Celtic Source

The Wheel of the Year was a concept invented in the mid-20th century to describe a cycle of 8 seasonal pagan festivals, many of which were taken from Irish culture. More recently, the whole concept of an eight-fold year has been questioned, the assumption being that some festivals have no basis in history. But the situation, in the Celtic cultures at least, is a bit more nuanced.

The Wheel of the Year, the cycle of seasonal festivals that have been observed across the world, is one of the key features of historical Celtic culture. In many ways, the wheel embodies both a practical and mystical knowledge that was pertinent at different stages of the year. So what was this knowledge? What were the foundational themes common across the different Celtic regions?To join us on the course, please visit: https://celticsource.online/courses-page/To receive a series of videos on similar topics, pleas join the mailing: https://celticsource.online/mailing-list/

History books on Witchcraft:Owen Davies, Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History, (2003); Ronald Hutton, The Triumph of the Moon (1999); Emma Wilby, Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits (2005); Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

The older Welsh myth of Arthur is often overshadowed, both by the obsession with the chivalric Arthur of medieval Europe, and then more recently by the search for the historical Arthur. These subjects can be interesting in their own right, but they rarely ask the important questions: how did a Welsh figure become the centrepiece of an elaborate and profound mythology that's still popular across the globe? What does this older Arthur embody? What ancient Celtic beliefs are preserved in his myth? This video is an introduction to 'The Arthur of the Welsh' course, and also sets out how the Arthurian myth connects other courses on the website. You can find out more here: The Arthur of the Welsh: https://celticsource.online/courses/the-arthur-of-the-welsh/ The Native Tales: https://celticsource.online/courses/the-native-tales-of-the-mabinogion/ Taliesin Origins: https://celticsource.online/courses/taliesin-origins/ Taliesin Origins is also a book that you can purchase here: https://celticsource.online/taliesin-origins-2/

A wide rangeing conversation with singer Genevieve Andersen about the role of the bard in Welsh culture, past and present, and the ethics of being inspired by other people's traditions.

In her most recent collection of poems, Charlotte Hussey has drawn on the fairytale of Tam Lin as found in a 16th century ballad from the Scottish Borders. In this interview we look at some of the poems and how they echo both the myth and Hussey's own history, and how the weaving of several perspectives and stories breaths new life in to this most mysterious of folk ballads. Those of you familiar with Celtic myth will hear the echoes and resonances, and spot the familiar archetypes and concepts. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Many modern poets have found the awen in Taliesin's myth, not just in Wales but also beyond. Simon Lilly and Chris Martin are two such wordsmiths who have thrown themselves willingly into the cauldron. In this wide rangeing discussion we hear them read their own Taliesin-inspired poetry, and talk through some of the more powerful visions we find in this eternally abundant myth. If you want to find out more about these two brilliant poets, you can find them online at https://simonhlilly.com and https://www.chrismartinpoet.com More free materials, lectures, videos and podcasts at https://celticsource.online

Trioedd Ynys Prydein, the medieval Welsh storytriads, can tell us a few different things about other sources of Welsh myth, particularly the Mabinogi. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

What do we mean when we say that Celtic goddesses like Rhiannon and Macha are medieval variations of an older, original horse goddess? What are we missing out in that apparently simple statement? Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, often simply called the Táin, is one of the most important Irish myths, and perhaps even one of the most important in Europe, with some claiming that it's the earliest surviving epic in Western vernacular literature. You can sign up for the course here: https://celticsource.online/courses/the-tain/

Why is Taliesin a suitable guide to the world of Welsh myth? Here's a few reasons why.

This is a new podcast my wife and I will be making over the next few months. If you want to hear more, please search for the Myth Mountain podcast on your favourite platform and subscribe. You can find us on Spotify here. This podcast explores many of the ideas behind the Myth Mountain programme that you can find here. "Join Lucy and Gwilym as they unpack why we are compelled by myths, what role they play in enriching our lives, why we are drawn to the myths of our ancestral lands and how this gives us a sense of the sacred. Sharing personal stories and their experience of being in the wild, vision quest and connection to place."

There have been several decades of speculation about the relationship between these two mysterious mythic mothers who both founded divine lineages in Celtic myth. But what is their relationship? Are they the same or different?

