Sgàthach, Warrior Queen of Skye

 

At Lunastal (Irish: Lunasa or Lughnasadh), we often focus on Lugh or perhaps his foster mother Tailtiu, and maybe his half-human son, the Irish hero Cuchulainn. But at this time of year, I like to focus on a Scottish character who plays a significant role in the Cuchulainn stories: the warrior queen Sgàthach.

According to accounts, Sgàthach, lived some time in the centuries on either side of 200 BC. She was a was a legendary warrior queen and martial arts master, who also possessed powers of prophecy and maintained magical defenses around her fortress & school. Typical of Celtic tales, she lived in some grey, shadowy area between a goddess and a human.

Indeed, her very name Scáthach means "Shadowy" in Gaelic, and her fortress (Dun Scaith) was on the Isle of Skye – the Isle of Shadows. She is mentioned in the Red Branch Cycle, a collection of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas that forms one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology. She appears in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology on a manuscript entitled Tochmarc Emire (the “Wooing of Emer”), which tells the story of how the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn won his wife Emer. There are at least 8 manuscript sources for Tochmarc Emire.

In short, over in Ulster, Cu Chulainn seeks to woo Emer, but her father, Forgall was not supportive. He agreed to their marriage only if Cu Chullainn would agree to perfect his warrior training at Sgàthach’s school, believing he would never survive the ordeal. He agrees to the challenge.

As Cu Chullain approaches her fortress, he learns from a youth that it was guarded by the Plain of Ill-Luck:

“On the hither half of the plain the feet of men would stick fast. On the further half the grass would rise and hold them fast on the points of its blades. The youth gave him a wheel and told him to follow its track thence across one-half of the plain. Then he gave him an apple, and told him to follow the ground where the apple would run, and that in such wise he would reach the far end of the plain. Thus Cuchulainn went across the plain…”

On his approach, he learned that he would need to cross a bridge that would throw back anyone attempting to cross it.

“Cuchulainn then tried three times to cross the bridge, and could not do it. The men jeered at him. Then he grew mad and jumped on the head of the bridge, and made the hero's salmon leap so that he got on its midst. And the other head of the bridge had not yet fully raised itself when he reached it, and threw himself from it, and was on the ground of the island.”

Sgàthach agreed to train Cuchulainn, and ended up sleeping with him (as did her daughter, and her enemy Aife), at which time she prophesied his future:

“When you are a peerless champion, 

Great extremity awaits you, 

Alone against the vast herd. 

Warriors will be set aside against you,

Necks will be broken by you, 

Your sword will strike strokes to the rear against Sétanta’s [Cuchulainn’s birth name] gory stream. H

ard-bladed, he will cut and conjure the trees by the sign of slaughters, by manly feats.

Cows will be carried off from your hill, 

Captives will be forfeited by your people; 

Harried by the troop for a fortnight, 

Your cattle will walk the passes.

You will be alone in great hardship against the host. 

Scarlet gushes of blood will strike 

upon many variously-cloven shields.

A band of parasites that you will adhere to 

will bring away many people and oxen.

Many wounds will be inflicted upon you, Cú Chulainn. 

You will suffer a wound of revenge 

in one of the encounters at the final breach.

From your red-pronged weapon 

there will be defeat,

Men pierced against the furious wave, 

against the whale equipped for exploits, 

a whale performing feats with blows.

Women will wail and beat their hands in their troop, 

Medb and Ailill boast of it. 

A sick-bed awaits you 

in the face of slaughters of great ferocity.

I see the very glossy Finnbennach

 in great rage against Donn Cuailnge."

(P.L. Henry, published in the paper “Verba Scathaige“, Celtica 21, pp 191-207 (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1990).

In essence, Sgàthach is foretelling the entire tale of the Tain bo Cualigne, the Cattle Raid of Cooley.

She teaches him an entire litany of warrior feats, which are listed in the lore: the apple-feat, the thunder-feat, the blade-feat, the wind-feat, the spear-feat, the rope-feat, the body-feat, the cat's feat, the salmon-feat of a chariot-chief, the throw of the staff, the jump over, the whirl of a brave chariot-chief, the spear of the bellows, the boy of swiftness, the wheel-feat, the would-feat, the breath-feat, the hero's whoop, the blow and the counter-blow, running up a lance and righting the body on its point, the scythe-chariot, and the hero's twisting round the points of spears.

