Nature Folklore

Through this Sunday Session we will explore some folklore stories that interpret the Sidhe and the Sidhe Realm, that some people call the Fae Realm. We will explore how people feel and what they describe when they experience the presence of the Sidhe today, and their interpretations of this connection and experiences. We will also contemplate some mindfulness practices that connect people to what they may vision as Sidhe presence and mentoring, and even divination. Later in the show also continuing a bit about the three enchanting strains of the bard, from last week, plus a presentation and interview with Irish harp maker craftsman Brian Callan.

The merging of sidhe, water and tree folklore through Spring Through this Sunday Session we will transition between the water folklore subjects of February, and the tree subjects of March, to include some of the sidhe and fae folklore of Spring before we move into the brighter April. We return to a reminder of the three pillars encouraged by Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions, these being 1) Create and use an outdoor tree sanctuary, preferably with trees. 2) Contemplate and be inspired through nature based folklore that is mainly focused on weather, water, tree, and sidhe folklore 3) Flow these inspirations through your poetry, writing, music, art, craft and problem solving. Our live guest will be Saraí Humble of 'All Is Well' and hopefully Seamus a programmer of the 'Fairy Council Of Ireland' online hub site. With these inspiring live guests we will talk about the branches of the Fairy Council Tree ... Crainn ... the woodlands and expanding forest cover Uisce ... water care, and especially preserving sacred holy…

A refreshed vision from the three enchantments Resurrection means different things to different people. This Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions is hosted on the Christian Easter Sunday, a time of Christian belief of the body of Jesus becoming alive again after being dead and then ascending to heaven. With this Sunday Session I am considering what may be described as a fantasy concept of us being reborn from the injustices of politically manifested man made laws and the hypocrisy of the institution of churches, much like the stories of Jesus, at this time, tell. With this Sunday Sessions, I flow with Resurrection being us being reborn out of the environmental destruction orchestrated by politics, church, and their now corporate masters. I use the ancient folklore of the Three Trais of The Bard, pronounced Trees, as the everchanging enchantments upon how we live according to how nature moves us. I take these three Trais, geantrai, goltrai, and suantrai, beyond music and expand them into a fantasy of resurrected…

An hour or so exploring some of the practical, engaging, wholesome, and personally therapeutic activities we can do within and around trees. Subjects covered will include creating a passion for woodlands, forest education available for anyone, carbon dioxide reduction and increasing replacement oxygen with trees, a re-visit to creating your own tree sanctuary, and following a green prescription for more health for yourself among the trees. I do use Ireland as an example, and why the ideal for the current population of Ireland is 25% of the land being tree covered. What I share can apply anywhere in the world I break this down further to show how just access to quarter of an acre with mixed native trees over 10 years old could consume more CO2 than what we output through car driving and home energy combined. I also suggest how this is possible if you live in an apartment. But this session is not all about science and green living but also about green prescription. and suggesting how woodlands are essential…

Access to an essential space for nature, and the great spirit connection This is a Sunday Session about uncomplicated and easy tree and nature connection that most of us should be able to do for precious sanctuary. I applaud the people who have taken over stewardship of land and dedicated it to the purpose of expanding woodland cover ... but for this Sunday Session we will mainly focus on the small tree projects that most of us can do in some way to provide us with priceless calming and inspiring sanctuary. Also, this session is for people who do not have space for trees, or are somehow challenged by trees. We will also cover Labyrinth Garden Creation, maybe with herbs, flowers, or soft fruit plants you may have available. I believe I would be quite lost, now, without the Tree Labyrinth Garden we have in our garden, here at Carrowcrory. Once it is established, a Tree Sanctuary, or Tree Labyrinth Garden tends to have a life of it's own and the maintenance is far less than with other types of gardens. So…

