tjj
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Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 17, 2010, 12:28
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Something for St Patrick's Day - he was said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland though there is archaeological evidence that snakes never made it to Ireland after the Ice Age. It is almost certain that he was driving out the ancient serpent faith that existed in Ireland and which is represented in the artefacts and jewelry of the Celts.
Ancient Irish Serpent Faith by James Bonwick
Slainte
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drewbhoy
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Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 17, 2010, 13:44
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At last someone with the real meaning of the Saint and the snakes. Enjoy the parade! Cheers Tjj!
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tjj
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Edited Mar 17, 2010, 22:37
Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 17, 2010, 15:22
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drewbhoy wrote: At last someone with the real meaning of the Saint and the snakes. Enjoy the parade! Cheers Tjj!
Thanks Drew, generous of spirit as ever. I am only half Irish but love the country, the legends and the people (almost as much as Scotland).
Edit: I forgot to mention the music too
Pipes and Fiddle
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drewbhoy
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Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 17, 2010, 23:15
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I love Ireland also and some knowing who I am wouldn't find that very surprising :-) The Guiness is flowing nicely, hic!
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tjj
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Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 18, 2010, 15:36
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drewbhoy wrote: I love Ireland also and some knowing who I am wouldn't find that very surprising :-) The Guiness is flowing nicely, hic!
Hope your head doesn't hurt too much Drew. Am partial a drop of Guinness meself but afraid I'm an amateur and can only manage a half at any one time ... how sad is that (I did say I was only half Irish)
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faerygirl
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Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Mar 20, 2010, 12:30
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Ah yes, good old Christianity destroying the ancient ways!
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drewbhoy
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Edited Apr 12, 2010, 20:42
Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Apr 12, 2010, 20:41
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TJJ, what is the best book(s) for St Patrick and a book(s) for his dealings with the Serpent faith. Cheers in advance!
edit Just noticed your Bonwick book!
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tjj
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Edited Apr 12, 2010, 22:16
Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Apr 12, 2010, 22:07
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drewbhoy wrote: TJJ, what is the best book(s) for St Patrick and a book(s) for his dealings with the Serpent faith. Cheers in advance!
edit Just noticed your Bonwick book!
Hah! I was definitely in St Patrick's Night mode when I made this post - in honour of me dear little mother.
I actually do possess the book "Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions" by James Bonwick (first published 1894), which one day soon I'll get around to reading properly. The section on Old Religions is very interesting as has among others a chapter on 'Stone Worship' and 'Well Worship'. Also a chapter on 'The Shamrock, and other Sacred Plants' - the trefoil being another (probably druidical) ancient symbol absorbed into Christianity.
I think the James Bonwick book is as good as any from the folk-lore aspect given it was written well over a century ago.
atb
tjj
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Branwen
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Edited Apr 12, 2010, 22:58
Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Apr 12, 2010, 22:56
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faerygirl wrote: Ah yes, good old Christianity destroying the ancient ways!
Annoying then that christian sources are our biggest historical resource for studying ancient ways, not always deliberately, I grant... but nevertheless.
And good old Pope Gregory - instructing the church to sanctify pagan practices instead of wiping them out. An evolution which can be backtracked instead of an annhilation that can't.
The reformation was bad, but well into the historical period. Lucky they didnt take that attitude earlier at a time when there would be no historical records to look up.
And all those bored ministers with a soft spot for oral traditions like Rev John Gregorson Campbell.... gotta love that stuff... for every numbwit obsessed with connecting celts with Baal there was one of his calibre to collect faithfully and translate...
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Branwen
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Edited Apr 12, 2010, 23:01
Re: Ancient Irish Serpent Faith and St Patrick
Apr 12, 2010, 23:00
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I was born on the Ides of March - start of the festival of the serpent which lasted three days - which puts St Patrick of the Serpents right bang on top of where it used to culminate on the 17th...
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