Her fortress can be visited today in Torskavaig. The roads are narrow and twisting, and there are no glitzy tourist facilities at the site or along the way. To access the site, one has to walk across a grassy flood plain, and when I did so last August, I couldn’t help but think of the “Plain of Ill-luck.” In the 14th Century, a small castle was bult on the site, which now lies in ruins. To access the main site, one has to cross where a drawbridge one stood: it has since rotted away, and only those willing to inch along a 5-inch ledge can actually get across. Not quite the 'salmon-leap,' but reminiscent nonetheless of the story.

At Lunastal, I cant help but think back of the legend of Sgàthach, and her magical presence on the rocky island that was the seat of her power…and of a genuine Scottish figure in the ancient Celtic lore.

Celebrating Imbolg

 

Imbolg, which most scholars believe means “in the belly,” referring to the time of year when ewes were about to begin lambing, is one of the four Celtic Fire festivals (the other three being Bealtainn, Lunastal, and Samhain), and is mentioned in numerous pieces of Gaelic lore, including the Tain bo Cuailgne and the Dinshenchas. The holiday, throughout the Gaelic world, is closely tied with the goddess Brigid, or Bride as she is known in Scotland.

Over the centuries, the legends that tie the goddess Bride with the Christian Saint Brigid have merged into a single narrative, with many ‘christian’ tales of the saint being drawn from the legends of the ancient goddess.

 

The ancient Bride was known as the daughter of An Dagda, the “good god” of Ireland. She was seen as a goddess of poetry, the forge, child-bearing, and domestic livestock.  In one writing she is called “Brigid of the Cowless,” referring to her being a guardian of the poor. Many stories tie her to the keeper of an eternal flame and as a presence at Holy Wells.

 Dating

 In modern days, the feast day is nearly universally celebrated on Feb 1, the day the church chose as “St. Brigid’s Day.”  But in pre-christian Ireland and Scotland, there was no Gregorian Calendar to mark the day. Many modern pagans calculate the day between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and use that day for Imbolc.  But the ancient Celts did not use solar dating either:  The Coligny Calendar, a critical archaeological finding, shows that the Celts used a lunisolar way of reckoning time.  Time was counted by moons, with New Moons most likely beginning each month.  The four fire festivals all began on the first day of a new month – and that would mean that in 2023, Imbolg started on January 21 (the new Moon) and in 2024, it doesn't arrive until Feb 9.

Scotland’s Unique Lore

While Brigid is seen as one of the primary goddesses of Ireland, she is just as well known in Scotland.  But in Scotland, the lore takes a unique turn.

In widespread Scottish lore, The Cailleach is a giant-goddess who is said to have created the mountains and islands and lochs of Scotland. An elderly woman, she is said to rule over the winter months, and can freeze the ground solid with a single strike of her staff. 

According to many versions of this lore, she takes Bride, the goddess of spring and warmth as a hostage and holds her in a mountain cave at the start of winter. But her son Aengus falls in love with Bride, and helps her escape on the day we know as Imbolg.  This marks the first stirrings of spring and the inevitable end of winter.  On Beltainn, the summer begins and Bride once again reigns, as she will until the winter begins on Samhain. 

How to Celebrate

 There are many customs associated with Bride, which makes it easy to find a way to celebrate in some fashion.  These include:

Saining a holy well or small pond (walking sun-wise three times), and offering a prayer to Bride.

Making an offering to Bride: Milk is often seen as an appropriate offering, and even Christian Irish baptisms were performed with milk, rather than water, up until the 18^th C.  Or, offer a home-made libation or food item;

Tying a strip of cloth (a “clootie”) to a tree dedicated to Bride while offering prayers;

Reading or reciting many of the chants and prayers to Bride found in the Carmina Gadelica; 

Cleansing the house by sprinkling clean fresh river water around the entire exterior;

Leaving a cloth hanging on the front doorknob after sundown, and bringing it in the next day before sunrise, to be used to help cure illness;

Preparing a bed and/or table for Bride, who is expected to visit the house overnight;

And of course, having a huge bonfire to celebrate it as a true Fire Festival.