'Tis the season that most people may be planting trees The tree planting season is traditionally Samhain to Imbolc, early November to early February, in the Northern Hemisphere. This is known as the 'dormant season' during the tree cycle. But, us humans are usually last minute with things, and the bulk of the seasonal tree planted gets done late February and through March. Ireland's Tree Week starts 21st March this year and though that will be celebrated online this year, a lot of outdoor planting will be happening. Bare Root Tree Planting means buying and planting trees without being supplied in soil and pots. Its a lot less cheaper to buy tree plants that way, and a lot less cumbersome. Commercial tree planting is done with bare root plants known as 'whips'. This Sunday Sessions is the first of four tree themed Sessions for March that combines Tree folklore with practical hands on activity that can be wise to do now. Its a good time for establishing new hedging too. Along with Spring Tree Planting stories…

Exploring our forgotten connections to ancient arboreal founded languages One thing you will notice with Ogham symbols, if you try to draw them, the immediate difference to our English scribing, that unfolds our thoughts from left to right, is that Ogham is written and read from the ground up. Its like starting from the roots and climbing up the trunk and drawing branches to say something. During this Sunday Sessions we will look at fragments of tree language folklore that somehow interpreted happenings and conditions affecting human living and the human crafting of symbols connected to trees that were strung together and organically created a community learned language. Also looked at are possible other ancient languages that could have started with tree wisdom. And also, considering what would a tree language look like today if we invented one as a means to feel more connected to trees again, and more connected to the whole biodiversity of life.

Dowsing is divination employed to locate underground ground water, our main topic during this session, but also dowsing tools used to locate and understand earth vibrations in specific spaces. Other uses will probably be talked about too. We will look at various dowsing tools from Y shaped twigs to swinging metal rods, adapted metal coat hangers, and the sophisticated looking Lecher Antenna. A craft that has been with humans for 1000s of years and has saved lives through water discoveries, and maybe through compatible space discoveries. Even so, there has been no real scientific evidence, so dowsing is known as a 'pseudoscience'. Homeopathy is also regarded as a 'pseudoscience' too, but many of us claim how that craft has saved lives too. So for an hour Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions we will share introductions from a few people with different approaches to the dowsing craft.

... especially the water serpents of Ireland in almost every river Not exactly a Valentine's Day subject, or is it? Serpents are strongly related to fertility, both the fire and water kind. But maybe they are not romantic, yet sometimes romanticised in story. Chinese New Year is on 12th February this year, also celebrated across the Indo-Chinese countries too, and the symbol of water dragons and fertility is a strong part of these celebrations. In Ireland too, there are water serpent stories for Imbolc and around this time of year. There's probably some kind of serpent story with every river and lough here. Again, more connected to fertility, though over the centuries storytellers have perhaps turned them into horror stories, fairy stories, and even hero stories. This nicely follows on from our sacred water and wells of Imbolc theme from last Sunday.

Celebrating the earth womb, water bearers, and births of spring. This Sunday Sessions focuses on the goddess traditions that are said to have inspired the life, crafts and teachings of Brighid of the Eternal Flame. Many people interpret this as the Earth Goddess called Bhride, Bride, Brighid, and other similar names. During this Sunday Sessions we will focus mainly on water, the earth goddess springs, the so called holy wells, water bearing, births, and the overall Rites of Spring Birth. Where I live, there is usually snow fallen on St. Brighid's Day, at least on the hills and low mountains around Carrowcrory. By the sidereal timed point of Imbolc, a few days later, this snow is melting, going down the geological swallow holes, and then underground, picking up minerals and chelating them on the way underground, and appearing in the natural springs, replenishing the wells, and bubbling up into the turloughs, the temporary lakes in fields at low levels during February. After February this water has gone and…

Flame, hearth, oaks & Brighid's journey to Cill Dara. During the modern setting of the Gregorian Calender Brighid's Eve & Day, 31st January & 1st February, thoughts, prayers, intentions, ceremony, ritual, and storytelling focuses both on St. Brighid of Kildare and Bride the Goddess that inspired Brighid's name. Here at Sunday Sessions we are dedicating two online Sunday Sessions to the Bride-Brighid-Imbolc traditions and stories. With this first one, on 31st January, our focus is on St. Brighid ,founder of the Cille Dara monastery and culture, her life that guided her there, her trinity of her skills of healing, smithing, and poetry, traditions of oak, flame, and hearth associated with her, and a wee bit on her cows and milk. Of course a bit on Brighid Crosses and Brideog Dolls too. We will touch on her springs, wells, water bearing and births ... but really those topics will be held for the following Sunday Sessions of Imbolc Traditions on 7th February.

