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Celtic Symbols

Celtic symbols, arts and culture

  • Nov 27

    The history and evolution of Celtic tribal tattoo designs has been highly influenced by different cultures. When Ireland was conquered by Romans, the Christian priests in Rome converted the Celtic people to their religion. At this time, Celtic people did not have any written language, instead they used interlacing designs to express their love for nature and God. The Christian priests were greatly inspired by these designs and started using them in their Bible manuscripts.

    If you have deep interest in the history and heritage of the Celtic people, then celtic tribal tattoo designs are the best way to convey your passion. In fact, not only celtic descendants are proud to ink these tattoos, but people from all over the world are getting them inked. The Celtic tribal tattoo designs with their interlacing knots and attractive depiction of natural objects are mainly concerned with representing some emotional feeling rather than realistic symbolization.

    Celtic knots are more popular in Celtic tribal tattoo designs because of the artistic flare that can be shown. The knots have complete loops and they have no end or beginning. Celtic tribal tattoo designs with unending knots symbolize the permanence of life, love and faith. Spirals are another popular type of celtic tribal tattoo design, which includes double, triple or quadruple swirls and truly are awe-inspiring.

    The main reason for the popularity of Celtic tribal tattoo designs is that it is not gender or race specific. In a way Celtic designs tend to treat humans as equal because the meaning of these tattoo designs is much deeper in meaning than gender or race. This is what I love about these tattoos, they have carry strong meaning – isn’t this what a tattoo is all about? Express who you are and what you believe, and why not make it look great!

    Celtic tribal tattoo designs can be tattooed as armbands or on the lower back, ankles, shoulders, upper back and almost anywhere on the body. There are endless varieties of tribal Celtic tattoo designs available on the internet. It is possible to design your very own with the help of a professional at a surprisingly low cost.

    Due to the intricate nature, the Celtic tribal tattoo designs are not easy to design. It is highly recommended for anyone considering Celtic tattoo designs to make sure the tattoo artist knows exactly what he is doing and has a passion for this particular style of tattoo. You need to look for several things before selecting an artist to design Celtic tribal tattoo designs. Be sure to see the artist’s portfolio of Celtic designs. It is important to ensure the quality of hisher art. Apart from this, it is essential to look for a professional atmosphere in the shop.

    It is wise to view online galleries for a variety of Celtic tribal tattoo designs. This is possible by paying a small onetime fee. Meeting and discussing through the forums with the tattoo artists in various forums can help clear doubts before proceeding, therefore avoiding unpleasant experiences and ensuring you are the envy of all who get a glimpse of your new symbol.

    John McCleary is a passionate tattoo guru and Celtic historian. John runs a cool website featuring free celtic tribal tattoo designs, galleries of tattoos, useful tips and more. Be sure to check out his site at http://www.squidoo.com/celtic-tribal-tattoo-designs
  • Nov 27

    Celtic tattoos have survived the millenniums as a symbol of pride and tradition. Since the first Romans saw that tattoos adorned on the body of dead Celtic warriors, there has been a fascination about the tattoos and how the body art both inspired the warriors into battle and how they made the connection between tribe and clan. Today Celtic tattoos have regained their popularity and have hit the tattoo world like a hurricane. People are clamoring to have the Celtic tattoo to be apart of their body are collection and seemingly want to know the connection to the honor and loyalty of a civilization past.

    When picking out a Celtic tattoo there are many designs in which to choose from. You have to consider the area of body you want to place the tattoo in order to make it more appealing to the eye of the beholder. The length and width of the tattoo should show some symmetry to the body area where you wish to apply the art. For example a woman with skinny ankles would not want the person looking at her to be attracted to her flaw. Instead she might decide to put the tattoo around her calve in order to draw attention to a body part more pleasant. Other reasons to choose the tattoo to fit your body part are the intricacy of the design. A very intricate design takes a steady hand for the tattoo artist and a proper canvas, your body, to get the job done right.