 

Winternights (Vetrnaettir) and the Start of Norse Winter

 

The Norse, like the Celts, followed a lunisolar calendar.  In both societies, the year was primarily divided not into our traditional four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter), but two:  Winter and Summer.  For anyone living in a northern climate, this actually makes sense: Here where I live in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the snow first flies in October, and is often lingering on the ground during the first week of May.  In addition, the calendar was reckoned through lunar cycles, not Gregorian calendar dates, The three main Norse celebrations were based around this bi-seasonal and lunar calendar approach.

According to the Ynglinga Saga, Ch. 8 (c. 1225 CE), “Odin established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland [Asgard]… On winter day (first day of winter) there should be blot for a good year, and in the middle of winter for a good crop; and the third blot should be on summer day, a Victory-blot.”

The first day of winter this year (2022) falls on the October Full Moon, October 9. As is alluded to in various places in the lore, it is a three-day feast, as are the other two major blots.  The ‘basic blot’ probably involved sanctifying the area with fire, toasting various gods, sacrificing an animal to later be consumed by the participants, the pouring out of its blood on a horgr (stone altar) and sprinkling of its blood on those involved, and oath-making, followed by feasting, drinking, more toasting, and boasting (the “Sumble”).

Winternights: Who is the Focus?

There appears to be three foci of the celebration.  We have some evidence that Frey was specifically honored.  In Gisla saga Súrssonar, we read “…that autumn, Thorgrimur planned a feast for winternights, to welcome winter and make a sacrifice to Frey.”  We also know that the Volsathattr in the Flateyjarbok tells of an autumnal seasonal ritual on a farm in where a horse penis was held aloft and venerated by the woman of the house. While Frey is not directly mentioned, he is directly connected with both male sexual activity and horses. Horses were often sacrificed to Frey, and archeological artifacts depict Frey with an erect phallus. Since Winternights would be a time to thank the gods for the just-completed harvest, over which Frey was seen to play a key role, it would be reasonable to conclude that this, too, is a reference to Frey.

In addition, there appear to be traditions of honoring male ancestors and elves on one night, called Alfablot – and again, we know that Frey rules over Alfheim. It appears that this celebration was closed to the immediate family: In Olafs Saga Helga, the author claims he was prohibited from joining because the locals were participating in a “sacrifice to the alfar”

And on another of the three nights, a special celebration – a very public one – was held in honor of the Disir – female ancestors and, most believe, the Valkyries. In some places (particularly in Sweden), these became three separate celebrations held at different times, but in most of the Norse world, they would constitute the three nights of Winternights.

 What else would take place?

The lore suggests at least elements were common enough to mention: Feasting, Athletic Games, and Divination.

Feasting:

Eyrbyggja Saga: “The next autumn at Winternights, Snorri the Godi held an autumn feast and invited all of his friends. There was heavy ale drinking there.”

Athletic Games:

The Eyrbyggja Saga additionally states that a game called knattleikur was played as an autumn tradition by the men of Breidnik at Winternghts. The game (similar to Irish hurling) is also mentioned in Egils Saga in connection with Winternights activities.

Divination:

At least two sagas - Eiríks saga Rauda  and Orvar-Odds Saga – give detailed accounts of volvas stopping into the feasts to make predictions about the coming winter season and the fates of individuals. As such activities were generally the domain of women, who would consult Disir, it is consistent with what we know about the focus on the Disir at Winternights.

However you plan to celebrate the start of winter, we certainly have enough evidence of its elements for you to pick and choose what works best for your household: Feasting, Drinking, Blotting, Runecasting, Bonfires, Honoring your Ancestors, Thanking Frey - and whatever else you can think of. In addition to most of the things I've just mentioned - I will be honoring my Danish grandma, who passed on many years ago, by making ebelskiver, a dessert she was well-known for.

Jól - often Anglicized to "Yule" - is a January Mid-Winter Festival

 For many people, pagan and non-pagan alike, there is a widely-held belief that Jól (Yule) has something to with the winter solstice, or the 12 days of Christmas, or some other December event. It is an oft-repeated theme – but it is also historically wrong. The historic Norse celebration of Jól took place in mid to late January.  

When was Jól Historically Celebrated?

