Celtic Culture & heritage

The Mystery and Legend of Celtic Hill and Promontory Forts

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on March 24, 2019 - 4:47pm

Dùn Deardai Celtic Hill Fort in Scotland

Throughout the present Celtic lands and in many of those areas once lived in by Celtic tribes, hill forts can be found. Typically they date to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Usually they followed the contours of a hill, consisting of one or more lines of earthworks, with stockades or defensive walls, and external ditches. Positioned to take advantage of the higher elevation in which they were located, they would act as a fortified refuge and defended settlement. Hill forts could be home to a significant number of people whose dwellings were built within the safety of the fortification. The hill tops on which they were built gave commanding views of the vicinity. Often they would be positioned over strategically important mountain passes or river crossings.

Many hill forts are associated with figures from Celtic legend. One such is Dùn Deardai in Scotland. Standing on a rocky knoll on Sgorr Chalum, Dùn Deardail is an Iron Age hillfort above the River Nevis in Glen Nevis. Located at a height of 1,127 ft (347m) Dùn Deardail is overlooked by the mountain of Ben Nevis (Scottish Gaelic: Beinn Nibheis) and is thought to have been constructed by the Celts in the first millennium BC (1000 BC to 1BC). The fort is associated with Deirdrê of the Sorrows, the tragic heroine in Irish pre-Christian legend, whose story is told in the ancient Irish mythology of the Ulster Cycle. Deirdrê and the three sons of Usnach were said to have lived near the fort for some of the time they stayed in Scotland.

Ulster’s Beltany - A 5000-year-old Monument to a Living Celtic Holiday

Emmett McIntyre's picture
Submitted by Emmett McIntyre on February 16, 2019 - 8:39pm

To the southwest of the Ulster city of Derry in County of Donegal, near the town of Raphoe, is a Neolithic Celtic monument known as the Beltany Stone Circle.  The Beltany Stone Circle is estimated to have been constructed approximately 5000 years ago based on recent archeological research funded by the Irish Heritage Council.  Dating Beltany from about 3000 BC makes this monument older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids (some published sources conversely date the construction of the stone circle at between 1300 and 800 BC).

A local group that is dedicated to the preservation of this little known site is the Raphoe Community in Action group. With funding from the Heritage Council of Ireland they have been engaged in an on-going archaeological research project at the site.

Celtic Women and Spinning Wheels

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on January 27, 2019 - 5:33pm

Images of lone Celtic spinners, sitting at spinning wheels at the doors of thatched cottages. They are evocative of times gone by, but not really so long ago. Failing eyes getting out of the smoky, indoor darkness to obtain the benefit of daylight. What the eyes can no longer focus on, compensated for by years of experience in the craft and knowledge of the machine.

Interview with The Placks - Acclaimed Celtic Infused Scottish Highlands Band

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on January 27, 2019 - 7:17pm

A new Celtic band, based in the Scottish Highlands called The Placks is about to release a debut album, 'Rebellious Sons', which is receiving much acclaim and positive reviews. The band has been described as playing 'a dynamite mixture of Celtic infused punk rock and folk, with melody.' Combining guitar, accordion, fiddle, the band includes two former world champion pipe band members in their ranks.

Proudly Scottish, The Placks are firm supporters of Scotland's pro-independence movement. At the same time they are keen to reach out to the worldwide Celtic community, also sharing their music with as wide an audience as possible.

With this in mind they will move from a studio project to a live band arranging tours and making festival appearances. The band's name comes from Scots word Plack (Scottish Gaelic: Plang), which was an ancient Scottish coin of the value of four Scots pennies.

Kindrochit Castle And The Mystery Of The Kindrochit Brooch

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 4, 2018 - 8:13pm

The remains of Kindrochit Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Ceann na Drochaid) are in the centre of the village of Braemar (Bràigh Mhàrr). A Castle was built here in the second half of the 11th century by King Malcolm III of Scotland (Malcolm Canmore). Malcolm (Gaelic: Máel Coluim; c. 1031 – 13 November 1093) was King of Scots from 1058 to 1093. The castle's Gaelic name Ceann-drochit can be translated into English as Bridge Head and a bridge was built here across the River Clunie. The stronghold held a strategically important position as the meeting point of the great passes across the Mounth, crossing Glen Cova east of the Clunie water and Spital of Glenshee on the west.

