This is the Autumn Equinox Holiday Special, and we’re also bringing you (in association with Druidcast and Damh the Bard), a special Lecture by Prof. Dr. Roland Rotherham on "The Ladies of the Grail". Dr Rotherham is an acknowledged expert and scholar in the legends of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. In this wonderful talk he revels how the ladies of the Grail have considerably more importance in the legends than the Knights themselves! Not a talk to be missed!

In typical Celtic fashion, he explains how the Grail is one of *three* items of great importance and reveals that the origins of the Grail Legends may be a lot older than previously thought. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable but also an extremely entertaining lecturer.

We round off the show with three pieces of Arthurian music and gratefully pass our thanks on to Damh and Dr. Rotherham for their respective permissions to use this material. We hope you enjoy this treat as much as we did!

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.

We hope you enjoy the show!

 Gary & Ruth

Pic: uglyagnes

Americans has become one of America’s favorite holidays. Last year Americans spent more than $3 billion last year on Halloween candy, costumes, pumpkins and decorations. Millions of children (and adults!) look forward to this happy event. But it hasn’t always been so. Once upon a time, Halloween was a night to be feared, when the dead walked the earth.

The history of our modern Halloween begins with an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain (pronounced sow-en). The Celts lived in present day Ireland and England dating to about the 5th Century BC.

For the Celts, Samhain marked the end of summer. The date is generally given as October 31, but it is unlikely that is the exact date.

For the Celts, as for many ancient peoples, the end of summer was an event viewed with dread. Summer represented a time of warmth and plentiful food; with winter the nights became longer, and food was scarce. And for the superstitious mind, long nights were accompanied by unwelcome spirits.

Much of what has been written about Celtic religion about Celtic religion is the product of the writers’ vivid imagination. Despite the legends, it’s highly unlikely that the Celts sacrificed virgins in burning wicker cages, and they probably didn’t dance naked around Stonehenge.

Most reputable historians agree on one of two stories.

According to one, the Celts believed that Samhain was the night on which the spirits of the dead were permitted to return to Earth to find a body to posess. To avoid this unpleasant fate, the superstitious Celts tried two tricks: First, they would douse all of the hearth fires in their village, to trick the spirits into thinking that no one was home. Then, they would don costumes to fool the spirits and wander about in the dark. The real spirits, thinking that the village already was haunted, would then contine on their journey.

Three of the modern Halloween fixtures are said to come from this legend: Ghosts (spirits of the dead) costumes and dark, empty houses.

To mark the end of the night, the villagers then would relight all of their hearth fires from a sacred bonfire built by their priests, the Druids.

A more gruesome version says that part of the bonfire ceremony involved the ignition of a young, innocent village girl. This, however, is more likely Hollywood than history.

The second version of the Celtic holiday says that they celebrated the end of summer with a huge bonfire. Animals and crops would be burned in the fire to give thanks for the summer, and to ensure their return the next year. Costumes of animals were worn to represent the creatures of the forest that had blessed them that year. At the end of the ceremony, each family would take home an ember to light their own winter hearth fires.

Christianity came to the British Isles somewhere around the second century AD. One of the tactics of early missionaries was to make Christianity more palatable by incorporating local customs into Christian practice. For example, early missionaries were willing to abandon the stricture that converts first become Jews when they ran across cultural barriers, and it is thought that the date of Christmas was selected to coincide with a Germanic winter festival.

As the story goes, the Celts were unwilling to give up their summer festival, so the missionaries simply incorporated it.

In the 700s, Pope Boniface IV set November 1 as All Hallows — or All Saints — Day. The previous night was thus known as All Hallows Eve. November 2 became All Souls Day, to honor the souls of the dead. The three days together were called Hallow Mass.

And All Hallows Eve became Halloween.

It is widely believed that Boniface IV did this to co-opt the pagan Celtic holdouts into Christianity.

Halloween arrived in North America with the early colonists. However, because of the Puritan influence in New England, it was mostly confined to the Scots-Irish of the Southern Colonies.

Colonial Halloweens were celebrated as Harvest Festivals, with lots of eating and drinking, music, dancing, ghost stories and fortune telling. (All of these were things that were disapproved of in Puritan New England. Some more of our modern Halloween symbols were introduced at this time, as traditions were blended with Native American harvest festivals. Corn stalks and pumpkins – unknown in Europe before the discovery of North America – became part of Halloween imagery.

But Halloween really arrived in America with the massive Irish immigration of the 1840s. The Irish brought their Celtic Halloween traditions with them and wove them into the fabric of American society.

