Lunar Samhain 2003 - 2004 at the Hill of Tara
A gathering of escaped catholics and shiny ones who are finding their paths, some natives from Tlachtga townland and native gaelic speakers from the local Gaeltacht met with some druids and apprentices from druidschool and a founding member of CDE at the Druids Well at Tlachtga. Water was blessed and the group then blessed the well. This was followed by face painting for the scary ones and we then went to the Hill of Tlachtga. Adge went ahead to prepare the reception group at Tara. We brought our fire brazier (with its dished base for sparks) and a single haversack of mixed sacred woods into the temple. We gathered on the ancient mound inside the four-ring enclosure and made a group circle.
I read the Ceremony of Samhain as Gaeilge and translated into English. Then John and I lit a new flame with 20th century SAS kit and the brazier burned quickly. After an hour the one charge of the brazier had burned down and we took the fire to the candles. Two candles and an oil lamp were then brought to Tara. At Tara we had our first snack since 1pm. We then went up the gravel path to the church. We stopped at the statue of St Patrick and spoke to his image in Irish. A translation might read as - You have done your job, so now goodbye. We then went to a point about 50 steps behind the statue to where the new gravel patch at the top of the Banqueting Hall is (read as processional cursus) beside the transitional temple of the Rath of the Synods. Here we were greeted and the seven directions were invoked. We lit a fire of bog oak shavings with the new flame brought from Tlachtga as candles in lanterns and quickly had a second fire.
We did release of negativity into sticks that we placed into the fire (we also did this at Tlachtga). We walked clockwise and then anticlockwise at the fire as we all let go of things that no longer serve our needs. We also made wishes for others. At the closing Adge and I spoke to the gathering. I named the following places as the edge of a three-mile Circle of Light or Light Dome over Tara. Oberstown in the East, Dunsany in the South, Balgeeth in the West and Corballis in the North. (This Dome of Light over Tara will be re-enforced by druidschool at the full moons. Then the very brave had more soup.
Then the group went to the Hill of the Witches. At this stage I should say that as we first arrived at Tlachtga, there were a hundred crows in the Druids Well field, that the stars came out after ceremony at Tlachtga, that the winds at the exposed gravel patch at Tara were gentle and that as we drove to the Hill of the Witches it pissed down heavy rain. Now, I knew that the group had resolve but I also knew that this did not extend to getting soaked while extremely tired. I was short on petrol but could not find a garage that was open. Still we headed on. At the car park on the Hill of the Witches I lit a fire in soft drizzle with a blowlamp (I am a retired craftsman plumber), this third sacred fire of the samhain ceremony took quickly and one by one our group emerged from their cars. We sang songs and held the Light... for this was why we had gathered.
Three candle lanterns at three fires at three Sacred Sites celebrating the Lunar Samhain Fire Festival tradition from over 1500 years ago. We then parted ways and most of us headed to Dublin. I watched my fuel gauge. I found a petrol station after Dunseachlain. A good day, a good night, a good gathering and a great Lunar Samhain Celebration on the correct day after 1500 years of time confusion by the church of fear.
I read the Ceremony of Samhain as Gaeilge and translated into English. Then John and I lit a new flame with 20th century SAS kit and the brazier burned quickly. After an hour the one charge of the brazier had burned down and we took the fire to the candles. Two candles and an oil lamp were then brought to Tara. At Tara we had our first snack since 1pm. We then went up the gravel path to the church. We stopped at the statue of St Patrick and spoke to his image in Irish. A translation might read as - You have done your job, so now goodbye. We then went to a point about 50 steps behind the statue to where the new gravel patch at the top of the Banqueting Hall is (read as processional cursus) beside the transitional temple of the Rath of the Synods. Here we were greeted and the seven directions were invoked. We lit a fire of bog oak shavings with the new flame brought from Tlachtga as candles in lanterns and quickly had a second fire.
We did release of negativity into sticks that we placed into the fire (we also did this at Tlachtga). We walked clockwise and then anticlockwise at the fire as we all let go of things that no longer serve our needs. We also made wishes for others. At the closing Adge and I spoke to the gathering. I named the following places as the edge of a three-mile Circle of Light or Light Dome over Tara. Oberstown in the East, Dunsany in the South, Balgeeth in the West and Corballis in the North. (This Dome of Light over Tara will be re-enforced by druidschool at the full moons. Then the very brave had more soup.
Then the group went to the Hill of the Witches. At this stage I should say that as we first arrived at Tlachtga, there were a hundred crows in the Druids Well field, that the stars came out after ceremony at Tlachtga, that the winds at the exposed gravel patch at Tara were gentle and that as we drove to the Hill of the Witches it pissed down heavy rain. Now, I knew that the group had resolve but I also knew that this did not extend to getting soaked while extremely tired. I was short on petrol but could not find a garage that was open. Still we headed on. At the car park on the Hill of the Witches I lit a fire in soft drizzle with a blowlamp (I am a retired craftsman plumber), this third sacred fire of the samhain ceremony took quickly and one by one our group emerged from their cars. We sang songs and held the Light... for this was why we had gathered.
Three candle lanterns at three fires at three Sacred Sites celebrating the Lunar Samhain Fire Festival tradition from over 1500 years ago. We then parted ways and most of us headed to Dublin. I watched my fuel gauge. I found a petrol station after Dunseachlain. A good day, a good night, a good gathering and a great Lunar Samhain Celebration on the correct day after 1500 years of time confusion by the church of fear.