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One of those we had not met before, Dean Watson, shared his thoughts on the afternoon with us too.“ It was my first meeting with the fellow Abus Coritanians. I was made to feel welcome even though I was nervous. The workshop was very interesting and uplifting, with the benefit of learning something new. I would have loved to stay a little longer and meet a few more people but unfortunately had to get back to Louth to prepare for the paranormal group training night. I am overwhelmed at how friendly everyone is even to a complete stranger like my self. I will do my best to get to future workshops and moots and hope one day to attend a group ritual. As a solitary I do occasionally feel as though I am missing out some aspects and it looks like Abus Coritani7 will allow me to enjoy both. Blessed Be) 0(“
Then we convened for cake and wine and though everyone’ s contribution is appreciated, special mention has to go to Alicia’ s mum for the showstopper caramel and strawberry gateau!
Jean D Cook
Midsummer Fires
By Diana Scarboro
From Folklore it’ s said at the magical time of midsummer in the pre Christian times, The tribe village communities would come together to celebrate the passing of the midsummer nights. The tribes would light fires around and on the hillsides of their communities. The fires were set alight on mid summer’ s eve, in the Celtic tradition that the new day started as the evening
came around as twilight begins to fall. As the days stretched out to the longest length at that time of season, the fires light would lengthen the days even more, just that bit longer to gain more light going into the evening. So for the tribes it would feel like the whole skies were staying alight as the many fires expanded across the hillsides, celebrating the glory of the suns strongest strength.
On the days around the summer solstice the sun appears to rise and fall in a very similar place and another meaning for the word solstice is to standstill. So it seems very easy to picture how those tribes of old could feel for those days, as the days felt to be lengthened, that the seasonal wheel was at a standstill before the turn into the latter part of summer when the days would gradually begin to shorten in time.
The hillside fires were also set alight to bring in the final seasonal growth of crops, so to hope and encourage the crops planted to give a good harvest when the time came around, that the healing warmth from the fires would further encourage a good crop alongside the stronger sun light.
Mostly in the summer months the warriors of the tribes would be away protecting island shores or fighting in campaigns in defense of the tribe’ s honour. So it would be left to the Elders, the women folk, youths, children and men who couldn’ t fight to work on the land duties and the mid summer’ s evenings were seen as a time of celebration before the turning time into the darker half of the seasonal year to come. The Elders would count the fires across the hillside and from the brightness of flames it’ s said they could make predictions of what the future may bring. Many young members would dance around the fires, and the youths boldly would leap across and around the fires to impress young maidens. In this dancing and celebration the community thanked and honoured Aine the Celtic sun goddess of fairy origins, To hope and pray the seasons final turn into the summer would bring them to reap a bountiful harvest after the hard work they had endured planting and bringing on the growth of crops.