Celtic symbols, arts and culture
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Celtic Fiddle from Boston via Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Jan 27th
Doug Lamey is a Boston area fiddler with deep ties to Cape Breton’s fiddle tradition. His grandfather Bill Lamey was one of the most important fiddlers during the golden age of Cape Breton fiddling. Cliff McGann is a Boston area musician and storyteller. Both are members of The Boston Kiltics www.bostonkiltics.com
eM (Mahmoud ELARCH) – Morning On The Hill / Red Hair Beauty (from Celtic Lands)
Jan 10th
Here is a musical ballade in the beautiful Celtic lands, probably one of the most beautiful lands on Earth in my opinion… Ballade which takes us also to appreciate the beauty of Redhead women… With Admiration, Esteem, Philogyny & Love, I dedicate the second part for them, the most beautiful women on Earth… ______________________________________ Celtic nations are areas of modern northwest Europe which identify themselves with the Celtic cultures, specifically speakers of Celtic languages. Since the mid-20th century, people of many nations and regions have used modern “Celticity” to express their identity. Over time, these nations and regions have come to be widely labelled as Celtic. The six primary nations of the “Celt belt” or “Celtic fringe” are Ireland (Éire), Scotland (Alba), Isle of Man (Mannin), Wales (Cymru), Cornwall (Kernow), and Brittany (Breizh). (from Wikipedia) More tracks coming soon, the entire album will follow in my artist page. Find me here : myspace.com
Ondine: Ancient Celtic Myth in Modern Ireland
Nov 14th
Ondine is an unusual film that uses Celtic mythology as a background theme for a low key romantic tale. Director Neil Jordan, best known for The Crying Game, sets this movie in modern day Ireland, but in many ways there’s an old fashioned, even ancient ambiance to it. Of course, there are cars and cell phones, but the story centers on Syracuse, a Fisherman (Colin Farrell) living in a small village who pulls a woman (Alicja Bachleda) out of the water, and this theme could have been taken from a folk tale (Irish or otherwise) that dates back centuries.
The woman has no apparent memory and calls herself Ondine (which is a word for a kind of water nymph), and she may or may not be a supernatural creature. Like another film from 1995, The Secret of Roan Inish, this one deals with the legend of selkies, half woman-half seal creatures that are traditional to Celtic folklore. However, Ondine is quite original and deals with the subject in its own way.
Syracuse has a young daughter (Alison Barry) who is mostly confined to a wheelchair due to a kidney ailment, and has a contentious relationship with his ex-wife, which complicates his situation when he find Ondine. As you might expect, Syracuse and Ondine develop a relationship of sorts, but, unlike the way such a theme would be handled in a typical Hollywood movie, the characters are all quite complex and the story seems more interested in exploring archetypal themes than conforming to a formula plot.
Ondine is a movie that fans of indie movies, Celtic myth and compelling but quiet tales will enjoy. Netflix, somewhat incorrectly, categorizes this film as sci fi/fantasy. It remains uncertain for much of the movie whether or not Ondine is actually a selkie, but apart from this, if you’re looking for a movie with special effects or bizarre shapeshifting creatures, this isn’t it. If you have to put Ondine in a category, it would be an independent romantic drama.
The Home Coming by Sue Aston Celtic Music with Classical Twist from Cornwall
Nov 4th
Composed by famous violinist Sue Aston from Cornwall. The music is from the CD ‘Inspirational Journey’ . Available from Amazon, CD Baby, Itunes and direct from the artist Sue Aston. This video is taken from Sue Aston’s DVD ‘Reflections of Cornwall’ Thank you for watching and supporting my music. Sue xx Filmed by Meteor Entertainment Penzance Cornwall
How To Recognize A Celtic Tattoo From A Tribal Tattoo
Sep 30th
There can be little doubt that a Celtic tattoo is very popular at the moment, especially amongst the glitterati such as movie stars, sports stars and rock/pop stars. If you are planning to get one inked, you need to know the difference between a real ‘Celtic’ tattoo and a ‘tribal’ tattoo. There is a difference and, hopefully, this article will put you on the right track!