Dr. Andreas Nordberg, the world’s foremost scholar on Norse Holidays, makes clear in his book on the dating of Yule that

“The pre-Christian Yule feast occurs at the first full moon after the first new moon following the winter solstice…[Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning Kalendrar och kalendariska riter i det förkristna Norden Uppsala 2006, P.4]

That would place Jól on January 6 in 2023.  It was on Jan 17 in 2022…not on winter solstice.

So how did this confused equating of Jól with the winter solstice happen?

The Norse, like the Celts, followed a lunisolar calendar.  In both societies, the year was primarily divided not into our traditional four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter), but two:  Winter and Summer.  For anyone living in a northern climate, this actually makes sense: Here where I live in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the snow first flies in October, and is often lingering on the ground during the first week of May.

According to the Ynglinga Saga, Ch. 8 (c. 1225 CE), “Odin established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland [Asgard]… On winter day (first day of winter) there should be blot for a good year, and in the middle of winter for a good crop; and the third blot should be on summer day, a Victory-blot.”

Read with modern eyes, it is easy to read “winter day” and immediately think of Dec 21, as that is when winter begins in our modern calendar.  But not so to the ancients: winter began in October, and, following a lunar calendar, it wasn’t a specific date, but at the full moon of October.  Summer began at the full moon of April…thus, a blót [sacrifice and celebration] that took place in “mid winter” would take place in January – not December.

This is confirmed in other historic writings.  For instance, referring to large periodic ‘urban’ celebrations of Jól, we read in the Chronicon of Thietmar of Merseburg Chapter 17 (c. 925 CE): "As I have heard odd stories concerning their ancient mid-winter blots, I will not allow this custom to be ignored….all the people gathered every nine years in January, that is after we have celebrated the birth of the Lord, and there they offered to their gods blots…” 

It should also be noted that Thietmar followed the old Eastern Orthodox calendar, placing “the birth of our Lord” (Christmas) not on Dec 25, but on modern Epiphany, January 6, placing Jól after that date.

So what was done during these Jól celebrations?  

It is perhaps summed up best by M. Lee Hollander, in his review of the Eddic story Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway. University of Texas Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-292-73061-8

“It was ancient custom that when sacrifice was to be made, all farmers were to come to the heathen temple and bring along with them the food they needed while the feast lasted. At this feast all were to take part of the drinking of ale. Also all kinds of livestock were killed in connection with it, horses also; and all the blood from them was called hlaut [sacrificial blood], and hlautbolli, the vessel holding the blood; and hlautteinar, the sacrificial twigs [‌aspergills‌]. These were fashioned like sprinklers, and with them were to be smeared all over with blood the pedestals of the idols and also the walls of the temple within and without; and likewise the men present were to be sprinkled with blood. But the meat of the animals was to be boiled and served as food at the banquet. Fires were to be lighted in the middle of the temple floor, and kettles hung over the fires. The sacrificial beaker was to be borne around the fire, and he who made the feast and was chieftain, was to bless the beaker as well as all the sacrificial meat.

The narrative continues that toasts were to be drunk. The first toast was to be drunk to Odin "for victory and power to the king", the second to the gods Njörðr and Freyr "for good harvests and for peace", and third, a beaker was to be drunk "to the king himself. In addition, toasts were drunk to the memory of departed kinsfolk”

 There is also some evidence that Oaths were made to the Gods (Saga of Haakon the Good) and gifts may have been exchanged. The Jarl Sigurd Haakonsson was remembered by everyone at the Yule feast for his generosity because he gave presents to everyone at his feast (Sigurdardrapa).

So how did Jól become associated with Christmas and December?  

Largely through a combination of a political shift, and popular modern (19^th C) romanticism.

The political influence happened under Haakon The Good, beginning in the 10^th Century.  In that Saga, Chapter 15, we read: 

 "King Haakon was a good Christian when he came to Norway; but as the whole country was heathen, with much heathen blot, and as many great people, as well as the favor of the common people, were to be conciliated, he resolved to practice his Christianity in private. But he kept Sundays, and the Friday fasts, and some token of the greatest holy-days. He made a law that the festival of Yule should begin at the same time as Christian people held it, and that every man, under penalty, should brew a meal of malt into ale, and therewith keep the Yule holy as long as it lasted. Before him, the first night of Yule was on hǫkunótt [The January Full Moon]

Over time, as Scandinavia embraced more of Christianity to the exclusion of pre-christian beliefs, Jól became synonymous with Christmas, as it is today.