    A popular tattoo that is drawn from European beginnings is the Celtic cross tattoo. Appearing around the 8th to 11th centuries, the Celtic tattoo represented a cross. The cross is decorated with an intricate knot pattern that flows within the cross with no evidence of a beginning and end. The Celtic cross is presumed to have Christian religion backgrounds, but it is presumed by some acadamians that the Celtic tattoo had more pagan backgrounds. Pagan means that it is not Christian and should not be confused with Satanism or other dark arts. Whether Christian or pagan, the Celtic tattoo that is shaped like a cross is one of the most popular Celtic tattoos today.

    There are other Celtic tattoos that have different shapes and meanings to their form and most can be found at a tattoo artist that specializes in Celtic tattoo art. The artwork and intricacy of the knot pattern can make this an expensive tattoo and you would want to make sure that the artist was credible when negotiating a price. Selecting and wearing a Celtic tattoo is a life choice and you must be able to make sure the design you choose will last and that you will be happy with your choice in years to come. Whether it is for religious or historical reasons or you want to show the pride of your heritage, a Celtic tattoo is a symbol of honor. Don’t just rush to your local tattoo shop and pick out a Celtic tattoo that looks good. Research the history and when that ink meets the skin you know you will be following the tradition of a true warrior nation.

    Be sure you research your next tattoo design so that you don’t misrepresent yourself just because you have no idea what a tattoo means. Celtic tattoos are a great example of this. Most people might get a tattoo just for the look of it, but there are also meanings that surround different styles and designs of a tattoo.

  • Nov 27

    The unique music of Scotland is easily recognized around the world and has remained a vibrant force to this day while many forms of traditional music worldwide have experienced a loss of popularity to pop music. Even with emigration and the influx of music imported from the rest of Europe and the United States, the music of Scotland has been able to keep the majority of its traditional structure and has even influenced many other forms of music.

    Traditional Scottish music even while influential to and being influenced by both Irish and English traditional music is still an art form unto itself and in spite of the increasing popularity of varied international pop music styles it remains a vital and everlasting Scottish tradition. There are numerous Scottish record labels and music festivals as well as Scottish music magazines.

    Although many people in the world think immediately of bagpipes when thinking about Scottish music, bagpipes are not unique or indigenous to Scotland. Don’t get me wrong, bagpipes are a very important part of Scottish music tradition but they were actually imported into Scotland around the 15th century from other areas in Europe where they are still played.

    The pìob mór, or Great Highland Bagpipe, is the most distinctively Scottish form of the instrument; it was created for clan pipers to be used for various, often military or marching, purposes. Piping clans included the MacArthurs, MacDonalds, McKays and, especially, the MacCrimmons, who were hereditary pipers to the Clan MacLeod.

    In modern times bagpipes have even found there way into many songs in pop music with rockers like Rod Stewart who was extremely popular in the late 1970’s and 80’s. He used bagpipes in many of his popular songs. Another more recent artist whose Celtic music has been well received is Enya.

    If you haven’t explored this beautiful music form I urge you to do so. Scottish music and in particular the Celtic Music of Enya can be very soothing and stress relieving.

    Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For Scottish gifts and music go to http://www.scottishmoors.com
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  • Nov 27

    The Celts: A History

    By the third century B.C., at the height of their greatest expansion, the Celts had spread from their Rhineland home as far west as Ireland and east to Turkey’s central plain, as far north as Belgium and south to Cadiz in Spain. They had crossed the Alps and defeated the armies of the Etruscan empire and had occupied Rome and invaded the Greek peninsula. Formidable warriors armed with iron weapons, they would find their way to Egypt and into Queen Cleopatra’s elite bodyguard. Tr
    Buy The Celts: A History at Amazon

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  • Nov 20

    Samhain, pronounced sow-wen, is a Celtic word meaning “summer’s end.” It is also the Irish Gaelic word for the month of November. Samhain is the last of three harvest festivals in the Celtic year, and it is the Celtic New Year. The Celts only recognized two seasons: summer, and winter. So, with the last harvest, the summer ends, and the cold, dark, dangerous days of winter begin. Any food that was not brought in from the fields by the end of the day on October 31, Samhain, was left in the fields and not eaten. It was considered to belong to the fairy folk at that point, and would make anyone sick who tried to eat it.

