Pic: Amazon

A new book has been added to the fine collection of free texts that you can download from Project Gutenberg – An Historical Account of the Settlements of Sotch Highlanders in America (Prior to the Peace of 1783).  There is also a version that has been reprinted in 2008, which is previewed in Google Books. It was written by John P. MacLean with an original copyright date of 1900! 108 years later we still have access to this fascinating information – I think that is just brilliant. Anyway, what is in the book?

This is a reprint of J. P. MacLean’s celebrated study of the Scottish Highlanders in America, the first work devoted exclusively to the subject. It presents an interesting account of Highland emigration, giving first an overview of the Highlanders of Scotland and then a description of the events which led to the various emigration and resettlement schemes, subsequently detailing the history of Highland settlements in the American colonies and Highlander participation in the French and Indian Wars and the Revolution. And it is laced throughout with lists of early land grants, petitioners, and officers of Highland regiments. In addition, some forty-five pages of the book are devoted to biographical sketches of distinguished Highlanders who served the cause of either Great Britain or America during the Revolution.

The summary above comes from World Vital Records, a genealogical Records site. Obviously, this book contains vital information for those American Scots trying to trace their family trees.

The book, which is still available from Amazon at $35, is also available for your Kindle at $8 and contains trhe following chapters:-

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. The Highlanders of Scotland.
CHAPTER II. The Scotch-Irish in America.
CHAPTER III. Causes that Led to Emigration.
CHAPTER IV. Darien Scheme.
CHAPTER V. Highlanders in North Carolina.
CHAPTER VI. Highlanders in Georgia.
CHAPTER VII. Captain Lachlan Campbell’s New York Colony.
CHAPTER VIII. Highland Settlement on the Mohawk.
CHAPTER IX. Glenaladale Highlanders of Prince Edward Island.
CHAPTER X. Highland Settlement in Pictou, Nova Scotia.
CHAPTER XI. First Highland Regiments in America.
CHAPTER XII. Scotch Hostility Towards America.
CHAPTER XIII. Highland Regiments in American Revolution.
CHAPTER XIV. Distinguished Highlanders who Served in America in the Interests of Great Britain.
CHAPTER XV. Distinguished Highlanders in American Interest.
APPENDIX

An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America Prior to the Peace of 1783 Together with Notices of Highland Regiments and Biographical Sketches – J. P. MacLean. In the wake of the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the English victors dealt harshly with the Highlanders. Atrocities were committed against helpless families and much of their land was forfeited. Outraged by their pitiless oppression in Scotland, "it was but natural that the more enterprising, and especially that intelligent portion who had lost their heritable jurisdiction, should turn with longing eyes to another country. America offered the most inviting asylum…Between the years 1763 and 1775 over twenty thousand highlanders left their homes to seek a better retreat in the forests of America." This detailed work opens with a brief history of the Highlanders in Scotland, complete with accounts of the events that led to their emigration and resettlement in America, followed by an account of Highlanders in the Colonies. Other topics include the Darien Scheme, Scotch-Irish in America, settlement in North Carolina, settlement in Georgia, Captain Lachlan Campbell’s New York Colony, settlement on the Mohawk, the Glenaladale Highlanders of Prince Edward Island, settlement in Pictou (Nova Scotia), Highlander participation in the French & Indian War, Highlanders that served on both sides of the Revolution, and distinguished Highlanders in America, such as, General Alexander McDougall, General Lachlan McIntosh, General Arthur St. Clair & Sergeant MacDonald. (1900) reprint, 5.5 x 8.5, illus., append., index, paper, 478 pp.

[Source]

A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December. The point of roughness is the term for the winter solstice in Wales which in ancient Welsh mythology, was when Rhiannon gave birth to the sacred son, Pryderi

So What is a Solstice?

The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26′. Though the Winter Solstice lasts an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used like Midwinter to refer to the day on which it occurs. For most people in the high latitudes this is commonly known as the shortest day and the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest. The seasonal significance of the Winter Solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days.

Diagram of the Earth’s seasons as seen from the north. Far right: December solstice Pic: Wiki

The Winter Solstice is also the shortest day or lowest sun position for people in low latitudes located between the Tropic of Cancer (23°26′N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23°26′S). Depending on the shift of the calendar, the winter solstice occurs some time between December 21 and December 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere, and between June 20 and June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time. The word solstice derives from Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).

