Newbie, Questions on Irish Reconstructionism

[Finn]

A pdf is already available - just click here! I'm not sure how long the link will work, but I've saved a copy and can email it if anyone has any problems.

Thanks Seren! And thank you for pointing us towards your article collection: there are a bunch in there I've missed.

[Meritmut]

Thanks for the plug I don't run Gaol Naofa myself, I'm currently serving as Leas-Uachtarán (Vice-President) and I've contributed to some of the content on the website. Treasa Ní Chonchobhair runs Gaol Naofa, and has a blog here and a tumblr here, which might also be of use.

I also run Tairis.co.uk, and although I'm Scottish in focus there's a lot there that's relevant to the Irish Polytheist/Reconstructionist as well, I think. I have an article on the afterlife there, which is part of a larger section on cosmology, and a whole bunch of articles on the gods. Some of it needs a bit of an overhaul, but hopefully it will help enough

ETA: I also have a list of articles for download on the site (found via Google Scholar mostly, so they're all legit). They're all academic, rather than specifically CR, but there are some articles that might be helpful for cosmology etc.

Does anyone have a reliable source for information on the Tuatha Dé, Information like roles, siblings, wives, children etc. I have been looking all day but I keep running into Wiccan/New age sites and I am looking for something reliable. I have ordered Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (Oxford Paperback Reference), is this a good source for the Irish Gods?

[Seren]

Does anyone have a reliable source for information on the Tuatha Dé, Information like roles, siblings, wives, children etc. I have been looking all day but I keep running into Wiccan/New age sites and I am looking for something reliable. I have ordered Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (Oxford Paperback Reference), is this a good source for the Irish Gods?

The best encyclopedia you can get is this one (IMHO). MacKillop is OK but there are some things he presents as fact that are a little questionable, and really his own opinion. It's good to use it as a starting point, but I would recommend that you double check things before you commit yourself to any one view.

The problem with trying to pin the gods down into familial relationships is that there are conflicting accounts, so one myth will tell you one thing and another myth will tell you something entirely different. The Lebor Gabála Érenn is a good place to look if you want to do you your own research, but you'll quickly find that even that contradicts itself all over the place. The Irish gods are deities who are linked to particular places, particular people; their relationships with each other can sometimes be tweaked here and there, for lots of different reasons, so it's maybe not something you want to take too seriously unless you find relationships that really are consistent. It's extremely complicated.

[Meritmut]

The best encyclopedia you can get is this one (IMHO). MacKillop is OK but there are some things he presents as fact that are a little questionable, and really his own opinion. It's good to use it as a starting point, but I would recommend that you double check things before you commit yourself to any one view.

The problem with trying to pin the gods down into familial relationships is that there are conflicting accounts, so one myth will tell you one thing and another myth will tell you something entirely different. The Lebor Gabála Érenn is a good place to look if you want to do you your own research, but you'll quickly find that even that contradicts itself all over the place. The Irish gods are deities who are linked to particular places, particular people; their relationships with each other can sometimes be tweaked here and there, for lots of different reasons, so it's maybe not something you want to take too seriously unless you find relationships that really are consistent. It's extremely complicated.

Thanks for all your help Would you happen to know of a source that details the Gods realm of influence (Brigid Goddess of Fire)? I have been looking on several recon sites but can't find a list anywhere except on new age sites.

[Aster Breo]

Thanks for all your help Would you happen to know of a source that details the Gods realm of influence (Brigid Goddess of Fire)? I have been looking on several recon sites but can't find a list anywhere except on new age sites.

I'd be surprised if you find the kind of detail you're looking for online, but try the Mary Jones site to start. (Sorry -- I'm sitting in a hospital waiting room right now and can't do the link for you, but you'll find it if you google something like "Mary Jones Celtic".)



I think you'll have better luck with books, but most of them won't cover all the god/desses in detail. Actually, there isn't much detail left on most of them, especially considering that many Celtic god/desses are only known from a single inscription.

Are you looking for info on any particular god/dess? You mentioned Brighid. If you're interested in info on Her, there's a sticky thread in the TC Cill SIG that lists a ton of books and sites that we've collected over the years.

~Aster

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[dragonfaerie]

Does anyone have a reliable source for information on the Tuatha Dé, Information like roles, siblings, wives, children etc.

The Timeless Myths site has a substantial section on the various Celtic pantheons, as well as other cultures. The Tuatha Dé stuff is here.

There aren't a lot of links back to primary source material. However, from my passing dealings with primary source materials, it's very well researched.

The Celtic Myth Podshow is another good source for the stories themselves, and they do have some of the research notes in the various episode show notes.

[Meritmut]

Thanks for all your help

Does anyone know who Senchán Forpeist is? I have a site listing him as a consort of Brigid but can't find anything on him.

[Rhyshadow]

Does anyone know who Senchán Forpeist is? I have a site listing him as a consort of Brigid but can't find anything on him.

Excerpt from Myth, Legend and Romance: An Encyclopedia of the Irish Folk Tradition by Dr. Daithi O'Hogain

"Seanchán (earlier Senchán) Poet who flourished towards the end of the 6th and into the first half of the 7th century AD. The designation Seanchán was probably a nickname, since it means 'man of lore' and would describe his profession. It is usually accompanied by the enigmatic sobriquet Torpeist"

The entry on him in the encyclopedia is 3 full pages.

The only mention of a Brighid is one small blurb; she's referred to as his wife. Considering it was a fairly common name at the time, I doubt it refers to either the Goddess or the Saint.

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Dr O'Hogain is my "go to guy" for anything on pre-Christian to early Christian tales and history.

[Meritmut]

Excerpt from Myth, Legend and Romance: An Encyclopedia of the Irish Folk Tradition by Dr. Daithi O'Hogain

"Seanchán (earlier Senchán) Poet who flourished towards the end of the 6th and into the first half of the 7th century AD. The designation Seanchán was probably a nickname, since it means 'man of lore' and would describe his profession. It is usually accompanied by the enigmatic sobriquet Torpeist"

The entry on him in the encyclopedia is 3 full pages.

The only mention of a Brighid is one small blurb; she's referred to as his wife. Considering it was a fairly common name at the time, I doubt it refers to either the Goddess or the Saint.

Thanks so much! I thought it was odd because I had never heard of him before. Is her husband/consort Bres then in Irish mythology? And son Ruadan?

[Rhyshadow]

Thanks so much! I thought it was odd because I had never heard of him before. Is her husband/consort Bres then in Irish mythology? And son Ruadan?

Correct - and the death of Ruadan and her subsequent wailing over his body is the origin of 'keening'