A more recent invention was the invention of the “Wheel of the Year” by Robert Graves in his 1948 book, “The White Goddess,” which suggested an 8-spoke pagan holiday calendar.  The concept was embraced by Gerald Gardner and the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids by the late 1950s.  The Wheel claims ancient Celtic support for a winter solstice holiday, when in fact, the historic Celtic calendar included four fire festivals, none of which occurred on Yule or the winter solstice. Nonetheless, pagans and popular culture have been running with this idea ever since.  In a direct refutation, Dr. Andreas E. Zautner writes:

 “If we browse the internet for holidays of the Germanic people, we mainly find pages presenting an octopartite year circle, the so-called ‘eight-spoked wheel of the year’ based on the solstices, the equinoxes, and four moon feasts in between. This year circle has absolutely no historical basis. Although it is very popular in neopagan circles, especially within Wicca and eclectic Asatru, there is no verified evidence for such a year circle as basis for the seasonal festivities. The same is true for the Celtic feasts within the year circle, because the Gauls too, used a lunisolar calendar as we know for the examples of Coligny and Villards d’Heria (Olmstedt, 1992). If one has internalized such ideas, one should get rid of them immediately!” (Dr. Andreas E Zautner, “The Lunisolar Calendar of the Germanic Peoples”, P.83)

Historic Jól is in January based on a lunar cycle. For those choosing to following the ancient faith systems of the pre-christian Norse, this is not in question.  

As an interesting aside, the Up Helly Aa festival in the Shetlands islands – which predates the modern “wheel” calendar – celebrates its Viking heritage on the last Tuesday in January every year with residents dressed in Viking garb, or as Norse gods, much revelry, drinking, and feasting, and a ceremonial burning of a Viking Longship accompanied by Norse songs…and though it is a secular, community festival, it may be the one such festival that comes closest to the ancient Jól festivals in both spirit and timing.

 

 

Hogmany: Gaelic & Norse Traditions combined

 

During the Protestant reformation, the harsh belief systems of Presbyterians, Puritans and the Cromwell government lead to the prohibition of all celebrations of Christmas, the holiday being seen as “Romish” and indulgent.  From 1640 to 1712 it was banned by law (including in the new American colonies), and remained frowned upon for centuries thereafter.  In fact, in Scotland, Christmas did not become a legal holiday until 1958.

But that didn’t stop Scots from having a good party.  Hogmanay, the uniquely Scottish term for New Year’s Eve, combines elements of both Norse and Gaelic influences. For hundreds of years it has outshone Christmas in Scotland, and remains one of Scotland’s biggest celebrations today. It was celebrated before and during the Cromwellian period, and survives to this day.

The origin of the word ‘Hogmanay’ isn’t  clear.  Some believe it may have come from the Old French word hoguinané, meaning a gift, some feel it is from the Scottish Gaelic og maidne meaning ‘new morning,” and some believe it is an Icelandic term, haugmenn, which refers to  elves who would banish trolls into the sea. Regardless, it is widely agreed that the celebrations themselves were introduced to Scotland by the Vikings who invaded Scotland beginning in the 8^th Century. Whichever work origin one believes in, all three seem to “fit” the traditions of the holiday.

Elements of Celebration

It is considered unlucky to start the New Year in a dirty house, so Hogmany preparations always involve a thorough housecleaning called a ‘redding.’  Ashes are removed from the fireplace and a new fire ignited. Some will “read the ashes,” much like reading tea leaves to make predictions about the coming year.

An important aspect of preparation is to then light a Juniper branch, and carry it, smoking, sunwise throughout the house to clear out unwelcome wights. Some accounts suggest that the heavier the smoke, with windows wide open, does the best job.

A ‘modern’ tradition (since the early 1800s), is for the household or gathering to sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at the stroke of midnight. . The song as we know it today was penned by Robert Burns, but was based on an older folk song. The phrase ‘auld lang syne’ literally translates to ‘old long since’ and means ‘days gone by,’ ‘for old times’ sake’ or ‘the good old times.’

“Gifts” are distributed.  These are traditionally coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and a dram of whisky.  Each has a positive symbolic meaning for the year; I know of more than one  Scottish Pub in the US that still gives these out, wrapped up so that no one knows what they will choose, on New Year’s Eve.