Knot Work
It is essential to look for excellent knot work in the design of your Celtic tattoo; an authentic Celtic knot has no beginning or end. Why? Well, this ‘never-ending’ knot design is a symbol of infinity in areas such as faith, love and life. These kind of knots have been used by meditators for centuries because they are ideal for fixing one’s attention (essential when attempting to reach a state of intense relaxation and concentration). In particular, the ‘Trinity Knot’ has proved to be popular with many people and is a fine example of a Celtic knot that is ‘unending.’
Symbols of Territory
The Celts were a mysterious people and often used different kinds of symbols as a way of demonstrating where they came from:
1. Harps and Shamrocks: Irish Celts.
2. Red Dragon and Thistle: Scottish Celts.
3. Daffodil and Leek: Welsh Celts.
It makes sense, if you have roots in these areas of the world, to add these symbols into the design of your Celtic tattoo. This will give you a more personalized design and be a talking point amongst friends and family!
More Celtic Symbols
This is just the beginning of the story because the Celts had many more designs and symbols in their art:
1. Numbers were very important to the Celts. ‘Nine’ was a special number with much power, as was twenty seven (9 X 3 = 27). ‘Three’ was also an essential number with lots of symbolical meaning (the relationship between the sky, earth and sea; the human soul also had a three-part nature). Other popular numbers, include thirty three (honor and royalty); five (family unit symbol in Ireland); seventeen (the passing of the moon and also the limits of generational ancestral memory in a clan).
2. The Celtic Cross/the Tree of Life. These symbols represent the amalgamation of Celtic Mysticism and Christianity by Druids around the seventh century. Again, these symbols are weaved into the fabric of endless knots.
3. The Claddagh. This symbol consists of a heart and a crown, both linking. For those about to get married this is a lucky symbol as it represents love and friendship.
4. The Pentagram. Over the years, this symbol has come to represent many things, sometimes evoking images of devil-worship and the supernatural. This is unfortunate, for the pentagram, to the Celts, represents the five stages of life: birth, youth, adulthood, old age, death. It can also represent the five elements: fire, water, air, spirit and earth.
So, this is how you recognize a Celtic tattoo. You now know that you need a mixture of these symbols in your design and a tattoo artist with some skill!
Tom Moore invites you to learn more about the celtic tattoo and also discover the best tattoo designs, tattoo art and tattoo ideas at his website www.BestTattooForYou.com
In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English
Nov 13th
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
Happy Celtic New Year’s
Nov 2nd
Samhain, or Halloween marks the end of the light half of the year and the beginning of the dark half in the Celtic calendar. It may seem odd to think of November 1 as New Year’s Day, but perhaps no stranger than January 1, which is, after all, the heart of winter. A more intuitive New Year’s Day would probably be the start of Spring, around March 21. However, it’s interesting to contemplate why the Celts chose the time of year when winter was approaching to mark the New Year.
Samhain, which was the largest celebration in medieval Ireland, lasting for three days, is also the name of the month of November in Irish and Scottish. It marks the final harvest, as well as being a time to honor the dead. It is also believed to be a time when the “veil” between worlds -the world of the living and the world of the dead- is thinnest. This is the origin of modern Halloween ghosts, witches and so forth.
Wiccan and Celtic Re-constructionist pagans also honor Samhain as the highest holy day. They generally follow the Celtic Wheel of the Year, which is marked by the four seasonal changes (the solstices and equinoxes) and four festivals, Beltane, Samhain, Lughnasa and Imbolc. While the ancient and medieval Celts probably did not follow this calendar precisely, it is based on some of the traditional Celtic festivals and honors the Celtic practice of following the cycles of nature.
Some religious fundamentalists, meanwhile, see Halloween or Samhain as satanic or a celebration of heathen gods. While the latter may be true from a Christian (or monotheistic) point of view, the notion that pagan beliefs are satanic is not accurate. The fact is, paganism originates from a world view that did not recognize a single malevolent entity such as Satan or the Devil, so such an entity was neither worshipped nor feared or hated.
Many Celtic Christians have integrated the traditions of their pagan ancestors with Christian beliefs. For example, November 1 is also All Saints Day. The other pagan festivals have been similarly “updated” with Christian interpretations.
Whatever path you follow, Happy Celtic New Year!
