Do you remember when we brought you news of the great little iPhone/iTouch App for learning Irish Gaelic from the company known for its free services to the language learning community? The App has gone to version 1.1 with some amazing improvements. Byki will teach you over 1000 critical words and phrases with an easy, addictive, and lightning-fast 3-step process. Perfect your accent with native speaker sound, quiz yourself, and use the search feature to look up words like a phrase book. It takes just one simple download of the software application. See the App website.

Byki iPhone Teaching System

Byki v.1.1 brings the Byki learning method to the iPhone and leverages its native capabilities to deliver a dynamic mobile learning experience. It enables users to study “lists” of words and phrases, whenever and wherever they have a few minutes to “steal” some time to study. One of the greatest obstacles to learning a language is finding the time to study regularly and make it a daily habit. Because iPhone and iPod Touch users bring their devices with them wherever they go, Byki v.1.1 enables users to overcome their time constraints and make that goal a reality. It also integrates the Byki iPhone app with the other components of the larger Byki Platform.

The Byki Platform includes both free and paid desktop software, an online learning application, mobile apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and the List Central learning community at Byki.com. List Central includes thousands of free, user authored Byki lists as well as hundreds of Byki lists created as companions to leading language textbooks. These content sets are available for Byki iPhone users to download and study on the go. More than 3 million people around the world already use Byki desktop software on their MACs and PCs.

Byki v.1.1 teaches the user over 1000 words and hundreds of phrases through dozens of Byki lists included in the downloaded app and provides access to thousands more through additional lists made available for download from the Byki server. Byki for iPhone also integrates with Byki.com to give users free access to companion textbook lists and their favorite Byki lists created by other users in our online community. Finally, owners of the Byki Deluxe software can also create their own study lists on their PC or MAC and post them on Byki.com for download to their iPhone app.

Byki iPhone Upgrades

So what are the main features of the App and what have Byki added? Attractive flash cards Native speaker Three step learning approach (see above) Now, with version 1.1, you can also find: Searchable phrasebook Downloadable content to expand the range Integration with online community Integration with the Desktop App

 See the Byki Irish website

Go to the App on iTunes here

Pic: BBC

Men are needed for DNA tests to prove their distant ancestors moved from the Mediterranean to north west Wales as migrant workers 4,000 years ago reports the BBC. Participants will be asked for a cheek swab sample for genetic analysis. Researchers at the University of Sheffield hope to link the migration of men in the Bronze Age to the discovery of copper

The more men we get the better as the previous work involved only a handful of people. Really we need figures into the hundreds.

said Dr Bob Johnston, from the research team. The DNA sample will involve wiping the inside of the mouth with a sterile cotton bud and sending this back to the laboratory. All the samples will be anonymous.

It was probably only a small number, and it was 4,000 years ago, so the actual physical looks is not there any more.

said Dr Johnson.

Parys Mountain is one of only three sites in Wales which have evidence of copper mining during the Bronze and Roman Ages.

[Source]

Pic: Ancient Lothian

The remains of a hilltop home believed to be about 5,000 years old have been discovered on the outskirts of Edinburgh, The Scotsman reveals in its report on the 23rd March. The Neolithic roundhouse, found on a site where a quarry is due to be expanded, is one of the oldest prehistoric buildings to be discovered in the capital.

Archaeologists have hailed it as one of the most important finds ever made in Edinburgh because of its age – about the same as Skara Brae in Orkney – and unique location. It is also expected to help fill in a largely unknown chapter in Scottish history, when farming had only recently spread to Britain from Europe.

The site, at Ravelrig Hill, near Dalmahoy, enjoys spectacular views across the Lothians and Fife, including landmarks such as Arthur’s Seat. Experts believe the roundhouse was probably built by one of the first families of farmers to start producing their own food in the area. Continue Reading »

Pic: Littlehampton Gazette

The Littlehampton Gazette reports that a 2,000-year-old body has been uncovered in North Bersted. The rare find has excited archaeologists who have labelled the discovery as being of international importance. The Gazette page also has a unique video of the grave to view.

The skeleton is believed to have been a warrior who died around the time of the Roman invasion of England in AD43. He is likely to have been a prince or rich person of some status because of the quantity and quality of goods found with his remains.

Pic: National Geographic

Of particular interest were two highly decorated bronze latticework sheets. These were probably used to cover a shield. Dr Steve Ford, a director of Thames Valley Archaeological Services, said: There is no comparision for this metalwork that we know of. It might well be unique. It’s a very intricate piece of work for its time.