    The food in the storerooms by this time was all the food you were going to get between this first day of winter and the coming spring. It had to last through the cold, dark winter months. Starvation was always a possibility. Livestock was slaughtered at this time, both to preserve meat for the winter months, and to cull the herd. With fewer animals to feed, the ones that were left would have a better chance of survival until spring. This is one reason why death and the dead are associated with this day.

    Facing the long, deadly winter, unsure of your food supply, with no central heating, you would have to brave the elements and the dangers of the forest to gather all the wood you would need to keep yourself warm. With the days getting shorter and shorter, you would start wondering if the sun was ever going to come back. The wild animals would get hungrier and more aggressive as the winter got harder for everyone. All made this day, marking the beginning of the winter season, one of fear and danger. But it was also a day of celebration, akin to the American Thanksgiving — thanking the gods for the blessings of a bountiful harvest.

    To the Celts, “between” times and places were very important. At these points, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and communication between the fairy realm, the land of the dead, and the human world is much easier. “Between” places include doorways between one room and another, or between inside and outside; or the seashore, marking the meeting of earth and sea. “Between” times include dusk and dawn, marking the transitions from night to day, and day to night; and in more recent centuries, midnight, representing the transition between one calendar day and the next.

    The transitions between seasons are even more important “between” times. The transition from winter to summer at Beltaine (May 1), and the transition from summer to winter at Samhain, were the two most important days of the Celtic year; but Samhain was the most important, because it also marked the transition from one year to the next. Ergo, it is at this time that the veil between the worlds is thinnest, and communication between the world of the living and the world of our deceased ancestors, the fairy folk, and other spirits is easiest. This is also a good night for divination for that reason.

    At this harvest celebration, when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, one’s ancestors are therefore honored and venerated. Hospitality was very important to the ancient Celts. They would leave food out on their hearth, or out on their front step, as an offering to the spirits of their ancestors, whom they believed would visit them on this night. Offerings of food or milk were also left out for the fairies, and some Wiccans today invite fairy beings into their homes to share their hospitality with them for the winter. The Celts also extended this hospitality to wandering travelers and beggars, because Celts considered it very bad luck to withhold hospitality from anyone in need.

    But the thinness of the veil between the worlds also allowed more dangerous spirits to wander into the human realm, so Samhain was also a time of fear and foreboding. These two ideas influenced our modern custom of “trick or treating” at Halloween (our modern name for Samhain). Today, wandering beggars in the form of children, dress up as horrible spirits that go from door to door begging for food, and threatening pranks if they are not appeased. That is a very recent tradition, however, invented in America.[1]

    The carved pumpkins we call jack-o’-lanterns also have their root in ancient hospitality. The Celts did not have pumpkins in the Old World, as we have here in America; pumpkin is a New World fruit. So rather than carving pumpkins, the Celts used turnips and gourds. They hollowed out the inside, and put candles in them to create a lantern. Then they would set a light out each evening to let any wandering strangers know that hospitality was available at that particular home. However, to frighten away the evil spirits that might also be out wandering, these home owners would take the precaution to carve ugly faces into the lanterns, to scare anything nasty away.

    Many ancient pagan holidays, including those of the Celts, were adapted by the Christian church in an attempt to convert pagans to Christianity. Many of the traditions of Yule, such as the decorated evergreen tree, became the traditions of Christmas. Many of the traditions of the spring equinox, such as decorating eggs, became customs of Easter. And many practices of Samhain became the traditions of Halloween.[2]

    “Hallow” means “sacred.” For example, “hallowed ground” means a place that has been blessed and is appropriate for burial. The suffix “-een” is short for “evening,” the night before a holiday. Halloween, like our New Year’s Eve, is therefore the celebration before the actual holiday, in this case November 1, dubbed “All Saints Day” by the Catholic Church. Halloween is also known as “All Souls Day,” following the tradition that this is a time to celebrate the dead and commemorate them.