Yule – A Viking Celebration

A documented example of this is in 960, when King Håkon of Norway signed into law that Jul was to be celebrated on the night leading into December 25, to align it with the Christian celebrations. For some Norse sects, Yule logs were lit to honor Thor, the god of thunder. Feasting would continue until the log burned out, three or as many as twelve days. The indigenous lore of the Icelandic Jól continued beyond the Middle Ages, but was condemned when the Reformation arrived.

The celebration continues today throughout Northern Europe and elsewhere in name and traditions, for Christians as representative of the nativity of Jesus on the night of December 24, and for others as a cultural winter celebration on the 24th or for some, the date of the solstice.

Christmas – The Later Celebration

Christmas or Christ’s Mass is one of the most popular Christian celebrations as well as one of the most globally recognized midwinter celebrations. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Christian Deity God Incarnate or Messiah, Jesus Christ. The birth is observed on December 25, which was the Roman winter solstice upon establishment of the Julian Calendar.  Christian churches recognized folk elements of the festival in various cultures within the past several hundred years, allowing much of the folklore and traditions of local pagan festivals to be appropriated. So today, the old festivals such as Jul, Коледа and Karácsony, are still celebrated in many parts of Europe, but the Christian Nativity is now often representational as the meaning behind the holiday. This is why Yule and Christmas are considered interchangeable in Anglo–Christendom.

Folktale of Father Christmas riding a yule goat. Pic: Wiki

Universal activities include feasting, Midnight Masses and singing Christmas carols about the Nativity. Good deeds and gift giving in the tradition of St. Nicholas by not admitting to being the actual gift giver is also observed by some countries. Many observe the holiday for twelve days leading up to the Epiphany.

This post, hopefully collecting the most important facts about our Midwinter celebrations, has been gathered from the pages of Wikipedia.

This is the first (to my knowledge) of the Apps for the iPhone/iTouch to help you learn Welsh. It is a superb little App with a Lite version that is free and a $0.99 (59p) cost for the full version. It is very well supported online and the developer seems to be a very open chap or chapess who welcomes feedback and suggestions for improvement/expansion. The App basically teaches you the sort of common phrases that you would find in a Phrasebook. The official blurb reads as follows:

Croeso – welcome!

This is a first Welsh phrase book perfect for learning a little Welsh to use on your visit to Wales, or to practice what you are learning between Welsh lessons.

It has twelve themed sections on different topics:

- greetings
- common phrases
- numbers
- telling the time
- days, weeks and months
- food and drink
- travelling
- places
- directions
- illness
- weather
- occupations

All phrases are shown in English and Welsh with a recording of how the Welsh is said.

There is a Practice mode where you are shown the Welsh and given the opportunity to see whether you recognise what it means.

You can find reviews and chat abouit the App on AppStore HQ, the developer’s support page is at Welsh Lessons Support Page and
the home page for the App is at Welsh Lessons.

Pic: Wiki

The Lady of Shallot is one of Tennyson’s best known poems and is often viewed as pivotal in understanding the romance of Victorian interpretations of Arthurian myth. The fascinating Dbottino weblog offers an interpretation of the poem as a statement about the relationship of the Artist to his/her society. Fascinating stuff – over to the article!

A Brush with the Lady of Shallot

The poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Tennyson is thought to be loosely based on Elaine, the fair maid who was in love with Sir Lancelot of Arthurian legend, as portrayed in Sir Thomas Mallory’s ‘Morte D’Arthur’. Lancelot, alas, only had eyes for Queen Guinevere, so Elaine locked herself in a tower on the island of Shalott and died of a broken heart. Tennyson’s tragic version of the ‘Lady of Shalott has been the inspiration for these great works of art. The artists are all members of, or were inspired by, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The Lady of Shalott is a magical being who lives alone on an island upstream from King Arthur’s Camelot. Her business is to look at the world outside her castle window in a mirror, and to weave what she sees into a tapestry. She is forbidden by the magic to look at the outside world directly. The farmers who live near her island hear her singing and know who she is, but never see her.

