Pic: BBC

A disturbing news report appeard on a Druid Newsgroup last night as General Sam reports that Archdruid Rollo Maughfling has suffered a severe stroke and is now blind and paralysed. The Celtic Myth Podshow wish him a speedy recovery or smooth travels. General Sam says: We received the sad news in Ireland last night that our dear friend and colleague in Druidry, Rollo Maughfling, Archdruid of Stonehenge and England, Founder of the Glastonbury Order of Druids (G.O.D.), was admitted to hospital . He is blind and paralysed, suffering from a lethal stroke it seems. Rollo is also Stonehenge Officer of the Council of British Druid Orders, the largest of its kind in the world, encompassing at least 18 Druid Orders and Associates at home and abroad, and co-ordinating their work with many more, as the best-known and most active Druid umbrella group on the planet, representing 17,000 Druids.

Rollo is also the Archdruid of Avondale and Wicklow in Ireland as a descendant of Charles Stewart Parnell, the “Uncrowned King of Ireland”, Ithe leading Irish patriot in Victorian times, and, in the end, victim of the Irish Catholic Church. Rollo is also a Member of the Council of the Order of Druids in Ireland, ODI, and a frequent visitor to Ireland on working trips as such.

He is an Irish Druid, his name originating from the Maughlin Mountains in Mayo, Ireland, from whence his ancestors sprang. He was married to the late Jackie  ”Memory” Patterson, Archdruidess and Author of “A Memory of Trees”, was also associated with the renowned Celtic artist, Archdruidess Una Woodruff, and is now married to Druidess Donna Brooke, photographer, with one little daughter. It seems as if Rollo is going to have a massive battle to survive and leave hospital ever, that’s the terribly bad news we received last night.

Presiding Druid at Stonehenge

The prehistoric stone circle in Salisbury Plain is the long-established venue for ancient rituals involving robed Druids, who claim to be descended from Celtic priests, as they greet the sun as it rises above the stones.In 1998, English Heritage allowed the Druids to celebrate once more amongst the ancient stones and Rollo is reported by the BBC:

Pic: BBC

Before the solstice, Rollo Maughfling, Arch Druid of Britain, said his members were looking forward to the event, which marked the high point of their nature-worshipping religion. We have been stood outside the stones at various important times of the year for 10 years. Obviously it is only limited access but we hope this will be increased and that we will get full access somewhere down the line.

General Sam continues:

Twenty years ago Rollo administered as Presiding Druid to the Faithful little band of Druids who turned up at Stonehenge as their Archdruid, and went on in recent years to preside over 30,000 Druids, Pilgrims and Revellers who turn up there now. A great orator, if he goes he will be a massive loss to Druidry in the British Isles, we keep our fingers crossed…

We echo those thoughts…

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