Celtic Druid Temple Blog

Starlore Mythology of the Tuatha De Danann

13/5/2025

For over 40 years I've researched the original calendar of our most magical ancestors - I needed to find an accessible simple one-page version that was not made up from a bit of this and a bit of that, all neat and easy to fit in with modern needs. It does not exist.
What did and now again does exist is the Starlore Mythology of a culture that started their day at sunset and counted the passage of time by the movement of the Sun, the Full and Dark Moon and the Stars - the Tuatha De Danann. I've got it into a one page graphic and have it printed in two options - a steel plate 8x12" and a canvas print (no frame) 19x27".

Full Moon Moonday the 12th of May

10/5/2025

The Druí of Celtic Druid Temple will celebrate the Full Moon this Moonday the 12th of May at 8pm, at the Hill of Tara in County Meath, at Temple Crom in Co. Roscommon and Vienna (7pm) in Austria. These ceremonies are free and open to all, you just need to email the facilitator before hand. More info in this moonth's newsletter, available here.

Happy Full Moon and Beltane - Newsletter

9/4/2025

The Druí of Celtic Druid Temple will celebrate the Full Moon this Sunday the 13th of April at 8pm, at the Hill of Tara in County Meath, at Temple Crom in Co. Roscommon and Vienna (7pm) in Austria. Our Beltane ceremony is at true midday / high noon on Sunday 27th of April. REad about these ceremonies and our activities in our latest newsletter here.

Beltine 27 April 2025

9/4/2025

This year we celebrate Beltane on the 27 April 2025. Beltane means for us 'the two fires of Bile' (pronounced as Billah) and refers to a ritual of purification. The month of May is called Bealtaine as Gaeilge and it marks the first day of summer. This was a specifically Irish holiday and many of the other Celtic cultures also celebrate a festival known by a range of names. As Samhain marks the end of summer of the old year and the start of winter of the New Year - Beltane marks the end of winter and start of summer. In the past (still observed in Ireland in the 19th century) on the first day of Beltane - cattle were driven between two fires for protection from disease and then they were let into pasture. History associates Beltane with the arrival and departure of Partholon, then the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann and then the Gaels – Bilé arrives in Ireland at this time. As it is the start of summer - everyone reckoned it to be a great time to start an adventure.
Beltine is also called Bealtinne, Beltine, Beltain, Beal-tine, Beltan, Bel-tien, Beltein, Bealtuinn and Bealtaine, Mayday, Walburga, Galan Mai, Shenn da Boaldyn and it is celebrated or honoured across the world.

It is by the Dark Moon setting with the Sun that the bright star Alderbaran (Bilé for Us) briefly shines before it too then sets below the horizon that we determine Beltine in Ireland!

Other calendars-
Druuis Auetos
Why April 27th black moon time? Normally (according to Coligny's calendar table) this year the Belotennia celebration takes place on May 13, 14 and 15, during the full moon...
Surendra Mathur
Hindus in India will celebrate this festival on 29 April 25. Hindus call this Akshaya Tritiya

This year our gathering for Beltine is only open to our Druí Daltaí, our Druí Fasach, our Ard Druí and by special invitation only. Only people we actually know in person can attend. This allows us to focus on the Sun ceremony itself and not on basic teachings, introductions etc. At our Full Moon ceremonies we openly welcome new people to our circle where we give the basic teachings, guidance, introductions and informal chat as well.

Beltane has the Summer Magic explode! It is when the Bulls are let out to the fields - if you have ever seen this you'll know it is pretty amazing - they leap and jump in happiness but to us it is madness and dangerous too! In ancient Ireland herds of cattle were driven between two huge linear fires at Beltane to burn off any dis-ease from winter corralling and to protect and purify them before returning to open pasture. When we see the cattle being released these days at Beltane from their winter enclosing we see them bucking and kicking and running around enjoying freedom. Nature calls us all at this time – go out, get some sunshine and listen to Nature.

The White flowers on the thorn trees are suddenly ablaze with insects and their intense activity sounds. The grass suddenly grows at an advanced rate, flowers and herbs begin to appear above ground again, the days are much longer and the heat of the Sun can scorch everything very quickly too! School children stare longingly out of classroom windows....

Photo taken over the ditch to our neighbours field showing a White Mare. A soft peaceful animal without and fears at all. Quiet too, except when Toby, the stallion is let out...lol With a breeding season from late spring to autumn and gestation of 11 moonths many Mare give birth in mid summer but it is around Beltane that the mares are let of of their stables to graze on wild herbs and grasses in the open fields. Then after a few week - suddenly - there is a long leg foal always staying by mammies side.

Gaelic society called their ‘sacred’ trees Bilé and these Bilé trees were the Irish 'royal inauguration' sites for clan leaders, kings and high kings. The Bilé tree played an important part in Irish kingship rites and were sometimes attacked / destroyed by rival dynasties. Their role of a Bilé tree in kingship ceremonies was multifunctional as it was important in many ways, leaders got recognition under the Bilé, the tribe would gather at the Bilé in times of group need, it would also be a good location for a marriage, baby naming, coming of age ceremonies too. It is believed that the “slat na righe” (rod of kingship) was cut from the branches of the tribes Bilé tree during every inauguration ceremony. Bilé trees give the tribe physical and spiritual nourishment, a focus away from the hearth fire which is often indoors and the renewal of life with the appearance of buds and then leaves declared the 'outdoor season' or summer had really established itself.

