top of page
Search


6 Founding Principles of Ancient Irish Society
Alexei Kondratiev, linguist & scholar, claimed the Celts abided by 6 core values: honour, loyalty, honesty, hospitality, justice and courage

Ali Isaac
Mar 21, 20167 min read


5 Weirdest Hero Deaths in Irish Mythology
There’s some pretty freaky weird stuff that goes on in Irish mythology. Like the Danann descending from the sky, or Nuada's silver arm.

Ali Isaac
Mar 14, 20166 min read


equality for women in ancient ireland
According to legend, women could be Queens, lead armies, be warriors and druids, possess wealth and property in their own right.

Ali Isaac
Mar 7, 20166 min read


Warrior Women of Ireland
Irish mythology is riddled with powerful women, yet they remain an enigma, suppressed by a male-dominated Christianity, forgotten by time.

Ali Isaac
Feb 29, 20167 min read


the dord fian confusion
The Dord is an ancient Irish war horn, very similar to the Celtic carnyx, and dates back to 1000BC. The Dord Fiann was called the Borabu.

Ali Isaac
Feb 26, 20162 min read


The Blade that Binds
There are many named swords in Irish mythology, which were believed to have held specific magical powers.

Ali Isaac
Feb 22, 20167 min read


Ancient Ablutions
How did people from ancient civilisations organise their beauty routines, style themselves, and manage their ablutions?

Ali Isaac
Feb 15, 20167 min read


the 5 fifths of ireland
According to mythology, Ireland was split into five kingdoms by five brothers of the Fir Bolg tribe, who ruled before the Tuatha de Danann.

Ali Isaac
Feb 8, 201610 min read


Goddess of Spring
Brigid was the daughter of the Dagda, a Druid and High King of the Tuatha de Danann. Her feast day is celebrated at Imbolc.

Ali Isaac
Feb 1, 20165 min read


Imramha | Searching for God
Imramha are the sea voyages made by early Irish saints and holy men into the Otherworld.

Ali Isaac
Jan 11, 20165 min read


tree lore | 5 sacred evergreens of #christmas
The only vivacious sign of life flourishing in the land whilst all else wasted, was the evergreens. No wonder they became a beacon of hope.

Ali Isaac
Dec 15, 20156 min read


5 sacred symbols of #christmas & their pagan origins
In ancient Ireland, homes were decorated in winter with boughs of bright holly, fragrant fir and mistletoe to guard against misfortune.

Ali Isaac
Dec 9, 20154 min read


the goddess in our stars
There are many references to the stars in Irish mythology, and the builders left much evidence behind in their stone monuments .

Ali Isaac
Dec 7, 20156 min read


how the old stories inspire today’s irish writers with modern seanchai alan walsh
Irish author Alan Walsh writes about what inspired him to create his new novel, SOUR, based on the mythology of Deirdre of the Sorrows.

Ali Isaac
Dec 4, 20155 min read


The Ritual of the Crane Dance Curse in Irish Mythology
the corrghuineacht, and is a form of magic-working, the power of which is intensified when practised in a particular stance.

Ali Isaac
Nov 16, 20156 min read


Tree Lore in Irish Mythology| Guardians of the 5 Provinces
The Guardians of the Five Provinces is a title that was given to five very special trees which were in ancient times considered sacred.

Ali Isaac
Nov 4, 20155 min read


tlachtga: goddess of earth & fire
Her name derives from the old Irish 'tlacht', meaning ‘earth’ and 'gae', meaning ‘spear’. This implies a mother earth or fertility deity.

Ali Isaac
Oct 26, 20155 min read


samhain: the original halloween
The ancient Irish divided their year into four seasons punctuated by the festivals of Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasa and Samhain.

Ali Isaac
Oct 25, 20154 min read


The Aisling | Not so Sweet Dreams in Irish Mythology
In Irish mythology, dreams were often used as a means of seeking knowledge, sharing some similarities with shamanic dreaming.

Ali Isaac
Oct 6, 20156 min read


Gealach | An Irish Moon
The Irish word for moon is gealach. Our Irish ancestors didn’t have a dedicated god or goddess of the moon, like most other cultures.

Ali Isaac
Sep 28, 20153 min read
Ali Isaac is an author and blogger specialising in Irish mythology. Through word and image, she tries to draw the human story from Ireland's landscape and tumbled stones, with a particular focus on the women history has abandoned, and legend only half remembers.
​
bottom of page