My first connection with Ogham symbols was during the 50s before I was a teen, and as a 60s teen dabbled with Ogham Divination as a 'toy. It was not until I met my stone mason boss on Iona, Attie McKechnie, during the 70s, that I learned a deeper story of the Ogham language and have been passionate about it since. Attie was a mason's apprentice during the 1930s when Iona Abbey was being restored. He was a very fluent Gàidhlig speaker and extremely passionate about the language and it's origins. Attie aslo had a huge passionate interest in the way early medieval scribes used and change the old Scottish language. Through him I learned the tree language connections and how that found a system of scribing. Quite amazing for me to connect to Ogham on a Scottish Pilgrimage island hosting a few hawthorn trees, small hazel trees, and a few imported beech trees. During this Sunday Session I will tell my version of the Ghaels bringing their tree language to land to be called Eara Ghael, Argyll, and what happened when…

Labyrinths have been created and used by humans for, it seems, at least 15,000 years. Ever since humans learned the craft of converting calibrations into maths and geometry. This seems to have a Babylonian origin. But why were humans motivated to create them? During this Sunday Session we will explore the wonder of these ancient labyrinths. This includes exploring the symbolism of the best known labyrinth, with the Minotaur in Knossos, Crete. Also included will be the origin of the Labyrinth names, which is something very different to those spiral of circles. I will also question why water and milk pouring on small stone labyrinths became tradition. Of course, I will introduce you to our Labyrinth Gardens here at Carrowcrory, how labyrinths are used for inspiration, motivation, divinity connection, storytelling, mindfulness, and mental health therapy today. Also some discussion about our intrusion of this human calibrated geometry onto landscapes, and even dare to call it 'sacred'. So, how can Labyrinths…

Divination seems to be our attempts to gain clearer insight to the pathways created by our questions. A kind of trying to find 'the spoilers' to display where our life's story is going. Some diviners may say this 'craft' is actually our wise mapping out of our story unravelling. We usually use Divination as a tool for problem solving and decision making. It seems to be a popular thing many of us do through January alongside our dieting, operation transformations, habit controlling, getting our second garden seed order in, and assessing our garden and DIY tools. So through this Sunday Session we will explore some stories of oracles and seers, omens and geomancy, astrology and tarot, throwing sticks, cards and dice to see how they land and what they inspire. I will question the transition between divination and gambling, when divination of questions become active games of chance. My own fascinations are with astrology and hydromancy, so I may focus on the 'hydromancy' divination with water the most, during…

Thank you for your support of Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions that went online March 2020 due to the current Coronavirus prevention practices. Our Sunday Sessions transferred to live streaming format until this virus faded away. I have decided that Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions will still continue at 2pm, Irish time every Sunday, even when the Covid fades away and we can resume having visitors here at Carrowcrory on Sundays. During today's Sunday Sessions, we will continue Apple Tree |Wassailing blessings, and other tree blessings for this time just before the new tree saps start to rise. We will consider Epiphany way beyond the Christian setting of it. I also intend to include a live panel discussing affirmations for this time. Do volunteer to be a live guest for this, message me through the contact link. I will also share an evolving changing and more sharing approach to Sunday Sessions this year now that the content from the 2020 Sunday Sessions is heading into my 'Sidhe, Water & Folklore Course' now developing…

Through my personal experiences of first footing for several years on a Scottish island and Wassailing apple trees in Somerset and Ireland I notice similarities. There is a common bonding of wonderful and essential personal affirmations blended with simple connecting fellowship with our community of family and neighbours, even during Covid times. There is also a lovely slow down and re-connect with where we live, the landscape around us, and how it all provides for us, if we respect it. First Footin', a heart warming simple traditions of calling on local family and neighbours, and sharing local whisky, or tea, slices of black bun, a sort of rich fruit cake in pastry, and a bowl of soup or stew. Wassailing, a joyful shared blessing of our elder apple trees in three parts, blessing the roots, blessing the tree, and blessing each other who are served by the harvest from the trees. The common link is the social fellowships that both traditions draw us into with the banter of gossip and stories, thoughts for…

From a local tale of the mating of the Cailleach conceiving the new light to be birthed in Spring, to reverence for the Tree Of Life, and the slow burning of the Yule Log. The joy of the Green we bring into out homes to remind us of life and the green of Spring will soon be with us Our celebration of Yule with stories of the changing wheel of the year, the fallen rising again, plus some fun tasty traditional recipes for this time, especially with ginger which was once only allowed in bread, by law, at this time. Join us to share in the joy of this time.