The Lady sees ordinary people, loving couples, and knights in pairs reflected in her mirror. One day, she sees the reflection of Sir Lancelot riding alone. Although she knows that it is forbidden, she looks out the window at him. The mirror shatters, the tapestry flies off on the wind, and the Lady feels the power of her curse. An autumn storm suddenly arises. The lady leaves her castle, finds a boat, writes her name on it, gets into the boat, sets it adrift, and sings her death song as she drifts down the river to Camelot. The locals find the boat and the body, realize who she is, and are saddened. Lancelot prays that God will have mercy on her soul. This is one of Tennyson’s most popular poems. The Pre-Raphaelites liked to illustrate it.

Relationship between artist and society

The artist is presented as a reclusive identity, bearing merely an idea of the ‘world’ and ’society’, sequestered in a very cloistered relationship with oneself and one’s creative index that is perhaps a reflection or an artist’s indirect link with reality. Tennyson’s abstractness is perhaps aimed at a presumptive conviction of an artist’s livelihood… by illustrating an isolated female conjuring upon a web in a castle bound by a curse and viewing life through a mirror, and still remaining aloof from all human association and communion, Tennyson is trying to alight upon a highly eccentric and elitist fashion of an artistic temperament. We can presume that the poem might be aimed as a nonfigurative satire or a figurative panegyric. The thematic values of ‘the lady of Shallot’, though, remain indelibly the same, and many allusive interpretations can be extorted of the text.

Now, when Tennyson uses the allegory of the lady weaving a web to represent life, the intention is perhaps to celebrate the artistic conundrums or the artist’s harsh and unique perception of life that to the common eye is web-like or in other words, confusing, intricate, enigmatic and intriguing. Tennyson endeavors to apprise or explicate the reader of the elaborate insight of an artist that enables him to cast life in a personal and subjective metaphor.

Secondly, when Tennyson projects the fact that the lady of Shallot is cursed to her undying isolation, then the subject matter drifts to the argument expostulating that the ability of an artist though liberates him, it simultaneously ensnares him in the process of a gross and aggressive internalization, and the talent thus shifts to the symbolic curse that begets the artist to be damnably integral, individualist and a needlessly private character. It is an inadvertent testament to the saying that skill renders a man illimitable freedom as long as he remains within the fence.
Thirdly, the castle is a representative of an artist’s baffling solitude. An artist, according to Tennyson, marginalizes his existence to access those of others. The reason to an artist’s seclusion is inexplicable, but we can guess that it is never deliberate, instead as the poem establishes, the consequences of action based on any genuine free will can be vitally ominous and dire. The artist is shown as a desperate, piteous and hopeless character, and we can adjudge that there are glaring peripheral hints of Tennyson’s admiration and conspicuous empathy for the artist in the theme of the poem.

Fourthly and lastly, the greatest emblem or insignia that the poem has to offer towards a fundamental assay, an attempted formation of the artist’s archetypal icon is the lady’s constant attempt of viewing the changing world through in the mirror. This is a very thorough, exhaustive and coherent crack at demystifying or enlightening the reader of the predicaments of an artistic life when the artist is reduced to perceiving the world through a rigid medium, through a device that reflects the exteriors of men and the implicit inflexibility of their emotions, and thus the artist perceives of their depths and sensitivity obliquely.

Shoot queries at mosaics12@rediffmail.com

You can find the original of this stimulating article at Dbottino Weblogs.

Pic: ‘Pictish Woman’, one of the Pictish Nation collection by F. Lennox Campello

There is a great blog written by an author of medieval biographies, Melisende, called Women of History. Here, I would like to point to a post that she made back in October 2008 in which she quotes from an article about the role of Pictish Women in Pictist Society. Melisende is probably better known for the superb Pages from History Wiki that she has set up and we’ll hopefully be highlighting in the future. She quotes from an article found in "British Archaeology" (Issue 3, April 1995) written by Dr Ross Samson, Editor-in-Chief of Cruithne Press, in which he says: The idea that women may have had unusually high status in medieval Pictish society has long been the subject of scholarly fascination – and dispute – even though there has never been much evidence on which to pin opposing views.

The idea started with the 8th century English historian, Bede, who wrote that, whenever the Pictish royal succession was in dispute, kings were chosen from the female royal line rather than the male. Although dismissed by some scholars as a myth, others have taken the absence of sons succeeding fathers in the Pictish king lists as supporting evidence for Bede’s words. Several scholars have gone further, arguing that if women had a decisive role in succession disputes, their power doubtless extended to other areas of society as well.