‘First footing’ (the ‘first foot’ in the house after midnight) is still common across Scotland, where visitors arrive at neighbors’ houses carrying the symbolic gifts.  It is hoped that the first footer should be a dark-haired man in order to ensure good luck for the house for the forthcoming year. This is attributed to the days of Norse influence when fair-haired visitors were likely to be Vikings whose arrival seldom brought good luck for those whose door they knocked upon.

In the streets and towns of Scotland, the celebration takes on a communal, festive atmosphere, with parades (often featuring Viking re-enactors) , bonfires, and general revelry

Celebrating Lunastal (Lughnasa) and Lugh

Lunastal, the Scottish Gaelic spelling of the more well-known Irish "Lughnasa," is one of the four great "cross-quarter days of the Gaelic pagan calendar. What I hope to provide in this post is an overview of the day, and how we can celebrate, wherever we live.

Lugh and Lughnasa in Ireland – Lugh is a major figure in Irish paganism, and perhaps one of the oldest Celtic deities, taking the form of Lugus among Continental celts and Lleu in Wales. He was a member of the race of gods known as the Tuatha de Danaan, and reigned as High King in Ireland for 40 years after King Nuada. He is a complicated deity, and much of the lore lacks detail and is (as Irish lore often is) somewhat contradictory. What we do know is that he was often referred to as “Lugh Lamhfada” (Lugh-of-the-long-arm) due to his spear, which never failed to hit its mark, and Lugh Ildanach (Lugh-the-many-skilled) because of his wide range of capabilities. The original “Renaissance Man,” he appears at the gates of Tara to be admitted (in the Second Battle of Maige Tuired), and declares that he has more skills than the other gods: he is a builder, smith, harper, warrior, poet, historian, sorcerer, physician, and brazier. He is credited with inventing a chess-like game called Fidchell. His name is derived from the word “Oath.” Some sources have erroneously passed on the notion that his name comes from the word ‘sun,’ and that Lugh was a “sun god;’ Though popular in modern circles, Lugh was never seen historically as a sun god or associated in any way with the sun.

He is best known, perhaps, for lending his name to the festival of Lughnasa (Irish) or Lunastal (Scottish Gaelic.) In Part IV of The Dindshenchas he is mentioned as the originator of the festival that bears his name. The day was to be marked by games and contests in honor of Lugh’s foster-mother Tailtiu (pronounced TALL-chew), who died while clearing Ireland of forests to make way for agriculture. On her deathbed, as recorded in the Gabala Erenn, she requested that these memorial games be played to honor her.

Lugh, and this festival, also is associated with the beginning of summer harvests. Not unsurprisingly, when Lugh defeats the half-Formorian, half-Tuatha De Dannan King Bres, he spares his life only when Bres promises to reveal the secrets of planting and agriculture on the island.

Lugh and Lunastal in Scotland – As an Irish Deity-King, there is little lore associating Lugh directly with Scotland; on the other hand, as a figure in Irish lore, the Gaelic settlements of western Scotland brought his name – and festival - to Alba’s west coast. Interestingly, he is also associated with the opposite corner of Scotland, the southeast. Lothian – the location of Edinburgh itself – is though to derived from a word meaning “Country of the Fortress of Lugus,” Lugh’s continental name. The Votadini tribe, which lived in the area until at least the 5th century, were a Brittonic people, who most likely immigrated from the south and spoke a language similar to Welsh.

The Tairis website offers this interesting write-up on Lothian custom:

“Writing in 1792 of a custom practised just six miles west of Edinburgh more than 30 years beforehand, James Anderson gives an account of what took place in order to preserve it for posterity: Here the herds would spend weeks preparing for the festival by building large towers (known as Lammas towers) at meeting places near the centre of the district. Opposing factions would concentrate on building their tower, starting as much as a month in advance but only really putting the work in to finish it a few days beforehand. They were made out of stones and sods of earth, and could reach as high as eight feet tall – sometimes more – before the day, at which point they were topped with a flag made from a table cloth decorated with ribbon. Since opposing factions would sometimes try to sabotage their rivals’ tower, great care was taken to guard the tower once it was started; defacement or destruction of the tower was considered to be a great shame and disgrace on the district. At Lùnastal the herds of the district would gather at the tower, and after a breakfast of bread and cheese the rival factions would march to meet each other (assuming the group wasn’t surprised by the rivals mid-breakfast, that is…). Horns and pipes were played, and colours were flown as the herds marched, headed by a Captain. Upon meeting, both sides would demand that the other should lower their colours. Unless one side was clearly outnumbered, this usually ended up with both sides refusing and resorting to blows. The losers would march for a time behind the victors, and then the two groups would go their separate ways and head to the main town or village.