Through December, and Christmas, we put up the Christmas decorations, buy a tree, or get out the artificial tree from the attic or shed, and decorate that too. We do our Christmas shopping for food treats, and items to give as gifts to people. Much of this tradition that we do every December seems to be of habits and routine, We feel an obligation to do all of this, despite not being able to afford it and maxing out our credit to make all of this 'fun' happen. So, during this Sunday Sessions we visit a few nature based and human fellowship traditions, of December, that we may have forgotten, never heard of, or we celebrate today in ways that seem to be very disconnected from their origins. Through this Sunday Session I will include trees for celebration, tree blessings such as fruit tree 'wassailing', songs from ancient times that we have adapted today, and folk drama fun and healing rituals that have become mumming, guising, straw boys and wren boys these days. Enjoy the mysteries of ancient December…

One of five Ogham subject sessions I now host each year, and perhaps divination with Ogham is the most popular and most mysterious, because there are no defined scripted ancient archives. All we have is a combination of speculation of ancient ways from fragments passed down combined with modern divination and oracle methods that bring in the ogham trees symbols instead of planets, constellations, mythological deities and totem animals and birds. So through this Sunday Session we explore clues to how Trees and Ogham symbols could have been used as divination and prophecy tools from ancient time. Also we review the methods of divination using Ogham that have developed over about the past 200 years, and especially during the past 30 years.

There is a fourth time of celebration of Samhain, but barely observed now, and that was when Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, an open star cluster in the north-west of the constellation Taurus, rises in the bright night sky of November. 1000s of years ago, this used to be close to the sidereal cross quarter point of Samhain, in this northern hemisphere. This was around 7th November. Due to the 'precession of the equinoxes', Pleiades now rises here at sunset later in the month. This now happens on the night of 21st November, hence why it has lost favour as a Samhain celebration time. Even so, this Sunday Sessions will cover November traditions not yet covered in previous Samhain tradition episodes during this month and October. Among the sessions subjects will be brooms and broomstick traditions, black cats, cattle folklore traditions, stories of Don Lord Of The Dead, mead making and ceremonies and celebrations with mead, and some foodie ideas for this time too. Includes a couple of mead makers live…

Harp lessons are generally about how to play tunes on a harp. This session is about how a 'novice'. anybody really, can obtain a harp and use it to accompany poems, songs, imagination in general. This is about learning to feel the harp, sense the harp, and not technically play it. Should be of interest to anyone interested in harps from absolute beginners to professionals who would like to loosen up a bit. I will commence this with a couple of stories of ancient harpers and how their harps became much of the stories and part of the human enchantment without a tutor or tutorial book present. Includes a guided session by Claire Roche.

The old flame dowsed, and the new flame lit, so at least winter will be warm. How does this transition feel to you? Overall, this Sunday Session will tune in to how we revere ancestors, how we cross the veils, and how we settle debt, anger, revenge, grudges, and move into better feeling freedom. This Sunday Session will continue what we did not cover last week including stories and traditions from the Hill of Tara in Co. Meath, plus looking at the Scottish Guisers and other Scottish Samhain traditions, aa bit more about the English Bonfire Night and it's 'Guy' older than Guy Fawkes and, of course, 'Trick Or Treat' and the modern tradition of garden graveyards.

How and where did the celebrations of Samhain, and later Halloween, originate? Overall, this Sunday Session will tune in to the whole root of this time, the celebration of harvest gathered, the sharing, and the preparing for quiet weaving winter time through winter into Imbolc and the spring awakening. This Sunday Session will explore how we 'play' this time with stories and traditions from the Hill of Tlachtga and Hill of Tara in Co. Meath, Emin Macha in Armagh, plus looking at the Scottish Guisers and other Scottish Samhain traditions, English Bonfire Night and it's 'Guy' older than Guy Fawkes and, of course, 'Trick Or Treat' and the modern tradition of garden graveyards.

