Brighid returns with a bushful of blessings
It's Imbolc time again and our beloved goddess and saint has some fabulous surprises up her magic sleeve for the festival. Rumour has it that Brighid has been working with our Scribes and volunteers to bring us such delights as
Brighid's Blessing Bush, the old Gaelic custom of tying ribbons on a bush beside her sacred well in return for her blessings on the crops and herds and general good luck in the year ahead. Our patron of poets has also inspired
The Fire of the Goddess, an intriguing writing game that invites participants to tell a tale about "a new 'crop' you are growing on the green mantle of Ireland."
Also on the agenda is a "kick up your heels" ceili at the
The Triskelion Tavern featuring house specials guaranteed to knock your socks off, and two days of fun and games in Tara Marketplace, followed by a solemn Druid Procession from the
Tara Festival Grounds to
Cill Dara and two quizzes, one about Imbolc herbs and another about Brighid herself. The festivities will begin on Imbolc Eve (January 31st) and continue into the weekend. Keep your eye on the companel for the following image of Brighid designed by MacMorna Niafer and if you click on it, our fiery lady will guide you safely to the Imbolc festivities:
Growing the Hoods
Playing the Market
by MacMorna Niafer
The Tara Fair and Marketplace opened for business on Hogmanay (January 1) and I am pleased to report that business is booming. To date, we have some sixteen shops offering a wide variety of goods and services. Everything from hangover cures and healing teas at Airmid's Well Herb Shop to the amaZing events and SurpriZing spectacles at Z¹s Magic Parlor! And all of this is within short walking distance of the Hill of Tara itself.
One of our most recent additions is Fiáin agus Bhabh, owned and operated by Owein Brigantes. This is not your ordinary pet shop! Owein takes in lost or injured animals, restores them to health and then tries to find a good home for them. You ought to meet his otter, a playful little fellow named Cwrig Fach who now resides with Taibhse Cenel Conaill. Another of his fiesty friends is Rhufon, a Highland Wildcat adopted by Scathach Cruithni as a hunting and battle companion. And speaking of Taibhse, be sure to stop by her "Bee Shack", Bóthan na Mbheach. It¹s the sweetest place in town!
Two of the most popular places in the market are the Triskelion Tavern and Jacques' Musical Emporium. "The Trisk," as Fenian Niafer's popular brewhouse is known to the locals, is conveniently located at the main crossroads of the market. Folks from all over Ancient Worlds gathered there to celebrate Hogmanay. And our good friend, Jacques Elliott Cruithni, Celtia's recently appointed Ambassador to Hellas, has set himself up as a purveyor of entertainment of the musical variety. Need a DJ or VJ for your next gathering? He's your man. Next time you're in the Hood, stop by and see what the Tara Marketplace has to offer. And if you prefer the instantaneous form of transit, simply click on the magical linking plaque below:
Looking back
First-Footers Race to Greet 2007
by Fenian Niafer
Amidst the nostalgic strains of "Auld Lang Syne," a midnight brigade once again trotted throughout Celtia and the Ancient Worlds, delivering gifts of cakes, whisky and coal for the third annual Hogmanay First Footing. Into the wee hours of morn and through the bleary January dawn, the first visitor of the new year was anxiously awaited. The future depended on whose foot would step first across the threshold in 2007!
Best luck: a handsome dark-haired man (preferably, by many of our womenfolk, kilted), especially if he bears a flask, a sweet treat, or a bit of fuel for the fire. Worst luck: a light-haired man evoking ancestral nightmares of Viking invasions. To properly usher in the New Year, our team of party-hearty First Footers, most of them fitting the standard description, embarked upon their nocturnal rounds, delivering Hogmanay cheer to virtually hundreds of homes — a Scottish tradition well worth keeping!
