Postnationalist Ireland

Postnationalist Ireland
Author: Richard Kearney
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2002-11-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1134821697

The encroachment of globalization and demands for greater regional autonomy have had a profound effect on the way we picture Ireland. This challenging new look at the key of sovereignty asks us how we should think about the identity of a postnationalist' Ireland. Richard Kearney goes to the heart of the conflict over demand for communal identity - traditionally expressed by nationalism, and the demand for a universal model of citizenship - traditionally expressed by republicanism. In so doing, he asks us to question whether the sacrosanct concept of absolute national sovereignty is becoming a luxury ill afforded in the emerging new Europe. Kearney then takes us beyond the political with chapters on the influence of philosophers such as George Berkeley, John Toland and John Tyndall and looks at some of the myths in Irish poetry and nationhood. Postnationalist Ireland provides a recasting of contemporary Irish politics, culture, literature and philosophy and will appeal to students of these subjects and Irish studies in general.

Druids: A Very Short Introduction

Druids: A Very Short Introduction
Author: Barry Cunliffe
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2010-05-27
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0191613789

Who were the Druids? What do we know about them? Do they still exist today? The Druids first came into focus in Western Europe - Gaul, Britain, and Ireland - in the second century BC. They are a popular subject; they have been known and discussed for over 2,000 years and few figures flit so elusively through history. They are enigmatic and puzzling, partly because of the lack of knowledge about them has resulted in a wide spectrum of interpretations. Barry Cunliffe takes the reader through the evidence relating to the Druids, trying to decide what can be said and what can't be said about them. He examines why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have interpreted the phenomenon in very different ways. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Lebor Feasa Runda

The Lebor Feasa Runda
Author: Steven L. Akins
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2008
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1440102805

In his highly anticipated English translation of the ancient Irish text known as the Lebor Feasa Rúnda (Book of Secret Knowledge), Celtic scholar and historian, Steven L. Akins, has at last made available to readers the wealth of pre-Christian teachings espoused by the Druids in this seminal work of pagan religious literature. Basing his translation on the only extant transcription of the now lost Black Book of Loughcrew, the actual doctrines of the Celtic priesthood are finally brought to light in this timeless rendering of these sacred scriptures. Of the 180 Druidic texts mentioned in the historic Yellow Book of Lecan as being destroyed by St. Patrick in his attempt to convert the pagan inhabitants of Ireland to Christianity, the Lebor Feasa Rúnda alone survived as testimony to the spiritual beliefs and practices of the Celts in their original, uncompromised form. First transcribed by the Druid Mogh Ruith from a series of ogham staves long ago discovered in the tomb of Ollamh Fodhla, one of Ireland's greatest early kings, the Lebor Feasa Runda records the dispensation of a vast store of esoteric knowledge received by Ollamh Fodhla from a messenger of the Celtic gods known as the Tuatha Dé Danann. Perhaps the most remarkable of all ancient Celtic texts, the Lebor Feasa Rúnda contains not only an account of the earliest history of Ireland and the relationship of its inhabitants to the Celtic gods, but it also comprises a full discourse on the Druidic religion, providing a complete account of the sacred rites and ceremonies at the heart of this mysterious faith. Since it was first recorded in the Black Book of Loughcrew, the Lebor Feasa Rúnda miraculously survived for centuries, traveling across Europe and passing through the hands of numerous individuals until it was ultimately acquired by the Ahnenerbe Forschungs-und Lehrgemeinschaf, who commissioned its translation into German in the days leading up to the Second World War. The original volume was found missing on May 10, 1941, the date Rudolf Hess, made his ill-fated flight to Great Britain, lending support to allegations that Hitler's deputy Führer had taken the ancient manuscript with the intention of presenting it as a gift to the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, who Hess planned to meet for the purpose of secretly discussing peace negotiations between Germany and Britain. In the years since its disappearance, the only known transcription of the Lebor Feasa Rúnda, the German translation prepared by Henry Thorenson for the Ahnenerbe, fell into obscurity until 2001 when it was discovered by Akins, who was granted access to Thorenson's private records, enabling him to complete and publish the first English edition of this remarkable and historic work.

The Fairy-faith in Celtic Countries

The Fairy-faith in Celtic Countries
Author: Walter Yeeling Evans-Wentz
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 570
Release: 1911
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

In this study, which is first of all a folk-lore study, we pursue principally an anthropo-psychological method of interpreting the Celtic belief in fairies, though we do not hesitate now and then to call in the aid of philology; and we make good use of the evidence offered by mythologies, religions, metaphysics, and physical sciences.

The Sea Kingdoms

The Sea Kingdoms
Author: Alistair Moffat
Publisher: Birlinn
Total Pages: 405
Release: 2011-08-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 0857901168

'The most powerful representation yet of the race which has repeatedly changed history as we know it' - The Scotsman Alistair Moffat's journey, from the Scottish islands and Scotland, to the English coast, Wales, Cornwall and Ireland, ignores national boundaries to reveal the rich fabric of culture and history of Celtic Britain which still survives today. This is a vividly told, dramatic and enlightening account of the oral history, legends and battles of a people whose past stretches back many hundred of years. The Sea Kingdoms is a story of great tragedies, ancient myths and spectacular beauty.

Pagan Portals - The Hedge Druid's Craft

Pagan Portals - The Hedge Druid's Craft
Author: Joanna van der Hoeven
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
Total Pages: 139
Release: 2018-06-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1785357972

The Hedge Druid's Craft blends the traditions of Wicca, Witchcraft and Druidry into a spiritual path that uses the techniques of "hedge riding" to travel between the worlds, bringing back wisdom and enchantment into our everyday lives. It is about working with boundaries, with a foot in either world, living around the edges and working with liminal times and places. For those whose paths meander and often overlap, and those who would not be constrained nor confined by labels, yet who seek some definition, this book is for you. If you are interested in Witchcraft, Wicca or Druidry, this book will sing to your soul.

The White Plague

The White Plague
Author: Frank Herbert
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2007-10-02
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780765317735

A gripping novel of global disaster—by the visionary creator of Dune.