Thoughts of Crows, Ravens, and Corvids can stir up a dirty, and even scary reputation. They are certainly topical of the end of October time of year. This Sunday session explores the regeneration symbolism, wisdom symbolism, team instincts of crows, and the free solo instinct of ravens. Also the reflection of these through the changing tide of winter when we ponder on our resolutions and affirmations more than other times of the year. We ponder on concerns of conservation and nature care too. This is a session of preparing, even of hibernation, and includes a 'last leaves left' Tree Labyrinth session, weather allowing

I love exploring the folklore of dragons and serpents. They are certainly not satanic worship but a beautiful imagery of the seasonal cycles of life. Through this Sunday Sessions we present the nature based folklore of the 'fire serpents' though one of two human quest myth stories filter through too. These stories that arise from the annual cycle of seasons and life spiral. They fill us with wonder and a whole spectrum of emotions. There are several serpent and dragon stories around where we live, especially connected to Samhain and near Samhain times.. Enjoy ideas for uncoiling fire serpent wisdom within ourselves.

Guidance through ideas for tapping into fluid inspiration channels translated into a personal journal. This journal is then valuable content for later poems, stories, blogs, writing songs, personal card messages to people, storytelling, script writing, screenplays, and great ideas for living a colourful, adventurous, and happy life.

Starting with Airmid and the stories of deeds of her remarkable ancient Tuatha De Dannan healing, we flow through the folklore legend of her collection of 365 herb plants on her cloak. From the dramatic story event of Airmid's cloak into the quest of discovery and practice of plant based healing and therapy since those ancient days, we explore where plant based and herb therapy is today, and how it still links to the folklore of Airmid.

Ogham is very popular at Sunday Sessions. With this session, I explore the ancient, and not so ancient, Ogham, stones. These being the stones carved with Ogham alphabet symbols. I explore how a Tree Language evolved into being carved onto stones, including possible origins, and changes of purpose and meaning over the centuries. From divination to information amenities, to boundary setting, I think you will find this session about the mystery of Ogham Stones very interesting.

I am passionate about Apple folklore, possibly most of all. I find the bite into a fresh crispy apple is always enchanting and sets of the imagination. In this sessions the Avalon folklore gets a look in too, and an introduction to wassailing which will not be far away from this time, in some places.

A time and opportunity to recap on where we are with our Tree Sanctuaries and Tree Sanctuary ideas. This is a time when trees are truly turning colour around us in many places where we live. It is also a time we start to think about and plan our next tree planting season between November and March. This is also a follow up to our March 'Us And Trees Session, but also good to attend if you missed that, including more depth with what you interpret a Tree Sanctuary is, and how to become a living part of it. Presented also are the eco benefits and the personal Green Prescription health benefits of your own, or access to a Tree Sanctuary.,. A way to Grow Your Own Oxygen too.

A casual interactive online session. Presentations and discussions about the food harvests from a few gardens, and tips about how we are storing, preserving, drying, and what we are looking forward to from now until next Spring when we start again..

A herb session without herb books. A quest to learn a bit from herb plants through your senses, and past uses memories. An experience of wonder, trust, discovery and confidence about some of the plants that may already surround you. You will not need to know their names of the herbs but allow senses to discover how they can benefit you and how to harvest and store them. A lovely intimacy with nature session.

Informal poetry sharing online gathering for Heritage Week in Ireland. Poems submitted and performed about ancient sites, traditions. and folklore, from around Ireland

Applying folklore to explore deep passions that inspire our poetry, writing, music, crafts, dancing, and drama. Folklore stories of Aislings arousing passion in men, and Green Man variations arousing passion in women. Both have been the dynamic inspiration of profound writing, art, crafts, and dramatic lives

Beyond Lughnasadh traditions and onto focus on our own first harvests, fresh local produce in the markets, farm shops, and local shops. Focus on our gratitude moments of sensory attention and celebration for the magic of growing and what this year's harvest has provided for us.