    There are several misconceptions and outright lies that are spread by religious fundamentalists about Samhain every year, in an attempt to get Halloween banned. The first is that the holiday is of Druidic origin; the Druids were a priestly class of the Celts, but they were a very late manifestation of the Celtic religion. The Celts were practicing their religion for thousands of years before the priestly class of the Druids developed.

    Another misconception is that the ancient Romans adopted Samhain and added their traditions to it; however, the traditions of Halloween, as we know them, have come down to us from Ireland. Ireland was never conquered by the Romans. Samhain was also celebrated by the Picts in Scotland, but the Picts were never conquered by the Romans, either. The only territory in the British Isles that the Romans successfully conquered was England.

    Another error is that Samhain is pronounced Sam Hane and is the name of a Celtic god of the dead. The Celts had no god of the dead.[3] Samhain is also not pronounced that way, it is pronounced “Sow-ween,” due to the odd way Irish Gaelic ended up being spelled when written in English letters. There is a very minor character in Celtic mythology that has a name with a similar spelling, but he has nothing to do with death or with that particular holiday.

    Some people also claim that at this holiday the souls of the dead were supposed to move into the bodies of animals if they had been “sinful,” and that human sacrifice was practiced. The Celts did not believe in sin, nor in reincarnation or the transmigration of souls. The Celts also did not practice human sacrifice, with the exception of the execution of criminals, which we still practice in America today.

    Halloween in America is now a completely secular holiday. Though it still maintains some of its harvest festival roots, there is no longer any religious or spiritual significance to the practices of bobbing for apples, trick or treating, and dressing up in costume.

    Samhain, however, is still observed by Wiccans and other Pagans for its spiritual significance in the Wheel of the Year, the cycle of holidays that mark transition points in the natural solar cycle.

    [1] Because Samhain represented the transition between years, it could not belong to one year or the next. Since time did not technically exist during this period, other societal rules were suspended as well, creating the necessary atmosphere to allow people to vent frustrations, often by playing practical jokes on each other. This may be the precursor to the pranks practiced at Halloween today.

    [2] A lot of the associations of Halloween, from black cats to dressing up in costumes, to witches, are more associated with Germanic tradition and Walpurgisnacht, which is associated with May Day, rather than the Celtic tradition or Samhain.

    [3] A couple of sources list Gwynn ap Nudd as a British god of the dead, and Arawn as a Welsh god of the dead, but there is no Irish equivalent.

    ***

    For Part II of this article, “A Subtle Samhain Celebration -or-What to Do If You Don’t Live Alone” visit www.careandfeedingofspirits.com. Part II provides instructions for how to take advantage of this season to contact deceased loved ones on the other side of the veil of death, as well as other subtle ways to mark the holiday. But hurry! It will only be available through October 31, 2008. After that it will go back into the vaults.

    Have a blessed Samhain, and a happy Halloween!

    BB,

    Vivienne

    Bibliography

    Isaac Bonewitz, “The Real Origins of Halloween,” version 4.5, © 1997 and 2002, http://www.neopagan.net/halloween-origins-text.html, downloaded 9/19/03.

    “Halloween Errors and Lies, or What Fundamentalist Christians Don’t Want You to Know,” version 4.4, © 1997, 2002; http://www.neopagan.net/halloween-lies.html, 9/19/03.

    B.A. Robinson, “the Myth of Samhain, Celtic God of the Dead,” © 1998-2001 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, last updated 10/19/01, http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallow_sa.htm, 9/19/03.

    W.J. Bethancourt, III, “Halloween: Myths, Monsters and Devils,” © 1994, updated 10/7/01; http://www.illusions.com/halloween/hallows.htm, 9/19/03.

    Rowan Moonstone, “the Origins of Halloween.” http://www.geocities.com/athens/forum/5452/hallorig.html, 9/19/03.