The tree is a living expression of the three realms in that its roots connect with underground water, its trunk is solid as the earth and its branches and leaves reach up to the sky. Just like the movement of water and the life force through the three realms - all trees pull the life giving water soluble nutrient mix to build its physical expression and breathes out through the leaves up to the sun. Photosynthesis is literally the mixing of heat with nutrient rich water - this gives growth and oxygen and a homeopathic concentration of the land it grows on. Evaporation has more than just water in it - it is the spirit of the land... A mature tree can move 60 to 100 gallons per day from its roots to its leaves and out to the air - creating a zone where we can live healthy lives. This is why we gratefully give thanks to trees at many of our ceremonies.

Rathra Equinox Sunset

13/3/2025

It's that time of year again, time to go sunset watching! The above pics are from a sacred site called Rathra which is part of the complex of Rathcroghan monuments in County Roscommon. From the monument you can watch the Sun set into the Holy mountain of Croagh Crom aka The Reek. You can read about our experience finding this monumental sunset aspect on a previous blog post here.

Happy Full Moon and Spring Equinox - Newsletter

13/3/2025

The Druí of Celtic Druid Temple will celebrate the Full Moon this Friday the 14th of March at 8pm, at the Hill of Tara in County Meath, at Temple Crom in Co. Roscommon and Vienna (7pm) in Austria. It's almost time to celebrate the Spring Equinox, this newsletter shares our night time sky images for this time of year as well as pics of the fantastic Sunset over the Holy mountain. You can read the full newsletter here

Lá agus Oíche Crom - Crom's day and night - Earrach 17/3/25

13/3/2025

Our gathering to bless a 3D printed copy of our Crom stone head. It is hollow and we each put a charge or blessings or positive vibes etc into multiple quartz rocks that were put inside the head. Hot beeswax was added (John and Frank) and we blessed more quartz rocks until it was full. This Crom was made for this time.

The 'fully dressed' version of our 3D printed head. A non-invasive scan was created to print a 100% replica of our real ancient Crom. Then we dressed it after studying the shadows of stone Crom when I identified his eyebrows, third eye and exact number of teeth and complete lack of ears. Two quartz eggs from the Tuath Dé Danann Four Treasures altar were selected and each had a black dot 'pupil' added - these eyes were then attached by warm beeswax to the eye sockets. A suede mushroom cap was crafted and fitted to complete the look.

Before we were gifted with the Crom stone head which is an actual ancient pre catholic era stone head I had spotted a rock with a smile on the Belmullet peninsula while on a day out breathing the fresh sea air from the Atlantis Ocean. The smile was just a thin crack in the pointy end but it inspired me... and it is untouched, ie the same as when I found it. There was a balance / symmetry in this seaside rock and I easily imagined the eyes, eyebrows and the nose too. One hour of bang bang chipping with a hammer and sharpened chisel gave the result you can see now.

We have three Crom Heads now, all kept in the Hemp Hall! The spring equinox for Ireland is called Earrach and we celebrate it on the 17th of March as we honour Crom. At true mid-night 00:33 on the Spring day of equal half's we do not get 12 hours of Sun, we get 11 hours: 58 minutes: 52 seconds of Sun, the previous day we got 11:54:37 and the day after we will get 12:03:07 - this shows when we celebrate Earrach. Think of it, this is what our Ancestors saw - the Dragon from the Realm of Sea, flying in the Realm of Sky while blessing the Realm of Land! Crom Abú

Blood Red Full Moon Partial Eclipse over Ireland from 4am to 6:50am on Friday morning 14th of March 2025

13/3/2025

Blood Red Full Moon Eclipse over Ireland from 4am to 6:50am on Friday morning 14th of March 2025. It is perfectly safe to watch this lunar eclipse with the naked eye and the Aurora / Northern Lights could also be visible in Irish skies tonight too. Not really visible from Dublin or east coast cities as this event happens low on the western horizon just before Sunrise - best option for seeing it is from high ground or on top of mountains looking west as the Full Moon is setting. For precise ‘timing’ info look at https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin?iso=20250314

March 29th, 2025, “devil’s horns” eclipse sunrise

11/3/2025

Moon’s Shadow to Swipe North America and Europe
On Saturday, March 29, parts of Eastern Canada and the Northeastern US will witness a “devil’s horns” eclipse sunrise, while Europe sees a partial solar eclipse around mid-morning or lunchtime. Great detail from By Graham Jones, Published 5-Mar-2025

See https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/solar-eclipse-march-2025

Europe will see a shallow partial eclipse but log in with the link above to watch live imaging. Check out https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin?iso=20250329 to find what Dublin can see of this partial eclipse.

Earrach 2025 Spring Equinox

11/3/2025

Read this carefully, read it twice, connect to the true time that our Ancestors used.In Ireland the spring equinox happens on the 17th of March this year. But in Cairo Egypt it is on the 16th because that is the day nearest to equal day/night with 12 hours: 00 minutes: 18 seconds of Sun.

For us at true midnight 00:33 on the 17th of March looking true south (to where the Sun was at 12:33 high noon ie not map north or magnetic north) we can see Crom's birth organ touching and fertilising the land. Think of it - a Sea water Dragon flying in the Sky blessing the Land. This is what our Ancestors saw - the Dragon from the Realm of Sea, flying in the Realm of Sky while blessing the Realm of Land!

At true mid-night 00:33 on the Spring day of equal half's we do not get 12 hours of Sun, we get 11 hours: 58 minutes: 52 seconds of Sun, the previous day we got 11:54:37 and the day after we will get 12:03:07. At this time of the year we get four minutes and 14 seconds difference between day lengths, ie the days get longer by 4 minutes and 14 seconds. Equinox is two Latin words that mean "equal nights" and not "equal day to nights". Lux is day so if the true Latin was used maybe it should be a time of Equinoxlux... Either way Crom blesses the land at true midnight and the Sun warms the land and fertility results. Crom Abú