Professor Barry Cunliffe, the professor of European archaelogy at Oxford University, visited the site when he was in Chichester and said he knew of nothing like this metalwork.

The provisional date of the burial from the associated pottery indicates that it took place either at the end of the Late Iron Age or just into the Roman period, perhaps around 40-60AD.

Just three years ago, the Observer reported on the likelihood of the land north of North Bersted Street being occupied as far back as 4000BC during the Neolithic era.

Source

Originally posted 2008-08-10 10:17:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

It’s Beltane and we all love Beltane, don’t we? We go wild in this show with not four, but five great pieces of music, a fascinating question and answer session about Beltane, another trip to the Dragon’s Head for a story from our resident Scottish Shannachie and an excerpt from Arlene Radasky’s superb Celtic novel, The Fox. This is not an episode to be missed

We announce that the website poll has come to a close. We have been running a poll to find out which direction you would like us to take the show in the future – would you like us to continue wiht Irish Mythology, move on to Welsh Mythology, Arthurian or one of the other strains of Celtic Mythology? We are so really priviliged that you have answered with your mouse clicks and we have had 985 votes! Wow, thank you so much. To confirm the results -

• 3rd Place – Arthurian Myth with 19% of the votes
• 2nd Place – The Ulster Cycle with 36.1% of the votes
• 1st Place – Welsh Mythology with 37.9% of the votes

So after this Irish Mythological Cycle draws to a close, we will start to present Welsh Mythology for you.

The poll still exists and can be found at the Vizu site. You can see how the voting went, even where the voters came from! You can also still vote if you want to

We also announced that we have responded to requests from Listeners to produce an online shop, where items carrying the CMP logo can be bought. You can find the shop on Cafe Press or from the Non-profit Shop link in the menu to the left. We have set this up with no profit margin – the price you see is the price Cafe Press charge.

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Pic: Belfast Telegraph

A County Tyrone family could be in line for a reward after finding a rare Bronze Age gold bracelet on their land reports the Belfast Telegraph. Farmer Gary Sproule accidentally unearthed the precious artefact while ploughing over a field at Castlegore near Castlederg last April. The intricate item is believed to date from almost 1,000 years before the birth of Christ.

An inquest was held yesterday in Belfast at which the item, which would have belonged to an important warrior or priest, was officially classified as treasure.

Under the law, a ‘treasure trove’ inquest must be held by the coroner to determine the significance of such finds. The finder of the item, as well as the landowner, are often then entitled to a discretionary reward. Continue Reading »

Pic: IrelandHistory.org Illustrating picture of ancient druids

We are very proud to feature a Guest Blog by Damien from IrelandHistory.org who writes about the roles of the Druids in Irish History and Story. IrelandHistory.org is an astounding collection of small articles that he has gathered that give you a wonderful overview of Irish history from the earliest times up until Norman times. With many thanks, over to Damien:

Physicians

We read of them acting at the battle of Mai’di Tuireadh as physicians to heal the wounded. Drostan the druid, says the Dinnseanchus, recommended a bath in milk to heal wounded men ; and in the comparatively modern poem, ” Eachtra an Amadain Mhoir,” we find a man’s leg restored by the druids’ agency. Continue Reading »

Pic: alphagalileo

Archaeologist Magnus Artursson at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, demonstrates in his thesis that societies during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age had a significantly more varied and complex structure than was previously thought reports alphagalileo, the European research specialists. This power structure was based on social networks rather than on permanently established institutions. Society was organised into small and medium-sized chiefdoms that were typically involved in ongoing struggles for dominance between various powerful families.

Based on a discussion of previously-known and newly-discovered settlement material, the author of this thesis examines the development of society during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age (2300 – 500 BC) from a community history perspective. Artursson also makes comparisons of the nature of grave and sacrificial material in order to create a more detailed picture of how societies looked and changed over time. Continue Reading »

Pic: BBC

The BBC reports that visitors to the Neolithic village of Skara Brae on Orkney will be offered a glimpse inside the ancient homes for the first time on Saturday 18th April. The 5,000-year-old buildings can normally only be viewed from paths around the site, to aid preservation.

The tours, arranged to mark World Heritage Day, will visit the settlement’s workshop, main passageway, and three of its ten houses.

Elaine Clarke, of the ranger service, said:

This is a rare opportunity to go inside the houses which were built by these early farmers.

To get close to the fires where they cooked, the beds where they slept and the shelves where they stored their precious items.