More on the history of Halloween can be found at Top Halloween Links at http://www.thingsinthebasement.com

John Retzer has worked as a professional journalist, photographer, editor, public relations professional and golf coach. He currently teaches economics, political science and history. In his "spare time" he runs several websites and blogs, including Top Halloween Links at http://www.thingsinthebasement.com and Golf Blogger at http://www.golfblogger.com

This article is derived from his lectures on the History of Halloween.

Author: John Retzer
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Art patterns coming from Celts are well known for being vague. Yet the intricate outlines are revered by one and all. Celtic or Celts were more of being a tribe than a complete nation. The rulers for the tribe would be a Queen, a King or even a Chieftain. The roots of their tribe were dispersed all over the European continent and went as far as some fraction of Asia.

History has it that for centuries together Celts ruled over Turkey, Spain, Germany and Britain. The simple reason as to why even today the celtic cross stitch is so famous and prominent is because the people of Celt were wandering souls thus spreading their art form to all places they went. You shall be amazed to know that the art is no less than 25 centuries old. A few patterns are dated around 500 B.C. You can view the basic introductions to this cross stitch art.

Celts were considerably documented for their innovation and also dcor of all possessions. If compared with those times most of their possessions were embedded with highly vague celtic patterns. One could observe their unusual patterns over all their belongings like clothes, shields, utensils, vessels, and swords and even decorated their walls with similar patterns.

Their passion for their art was reflected in the their jewellery and all the way to having similar patterns as tattoos on the body areas. Not much has changed with time. They still have belief in their mystic nature, and in the old days of the civilization they had many myths and stories that depicted legendary creatures. A close look at their ornaments will revel that such creatures were an indispensable element of their life.

Today Celtic art has its limitation; the design pattern is now mostly seen on craftwork done on armory products like Swords and shields. Nothing to be disappointed about embroideries and tattoos are keeping the traditional craft alive. With time there have been some encouraging additions to this art for instance clip arts, illustrations and stamps.

Most Irish, English and Spanish or German homes are decorated with some or the other design typically showcasing celtic cross stitch. One can find such beautiful patterns on the bed sheets, pillow covers and wall frame. Its not that after centuries have passed this art is facing extinction, there many still have a taste for all things classic and ethnic in nature and style like Celtic cross stitch embroidery. What impresses most it that this form of art is relevant and appealing today as well?

Cross stitch embroidery is one such beautiful art that allows us to explore with several ideas. The patterns are so easy to learn and then follow that after a while it’s a free wheeling process of creating art out of nothing. There is so much with simple lines turning into a magnificent piece of rich colored craftsmanship.

These patterns are vivacious and audacious at the same time. The patterns are easily available and also with available for the beginners to the experts. They are just not easy to make but also can be found in patterns and designs suiting your needs, there are many like those for birthday gifts to special occasions. Knots as well as spirals patterns are there in Celtic cross stitch patterns to cater to your needs.

So what are you waiting for, go out and buy one. You could gift one of these beautiful things as a gift to friends and close ones. Why just buy for gifting away and why not make one that you could always admire for being the special art piece in the living room.

Discover how to craft celtic cross stitch and celtic embroidery when you visit http://www.mycelticcrossstitch.com, the premier celtic cross stitch portal. There are more tips, techniques, designs, patterns and project instructions to help you get started. Get on to the website now!

Author: Jennifer Walter
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Pic: bitzcelt

Celtic jewelry today is one of the niche jewelry styles that is enjoying a renaissance. So who were the Celts and where do the jewelry designs come from? The Celts were a group of people first originating in Germany and eastern France in the 2nd millennium BC; however they can be traced back as far as India. They spread throughout Europe and for a long time occupied the territory of Gaul which is roughly the modern territory of France and Belgium. They were extinguished by the Romans and currently Celtic culture remains only in Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, Cornwall in England and North Spain.

The jewelry designs that are produced today largely come from ancient Celtic art. There were several rich periods that have produced many works of art. The Hiberno – Saxon style flourished in the 7th and 8th century producing the Tara Broach, the Ardagh Chalice and the Derrynaflan Chalice. The introduction of the filigree style, interlace patterns and animal ornamentation resulted in the book of Durrow, the Lindisfarne Gospels and also the Book of Kells. Silver was popular in the 9th and 10th century producing many fine Celtic brooches and finally sculpture and cross were popular in the 9th and 10th century.