    Vivienne D’Avalon is the owner of Persephone’s Haven (www.persephoneshaven.com) and a regular contributor to CroneSeraphim.com. She is an Eclectic gothic Wiccan, a chaos mage, and a kabbalist; and she is the author of “The Patriot’s Spellbook” (available through 11/4/08 with the purchase of “On the Care and Feeding of Spirits”) and “On the Care and Feeding of Spirits” (available for purchase as an ebook at www.careandfeedingofpsirits.com).

  • Nov 20

    Celtic tattoo designs are among the top favorite tattoo design choices among people who want to get inked.  Celtic tattoos, with its beautiful knots and symbolisms, are very intricate and interesting pieces that are sure to capture any person’s attention.  It not only is pleasing to the eyes, but it actually packs a lot of history, culture and heritage into the design.

    The history of the Celts goes back thousands of years ago.  At some point, the whole of Europe was actually Celtic, and England was governed completely by the Celts.  They had their own language, culture, and religion.  The symbols that they used during those ages served as the basis for today’s modern Celtic tattoos.

    Originally, the Celtic people worshipped several gods and goddesses but as time passed, they were eventually exposed to Christianity.  This change is evident in the symbols and shapes that they use, which incorporated many Christian elements such as crosses and stars.  Most of the Celtic tattoo designs used today were also based on symbols form illuminated manuscripts and ancient art from England, Scotland and Ireland.

    The Celtic warriors covered their bodies with tattoos as a sign of their courage and strength.  During wars, they went to battles bare-chested so their tattoos can easily be seen by their enemies.  It was thought that their tattoos could instill fear and intimidation in their rivals and enemies, and they wore it proudly.  During those times, having numerous tattoos was a sign of fearlessness and bravery.

    Today, Celtic tattoo designs have evolved, incorporating several traditional Celtic symbols into the tattoo.  Most of these designs were customized to portray the different representations in Celtic art.

    A prominent feature that makes Celtic tattoo designs a favorite is its intricate and elaborate knot work.  These knots look like interwoven ropes or vines and are usually designed to form a certain shape or pattern for the tattoo.  The possibilities are virtually endless, as these knots can be made to form any shape from the simplest crosses and circles, to the more complicated stars and other combinations.  And what’s especially interesting about this knot is that it forms a complete cycle, and there’s basically neither beginning nor end to a Celtic knot.  It just goes on an on to form your desired tattoo design.

    If you’re one of those individuals fascinated with Celtic tattoo designs or if you have a Celtic heritage and you want to express your pride in being a Celt, getting this tattoo is definitely for you.  However, you must keep in mind that because of its intricacies, not many tattoo artists can give you the precise line placement and details needed to ink an impressive Celtic tattoo.  It is usually one of the tougher tattoo designs and if you want to get inked, it helps to choose the right tattoo artist who has a lot of experience in inking Celtic designs.

    Celtic tattoo designs are beautiful tattoos for those who have an eye for detail and intricate art work, and for those who appreciate the rich history and culture that comes along with it.

    View some of the best Celtic Tattoo Designs ever designed and produced. Also, learn the history of Celtic Tattoo Designs.

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  • Nov 20

    Celtic Thunder

    For Celtic Thunder, Sharon Browne has teamed up with Grammy-nominated Irish songwriting and composing veteran Phil Coulter to produce a show that includes an eclectic mix of songs ranging from the traditional “Mountains of Mourne” and “Come By the Hills” to international hits such as “Brothers in Arms” and “Desperado,” as well as original compositions by Coulter, who has written hits for Elvis Presley (“My Boy”) and the Bay City Rollers, and performed with Van Morrison, Tom Jon
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  • Nov 20

    The Ancient Celts

    Review

    Each generation, the British scholar Jacquetta Hawkes has observed, chooses the archaeology that best suits its current ideology. For a century beginning in the late 1800s, archaeologists depicted the Celts as an inordinately brave and poetic tribal people who battled their way across the Eurasian world without being unduly aggressive–in the manner, that is, of good colonialists. Today some archaeologists are more inclined to consider the Celts as a people who kep
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  • Nov 13

    They say there is nothing worse than a homesick Celt a long way from home or a bunch of Celts on a mission if they feel that culture is under threat.