Combining Lughnasadh Traditions with a live small Country Fair market at Ballagh Farm Shop. Trading on Lunasa Holiday weekend is a major tradition of this time, Lammas Fair. This year social distancing and masks included, but still recorded interviews

featuring bilberries, bilberry bushes romance, garlands, tying the knot, chopping off golden heads, first harvest loaf, first harvest ale, first harvest spuds, dog shows, baby shows, Lammas Fair, Crom Dubh, Crom Cruach, Mag Slécht, deeds of Lugh, and people showing off their prowess through sports and chopping down more trees to make more fields, to grow that stuff of golden heads to chop off next year, and make mpre bread, more ale, and more crusts for bilberry pie.

With this session I cover the Ogham references in the ancient Book Of Ballymote and tales of Bards related to the Ogham both from the Scriptoreum of Ballymote and the Tuatha De Dannan tales of Corran, or Coarran the Bard of Dean Cecht. I also share suggestions of how these stories can assist our imagination, creativity and project outcomes today. This session is adopted from my own Ogma's Tale Of The Trees and offers a fun and inspirational opportunity to return to nature's sensory language and arrive back to where we are now through a glimpse of how we interpret Ogham.

I love exploring the folklore of dragons and serpents. They are certainly not satanic worship but a beautiful imagery of the seasonal cycles of life. The stories that arise from the annual life cycle and spiral fill us with wonder and a whole spectrum of emotions. There are several serpent and dragon stories around where we live. Enjoy ideas for uncoiling serpent wisdom within ourselves.

A follow up to our March 'Us And Trees' Session. Going into more depth with what you interpret a Tree Sanctuary is, and how to become a living part of it. Presented also are the eco benefits and the personal Green Prescription health benefits. How it’s a way to Grow Your Own Oxygen too.

On the 'menu' are ... The Student, poem by Chandler Nichols Wolf Moon, poem by Fergus Hogan Nature Revisited, poem by Fergus Hogan 'Enchanted by Sunset', painting by Val Robus, poem by Woodland Bard Sharing our heart voice ... Anyone can create and perform wonderful inspired poetry, despite many fears about not being able to. Part of this session includes random thoughts about what we are feeling and sensing, and putting these together as amazing poetry.

On the 'menu' are ... St. John & water blessings Herbs for this time Bonfire traditions Feasting at Midsummer and some Bardic banter before and after

Sound baths are usually full of beautiful gongs and gigantic crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, and various instruments collected from world music shops. In this sessions we cover ancient origins, myths, and lore of sound enchantment and therapy. An introduction to use of enchanting healing instruments, We complete this with the bathing in the embrace of natural sounds.

Discussing our garden sanctuaries that are very much in Bloom now. Or where to go if you do not have a flower garden. Ireland's Bloom Festival was cancelled this year, but we can still enjoy a bloom feast in various ways to serve us with sanctuary, smiles and happy inspirations.

A close alternative to a 'hero's journey' mindfulness session, as this is not really about heroes but breaking free and trusting life.

I introduce some of the goddess, sidhe. and fairy folklore of sacred wells, loughs, rivers, sea, and clouds, and a little introduction to the Water Divination, Also Trees In Water Folklore, and Dowsing sessions

During Biodiversity week I am inviting ideas for exploring and improving biodiversity in the landscapes we are keeper and stewards of. Suggestions of what to look for and what we may manage to attract more life. Included is .how we may be tuned into our local biodiversity through more tolerance, perhaps less order, and additional joy from small things we may not have noticed before. Small things that warm us into a big heart.

This session features the origins of fairy stories, a couple of fairy stories connected to traditions of May focused within and around the Hawthorn Tree

Bealtaine folklore, including the story of Yellow Flowers, Posies and Knots, and a couple of stories behind the May Bush tradition.

Food Sovereignty, is a movement of believing that people who produce, distribute, and consume food should control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. It is promoting the rights of people to define their own local food and agriculture systems that are "culturally appropriate" to where they live. Will this replace our dependence on the current Food Security systems that have passed our food responsibility over to corporations and governments?