She said the chance to view mysterious carvings on the internal walls of the complex would be a highlight of the tour. The meaning of the etchings, comprised of lines and geometric shapes, remains unknown.

Read the full story at the BBC.

Pic: Snapzilla

Second Life is a free online virtual world imagined and created by its Residents. From the moment you enter Second Life, you’ll discover a fast-growing digital world filled with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Independent State of Caledon whose Library, the Library Militant, is running a whole series of lectures on folklore, including Celtic Mythology!

Independent State of Caledon

Caledon is a small, windswept forested country at a temperate latitude. Wild creatures, country estate life, sights and sounds that were common well over 100 years ago are the hallmark of the land.

Technology is approximately that of the 19th Century, though some astonishing breakthroughs have provided for incredible wonders. Ground vehicles, airships, and even a device known as a ‘telehub’ are made possible through the power of exotic material properties and the wonders of Steam Technology.

The government is an expansionist monarchy, supported by a strong aristocracy (i.e., residents). Caledon once offered the opportunity for residents to take their turn at “Stewardship”, a post which can involve answering questions, restarting sims, banning obvious griefers &c. As the complexity of a large estate grew, the burden on one Steward’s shoulders became too great, and the role is now filled by a corps of about 10 estate managers appointed by the Guvnah–some serving openly, some quietly.

The Caledon Library & The Library Militant

The Caledon Library serves the Independent State of Caledon. We maintain a collection of materials for the use of residents and other interested parties. We also host exhibits, book talks, lectures, and the occasional donnybrook.

The collecting policies of the Caledon Library have two main foci: the 19th century and Caledon’s defining literary genres, Steampunk and Alternate History. Within these areas, we collect, first of all, primary source material: 19th-century novels, nonfiction works, and periodicals, along with materials from earlier eras considered important in the 19th century; and of course defining works in Steampunk and its parent genres. Second, we collect  research materials concerning the world of the 19th century and its imagination, and secondary materials useful for studying Caledon’s important genres.

This site draws its name from the Chivalric Order of the Duchy of Caledon Primverness.  The order was founded by the Duchess of Primverness, who is also the head of The House of Wu, the Library’s main source of support.  Members of the Order take vows of Literacy, Obstinacy, and Bibliomancy.*  

The Independent State of Caledon is located in the virtual world of Second Life.

Folklore Lectures

New Series at the Caledon Library!
Folklore of the British Isles with Afsaneh Metaluna
3rd Mondays, 4pm

Inaugural lecture, Mon, April 20, 4pm – 5pm
Tinyville Library, Tinyville, Caledon Tanglewood
 http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Tanglewood/23/214/23/

Folklorist Afsenah Metaluna will guide us in a new exploration each month; with illustrative stories and her own commentary she’ll expose to our understanding some facet of the rich and varied folklore of the British Isles. In the Storyteller’s Own Words…

“Rather than a repository of Märchen (wonder tales more or less of the “Grimm’s” variety) much of the folklore of England is comprised of local legends that combine references to beliefs and customs and aspects of daily life, particularly rural life. This is contrasted with English ballads and broadsides, which have a strong tradition of their own, as well as the folklore around customs, dance and belief. The wonder tales exist too, though more in the Celtic regions.”

This month and next, to get us started, she will tell and comment on short tales from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. 

English Lore
The Apple Tree Man – a legend that deals with customs as well as systems of land tenure and inheritance, this story is kind of a microcosm of the strength of English narrative lore. 

Welsh Lore  
Later in the series, we will have a session entirely devoted to the relationship between Welsh traditions (including the somewhat heroically invented or compiled Mabinogion,  analogous to, though less well known than, the Finnish Kalevala) and the stories of King Arthur and the wizard Merlin. To start this topic off,  this time we will hear “The Cave of the Knights.”

Irish Lore
To explore this tradition means to follow the threads in a perfect Celtic knot of history, myth and folklore and Christianity and Celtic belief.  One place to begin is to  situate this is relation to stories of The Children of Lir. As our series continues, Afsaneh will put The Golden Fly (which her fans heard recently at the West of Ireland Library) in context for us as a forerunner to the the story cycle of Conary Mor. 

Scottish Lore
A Selkie story, of the kind we will encounter in future discussions. This time, Afsaneh will explain why she sees this tradition as exemplary of Scottish lore, with its ties to the environment, and its status as a cautionary tales where actions in one realm are mirrored in another.

This Month’s lecture will be presented using SL voice.