The answer may not be what you think . . . I also respond to a question about the apparent difference between myth and folklore. This is an edited version of a talk I gave for Druids Down Under. You can still buy the book here: https://celticsource.online/product/taliesin-origins-signed-paperback/

What questions should we ask when investigating Celtic myths? There are plenty we could ask, but I've tried to hone it down to three eternally fruitful questions. You can join us on the new courses here: https://celticsource.online/courses-page/

There's not many folks who end up in my line of work, and I often reflect on how I've ended up here, why I'm still following the path of Celtic myth. It all began with Taliesin, and I have a very distinct set of memories from my youth about those first tentative steps. This is a recorded version of the introduction to the new book (and now course), Taliesin Origins. https://celticsource.online/product/taliesin-origins-signed-paperback/

Do books on modern paganism have a translation problem when it comes to Celtic sources? A discussion with Kris Hughes on an important subject. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

What would a 5th branch of the Mabinogi look like? By following the recurring themes of The Four Branches of the Mabinogi, is there a way of guessing what a 5th branch would contain? A lecture given a few years back at the Aberystwyth Storytelling Festival. https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Many of the characters in Welsh and Irish myths are believed to be medieval versions of earlier Celtic gods. But did medieval audiences and readers see them in the same way? What was the medieval relationship to Celtic myth? Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird tries to answer the question. Courses on Celtic myth: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

In this addendum to our long rangeing conversation about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, poet and storyteller Tom Hirons talks about what brings some poems and stories to life. Courses on Celtic myth: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight isn't just an old poem about chivalry and codes of honour, it also appears to be a meditation upon different types of masculinity. Which story about the sacred masculine is being told here? In this fifth part of a long rangeing discussion between Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird and the poet and storyteller, Tom Hirons, we enter the final stages of our exploration. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird and Tom Hirons venture into the pagan wilds of the English classic, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Many scholars have commented on the mixture of Christian and Pagan beliefs in the poem, but why did the anonymous author contrast the two types of belief so explicitly? The fourth part in the series. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird and Tom Hirons talk through a poem by Hirons, 'Sometimes a Wild God', and some of it's connections to the Green Knight. The following discussion explores Sir Gawain's relationship with Lady Bertilak and what this can tell us about medieval and modern ideas of sexuality. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

In this second part of the conversation between the poet Tom Hirons and myself we explore the different tensions in Sir Gawain, initially between desire and death, and then between the different types of morality that can be read in the poem. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Dr Gwilym Morus-Baird and Tom Hirons discuss the Middle English classic Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The first part in an extensive conversation exploring what the enigmatic story-in-verse means and it's relationship to the first branch of the Mabinogi. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

The Mabinogi contain many influences and draw on many sources. In this last talk on Rhiannon's Mabinogi, we look at W.J. Gruffydd's conclusions about how the Mabinogi evolved, and take a brief look at later scholars who disagree with his basic premise.

There are several stories in the Welsh tradition and beyond about stolen children and their mothers, but what do they mean? Part 6 of Rhiannon's Mabinogi. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Manawydan in Welsh myth and Manannán in Irish myth are often considered variations on the same mythological figure. But is this true? And if so what connects them? Part 6 of Rhiannon's Mabinogi. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

An interlude from Rhiannon's Mabinogi series: To really understand a myth we need to understand the tradition in which it arises. So what is the broader tradition that Ceridwen's myth comes from? Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page/

Both Rhiannon's and Branwen's stories in the Mabinogi express some of the most tragic themes in Celtic myth. They are also very similar to later folktales from other traditions. In comparing all of these stories we find some very interesting ideas and beliefs common to many of them.

Myths about immortal fathers and miraculous births are found in many cultures across the world, including the stories of the Welsh and the Irish. What does this widespread myth tell us about mythology itself?

In this second video on W.J.Gruffydd's classic of Celtic scholarship, Rhiannon we explore his comparison of the Irish story the Conception of Mongán with the Welsh story of Pwyll in Annwfn. What can this tell us about Celtic myth?

The story of Rhiannon is found in the first and third branches of the Mabinogi. One of the most important books written on the subject is Rhiannon by W.J. Gruffydd, one of Wales' most prominent poets and scholars of the 20th century. But why is his work so ingenious and contentious? This talk is the first in a series exploring this book in depth. Feel free to follow along as we work through the different sections.

Clearly, witchcraft — as part of the broader set of beliefs we call paganism — was an aspect of a nature religion in the folk culture of medieval Wales. But sometimes we need to be a bit careful with our terms . . . Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Comparing Irish, Norse and Welsh medieval sources sheds light on the meaning of the otherworldly well that appears to be closely connected to both divine inspiration and the sovereignty figure. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

In some variations of the myth, the way the sovereignty goddess engages with the king causes her to transform. What does this tell us about their relationship? Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

The first in a series looking at the Celtic myth of the sovereignty goddess. The story 'Baile in Scáil' contains one of the earliest explicit examples of a sovereignty figure in Irish literature, and features the intriguing concept of a ceremonial drink. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

A recording of the first day of the Mabinogi Challenge. Over the course of 5 days we're working through a simple process by which you can begin to interpret and understand a short folk-tale from the Mabinogi tradition. 0:00 The Welsh storytelling tradition. 17:06 The Story of Llyn Barfog. 32:35 Q&A. 40:45 Challenge questions. If you want to take part, please join the Celtic Source Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/celticsource Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

