Welsh Valentine’s Day Pic: Visit Wales

Did you know that the Welsh have their own Saint doing the same job as Saint Valentine? Celebrated on the 25th of January, Saint Dwynwen. The fascinating blog, Visit Wales, have created their own card to celebrate the Welsh Saint and made it available as a PDF, for all of us to download and send rather than the commercialised cards produced for the ‘other’ Saint.

This is what ‘Visit Wales‘ have to say about the card:

Here at Visit Wales, we’re coming over all romantic this January. Ahh.

While the shops are filling their shelves with fluffy pink hearts and cherubs in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, the ladies of the Visit Wales blogging team are actually more excited about St Dwynwen’s day.

The patron saint of lovers, Dwynwen whose name means “she who leads a blessed life”, is feted on January 25th. Although she is no longer officially recognised by the Vatican, she still enjoys great popularity in her home county of Anglesey, and St Dwynwen’s day continues to grow in popularity across Wales.

You can find our more about her history at the national museum of wales. Visit Wales then go on to say,

the psychic fish?

In a tradition which perhaps blends Christian and pagan traditions, it was once said that a visit to the Llandwynn Island church well could predict the future of a love affair. Tradition said that if the movements of the fish in the church’s well caused the water to move so much that it appears to boil, a happy ever after was guaranteed. Women who suspected their husbands of infidelity would sprinkle breadcrumbs on the surface of the water and cover them with a handkerchief – if the fish caused the handkerchief to move, the husband had been proved faithful.

dydd santes dwynwen hapus

Visit Wales’ very own Cupid (aka Bill), has been hard at work in the name of love, creating a gorgeous St Dwynwen’s day card that you can download print and send to your true love / crush/ that nice girl you see on the Number 27 bus every morning. Actually not the girl on the bus, please. That would just be creepy.

Download our printable PDF St Dwynwen’s day card

So, how best to celebrate Dydd Santes Dywnwen? Forget about the overpriced and faintly sinister-looking Valentine themed teddy bears and cliched red roses, and treat your loved one to a weekend up in St Dwynwen’s home of Anglesey? Take a bracing walk along the Blue Flag beach and cwtch up on the sand dunes, or wander through the National Nature Reserve of Newborough Warren. We can’t guarantee angels though.

What a superb idea! If you are thinking of visiting Wales soon (and who isn’t?), Anglesey is lovely to see. In fact, most of Wales is stunning and has its own character. As we go through the stories of Welsh Mythology, you’ll find (as with the Irish tales) that they are intimately linked with the landscape. We walk upon sacred land, the land of our ancestors and the land that the Gods of our ancestors walked upon.

We can’t recommend the ‘Visit Wales‘ blog enough – the amount of information they have about all aspects of Wales – its landscape, entertainments, activities and places to stay alone make it one of the best resources! Well done, guys!

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Descripition Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Appbrain at http://www.appbrain.com/app/celtic-myth-show/tv.wizzard.android.celticmythpodshow841 or by using the QR code opposite.
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.

Stone Axe Head Pic: http://www.derryjournal.com

A prehistoric axe head, believed to be 7,000 years old, has been uncovered in Derry (Ireland). The axe head was found on freshly ploughed land near Thornhill College, on the banks of the River Foyle. The artefact was spotted by a man walking his dog in the area. He took the item home with him. Local archaeologist Ian Leitch believes the item dates from the Mesolithic period and was around 7,000 years old. Ian believes the find is significant in terms of the wider archaeology of the area.

“The axe head from Culmore suggests that there may be a Mesolithic site on or near to the find spot. It may have been dropped or lost by its owner while out hunting on land near the river.”

He stated:

“The stone axe head is made from mudstone, measures around six centimetres in size and is in quite good condition.”

Mr Leitch added:

“It is important that such an artefact is reported and properly recorded.”

He thanked the finder for alerting him to the existence of the axe head.
Last summer,  eight Neolithic sites were unearthed by archaeologists in Derry. Some sites dated to more than 5,000 years old. The exciting discoveries were made during work on the new Maydown dual carriageway. Finds included a pair of well-preserved 5,000 years-old Neolithic houses and 4,000 years-old Bronze Age burial places known as ‘ring-ditches’. The earliest known mesolithic site in Ireland was excavated at Mount Sandel, which dates to around 7,000 BCE, on the banks of the River Bann in Coleraine in the 1970s.

Source

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Descripition Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Appbrain at http://www.appbrain.com/app/celtic-myth-show/tv.wizzard.android.celticmythpodshow841 or by using the QR code opposite.
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.

Originally posted 2010-06-10 08:06:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

: The Great Oak, Sherwood Forest Pic Source

Among the sacred trees in many legends, the mighty oak stands noble and tall as The Tree of Life. The oak tree in lore and myth represents great symbolic meanings to the pantheons of mythology, to the druids, the faeries, and many cultures around the world.