    I can talk about those issues above with a degree of the impunity being a fully paid up “Celt” myself being half welsh and half Scottish.

    The problem most Celtic cultures and countries have is essentially one of a constant dilution off cultural identity down to the years. By this I mean that effectively the Celtic tribes moved from Central Europe westwards either voluntarily or were driven west by other tribes moving into Central Europe from their homelands further east.

    This process of migration took place over several thousand years B.C. and in the time since any Celtic cultures or societies in existence have either been wiped out or severely depleted by later migrations into their territories.

    Nowhere is this struggle for potential cultural identity more evident possibly than in Galicia in north-western Spain. There are several organizations in existence in Galicia who believe that their history and the Celtic influences in that history has actually been neglected for too long and been overshadowed by later developments from a Castilian / Spanish perspective.

    Now this article is not a treatise or an attempt to try to cause potential revolution or secession rather it is an attempt to try and shed some light on what otherwise would be viewed as potential cultural paranoia.

    Over the post 40 or 50 years various Galician Academics have tried to reconstruct their past and transform it such that it could potentially form the basis off a Galician nation.

    The problem with all this is that yes logically there is plenty of evidence that there is a very strong connection between the communities and the ethnic cultures in Galicia and other Celtic nations such as Ireland. The trouble is that only in Ireland have they effectively and successfully preserved their ancient manuscripts and other various scholarly materials which effectively have stood them in good stead when trying to reach a consensus in any form of cultural identity.

    In Ireland to be brutally blunt they were lucky in that whilst the rest of Europe was effectively thrown into cultural darkness during the dark ages. In Ireland the monastic heritage was such that in Ireland it kept alive the flame of culture and facilitated the reintroduction of many Christian beliefs and practices when elsewhere in Europe these had effectively been driven underground.

    Else where, especially in mainland Europe they were not so lucky and therein lies the problem that many Celtic scholars who are based in the European Celtic Communities and territories face. The evidence of manuscripts and well-known antiquities are not so openly available if they exist at all and this can lead to overdependence on a history and culture based mythology and legend and not based on fact.

    There is no doubting the racial and cultural affinity between the various Celtic communities in Europe of Galicia, The Basque Territories and Brittany with the Celtic Communities of the British Isles and Republic of Ireland, that much is a given.

    It is more of a case in the responsible representation of that cultural identity within the greater National boundaries that these Communities find themselves within and how they reconcile any potential difficulties that they inherit.

    It is a testament to the security and belief in their cultural heritage in Galicia that they have managed to achieve such a credible balance between the separate Celtic and Galician culture and identities and that from within the greater community that is modern-day Spain so well.

    Stephen Morgan writes about a great many Internet Travel based issues and more on the above can be found at Rural Tourism in Galicia and Accommodation in Galicia For a more complete overlook at Tourism in Galicia try http://www.turgalicia.es

  • Nov 13


    http://www.easytattoofinder… See more great Irish and Celtic tattoo designs and read comprehensive objective reviews about the top tattoo finders on the web at EasyTattooFinder.com.

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  • Nov 13

    In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English

    Review

    A great story, interesting to read and appealing to anyone with an interest in Ireland…A readable history…poignant, not pedantic. — Virginia Garnett in Carroll County TimesIn bite-sized morsels … Search tells us about both the major figures central to … events and the daily lives of commoners. — Richmond Times-Dispatch…A clearly recommended pick for anyone interested in…Irish history…. Provides an important gateway to understanding early Irish roots. — The
    Buy In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English at Amazon