An entirely new line of evidence, however, may be provided by Pictish symbols. These are carved on rough boulders or cross stones, and about 400 examples survive. They have been taken, at different times, to represent inter-tribal marriage instructions, estate boundary markers, records of personal professions, Pictish `flags’, simple artistic expressions, even pagan altars–but never on the basis of much hard evidence. In my view, the symbol stones were memorial stones, and the symbols represent names – either the name of the dead person, or of the person who had the stone erected. Moreover, I believe that a fifth of the names belonged to women. Compared to other contemporary societies, this would represent a very high proportion– in Ireland, for instance, we know the names of about 10,000 men dating from before AD1000, but of only 200 or 300 women.

The symbols almost always appear as pairs, and in several contemporary societies names were produced from two themes. In Anglo-Saxon, for instance, we have Aethelgifu (`Noble-gift’), Aethelstan (`Noble-stone’), and Wulfstan (`Wolf-stone’).

I believe Pictish names may have worked in the same way, and that feminine endings on the Pictish carved stones were represented by the mirror and comb symbols that follow one in every five symbol pairs. A mirror and comb appear to the left of the only unmistakably Pictish woman represented on a cross stone – there are several biblical females – that from Hilton of Cadboll, dating from about AD800.

If this theory is correct, 20 per cent of Pictish stones were erected for or by women, which is between five and 20 times more often than in any other contemporary Celtic or Scandinavian society. One motive for commemorating the dead publicly is the statement it makes – I am inheriting this person’s wealth, power, authority and prestige. If women held 20 per cent of the power and wealth in Pictish society, it is no wonder Bede heard such stories about their dominant role in the royal succession.

To read the full argument, please let me refer you to the original post on Women in History.

Pic: Orkneyjar

Orkneyjar reports that it’s been a fine summer for stone age artwork in Orkney. After examples turning up almost daily at the Ness of Brodgar, now a large piece of decorated stone has been discovered at one of Orkney’s most threatened sites — the Links of Noltland prehistoric settlement, in Westray. Returning to Westray, for the Historic Scotland sponsored excavation, was a team from Edinburgh-based EASE Archaeology. The archaeologists concentrated, this year, on the unusual structure discovered last year.

The exterior of this building had been carefully “decorated” using neatly-laid horizontal bands of masonry. While other houses of the period tended to be created with function, rather than looks, in mind, the Westray structure was built using dressed stone and was clearly meant to look impressive from the outside.

Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2008-10-22 09:42:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Pic: MOD Falkirk

Gaelic is a unique vehicle for passing Scottish understanding from one generation to the next, First Minister Alex Salmond said on the 10th October as he prepared to formally launch the Royal National Mod 2008 in Falkirk on that evening. The Scottish Government announced their support for the Gaelic language.

The Mod is Scotland’s premier Gaelic festival, celebrating Gaelic language and culture, which will today be strengthened with the announcement of more than £2.7 million funding for a range of Gaelic education measures.

The First Minister used his address to announce:

• Support for a Gaelic Parents Advocacy Scheme to promote Gaelic education and provide support for parents
• £2.6 million to assist local authorities with the renovation and construction of dedicated Gaelic schools in the next two financial years
• Extended funding for the Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Officer based at Bord na Gaidhlig
• £70,000 to support a Youth Scheme that will create employment opportunities for young Gaelic-speakers

Looking forward to the official launch the First Minister said:

The Gaelic language is a vital way of seeing and understanding Scotland. It contains the symbols and metaphors, stories and landscapes, that help define Scotland’s unique culture and history. As an essential part of our life, lore and language – Gaelic provides a valuable vehicle for passing Scottish understanding from one generation to the next.

That is why the Scottish Government is committed to promoting Gaelic education, and why I’m delighted to announce more than #2.7 million of funding to support the development of this strand of our cultural matrix. This money will help young learners by supporting parents, schools, teaching and youth training.

This year’s Mod provides a vibrant example of the enjoyment that can be found in Gaelic learning, with people of all ages competing across a range of disciplines including Gaelic Music and Song, Highland Dancing, Instrumental, Drama, Sport and Literature. Tonight’s launch gives a taste of the talent on show.

