Tag Archives: James MacKillop

The Banshee: Ghost of the Celts

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Shanon Sinn

The Banshee’s arguably the most famous ghost of them all, and probably the least understood. “When the Banshee calls she sings the spirit home. In some houses still a soft low music is heard at death.” – George Henderson 1911 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ghosts | Tagged Apparition, Banshee, Banshee Howl, Banshee Meaning, Banshee Wail, Canada, Death, Eleanor Hull, Fairy, Fairytale, Folklore, Ghost, Ghost Servant, Haunting, Irish, James MacKillop, Katherine Briggs, Lady Wilde, Myth, Omen, Poltergeist, Scottish, spell, United States, W.Y. Evans-Wentz, Watcher at Ford | 16 Comments

Iphin (Honey or Gooseberry)

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Shanon Sinn

(Photograph by Frank Vincentz) “I was to go out fishing tonight,” said the younger as he came in, “but I promised you to come, and you’re a civil man, so I wouldn’t take five pounds to break my word to … Continue reading →

Posted in Tree Ogham | Tagged 7 Pigs, Amanita Muscaria, Ancient Legends, and Superstitions of Ireland, Asail, Asal, Bones of Asal's Pigs, Celtic Tree Oracle, Children of Tuireann, Christopher Bird, crane bag, Crane Bag and Other Disputed Subjects, Easal, Edward Clodd, Gods and Fighting Men, Gooseberry, Guelder Rose, Honey, Iphin, J.M. Synge, James MacKillop, Lady Gregory, Lady Wilde, Magic Pigs, Magical Alphabets, Manannan, Mystic Charms, Ogham Tract, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Peter Tompkins, Raul France, Robert Graves, Scotch Fir, Scots Pine, Secret Life of Plants, Sympathetic magic, The Aran Islands, Tom Tit Tot: An Essay on Savage Philospohy in Folktale, White Goddess | 8 Comments

Oir (Gold or Spindle)

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Shanon Sinn

“Lochlann was the mythical undersea home of the later Fomorian invaders of Ireland, against whom the Tuatha de Danaan fought a bloody war. The god Tethra ruled it. It seems that legends of the war between these two nations were … Continue reading →

Posted in Tree Ogham | Tagged Celtic Tree Oracle, Crane Bag and Other Disputed Subjects, Dublin, Famorian, Gods and Fighting Men, Gold, Ireland, James MacKillop, Lady Gregory, Lochlainn, Lochlin, Magical Alphabets, Manannan, Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, Oir, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Robert Graves, Spindle, The White Goddess, Tuatha De Danaan | 3 Comments

Ruis (Elder)

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Shanon Sinn

“It is far easier to be sensible in cities than in many country places I could tell you of. When one walks on those grey roads at evening by the scented elder-bushes of the white cottages, watching the faint mountains … Continue reading →

Posted in Tree Ogham | Tagged Ancient Legends Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland, Cauldron of Rebirth, Celtic Tree Oracle, Elder, Fairy Faiths in Celtic Countries, Fairy Herbs, House Spirit, James MacKillop, Lady Wilde, Magical Alphabets, Meaning of Trees, Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, Ogham Tract, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Robert Graves, Ruis, Tree Wisdom, W.Y. Evans-Wentz, White Goddess, Witches | 1 Comment

Straif (Blackthorn)

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Shanon Sinn

“Better the bramble than the black-thorn, better the black-thorn than the devil. He who would go in the bramble for me, I would go in the thorn for him” – Proverb (Alexander Carmichael: Carmina Gadelica Vol. II. 1900) The Roots: … Continue reading →

Posted in Tree Ogham | Tagged Aine, Ancient Legends Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland, Ban-Sidhe, Banshee, Black Magic, Blackberry, Blackthorn, Carmina Gadelica, Celtic Tree Oracle, Devil, Evan Wentz, Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries, Fairy Queen, Gods of Fighting Men, Hawthorn, James MacKillop, Lady Gregory, Lady Wilde, Leanan-Sidhe, Lunantishee, Magical Alphabets, Meaning of Trees, Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, Otherworld, Oxford Dictionary or Celtic Mythology, Prunus, Robert Graves, Sidhe, Straif, Thorn, Tree Wisdom: the Definitive Guidebook, Tuatha De Danaan, White Goddess, Witch Trials | Leave a comment

Quert (Apple)

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Shanon Sinn

“Apple. The Pome fruit and tree bearing this fruit is celebrated in numerous functions in Celtic mythology, legend and folklore; it is an emblem of fruitfulness and sometimes a means to immortality.” – James MacKillop (Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology) … Continue reading →