Mercer County Library: Ancient Celtic Mythology And Religion

Lawrenceville NJ

11 March, 2021

10:27 AM

Description

Press release from the Mercer County Library Blog: March 09, 2021 As March approaches, many people look forward to the return of spring and the new green foliage which shortly follows. March is also known for its St. Patrick's Day celebrations, with their many green decorations, a reflection of the Emerald Isle – Ireland - from where it originated. Many Americans don't know this, but in the past, St. Patrick's Day was not a 'big deal' in Ireland. Irish immigrants made it one in the States and, due to America's influence around the world, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is now as big celebration as it is in the United States. St. Patrick's Day also makes us think of leprechauns, which made me decide to do this blog post on Celtic mythology and religion. (The ancient Celts also gave us Halloween, which was brought to America primarily by Irish immigrants.) Despite advances in archeology, ancient Celtic culture is fairly shrouded in mystery like the misty winds of Ireland, but there is still a treasure trove of information on their culture, art, mythology and religion. The Mercer County Library System has a variety of books, eBooks and DVDs on these topics. Below are a few that should be of interest. Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish MythAuthor: Williams, M. A. (Mark Andrew), 1980- author.Summary: Ireland's Immortals tells the story of one of the world's great mythologies. The first account of the gods of Irish myth to take in the whole sweep of Irish literature in both the nation's languages, the book describes how Ireland's pagan divinities were transformed into literary characters in the medieval Christian era--and how they were recast again during the Celtic Revival of the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.Pub Date: 2016 Exploring the World of the CeltsAuthor: James, Simon, 1957-Summary: Examines the life and history of the Celts, their wars, gods, craftsmanship in metal, wood, and stone, life under Roman rule, and continuing traditions after 400 A.D. Pub Date: 1993 The following two selections are DVDs: The Celts complete epic sagaAuthor: Opus Television (Firm) S4C (Firm) Kultur International Films.Summary: The Celts were the first European people north of the Alps to rise from anonymity. Wild and ferocious, they were also romantics and mystics, and they shared a family of languages that are now the oldest living tongues of Europe. Their story is one of survival, defiance, and creativity, often in the face of oppression. The story of The Celts is presented in a six-episode set as told by The Celts themselves.Pub Date: 2010 The Celtic WordAuthor: Paxton, Jennifer. lecturer. Teaching Company, production company.Summary: In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that changes our perspective on where the Celts came from. European history and culture have been profoundly affected by the Celts, from the myth of King Arthur to the very map of the United Kingdom, where the English confronted the peoples of the "Celtic Fringe."Pub Date: 2018 Celtic mythologyAuthor: Bordas, ThierryPub Date: 2004 Mysterious Celtic mythology in American folkloreAuthor: Curran, Bob.Summary: Contains nineteen Celtic myths, accompanied by similar American ones.Pub Date: 2010 Celtic mysteries : the ancient religionAuthor: Sharkey, John.Pub Date: 1979 1978 1975 Celtic myths : a guide to the ancient gods and legends Author: Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J. (Miranda Jane), author. Summary: "The perfect introduction for the modern reader to the world of Celtic myth and legend"--Back cover. Pub Date: 2015 And, in the spirit of the season, there is plenty of material for children on leprechauns and St. Patrick's Day: LeprechaunsAuthor: Mortensen, Lori, 1955-Pub Date: 2007 The Leprechaun's Gold Author: Edwards, Pamela Duncan. Cole, Henry, 1955- ill. Summary: A leprechaun intervenes with gold and magic when a greedy, boastful young harpist gains an unfair advantage for a royal harping contest. Pub Date: 2004 There are many more items for children on these topics, so see what's in our entire catalog. Since our topic is primarily ancient Celtic myth and religion, there are a number of websites that I found which nicely go into more depth. The first one in particular shows the intricate beauty of Celtic art as well as commonly known symbols from Pagan times, such as the Green Man or Woman and Triskelion, the Triple Goddess (though the art on this site has been a bit 'modernized'). https://celticartstudio.com/ This site gives a more scholarly history as well as examples of the art: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_art I found this site to be particularly valuable. It has links to all things Celtic, from ancient religion to Christianization to modern times. https://www.gaelicmatters.com/ And last, but not least, is the fascination with the Druids, which continues today. Modern Druids still have their rites at Stonehenge, particularly the Summer Solstice. Here are several good websites on their history and practices. https://www.livescience.com/45727-druids.html https://www.ancient.eu/druid/ - by Gary C., Ewing Branch This press release was produced by the Mercer County Library Blog. The views expressed are the author's own.