For talented Gaelic-speakers this is an exciting time, with a newly launched Gaelic language channel BBC Alba, the Fàs Centre established at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to attract and support cultural enterprises, and a Gaelic Language Plan being developed. There should be no limit to the ambitions of modern Gaels.

With Scotland’s Year of Homecoming fast approaching, I hope we can harness some of our Gaelic ambition to encourage even more people to travel to join us in Oban for our Homecoming Mod in 2009. As an opportunity for Gaels and non-Gaels to renew old friendships as well as forging new ones – the Mod is the perfect way to reconnect with Scotland, in any language.

The Mod is organised by An Comunn Gàidhealach (The Highland Association) which was founded in Oban in 1891 and which has HM The Queen as its Patron.

Attending the Mod opening ceremony will be President of Comunn Gaidhealach John Macleod, National Mod Convener Janet Macdonald, Falkirk Provost Pat Reid, Convener of the Mod 2008 Local Committee Angus MacDonald, and Deputy Premier of the Legislature of Nova Scotia Angus MacIsaac.

[Source]

Pic: Laura Geraghty

One of the news sources I regularly read is the TaraWatch mailing list and this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to read something by ‘ghoop’, a regular contributor, that delighted me. He/she says that on Tuesday last (the 15th December 2009), the Pat Kenny radio show on RTE covered children’s books written in the Irish language on the "battle to save tara".

Ghoop says that the

names of the books are likely to be available from the Kenny show if someone contacts them and could be put on the blogs for those who might like to know and even buy them for their kids..

Spread it around. The new generation are entitled to know from an early age what a battle is and has been fought. Posterity demands it. With these books the battle guarantees this posterity.

I’ve only managed to find one of these books but it looks amazng. It’s called Cá bhfuil tú, a Phádraig?, which means ‘Where are you, Patrick?’ and tells the story of a young girl and her friends who are protesting about the construction of the M3 motorway. Written and beautifully drawn by Laura Geraghty, she quotes from Inis Magazine who say:

A topical story, beautifully laid out and designed, about Aoife and her friends who are protesting about the building of the M3 motorway near Tara. They are surprised to receive a visit from an unlikely guest, St. Patrick, who suggests that the problem maybe be solved by a very traditional method.

The review on the Pat Kenny part of the RTE site says:

Cá bhfuil tú a Phádraig?
Published by An Gúm
Written and illustrated by a young artist called Lára Nic Oireachtaigh
Illustrations are beautiful and very striking.
It deals with the topical issue of the M3 being constructed through Tara, and the characters in the story are doing their best to protect Tara’s heritage and to prevent its destruction.
This is not the first story for children in the Irish language to deal with this issue – the well known poet Biddy Jenkinson published a children’s book, An Bhanríon Bess agus Gusaí Gaimbín, on the same topic two years ago. It’s obviously an issue that is close to the heart of several Irish-language writers.
Suitable for 8-12 year olds.

Laura says:

This book is written in Irish and illustrated in mixed-media style using a mixture of drawing and photography. The book is aimed at Irish-speaking children aged between 7 and 10 years, or at a slightly older age children who attend English-speaking schools and take Irish as a subject. The book deals with the subject of the M3 motorway that passes through the Skryne Valley near the historical site of the Hill of Tara. In the book, St. Patrick hears about this new motorway and returns to Tara to help the protesters to stop it from being built. My intention is that the book will promote the Irish language by dealing with a topical issue in a visually interesting way that will capture the interest and imagination of readers.

It strikes me that not only is this book an excellent way to maintain awareness of the Tara problem but a superb resource for adults like myself wanting to learn the Irish language! I’ll see if I can find some more Irish texts for  a later post.

Thank you ‘ghoop’ for this info.

You can get hold of the book from Amazon, or from Amazon UK, under the name Lara Nic Oireachtaigh.

Pic: jipol

There is an undeniable aura that surrounds Celtic designs and Druid traditions. Although I have strong family ties to both Ireland and Scotland, you don’t need a Celtic heritage to be enticed by the culture. It’s been said that as long as you respect Mother Earth and feel an affinity with the Celtic people you too have a Celtic soul.