Druids

Within the sacred circle of stones in an oak grove, the Druids conducted their secret rituals. The mistletoe that grew high in the oak was sent from Heaven by the god who chose the tree as sacred. They were priests of the god. They cut the mistletoe with the golden sickle during the ceremony. Anything that grew on the sacred tree was especially revered.

The Oak Grove was their major meeting place, where they held their rituals, for it provided protection and power for their magick and spells.

In Anglesea on Mona’s Isle in Wales there stands the “Holy Groves” of the Druids. It is an ancient sacred sight. In AD 60 the Roman general Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, determined to break the power of the Celtic druids, attacked the island, destroying the shrine and the sacred groves — remnants of the sacred oaks can still be found there.

The oak represented doorways to other realms — it was believed to provide protection and shelter when passing through to other realms. It was considered the giver of great powers and was most exalted of all trees by the Druids. Their most spiritual places were in oak groves.

Faeries

In Greek mythology Dryads, faerie-like creatures, lived in Oak trees. Dryads are actually tree nymphs. They are very shy except when around Artemis the goddess who was a friend to most nymphs. Dryads are very long lived and very attached to their homes. The Hamadryad, an advanced form of the species, would die if their tree died.

Oak trees are safe havens for many types of faeries. They love their homes and the fruit of the Oak, the acorns. They use acorns for decoration, wear the caps of the acorn for hats, and use the leaves for celebrations in autumn. Hundreds of faeries live in the oldest Oaks. Faeries can be found in every Oak tree.

Robin Hood

Legends tell us of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood’s famous hideout in Nottinghamshire, England.
Since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood has been densely forested. Among the trees stands the majestic and legendary The Great Oak of Sherwood Forest, which is 800 to 1000 years old.

The forest is now just a small part of the original Royal Forest that was used for hunting. Many old oaks still exist in the forest, especially in the area known as the Dukeries.

A portion of the forest was opened as a country park to the public in 1969. Each year the Robin Hood Festival recreates the medieval atmosphere wherein one finds Robin Hood, Maid Marian, and all the famous characters that live in legends. Jousters, people in medieval attire, a recreation of an encampment of the time, court jesters, musicians, alchemists, and others that populated the Robin Hood legend can be found strolling among the ancient oaks.

Common Beliefs

If two acorns are dropped in the same bowl of water, a couple can divine their future plans. If the acorns float together, they will marry — if the acorns drift apart, the couple will drift apart.

Carrying an acorn at all times will prevent old age from coming on, prevent illness, increase fertility and strengthen sexual potency.

Carry a small piece of oak for good luck.

Oak Apples (galls) on an Oak tree are made by a worm. The person who finds the worm will be assured of riches and prosperity.

Essence of the oak flower will prevent despondency and despair.

In German lore, it was believed that children came from an ancient hollow Oak tree.

To plant an acorn after the sun goes down will ensure fortune in the near future.

Oak fires draw illnesses away.

Tie two twigs together with red thread, like a cross, to guard against evil.

Place acorns on window sills to guard against harm and lightning.

Catch a falling oak leaf and you will be free from colds all winter.

If acorns are gathered by the light of the full moon, good faerie talismans can be made of them.
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Image Credits:
Robin Hood Major Oak
Author:Galli
Wikipedia Public Domain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robin_Hood_Major_Oak.jpg

Source

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Descripition Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Appbrain at http://www.appbrain.com/app/celtic-myth-show/tv.wizzard.android.celticmythpodshow841 or by using the QR code opposite.
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.

As the Isle of Man Today informs us an Ancient Greek explorer’s extraordinary voyage took him to the Isle of Man 300 years before the birth of Christ, new research claims. Scientist and geographer Pytheas (pronounced Puth-e-as) is now believed to have visited the Island in about 325BC to take sun measurements during a three-year voyage – the first recorded circumnavigation of the British Isles.

Pytheas (Πυθέας), ca. 380 – ca. 310 BC) was a Greek merchant, geographer and explorer from the Greek colony Massilia (today Marseille, France). He made a voyage of exploration to northwestern Europe around 325 BC. He probably travelled around a considerable part of Great Britain, Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2008-04-14 10:23:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen: A Tale of Alderley by Alan Garner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a book for children it is fast-paced and full of adventure. The action centres upon Alderly Edge and introduces the legend of the Sleeping Warriors who await the call of the Once an Future King to rise and defend England once more.

As an adult reading a book written for children, I find myself enjoying the archetypal dwarves and being frustrated at the stereotypical children who are the heroes of the book.

All in all, the book had made me want to find out more about the legend of the Sleeping Knights and visit Alderly Edge – so for this reason alone I have no hesitation in giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

View all my reviews

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