The following Celtic designs and Celtic symbols make up the backbone of Celtic art. Knotwork, borders and panels.-Interlacing knotwork patterns with their unbroken lines, symbolise mans eternal spirit. Often they were used to interlace limbs and bodies of humans, birds and reptiles. Spirals-It represents eternal life. The circle may be considered as mans first step in art. Key patterns -Key patterns could be described as spirals in straight lines repeated to form a pattern. Lettering – In ornamented manuscripts the above Celtic design patterns were used to beautifully transform a letter into a piece of art.

The trinity knot is particularly popular in modern Celtic jewelry. It appears as 3 oval shapes interlaced so that there is no beginning and no end. Its ancient representation was body, mind and sole. Its Christian representation is father, son and Holy Spirit and the more popular modern meaning is never ending love. Celtic crosses are a must have for anyone claiming Celtic descent. Manufacturers are reproducing gold and silver replicas of ancient cross and introducing some gems to enhance its look. Apart from pendants and earrings, Celtic wedding bands and indeed Celtic Engagement Rings are currently highly popular.

Author: Colin Kennedy
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Pic: The Times

The Times Online reports that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight at the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield is only awarded two stars by its reviewer. He says: This narrative poem of chivalry, Arthurian myth and romance ought to cut a considerable dash on the stage, particularly when the version of the text involved is Simon Armitage’s sinewy, witty translation of the original northeastern-inflected Middle English.

But the adapter/director Daniel Buckroyd’s touring production for New Perspectives fights shy of the work’s darkest and most intriguing aspects and feels awkwardly unsure of its audience. No potentially thrilling moment has the faintest shiver of danger; no instance of romance or eroticism is allowed to pass without a snigger.

The juvenile tone is set by the show’s four performers, who, wearing modern dress and the bland grins of a quartet of kids’ TV presenters, share the narration and role-playing. Their task is not a small one: the story calls for a terrifying verdant giant, new year carousing in Camelot, horseback hunting expeditions and a climactic confrontation in the leafy Green Chapel, where the young Gawain must prove his courage and purity.

Unfortunately Buckroyd’s approach proves sadly pedestrian and singularly lacking in wonderment. Juliet Shillingford’s set – a simple platform semi-surrounded by a forest of wooden poles – while not especially exciting, offers a serviceable space for theatrical invention

Read the full review at The Times Online.

Originally posted 2008-10-30 12:39:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Art has become an increasingly popular area for investment and Art investment has become a fashionable, sociable and fun way for some of the Celtic Tiger Cubs to spend money. Occasionally, paintings are passed down through generations of families, but more and more, people are starting their own collections.

Many experts offer a simple piece of advice to those interested in art investment; Buy what you love. The piece is essentially something you should be happy living with for a long period of time, unless of course you are investing in art for the purpose of making a quick profit; however for most people a piece of artwork is a long term investment.

Starting out on the road to art investment is simple. Experts advise that the best way to become familiar with valuable or potentially valuable pieces is to visit galleries, exhibitions and shows regularly. This way, potential investors can become au fait with particular artists. Visiting galleries and exhibitions is also an excellent way to get an idea of price ranges for art work of current and historical value. Be prepared to research extensively on your chosen artists works. The artists entire body of work generally needs to be considered to determine its future value. Many new investors find that contemporary art with all its diversities is rewarding financially and aesthetically.

When all is said and done, it is wise to remember that art, like any other investment will always be a gamble. So as formerly stated, buy what you love. While the monetary value of the piece you have invested in may fluctuate, its inherent value to you will remain!

Owner of Sol Art, Martin Davis has been an art dealer for several years. In his vast experience from buying and selling art all over Ireland, he is in an excellent position to offer sound advice to potential investors. These days people tend to put a lot of emphasis on saving money. Art is an investment and there is great pleasure in owning something which will rise in value, whilst giving aesthetic and visual pleasure as well, Martin says.

Author is an independent journalist who periodically researches and publishes articles and reports about Irish Art and Investing

Author: Derek Carroll
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Ron Korb

My friend, guitarist Brian Hughes, toured with the Chieftain’s in Japan as an opening act with Loreena McKennitt. He then went on to perform with the Chieftains in North America and Europe when they were promoting their album Santiago. In Japan they played about ten shows between Tokyo and Osaka, mainly at soft seat classical concert halls. The seating ranged from 1500 to 4000 capacity. They were booked through the agent Plankton who specializes in Celtic music. Although the audiences were enthusiastic Brian felt that Celtic music was still a niche market in Japan.