  • Nov 6

    Tain Bo Cuailnge meaning the Cattle Raid of Cooley is a legendary epic from early Irish literature. The Táin Bó Cuailnge represents the oldest vernacular tale of Western Europe, predating both Beowulf and Homer’s Odyssey. It describes the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Queen Medb of Connaught and her husband Ailill intending to steal the Brown Bull of Cuailnge. They are faced only by the boy warrior Cuchulainn, the rest of the men of Ulster being incapacitated by an ancient curse placed by the ancient Celtic goddess of war, Macha. Cuchulainn is young enough to be free of the curse, he manages to hold off the invading armies until the Ulstermen are free of the curse. Aided only by his charioteer Laeg he wages a guerrilla campaign against the invading hordes. However Medb succeeds in capturing the bull but Cuchulainn prevents her from returning to Connaught by invoking the right of single combat at fords. For months Cuchulainn challenges and defeats warrior after warrior. The greatest of these fights is against his foster brother and best friend Ferdiad, a fierce contest rages for three days, Cuchulainn eventually killing his opponent with the mighty spear called the Gae Bulg. Eventually the Ulstermen are freed from their curse and one by one they appear on the battlefield and the final conflict occurs in which Medb’s armies are routed, however she manages in hauling the Brown Bull of Cuailnge back to Conaught where he fights her white bull, Finnbheannach. The Brown Bull kills him but is mortally wounded, it wanders around Ireland creating place names before returning home to die of exhaustion.
    The world portrayed in the Tain is an essentially pre-Christian heroic age. War is conducted between warriors armed with swords and spears and mounted in chariots with drivers. Interestingly, it is also a world in which a queen may possess wealth independently of her husband and, indeed, compete with him and raise an army. The Tain Bo Cuailnge has survived in two main recensions, the first is contained in the Lebor na hUidre, an eleventh century text compiled in Clonmacnoise and in the fourteenth century Yellow Book of Lecan. A complete text can be compiled by combining these two sources. The second recension can be found in the twelfth century Book of Leinster.

    Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source: http://www.exploringireland.net

     

    Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source: http://www.exploringireland.net

  • Nov 6

    Ireland is the home of the Celtic people. This warrior nation excelled in combat against such nations as Rome and Gaul. Sometimes the lost and sometimes they won, but they left a legacy that has transcended to modern times. These warriors were proud of their clan and practiced Celtic tattooing or body art as a form of expression that showed their loyalty and promoted the clan in which they belonged. Recently Celtic tattoos are becoming popular as a way to signify a purpose or statement. Even more common is that a person picks out their Celtic tattoo for aesthetic purposes only.

    The Celtic tattoo patterns are found in the ‘The Book of Kells’ which is a pictorial display of Celtic tradition and heritage. Used by tattoo artist around the world the Celtic tattoo is the most recognizable among the tribal tattoo genre. Taken from the metalwork that resembled the tattoo and the tattoo themselves, the artwork and intricacy of each tattoo shows labor and faith put into its creation. The talent of the original artist should be sought in the tattoo artist that you choose. The process is labor intensive because of the intricate pattern and could be expensive, but you will come out with a tattoo that any person of Celtic descent would recognize with honor.

    Known as the hardest designs in the world by tattoo artists, the Celtic tattoo session can take up to several hours were a simple tattoo can be accomplished in one or two. The extra effort and skill it takes to get a Celtic tattoo also requires the monetary application that fits that skill. Celtic tattoos can run from two hundred dollars all the way up to five thousand dollars. Some traditionalists will t ravel to Ireland, Scotland, or Wales to have the tattoo applied by one of the descendents of the Celtic clans. If you travel to some of these destinations to have your tattoo drawn, be prepared to be turned down by some artists because you are not of Celtic ancestry.

    The popular areas of the body where a Celtic tattoo can be drawn are usually around the bicep or calve muscles. These tattoos not only draw notice to these areas but on most people it gives a sense of beauty. Weight lifters and other athletic people that have large muscles in this area of the body choose to put their Celtic tattoos there to give that area more notice. There are some cases, with especially women, the Celtic tattoo is extended and drawn around their waist curving toward sensual places of their body. This alluring tattoo will carry the same Celtic design but will alter to place emphasis on the curve of the body and the amount of exotic design the customer wants. The extreme body art enthusiast has been known to have a Celtic tattoo around their neck or across their forehead. These areas of the body are for experienced tattoo wearers who consider their entire canvas for the art.

    Be sure you research your next tattoo design so that you don’t misrepresent yourself just because you have no idea what a tattoo means. Celtic tattoos are a great example of this. Most people might get a tattoo just for the look of it, but there are also meanings that surround different styles and designs of a tattoo.

