The adventure of covid

We managed to escape it for 2 years, but in the middle of our time in Ireland, we both got it! It made for a quiet week in County Clare, but since we didn’t feel too bad (like we had a bad cold is all), we went wandering a few times in the car into some of our favourite isolated places (no people but lots of sheep and cows)….And scenery of course.

It felt strange to have caught the thing that had changed the world so much and provoked so much fear and isolation. It feels strange to be somewhere where it mostly feels like it never happened (except for old tatty signs about hand washing, and testing locations). People are still dying from covid. More in Australia than ever before apparently. For me, the whole experience has created a lack of trust and a confusion- what’s the truth? I guess there is many truths.

Sacred wells

One of my favourite things in Ireland is checking out Sacred Wells. There are many of course. Most now Christian-ised but existing , used and venerated before that of course. Here are a few of my favourites:

The Lady’s Well in Kenmare, County Kerry with my Yule (Winter Solstice) candle lit at the moment of solstice here (summer solstice here, winter solstice in Australia)- it was raining, windy and very cold (this is summer in Ireland).

The 2 beauties below are both in County Clare and not easy to find. (If you want details you will need to contact me!)

Stone circles

There are loads of stone circles as we come further south. These sacred places have often been dismantled for the stones to be used in buildings or fences…They are usually oriented to one of the Sabbats or cross quarter days. There is so much to learn and just being near and in them is such a buzz!

This (above) is Grange Circle in County Limerick This Circle is one of the largest in Ireland and is situated on land sacred to the Godess Áine (Anu- Godess of summer, wealth and sovereignty)- the area around here (Lough Gur) is particularly inhabited by the Sidhe (faery folk).

This one below is our favourite: Uragh in County Kerry.

More Sheela na Gigs

So I met Jack Roberts when we wandered into a shop in Kinvara. Jack is the expert in Ireland on Sheela na Gigs. We had a lovely chat or two. He has so much reverence for the powerful, wild feminine- and is so knowledgeable. It was such a thrill to meet him. 

There have been a few more meetings with Sheela:
This one at St Gobnait’s church we have visited often. St Gobnait is an amazing woman- she met 7 white stags at the location of her church and knew this was where she should build her community of women- and then they worked with all things bees 🐝

This lovely (below) is high up on a tower in County Cork. And here I am with my Yule candle on Solstice day at St Gobnait’s holy well.