Celtic Music and Traditional Japanese Music: A Comparison

If you listen to many of the traditional Japanese folk melodies they have a bittersweet quality that is similar to traditional Celtic music. The Japanese minor pentatonic scale is different from the western one but some phrases especially when they go into the major could easily be bits of Irish or Scottish folk songs. If you look at the traditional transverse folk flute the shinobue, it is really not that different from the fife, or Irish flute in terms of fingering. The technique of sliding and taping with the whistle or the shinobue are also similar.

Where to Find Celtic Music in Japan

The major labels in Japan all have Celtic music under license and CDs are available as imports. A reputable distributor of Irish music in Japan is a company called Music Plant. I think they probably are affiliated with Plankton. JVC (Japan Victor Corporation) directly signed the group ANAM. They have recorded two albums for JVC and have toured Japan three times. A talented young musician from England, Tim Edey who played button accordion on my latest album Celtic Heartland just joined the group recently. There was a company in Tokyo called Trinity who was specializing in importing traditional Celtic CDs but I am not sure they are still in operation. Brian Cullen an Irishman from Wicklow now living in Nagoya has his own label for marketing his own material called Celtic Otter music and he has published collections of ballads.

There is a Celtic festival held annually in Tokyo at Ryutsu Center. They have music and dance performances, fashion shows, arts and crafts exhibitions and seminars and workshops.

There is an organization called CCE Japan that provides lessons for most Irish instruments as well as Set Dance and Gaelic. CCE Japan is the Japanese branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, an association for promoting

Japanese Musicians Specializing in Irish Instruments

There are some quite accomplished Japanese Celtic musicians. Isao Moriyasu, who began as a classical recorder player, now specializes in Irish flutes. He lectures at Kunitachi Music College and has written a book on Irish music. He often performs with his wife Masako who plays Celtic harp, concertina and bodhran. Mayumi Nagaura who is a member of The Rising Pints, also has her own group called BIRD. She is a really good accordion, tin whistle and bodhran player. She has encouraged many other Japanese to learn Irish instruments.

Western Celtic Musicians in Japan

There are a few musicians who have formed groups with foreign and Japanese members. Examples include the Rising Pints and the now defunct Eye Wish as well as a group in Sendai called Callanish.

The Pub Circuit in Japan

There are many Irish pubs in Japan such as Dubliners, O’Carolan’s, The Pint, The Warrior Celt, Shamrock that regularly have music. Irish pubs all have regular sessions as well. Because rent is at a premium particularly in the major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto the venues are smaller than you would expect in America or Europe. Like many jazz clubs in this country the capacity ranges from as little as 50 to 200 comfortably. Brian Cullen reports that the Osaka Dubliners claims to have had 600 customers on a St. Patrick’s day a few years ago. I would say that must be the maximum and that is after a few pints. Westerners are usually surprised by the amount of the cover charges. Generally to see a band a 3000 yen cover charge is pretty typical. CD prices are still about 2500 yen as well.

While Celtic artists are not household names like major rock stars, the interest in Celtic music is likely to continue to grow in Japan for some time to come.

2005 Ron Korb – All Rights Reserved

Reprint Rights: Ezine and magazine publishers may reprint this article, as long as the following information is included:

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Ron Korb is a Toronto based, flutist and composer. His music blends jazz and world music (including Celtic and Japanese music) together to create a truly original sound. Ron plays a number of Irish flutes including the penny whistle and the low whistle. He has 2 Celtic Music CDs (Celtic Heartland and Celtic Quest). A number of Ron’s other CDs have Celtic music selections including Flute Traveller, Behind the Mask, and Ron Korb Live. Ron has also been a guest artist on a number of Celtic CDs, including Bruce Mitchell’s Celtic Destiny, Mychael and Jeff Danna’s Celtic Romance and a Celtic Tale.

Official Web Site for Ron Korb, Flutist and Composer,
Japanese Music, Jazz, Celtic Music: http://www.ronkorb.com

Ron Korb Fan Page http://www.ronkorb.com/fanpage.html

Ron Korb Music Catalogue http://www.ronkorb.com/mucat.html

Author: Ron Korb
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Pic: Newgrange.com

At the 5000 year old Loughcrew megalithic cairn T in Ireland, the rising sun on the mornings around the equinox illuminate the passage and chamber. The Office of Public Works will have staff in attendance at Cairn T on the mornings of Sunday the 20th of September, Monday the 21st September and Tuesday the 22nd September from 7.15am until 8.30am.

 Loughcrew Equinox Dawn September 2009

The Office of Public Works will have staff in attendance at Cairn T, Loughcrew on the mornings of Sunday the 20th of September, Monday the 21st September and Tuesday the 22nd September from 7.15am until 8.30am.

