Summer Solstice, spread the culture.

[Trow]

Off-subject slightly ... apologies Trow

I think there is a solar alignment of note at the Mound of Hostages on the solstice this year- I believe some work started there last year and of course the workers knew nothing of the alignment.


'

Speak as you wish Capt. You're never boring.
Interesting picture with the Hare. One of the most lored animals in my kind of magic. A favoured creature for Witch transformation.

Wonder what alignment might be on the Hill of Hostages? Sirius perhaps. Must read up and find out.

It's a shame there's no modern day Druid/Druidess dwelling or practising the culture at that place. Maybe someone will come along and awaken that stone.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

How do, Trow, and glad to see you out and about digitally as always. I recall finding maybe a three-penny bit in my grandfather's garden 'helping' to dig when I was a boy. One side of the coin had a hare on it which I always remember and I also recall being a bit sad when the decimal coinage in Ireland from the Irish pound to the punt coinage didn't have any hare featured on any of the coins as far as I know.

When I'm at my sister's place in Ireland which is nicely out in the country for a visit I always get up very early-at dawn just to sit and watch the hares out on the long lawn at the back of the house shepherding the little-uns on the hunt for sweet shoots.

They are a great animal to watch and it is gas watching the adolescents training for the boxing

[Trow]

I have a collection of old Irish coins featuring animals from the Hare, Horse, Wolfhound, Bull and Salmon.

Today being the Saturday before Midsummer it would not be unusual to find sufferers from rheumatism seeking a cure at Tobernamolt [Wethers Well] Tubridmore, Co Kerry.

In Folklore, Midsummers Eve 23rd June, beliefs and practices originating in Quarter day lore were transferred to this evening.

One example, a garland of St.John's wart picked at dawn and fixed to the door would protect the household from fairies. St. John's eve bonfires were lit all over Ireland flushing away evil spirits, ghosts and the likes. Later, under the influence of the Church bonfires were replaced by candles.

St. Johns eve was regarded as a time when the door to the Supernatural world opened with malevolent incursions from the little folks inevitable.

Washing your face with the morning dew on 23rd June is said to have beautifying power.

Think i'll light another fire anyway.

[C. Flower]

I have a collection of old Irish coins featuring animals from the Hare, Horse, Wolfhound, Bull and Salmon.

Today being the Saturday before Midsummer it would not be unusual to find sufferers from rheumatism seeking a cure at Tobernamolt [Wethers Well] Tubridmore, Co Kerry.

In Folklore, Midsummers Eve 23rd June, beliefs and practices originating in Quarter day lore were transferred to this evening.

One example, a garland of St.John's wart picked at dawn and fixed to the door would protect the household from fairies. St. John's eve bonfires were lit all over Ireland flushing away evil spirits, ghosts and the likes. Later, under the influence of the Church bonfires were replaced by candles.

St. Johns eve was regarded as a time when the door to the Supernatural world opened with malevolent incursions from the little folks inevitable.

Washing your face with the morning dew on 23rd June is said to have beautifying power.

Think i'll light another fire anyway.

I love the long summer evenings. The old coins were beautifully designed. We may even see them back at some stage...

[Trow]

I love the long summer evenings. The old coins were beautifully designed. We may even see them back at some stage...

Must be your time of the year Cass. Summer i mean. I'm a man for all seasons really but i have friends who seem to hibernate and lose energy in Winter.

Would like to see the old style coins returned also.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Here we go ... the threepenny (or 'thrupenny bit' as the grandfather had it)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threepence_(Irish_coin)

and a few other coins I liked ...

[Trow]

I have those all Capt. Con. And a few others besides.

Perhaps as C.Flower suggests, we'll see a return of these to our local coinage.

I've my eye on coins/tokens featuring a Druids head [18th Century] on e.bay just now. Interesting Welsh one depicting a Harp on it. Most on sale today are from North Wales/Anglesey.

Anyone explain the Harp being on a Welsh coin? Scroll down this page to see it....http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...All-Categories

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Well they did have a similar culture to ours- the original Britons... the bards were one of the four classes of the Drui as far as I know in the legal system prior to Norman law so I wouldn't find it surprising that a Welsh coin would have a druid on one side.

You've reminded me of a trip to Llangollen to see Gorky's Zygotic Monkey and Cerys Matthews at the Llangollen festival- a pretty place and a small and friendly part of Wales I found.

