Re: The Cailleach, Blodeuwedd and Connections Branfionn MacGregor Sun May 24 12:52:33 1998 Searles wrote,*br*: CNOGBA*br*: (from _The Metrical Dindshenchas by Edward Gwynn)*br*:*br*: "Búa. daughter of Ruadri Ruad,*br*: wife of Lug mac Cein of the red spears,*br*: it is there her body was hidden;*br*: over her was a great hill built up.*br*:*p*Thank you, Topaz for the wondeful question. This is exactly the sort of muddling that I love to do...*p*<snipped for brevity only..> <much enjoyed>*p*:*br*: All of this has relevence to myself, The Cailleach and *br*: Druids. Cnogba is also known as Knowth and is one of the *br*: three great brughs along the Boyne river (Brugh na Bóinne *br*: and Dowth are the other two). Itis also the ancestral home *br*: of the O'Dubhains. My imbas tells me that male and female *br*: Druids performed sexual communions within this mound on the *br*: Equinoxes (its two chambers are aligned on sunrise and *br*: sunset on those days). I see this as a way for the *br*: Cailleach to become young again throug the release of *br*: fertility energy within the earth (which is followed by *br*: public rituals and festivities at Bealtaine on the surface *br*: of the Land. I also get chills thinking about the day of *br*: Doom and the fact that the hill will *THEN* gain in stature.*br*:*br*: Searles*p* Found a fascinating book about celtic sacred places called"Celtic Connections: The Ancient Celts, Their Tradition & Living Legacy" by(Ed.) David James. ISBN - 0-7137-2604-0. They have a bit about three cairns in the area. "Newgrange - the enchanted palace - the mansion of Oengus; Brug Mac Ind /Oc - the home of the youthful hero; Sid in Buca - the entrance to the Otherworlds; Br/u na Boinne - the house of the Boyne; the palace of the Gods." (p. 17) Then goes on to say that there are two other mounds visible from Newgrange - making the three: to the west Knowth (with 18 satellite mounds - making the 19) and to the east Dowth. I am certain that there were three activities in each of these places upon important days.*p*Blodeuwedd is a wonderful character, much maligned. As is the owl. Why do we love other birds of prey (eagle) and not the owl? Sometimes I think it is the issue of innocence and white purity. Above and not of *this* world - Otherworldly lovers. There is the delight and the forbidden fruits of those liasons.*p*Also, in Scotland, the year is divided into Small Sun (winter) and Large Sun (Summer)ruled by Cailleach and Brighid - another pure maid. There are stories of their battles, hints of the two-faced Brighid - one face lovely and one ugly. There are all the Imbolc poems about the snake not coming from the hill to harm...the snake being both a druidical sign and an older Naga wisdom sign. I also believe that there were elements in these stories of shapeshifting which have been watered down by the non-believers. <g>*p*Noone asked Blodeuwedd whom she loved, did they? Almost like the Bride of Frankenstein. <g>*p*Nine Blessings! Branfionn Re: The Cailleach, Blodeuwedd and Connections Searles 38 Tue May 12 12:41:39 1998 http://www.technovate.org/earthclan/branweb.html Branweb