Admission to the Chamber of Cairn T is free of charge.

As the chamber is quite small, only 5 or 6 people can be inside at a time. Visitors are requested to stay inside for only a few minutes so that everyone can get a chance to visit.

Please note that it is very important that visitors dress warmly and are wearing stout shoes. The climb to the top of Carnbane East is very steep and can be slippery after rain or on frosty mornings.

The Equinox occurs twice a year, the Spring Equinox in March and the Autumn Equinox in September. The Spring Equinox is an hour earlier because it occurs during our winter time, so take this opportunity of seeing the rising sun illumunation and have an extra hour in bed.

The Coffee Shop at Loughcrew Gardens will be serving delicious breakfasts on Sunday and Monday mornings from 8am to 10am.

It’s very late and I’m making mistakes all over the place but I did want to let you guys know that the long-awaited show is finally out there for you – we really hope you enjoy it! We’ve made sure it’s packed full of stories, poems and songs, so we really hope to see you jigging with the best of them!

We’ve been away for nearly 6 weeks now. Unbelievably, with all of the ups and downs that life throws at you, we’re still here! We’re back – and to make up for our absence we bring you the biggest Celtic Myth Podshow Special ever – again!! It’s just over an hour and a half long! If you like to listen to the show while commuting, it might be an idea to split it up into two halves. If you stop just after our visit to see Duncan, you’ll be all set for the story in the last half.

The Lughnasadh show has six wonderful pieces of music, a dreamy story, a poem and a beautifully sung version of that poem. We’ve also got a section about the festival of Lughnasadh from The Religion of the Ancient Celts by J A McCulloch.

Pic: Kaptain Kobold

All ancient cultures have their religions based upon what they try but cannot understand. Natural phenomenon like why the rain falls? Or Why does the sky thunder? In order to help them understand these and many other things they began to create the ancient Gods they would worship. With the creations of these Gods came stories as to why they created these things they could not understand. And this is what began the basis of their religious beliefs which can be seen in their art.

Much of the artwork of the ancient world deals directly with their religious beliefs. Much of this often shows offerings to God’s by Kings and Queens. It is this artwork that has allowed us to understand them and their cultures.

The Egyptians who are considered to be the first great empire of the ancient world had many Gods. Their artwork shows this in great detail. Their chief God was called Amon-Ra. He is often depicted in many reliefs and statues in ancient temples and tombs. In many of these reliefs he is being given offerings by pharaohs and their queens. He is held so high in stature that sometimes the pharaoh himself is depicted as the God in reliefs. Many of the deity’s shown in Egyptian artwork can be seen both as human and animal or a combination of both. This is important as it shows how the Egyptians used everything in nature in their art.

Some of the greatest artwork done by the Egyptians can still be seen in the pharaohs tombs. When created thousands of years ago these reliefs were elaborately painted with bright colors. These scenes show in detail how their art was influenced by their religion.

A few thousand years later the Greeks became known for their artwork. Although their artwork was also influenced by their religion, Greek art is more three dimensional in its appearance. By saying more dimensional we mean that the artwork is not as stiff in appearance as was the Egyptian artwork.

One thing the Greek artist were known for is their detail they gave to the human body. Every muscle and curve of the body is done in such a way, it shows the human body as a piece of artwork all by itself. A great example of this is the statue of Aphrodite of Melos. Known as the Goddess of love and daughter of Zeus and Dion, this statue is one of the most beautiful statues ever seen. This statue can be seen at the Louvre Museum in Paris and dates to 100 B.C.

Sometimes the art of the ancient world although beautiful consist of a more sinister nature. Artwork from the Mayan and Aztec temples in Central and South America seem to show a culture that used sacrifice as an offering to the Gods. This is not to say that sacrifice was not used by other cultures, it is most evident in these pcs of artwork. Although there is artwork showing this the Aztec and Mayans also had artwork showing and symbolizing rebirth and renewal, something they believed in deeply.

Even Christianity uses art to depict certain events and beliefs. Churches, Books, and Museums have plenty of this artwork which dates two thousand years til today. Weather it is the Annunciation or the crucifixion, one can find plenty of artwork on it. Each piece of artwork not only depicts the events but gives you a glimpse at the artist’s interpretation of the events. After all that is what art is….how one sees an event, place, or object.

So it can be said that Art is greatly influenced by religion and vise versa, but more importantly art give us a glimpse of culture from the ancients to our own today.

Samuel is a self tough artist from Thode island and currently owns a website where Egyptian art can be seen at http://www.eamart.ecrater.com

Author: Samuel Jaycox
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