The Celtic Imagination and A.E.'s 'Kingdom of Light'

The following is taken from a chapter of Candle of Vision by A.E. (George William Russell), published in 1918. The chapter is called The Celtic Imagination.

To one who lay on the mound which is called the Brugh on the Boyne a form like that the bards speak of Angus appeared, and it cried: "Can you not see me? Can you not hear me? I come from the Land of Immortal Youth."

Angus appeared at Brugh on the Boyne (Newgrange). He came from the Land of Immortal Youth.

And I, though I could not be certain of speech, found the wild words flying up to my brain interpreting my own vision of the god, and it seemed to be crying to me: "Oh, see our sun is dawning for us, ever dawning, with ever youthful and triumphant voices. Your sun is but a smoky shadow: ours the ruddy and eternal glow. Your fire is far away, but ours within our hearts is ever living and through wood and wave is ever dawning on adoring eyes. My birds from purple fiery plumage shed the light of lights. Their kisses wake the love that never dies and leads through death to me. My love shall be in thine when love is sacrifice."

.... Some interpret the spirit with sadness and some with joy, but in this country I think it will always cry out its wild and wondrous story of immortal youth and will lead its votaries to a heaven where they will be drunken with beauty. What is all this? Poetry or fantasy? It has visited thousands in all ages and lands, and from such visions have come all that is most beautiful in poetry or art. These forms inhabited Shelley's luminous cloudland, and they were the models in the Pheidian heart, and they have been with artist, poet and musician since the beginning of the world, and they will be with us until we grow into their beauty and learn from them how to fulful human destiny, accomplishing our labour which is to make this world into the likeness of the Kingdom of Light.

The story of Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge

The story of Finn Mac Cumhaill and his eating of the Salmon of Knowledge from Fiacc's Pool on the Boyne river, with some commentary and explanation from Anthony Murphy.

Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage video

Above is a short video, featuring the music 'The Land of Stars' by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, showing the inaugural Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage from Faughart to Kildare which was launched in July 2013. The pilgrimage was led by Dolores Whelan and Karen Ward, and is based on an alignment of ancient sites discovered by Anthony Murphy and Richard Moore. This alignment, stretching from the sacred well of Brigid at Faughart in County Louth to The Curragh in Kildare.

Early colour illustration of Newgrange from 1918

A colour illustration showing 'Brug na Boinne', from 'The Mythology of All Races', Volume III, Louis Herbert Gray (editing), 1918. Here is the caption that was included with the image:

The tumulus at New Grange is the largest of a group of three at Dowth, New Grange, and Knowth, County Meath, on the banks of the Boyne in the plain known to Irish tales as Brug na Boinne, the traditional burial-place of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Kings of Tara. It was also associated with the Tuatha Dé Danann as their immortal dwelling-place, e.g. of Oengus of the Brug . . .

At the time this painting was made, Newgrange had not been excavated (the archaeology would begin in the 1960s). As you can see, the roofbox above the entrance is blocked up and grass is growing from it. There are trees atop the mound, and back in those days it had a very natural, although somewhat forlorn, appearance.