The sapphire, which is also known as the September birthstone, is a prized jewel that dates back thousands of years. Despite the fact that the word “sapphire” most often refers to the blue version of the mineral corundum, this birthstone for September is available in a wide range of other hues as well.
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- Aug 10 2022
Celebrating the Autumn Equinox Called Mabon
Categories: Irish Traditions , Interesting Stories , Ireland , Celtic Legends , Blog , Education , Legends and Folklore , Celtic CultureThe Mabon Celtic festival takes place on the Autumn Equinox. Mea’n Fo’mhair is the name that the Druids give to this festival, during which they pay homage to the Green Man, who is considered to be the God of the Forest, by pouring libations for the trees. At this time, it is permissible to make offerings of ciders and wines, as well as herbs and fertilizer. Mabon, like Ostara, is an equinox festival, but unlike Ostara, the emphasis of Mabon is on balance.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Irish Jewelry , Interesting Stories , Ireland , Celtic Legends , Celtic Jewelry , Education , Legends and Folklore , Celtic Culture
According to Oxford Languages the literal definition of Celtic is is relating to the Celts or their languages, which constitute a branch of the Indo-European family and include Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton, Manx, Cornish, and several extinct pre-Roman languages such as Gaulish. The term “Celtic” is used to refer to persons who trace their ancestry back to one of the present Celtic territories located in the westernmost parts of Europe.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Interesting Stories , Ireland , Education , Travel to Ireland , History of IrelandThe Aran Islands are one of the few sites in Ireland that have stayed largely unaltered over the course of centuries. They are located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of county Galway and are surrounded by the roaring waves of the Atlantic Ocean. These three little islands are a symbol of nearly everything having to do with Irish ancestry, culture, and tradition.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Interesting Stories , Ireland , Education , Travel to Ireland , Legends and Folklore , History of Ireland
The habit of prefixing the family name with O’ or Mac is one of the most identifying characteristics of Irish surnames. This is also one of the most common prefixes. Hereditary surnames were introduced in Ireland at an early date, making it one of the pioneering nations in this regard. It is thought that many of these were developed during the time of Brian Boru, who was the High King of Ireland. They are used to this very day in many different contexts.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Interesting Stories , Celtic Holidays , Celtic Legends , St. Valentine's Day , Blog , Education , Travel to Ireland , Legends and Folklore , Celtic Culture
The stunning Celtic term “Anam Cara” may be roughly translated as “Soulmate,” and it refers to a person’s soul mate. ‘Anam’ is the Irish Gaelic term for soul, and ‘cara’ is the translation of the word for friend in Irish (Gaelic). The phrase “soul friend” comes directly from the translation. It does not just depict the coming together of two souls; rather, it expresses a connection that is highly particular and unique between two individuals.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Irish Jewelry , Interesting Stories , Ireland , Celtic Jewelry , Education , Legends and Folklore , Celtic Culture , History of IrelandOgham is a timeless and ancient alphabet. The term Ogham is derived from the word Ogma, which refers to the Celtic God of Elocution or eloquence. The Ogham alphabet consists of groups of one to five lines arranged vertically over a stem line, with each group representing a distinct letter.
The concept of a “fairy king” is quite prevalent in the folklore of both the United Kingdom and Ireland. In a fairy kingdom, these Fairy Kings and Fairy Queens exercise as much control over their subjects as is humanly feasible over a small number of people.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , Interesting Stories , Celtic Holidays , Halloween , Celtic Legends , Education , Legends and Folklore , History of IrelandThe idea of night and day was central to everyday existence in Celtic culture. Bealtaine and Samhain were two of their most important holidays. Their year was split between a dark half and a light half, and the transition from one to the other was celebrated with festivities. Samhain is a term that is often translated to mean “summer’s end,” and it was certainly a festival that took place during the darker half of the year.
- Categories: Irish Traditions , News , Interesting Stories , St. Patricks Day , Celtic Holidays , Ireland , Celtic Legends , Blog , Education , Legends and Folklore , Celtic Culture , History of Ireland