By noon, if no attack seemed likely the group would take down their colours and move on to the nearest town or large village, where everyone would come out to meet them and games would take place. Races were held and prizes were won – ribbons, garters or a knife – and eventually it would all wind down before sunset.”

Additional customs, including saining dairy vessels and bonfires, are recounted at http://www.tairis.co.uk/festivals/lunastal/#scotland

CuChulainn and Scathach – Lugh’s interaction with Scotland is perhaps best memorialized through his son, the Irish hero CuChulainn, in the Tain bo Cuailgne (Cattle Raid of Cooley). CuChulainn, the famous demi-god warrior of Ulster, is (through a complicated conception) Lugh’s son. In The Tain, CuChulainn travels to the Isle of Skye in Scotland to improve his skills as a warrior, where he is trained by the legendary warrior Scathach. The remains of her fortress can still be visited at Dun Scaith (Fortress of Shadows) on Skye. Scathach’s fortress was only accessible through super-human feats, and her skills as a ‘martial artist’ suggest she was more than super-human herself.

Celebrating Lunastal – In reading the lore and examining ancient and current practices, Lunastal is strongly associated with athletic feats, games, and contests, as well as agriculture and bonfires. Adding elements of honoring and remembering Lugh, Tailtiu, CuChulainn, and Scathach are all appropriate, as would be honoring the hard-working mothers in our lives. It is a joyful time of celebration.

But when to celebrate? Well….in current Gregorian calendars, that date would be August 1. But using the historical celtic lunar calendar, that could also be the closest new moon (Aug 8 in 2021) or Full Moon (July 23 in 2021). Or any time in between. Or the whole period. Morgan Daimler, in “Lugh – Meeting the Many-skilled God”(Moon Books, 2021), writes,

“The older texts reference Lunasa being celebrated for two weeks on either side of the 1st of august. Evidence suggests that the actual celebration could vary between 25 July and 12 August, prompting one anthropologist to suggest that the timing of the event was based on a combined luni-solar system. (Hicks 2012)”

Honoring Manannan MacLir...and Njord...at Midsummer

 

Midsummer (or Summer Solstice - I could never figure out why the FIRST day of summer is called "Mid" summer...) has always been a conundrum for me.

It's not a historic celebration based on the lore for either Norse or Gael cultures, as a general rule (there are limited exceptions). I tend to focus on the Big Ones - The Norse Jol, Winternights & Sigrblot, and the Gaelic  Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, & Lunastal. But that doesn't mean we can't make an offering to gods on any other days of the year we choose.

And I generally don't like to mix my pantheons in a single ritual. It just feels very wrong.

One of those limited summer solstice exceptions is on the Isle of Man. To the present day, residents bring green rushes up to the top of the mountain, and present them as 'rent' to Manannan MacLir, Gaelic god of the Sea and the Otherworld. I really like the symbolism of landholders merely being 'renters' in the natural world, with a responsibility for the condition of the property. And so, I cut my rushes, headed up our little mountain to a huge boulder, and made my offerings. I added an apple branch (MacLir was known to have an apple branch wand that contained silver apples), a seashell, and a vial of rum (what man of the sea doesn't appreciate rum?!)

On the way back down, I couldn't stop thinking about how this was a day to honor the god of the sea...and naturally, I thought of Njord, Mac Lir's Norse counterpart.

So, once back home, we got out a whole new set of ritual tools, lighted a candle, and walked around our pond. Using gold coins, I offered them into the pond calling on Njord, Frey, and Freyja, and honoring the Vanir. I figured the pond was best, as we know Njord does NOT like the mountains :-) )

It worked. It's the first time I've honored members of different pantheons in a single day, and I liked it. I felt that it brought different aspects of my practice together, without a forced co-mingling of the pantheons. This may be my habitual practice on the summer solstice moving forward...