My latest article has just been published on Irish Central. It features the iconic Killycluggin Stone, reputed to be the idol of the ancient sun deity Crom Cruach. This stone has a dark and turbulent past, for Irish mythology claims our ancient ancestors worshipped Crom by sacrificing their first-born children to him, and in order to do this, the children’s’ heads were smashed upon the stone and their blood sprinkled all about it.
Whether this is true or not (and most probably not), Magh Slecht, ‘the Plain of Prostrations’, is located just up the road in my own county, Co Cavan, and is a very atmospheric site containing an extraordinary concentration of ancient megalithic monuments, and a wealth of history and associated myth and folklore.
If you want to know more, please follow this link. I will be writing further about Magh Slecht on this blog, as being there had such a profound effect on me.
You may also be interested to know that I was invited to write for Irish pagan magazine, Brigid’s Fire, which will soon be expanding into the US. I have submitted my first article, and am waiting to hear if they are going to publish. In this article, I feature another place in Co Cavan, even closer to home, which bears an astonishing past and which produced another iconic stone of a different nature, known as the Corleck Head. I’ll be writing more about this later too, but in the meantime, you can check out their publication here.
Some of you may have noticed I did not post any stories of Irish mythology last week. I had a difficult week, for various reasons, and I apologise if you missed your regular Monday dose of Mythology… I hope to have normal services resumed this week!
The next few weeks are going to be busy for everyone as we gear up to the Big Day. All I can say is keep it real, try not to stress, and take/ make time to enjoy it all.
Merry Christmas! Ali
My Irish ancestor came to America in 1850, married and had 12 children. If nothing else, he instilled in me a love for all things Irish, including the history and mythology. Thank you for sharing the stories.
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Thank you Gayle! I guess you can take the man out of Ireland but you can never take Ireland out of the man! People who emmigrated were forced into it by circumstance but always hankered after their roots. Its great that he passed on that love of home to his descendants.
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
On my Irish half of the family rumour has it that my great, great grandmother had the gift…I have no idea in what form this gift took as all who might have known were long gone by the time I was born. However, it did spark an interest in me and if you life myths and legends then you will enjoy Ali Isaac’s blog and her books.
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Thanks Sally for the re-blog! Your great great grandmother sounds intriguing!
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This is so cool! And I’m sorry you had a rough week. ❤
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Thanks Rachel! We all have weeks like that now and again, don’t we? Makes us appreciate the good ones lol!
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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Wow thank you so much for the re-blog!
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Well, you more than made up for skipping last week’s post by giving us two great ones this week! 🙂
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Thank you Nick!
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Reblogged this on mira prabhu and commented:
“Irish mythology claims our ancient ancestors worshipped Crom by sacrificing their first-born children to him, and in order to do this, the children’s’ heads were smashed upon the stone and their blood sprinkled all about it.” The terrible things we do to appease the forces of nature….thank you Alli Isaac and Chris Graham…
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Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
Check out what Ali is writing about in Irelaand. 🙂
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Fascinating stuff Ali. 🙂
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Wow thank you Jack!
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog….. An Author Promotions Enterprise! and commented:
See Ali Isaac’s latest article on Irish Central Magazine (and she may soon be published on Brigid’s Fire Magazine) 🙂
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These are always so interesting, thanks for bringing them to us. I noticed the quiet around here. I hope everything is well.
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