Cerys Matthews came on stage and went to sit at this enormous harp and struck a pose as if to play it- and then burst out laughing at the sudden expectant silence. Said something like 'you didn't bleddy think I could play that, did 'oo?' and went on to do her set with a proper harpist at the machine.

She was still in her wild days then and was observed early the next morning in a nearby graveyard still swigging out of a wine bottle and singing to the dead.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Here is a nice little round-up of the place of the hare in mythology around the world for those who are interested. Interesting that the hare seems to have similar attributes in a number of cultures and is as Trow said associated with the changeling status- to witches or young women in the otherworld.

Seems to be associated with Andrastes or Eostres and the moon goddesses and was one of the animals which hunters were forbidden to take in a number of cultures.

Trying to find a more studious examination of the Hare in mythology but this was a nice little roundup of how the Hare appears around the world without being too academic...

http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A2465426

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Seamus Heaney apparently translated this from the Middle English some years back- and the original poet advised anyone who met a hare while out and about to praise it and made this piece out of its names. The poet rehearses all the names of the hare:

the quick-scut, the dew-flirt,
the grass-biter, the goibert
the home-late, the do-the-dirt

the starer, the wood-cat
the purblnd, the furze cat,
the skulker, the bleary-eyed
the wall-eyed, the glance-aside…

the stag sprouting a suede horn
the creature living in the corn
the creature bearing all men’s scorn,
the creature no one dares to name.

After saying all that at your hare, an “apoptropaic” charm, which will ward off the ill luck, you can go your way in safety.'

Ruth Padell the poet has a nice article on her website about the various stories around the Hare.http://www.ruthpadel.com/essays/hare...ic-hare-tamed/

[Trow]

In animal lore the Hare was used by Druids for auguries of war or to test truthfulness or reliability in battle.

For the latter a captured Hare was released and observed...

If it ran directly away the person would be strong in battle.
If it ran to the right he would be in danger.
If it ran to the left he would have a troubled home life.
If it ran in a zig zagging fashion he would be successful.
If it turned and ran back he would die.

Indeed Capt Con, the Hare is lored and fabled throughout history and cultures and can be found in astrology were Marcus Manilius called Canis Major the "dog with the blazing face." Also called the Large Dog, Sirius appears to cross the sky in pursuit of the Hare, represented by the constellation Lepus under Orion's feet.

The dog in myth is chasing the hare into the abyss. That's occurring in the heavens as i pen this.

Long associated with witchcraft and superstition it is considered unlucky for Aberdeen fishermen to mention a Hare while at sea. Indeed the same be true if a fisherman seen a hare crossing his path on his way to his boat.

In Ireland, around Easter, if a pregnant woman were to meet a hare her child would be born with a hare lip. In April animal lore it is said that the Irish would burn hares on Beltane fires incase they were witches wanting to steal the milk.

[Baron von Biffo]

Anyone explain the Harp being on a Welsh coin? Scroll down this page to see it....http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...All-Categories

It's a token rather than a legal tender coin. The company that produced them could put anything it wanted on them.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

No reason why there shouldn't be regionalisation of symbols on coins. There is a Scots 50p coin in circulation in the UK which has a representation of the Forth Bridge for Scotland on it and of course Scotland's notes are legal tender in England and Wales.

[Trow]

Anyone explain the Harp being on a Welsh coin? Scroll down this page to see it....http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...All-Categories

It's a token rather than a legal tender coin. The company that produced them could put anything it wanted on them.

At first i wrongly associated the Harp with Ireland [exclusively] and just last night i realised that the clue was in the plant surrounding the harp.

Were Ireland is concerned you'd usually note a shamrock with the harp, in this case unless i'm mistaken, the harp is surrounded with Oak and the musical instrument [harp] may be depicting the traditional/cultural musical interests of Druids.

[Trow]

No reason why there shouldn't be regionalisation of symbols on coins. There is a Scots 50p coin in circulation in the UK which has a representation of the Forth Bridge for Scotland on it and of course Scotland's notes are legal tender in England and Wales.

As my title suggests ''spread the culture'' I know of no better way to boast our rich Celtic heritage than on our coinage.

Just reading up on the lore surrounding the animals you posted Capt. Interesting that's there's lore for each and every one of them.