In this second talk on Canu Llywarch Hen, the 9th century Welsh poems that tell the story of Llywarch the Old and his 24 sons, we talk through Llywarch's lament for his son, the fallen warrior Gwên. This second poem confirm's much of what was suggested in the previous episode, especially the notion that the heroic ideal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

Canu Llywarch Hen, the sequence of 9th century Welsh poems about the tragedy of Llywarch the Old and his 24 sons, is one of the most important works in Welsh literature. But far from joining in with the pomp and pageantry of traditional praise poetry, instead it reveals a darker side of the hero myth so beloved by the nobility. Courses on Celtic myth and folklore: https://celticsource.online/courses-page

In this second video on Canu Heledd ('The Song of Heledd') we look at what could have led to such a tragedy. There are suggestions in the poems that Heledd considers herself to be to blame for the death of her brother and the fall of his territory. If you're intending to follow the Ystoria Taliesin course but need an in-depth understanding of the Taliesin myth, I'd suggest subscribing now and following The Taliesin Tradition before we begin on February 6th. It's not a requirement, but it will give you lots of background on the myth and how it has developed. All of the courses are now accessible with the new flexible subscription, where you can choose your own monthly payment.

Canu Heledd ('The Song of Heledd') is a sequence of 9th century Welsh poems commemorating the loss of territory to Saxons when they invaded the kingdom of Powys. The main character in these dramatic verses is Heledd, sister of Cynddylan, one of the noblemen who died defending against the attack. But Heledd is more than a voice of grief in the poetry, she also embodies the land of Powys itself.

Who wrote The Four Branches of the Mabinogi? That's a question numerous Celtic scholars have attempted to answer over the years, but none have been able to provide definitive proof to support their claims. This lack of evidence has prompted others to venture beyond the usual suspects of monks and clerics and instead consider more uncommon candidates such as Gwenllian, warrior princess of Wales . . .

Robert Graves' White Goddess is one of the most popular books ever written on modern Celtic mysticism, but as well as entrancing countless modern readers it has also enraged many Celtic scholars. Perhaps one of its greatest successes was introducing Kat Godeu ('The Battle of the Trees') to an English audience. Few had ever heard of this obscure medieval Welsh poem from the 14th century Book of Taliesin. But Graves' version has done little to clarify what the poem actually means. In this podcast I talk through the main problems with Graves' version and suggest another way of understanding this ambiguous Welsh text.

What can the almost universal practice of ritual mask wearing tell us about the Welsh bardic tradition? As far as we know, the medieval Welsh bards didn't use masks in performance, but they did take on archetypal personas such as that of the legendary Taliesin, and there are suggestions that some of these performances were considered a type of ancestral channeling. Anthropologists have studied countless examples of how ancestral spirits are brought alive in public performance, and some of these accounts can help us think through what the old Welsh bards were doing in their performances. If you're interested in following The Native Tales of the Mabinogion or The Taliesin Tradition, you can find these courses (and several others) here.

In answer to a question that comes up every now and again: Why focus on interpretation? Shouldn't we just cover the historical facts and let people decide for themselves what something means? Unfortunately, sometimes the facts just aren't enough . . . If you're intending to follow the new course starting tonight (8pm UK Time), please log in and take a look at the first chapter of The Native Tales of the Mabinogion, where you will find the Zoom link. If you can't make it, I'll also be going live on the Celtic Source Facebook page at 9pm Uk Time, to answer another humdinger of a question: What's the function of channeling when it comes to poetry? What does it mean that the bard is essentially pretending to talk in another voice? What creative purpose does this serve?

This video is in answer to two questions sent in from The Taliesin Tradition course: - what is the bardic craft of classical Welsh poetry? - what evidence is there for human to animal transformations in Celtic art? You can follow The Taliesin Tradition course (as well as several others) with a subscription to the website: https://celticsource.online/courses-page/ Next Tuesday (16th) is the beginning of The Native Tales course, also available with the same subscription. https://celticsource.online/the-native-tales/

Concluding this short series on Welsh Arthurian poems we take a look at the broader use of the 'enchanted fortress' motif and see how it's used to evoke several different themes, both sociological and mythological.

Continuing with this short series on Welsh Arthurian poems, this talk takes a look at Preideu Annwfyn (The Spoils of Annwfn), one of the better known poems from the medieval Book of Taliesin. Like many other Taliesin poems from this period, it is a strange, ambiguous and multilayered text, and although many commentators have attempted to pin its ultimate meaning down, it remains a largely mysterious poem. In this talk we touch on at least some of the more definite things that can be said about it, and dwell in the mystery of all the things that can't! Correction: the Historia Brittonum was written down in the 8 hundreds not the eighth century! 828 is the general consensus.

'The Discourse of Arthur and the Eagle' is a 12th century Welsh poem that was very popular in the Welsh oral and written tradition. Even though it's a poem about Christian learning, it also draws on a far more pagan mythology.