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  • Nov 6


    Bella canción tradicional celta, en una de mis versiones favoritas.
    Beautiful traditional Celtic song, in one of my favorite versions.
    Download this song: http://www.mediafire.com/do…

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  • Nov 6


    Irish / Celtic Gods and Goddesses (Part 1) – The Ever Living Ones

    The Celtic pantheon is known from a variety of sources, these include written Celtic mythology, ancient places of worship, statu…

  • Nov 6


    http://www.TattooLibary.info Thinking of a Celtic Tattoo? Here are samples of just some of the sweet Celtic Tattoo’s you will find on the website.

  • Nov 6


    Bella canción, tocada en arpa celta y acompañada con imágenes de hadas.
    Beautiful song, played on Celtic harp and accompanied with images of fairies.
    Download this song: http://www.mediafire.com/d…

  • Nov 6

    The Haunted History of Halloween (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

    Hosted by harry smith this is an enchanting look at the 3000 year history of one of our most popular holidays. Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 04/26/2005


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  • Nov 3

    Celtic cross tattoos are the most powerful symbols to convey the love for God. The Celtic cross has rich and colourful history. Ancient Celtic people did not have written language and they used symbols and patterns to express their emotions. When their regions were conquered by Romans, the Christian Priests in Rome preached Christianity among Celts. The priests were greatly inspired by the Celtic art and they begun using them in their Bible manuscripts. Nowadays, Celtic cross tattoos are admired by thousands of people for their elegant beauty.

    Celtic cross tattoos stand for an emblem of ancient history. It reveals the endlessness of god’s love. There are plenty of Celtic cross designs available on the internet, you can select any simple design to be worn as an arm band or complicated design to adorn your upper or lower back.

    By selecting a Celtic cross tattoos, you can express the mystery of life. The designs with intermingling knots signify the continuance of life. They are too complex to design yourself, you will need to seek a talented tattoo designer and tattoo artist to complete them properly.

    Most of the people love to choose Celtic cross tattoo designs for their spiritual meaning. Yet there are some people, who wish to wear them simply for their awe-inspiring appearance. Celtic cross tattoos are normally designed in black colour. However, nowadays, various other shades are also available. You can select purple, blue or red colour to emphasize some parts of the tattoo. The cross designs are available in numerous models. They include Celtic cross with flowers, knots, Jesus and so on.

    Aquarian cross is an inspiring Celtic cross tattoo design and it includes traditional knotworks. The symbol of Aquarius adorns the middle part and it certainly appears graceful with its intertwining knots. Celtic cross tattoos can be customized to your taste and preference and this feature increases its popularity.

    Skibbereen cross is one of the popular designs of Celtic cross tattoos. It is an equal-armed cross with bold patterns. The exciting feature of this design is that it can be reproduced into various designs. The symmetric knot works in these Celtic cross tattoos are impressive, they look amazing on the upper arm.

    The flexibility of Celtic cross tattoos is the most exciting feature. You can increase or decrease the size as per your wish. You can add backdrop colour to the cross design which can improve the entire appearance.

    Celtic cross tattoo design is renowned for its simplicity and gracefulness. Unlike other tattoo designs, they have close links with religious connotations. Celtic cross tattoos are worn by many people as a symbol of ethnicity. Irish, Scottish and Walsh people love them to wear so that they can show their respect for culture and heritage. Some people link the four points in the cross with four seasons that have great influence in the lives of mankind.

    Even if there is no definite reason, you can select the Celtic cross tattoo design for their fabulous appearance. You can look fashionable with them. Due to the intricate nature of the cross designs; you need a brilliant tattoo artist who can ink them perfectly.

    John McCleary has a huge love for Celtic cross tattoos, he runs a neat website on Celtic Cross Tattoos – you can find heaps of cool designs, history, useful tips and much more. Be sure to check out his site at Celtic Cross Tattoos http://www.squidoo.com/celtic_cross_tattoos
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