For anybody who has explored this mystical Isle, for centuries called the "Emerald Isle of Europe", Ireland can be seen as the place where leprechauns cross the roads and where Celtic music is played to the tunes of ancient communities. The land is decorated all over with Celtic crosses and circles of energy decorate these rolling green hills. All these symbols of devotion to the land, its energy and its people - someone must have left them there…
Mystical Symbols & Society
Life had not relatively changed since the 5th Century, when St. Patrick came from Scotland and imparted the Christian religion across the Isle. Although its well-known violence from time to time, Ireland had these circles that could have been used for peace as well as for sacrifices. And just like that, life in the Emerald country continued being the same, with its mostly matriarchal society.
It was where the Druids priestesses practiced their exaltations to nature, life and family and built 15 stone ceremonial grounds to represent the beauty of their beliefs. Women had the most important roles in society until the English came, the middle Ages began, and everything started to change. The female roles began to be displaced and males started to dominate the society. Successively, in the following centuries the Irish society changed and the Druids totally disappeared. Today they are represented by witches that practice their religion within their communities, out in the middle of the nature.
Mystical Symbols & Memorials
By cruising through Ireland, what is left behind is mystical and generally impressive. From Northern Ireland in County Atrim down to Newgrange, where Celtic Kings and Queens ruled and had their burial sites places, there is an impressive array of ancient emplacements and constructions. The sun dials shine were their guides in ancient times. From these experiences, folk tales were passed on from Druid to Druid and from generation to generation.
One of the legendary and impressive constructions is the ‘Giant’s Causeway’. As the legend says, it was the work of the giant Finn McCool, the Ulster warrior and commander of the king of Ireland’s armies. In reality, these almost perfectly formed steps were made by lava eruptions about 60 millions years ago.
The Newgrange, another remarkable creation situated on the east coast, is currently a burial ground fit for a King and Queen. It is a 55 foot underground tunnel that connects into a burial chamber with the form of a round mound, beautifully capped in green grass that shines from a distance in the sun.
There is more, of course, but one of the places to visit from ancient Ireland is the Burren on the South Western coast. The fields of lavender that shine with bright orange light give an additional feel of mysticism. In addition to the burial ground that can date back some 5,000 years of nobility and rulers of this place, there are some stories that have been told about how they lived, how they died and how the stones were erected in their honor. It’s a place of mystery. Stones weighting several tones have been placed in these particular forms and styles and professional Archeologists are still trying to discover the unidentified.
Mystical Symbols and ‘Circles of Life’
Stone Circles exist all over Ireland. They represent life, community, spiritual adoration and even death. Flowing in an ancient manner through the land, most were erected around the 2nd Century BCE and some 150 years before the Common Era. The examples found in Drombeg (County Cork) show what Ireland was all about: love, community, self and spirituality.
Sundials are like a memorial through this country. They were the principal time-telling devices before mechanical clocks became ordinary. They are monuments within the Dingle Bay Peninsula and representations of writings within ancient stone that goes back over 900 years. Once the legacy of spirituality was established, ornaments and decorations spread all over the green hills and stones that have made this land an enchantment. Was it the original Garden of Eden?
Before the 11th Century, the Hill of Tara in County Meath represents what a land of Kings and Queens was. Furthermore, there were Circles built during the Iron Age that have represented the connection between the land and the sky. Mother-nature is all around, and the energy can be felt!
The most impressive Circles are found in Beaghmore, North Ireland. In County Tyrone there is an emotional connection, to be in the center is quite impressive and impacting at the same time. This is the area with most of the major circles, eight in total. The timeline built was between some 2000 to 1200 BCE.
To visit Mystical Ireland holds something hypnotic and it captures the senses. That is why, when traveling, the fun and enjoyment is to feel the connection between its people and their past. That’s Ireland, one and all. Finding the past in its towns, hoping to see a Druid praying at a mystical “Circle of Life”, slowing down the car in a crossing to let a Leprechaun pass by and wanting to make all the stories of Finn McCool come true! Then, truly, Ireland is for you.
Autor: Daniel Otero, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Trabajo como Consultor, escribo a tiempo parcial y me encanta viajar!