapping Mari, furniture tumbling and crockery smashing. In one case, an innocent old woman was sitting in her rocker when a Mari was thrust through the window of her home and she died of fright. It was this type of behavior that caused the Mari to fall from favor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Reverend William Roberts wrote of the Mari in The Religion of the Dark Ages (1852) – “I wish of this folly, and of all similar follies, that they find no place anywhere apart from the museum of the historian and the antiquary.” Well, at least he let us keep her somewhere…
You can meet the Mari Lwyd Lawen (Merry Mari Lwyd) in person if you visit The Celtic Ranch today! She is grinning in the front window along with a calennig, a Welsh New Year Gift, a Highland Cow skull lantern and a little winter wren, the King of All Birds. And while you’re here, you can stock up on plenty of authentic sweet treats, biscuits, crisps and drinks worthy of a visit from the stalwart Mari Lwyd revelers. Or surprise a friend with a thoughtful gift to represent your good wishes for luck, health and prosperity for the new year.
]]>These recognizable phrases come from “Deck the Halls,” a Welsh New Year Carol called “Nos Galan” (winter night or New Year Eve). Scholars don’t agree on the precise meaning of the word “Yule.” Some think it is an early Germanic for “wheel,” referring to the turning of the year or perhaps “feast” as it was time for slaughtering animals that couldn’t be overwintered. Yule was most certainly brought to England and Scotland by invading Danes in the ninth and tenth centuries. By the 11th century, it was simply another word for Christmastime across Britain. The Swedish expression for “Merry Christmas” is “God Jul,” remarkably similar to “Good Yule.” Ah, those jolly Vikings... “Here we come a pillaging among the leaves so green…”
The Yule Log came to have significant meaning, its laying attended by strict ceremony and its ashes held to possess miraculous powers of healing, protection, and fertility. Many continental cultures share a similar custom, but it was poet Robert Herrick who first records it in 17th-century England in “The Yule Log”
Just getting the log home was a high-spirited event. Often, the youngest member of the hunting party would sit astride the prize as the rest of the men dragged it along. In Scotland, it was the male head of household that selected a thick branch or substantial stump – oak if possible – to bring to the house on Christmas Eve. He would carve it into the shape of the Cailleach (KAHL’lee-ak) “Old Woman” or “Grandmother.” She represents the spirit of winter – cold – death. Throwing “her” into the fire gave the family satisfaction to watch the darkness reduced to ash. Observing this custom ensured that death would not visit the house in the New Year.
Having fire, light and warmth for your home was a matter of life and death. It represented wise planning, it rewarded your hard work and it was key to offering hospitality. In Ireland, a candle was left burning all night in at least one window of the house, ostensibly to help Mary and Joseph find their way on Christmas Eve. Often, the door to the house was left unlocked and a table set for three people “to have a proper welcome for the Travellers to Bethlehem.” A dish of water was left on the window ledge to be blessed by these travelers and then kept for curative purposes.
Many people still remember the importance of giving your house and farmyard a deep cleaning as part of Yuletide preparations. Everyone got involved with the men clearing all of the outbuildings inside and out, sometimes applying a fresh coat of white-wash. The women were sweeping, washing and scouring until every surface shining. Then and only then could the decorating begin. But this wasn’t just any cleanup; it put into physical action the interior work of preparing hearts and minds for the hope of the celebration to come.
Add a breath of fresh air to your home as you prepare for family, feasting, and festivity. The Celtic Ranch has a fine selection of Inis products with its signature light, fresh unisex scent. Coordinate fragrance and lotions for you with diffusers for your rooms. Choose from a variety of long-lasting diffuser scents by Brooke & Shoals including Cinnamon & Cedar or Frosted Ginger & Winter Berries for the season. And from their award-winning collection, you’ll be recalling Glendalough, Skelligs, Cliffs of Mohr and the Wild Atlantic Way. While you’re cleaning and sprucing up your space, add those just-right sensory touches to please both sight and smell. Happy Yule, y’all!
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In 1985 in a small factory just south of the Lee River the Lee River Leather Goods company was founded. Since then they have been turning out hand made belts, buckles, billfolds and bracelets. Like most things made by the Irish their products are extremely well done and their popularity has grown on that reputation. The recent increase in the Lee River brand led Terry Kast to recently add a special section to the Celtic Ranch just for Lee River customers. I personally have several Lee River belts and buckles they are both attractive and wear well. Now that summer is just around the corner stop in and check out this display. While you are at it grab a free cup of Irish tea or drop by the Whiskey Snug and ask your host to serve you up the drink of the day. Slainte.
]]>Seems like there is someone graduating each year from high school or college and I used to struggle with gift ideas. Several years ago I became acquainted with a line of Celtic jewelry carried by Terry at The Celtic Ranch. It is rich looking, well designed and priced within my budget. It is also nice because you can buy a gift that will always remind the recipient of you. The men's jewelry looks masculine and is heavy enough to make you feel confident it will standup to everyday wear.
The women's jewelry is just plain beautiful. Who is this designer and what is the name of his jewelry? It is Keith Jack.
The C. R. carries several of Keith's award winning designs and you can also look at their stock on the internet at http://www.celticranch.com. Whether you purchase one of these pieces of beautiful jewelry for yourself or as a gift, you will not be disappointed. Check them out online but better yet, stop by and feel the weight and see the quality up close.Saol fada agus breac-shláinte chugat.
https://www.facebook.com/keith.jack.33?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
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