The meanings behind all of the spirals, knots, labyrinths, and crosses have intrigued many people for many centuries. Since you will find all of these symbols in this book, a brief explanation of some of the more popular interpretations are listed below:

Quite possibly the most recognized of all the Celtic symbols is the knot. The elaborately interwoven design with no end and no beginning is thought to be an expression of the Celts’ belief in eternity. The Druids and the ancient Celts believed in a life without end, with death only being a transition into a new phase. While all knot patterns contain this element of life-everlasting, certain designs are believed to carry more specific meanings.

For example, the triquestra or trefoil knot points to the importance the Druid’s placed on the number 3, the number of fate. This design was such a hallmark of the Celtic people that Irish Christians found a way to bring it into their new faith by adopting the symbol as a representation of the Blessed Trinity.

There seems to be a lot of debate as to the true meaning of spirals in Celtic art. The direction of the spiral and the number of rotations appears to affect the meaning behind the image, therefore we will discuss some specific configurations.

Triple Spiral- is also known as the triple Goddess or triskele, symbolizing the maiden/mother/crone phases of life or the three phases of the Moon.

Double Spiral- signifies balance. Also believed to portray the equinox, a time when day and night are equal in length.

Clockwise Spiral- While the Druids tended to favor the Moon in their symbolism, this design is actually a representation of the Sun. A loosely wound spiral would embody an expansive summer sun while a tightly wound spiral expressed the shortened days and long nights of winter.

Symbolic of the journey we take in life, the labyrinth was often used during prayer or meditation. Focusing on the design reminds us that life is full of options, and open doors, as well as obstacles to overcome.

Finally, we come to the simple circle, the building block for mandalas as well as Celtic imagery. It is a universal symbol of the cycle of life; birth-death-rebirth. The intertwining of circles is the basis for many Celtic knots with the number of circles often symbolizing something more.

Note that by combining 3 circles the aforementioned triquestra knot is formed in the center. On the other hand, five circles linked together form the circle of being; a Druid illustration of the four earthly elements being forever united by a fifth element, balance.

Michelle Normand is a graphic designer and author of the 30-Minute Mandalas coloring book series including her latest installment; 30-Minute CELTIC Mandalas.

To learn more about the author and download some sample Celtic designs please visit the site http://www.30minutemandalas.com

Author: Michelle Normand
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

Pic: Llewellyn

Do you remember in SP06, our Yule Holiday Special for 2008 we presented a section of Priestess of the Forest for you? You can find the Shownotes for SP06 in the Shownotes section and have a look again. Priestess of the Forest is a novel set in the 3rd century about a Druid healer and a Fennid warrior written by Ellen Evert Hopman, an author well versed in American Druidism. Well, in April of 2010 she is preparing to release the sequel to this book called The Druid Isle.

The Druid Isle

The Druid Isle takes you into the world of Ethne, a Druid healer, and her warrior partner, Ruad. When their beautiful daughter Aífe undertakes training on a Druid island, she falls in love with Lucius, a handsome young man who has traded his priestly studies at a Christian monastery for the Druid life. But their love—and their beliefs—are threatened in the face of a lustful king and relentless Roman monks.

Set on a third-century island off the coast of Scotland, this instructional Celtic tale delves deeper into the spiritual mystery of the Druids and offers a fascinating look at the Romans, Gauls, and Britons.

Ellen Evert Hopman

Ellen Evert Hopman (Massachusetts) has been active in American Druidism since 1984. She is co-chief of the Order of the Whiteoak (Ord na Darach Gile), a popular author of Druidry-related titles, and a master herbalist. She teaches at the Grey School of Wizardry and has contributed to several Pagan journals.

You can find out more about Ellen and her work on her website at http://www.elleneverthopman.com.

Reviews

"Ellen has done it again. The Druid Isle grabs you right from the start. In it, we follow the story of Aife, a Pagan girl who lives with the forest Druids, and Lucius, a young Christian monk who turns Pagan. In my opinion, one of the best features of the book is the small bits of old lore from the Druids scattered throughout. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone’s library!"

–Rev. Skip Ellison, Archdruid of Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) and author of Ogham: The Secret Language of the Druids and The Solitary Druid: A Practitioner’s Guide

I’m looking forward to seeing this work and hope that we’re allowed to bring you a section from the follow-up to Priestess of the Forest!