Manx Electric Railway Celebrates Its 125th Birthday In 2018

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on May 29, 2018 - 4:48pm

Manx Electric Railway on bridge

Manx Electric Railway (Manx: Raad-Yiarn Lectragh Vannin) is celebrating its 125 years in operation in 2018. Since its beginning in 1893, it has run along the eastern coast of the Isle of Man (Manx: Mannin). This beautiful and unique tram service operates a variety of vintage Victorian and Edwardian vehicles from the pioneering days of electric tramway development. Work to construct the line began in the Spring of 1893 with the main depot constructed at Port-E-Vada, at the north end of Douglas Promenade (Manx: Shooylaghan Doolish). On September 7th 1893 the regular service was started and continued for 17 days until the 28th for winter closure. It ran as far as the entrance of Groudle Glen (Manx: Glion Ghroudal) on the east coast. One of many glens on the island, it was a popular tourist destination, with paths winding down a wooded valley for about a mile to the sea. Once a small harbour was located here, known by its Norse name of Escadalavik.

Broch of Gurness in Orkney and the Accidental Discovery of an Icon of Orkney’s Rich Archaeological Heritage

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on May 23, 2018 - 12:37am

The Broch of Gurness is an outstanding surviving example of an Iron Age settlement that is unique to northern Scotland. However, for centuries it remained hidden under a large massive, grassy mound on the northeast coast of Mainland, the main island in Orkney, the group of islands situated off the north coast of Scotland. One day in 1929, Orcadian poet and antiquarian Robert Rendall (1898–1967), was sketching on the mound, which overlooks Eynhallow Sound and was known as the Knowe o' Aikerness. The leg of his stool sank into the ground and this prompted him to carefully remove some earth and stones which revealed the top of a staircase leading down into the mound.

Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man: Beautiful, Unique and Haunted

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on May 19, 2018 - 12:46am

Nestling on the promenade in the Manx town of Douglas (Manx: Doolish) stands the Gaiety Theatre. Built in 1899 to the designs of architect Frank Matcham as an opera house and theatre, the Gaiety Theatre opened on the 16th of July 1900. It enjoyed considerable success, particularly in the Edwardian era until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Despite various attempts to make it a commercial success after that and particularly in the years following the Second World War there was a period of structural deterioration, to such an extent that by 1970 the theatre came close to being demolished.  Fortunately, what would have been an act of dreadful vandalism, was avoided when the Manx Government purchased the building in 1971

The remains of the “Red Lady of Paviland” need to be returned to Wales

Submitted by Mair Williams on January 14, 2018 - 2:59pm

Penrice Castle

Paviland Cave is also known locally as Goat's Hole Cave. It is a limestone cave between Port Eynon (Porth Einon) and Rhossili (Rhosili), on the Gower Peninsula (Penrhyn Gŵyr) in the south of Wales (Cymru). The human remains discovered in this cave in 1823 has led it to be one of the most famous caves in the world.  In 1822 Daniel Davies and the Rev John Davies explored the cave and found animal bones, including the tusk of a mammoth. A further expedition later that year, which included Mary Theresa Talbot of Penrice Castle on the Gower, found more unusual animal bones. The Talbot family had contact with geologist William Buckland, who arrived on 18 January 1823 to investigate the site. During the following week he explored the cave and made his famous discovery.

Far more than a thing of ‘rags and patches’: Illiam Dhone and the Manx Nation by Dr John Callow

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on January 7, 2018 - 1:39pm

Illiam Dhone

Illiam Dhone (14 April 1608 - 02 January 1663) also known as William Christian was a Manx politician and patriot. For his part in the Manx rising of 1651 he was executed by firing squad at Hango Hill in the Isle of Man on 2nd January 1663.

Every year on 2nd January there is a commemoration held at Hango Hill, which is an ancient place of execution. The ceremony is jointly organised by Mec Vannin (the Manx Nationalist Party) and the Mannin Branch of the Celtic League. One of the speakers at this year's 2018 gathering was historian and author Dr John Callow.  In his oration he made it clear that IIliam Dhone's legacy should be celebrated. Printed below is the speech that John Callow prepared for the commemoration which gives an historical assessment of Illiam Dhone and the wider and relevant implications of his legacy.

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