CELTIC RAVENS- 20″ x 28″ 1000 pieces -suitable for both dedicated puzzlers, and those of you who want to deepen their experience into the mythic Celtic realm. They make a lovely gift. Focus in on the intricate details in Jen Delyth’s artwork as you enjoy watching the puzzle take shape. This design is quite challenging – they are called puzzles for a reason! Find inspiration as you explore Jen’s original Celtic artwork mandalas and weavings.
ABOUT THIS DESIGN Ravens have a close affinity with the supernatural world, and appear often throughout Celtic mythology, featuring in the Welsh stories of the Mabinogi. The Raven is the totemic bird of the Morrigan – Great Queen, also known as Badb, Crow – the ancient Celtic death goddess of victory, prophecy and battle. As death is closely intertwined with life, the bright-eyed Raven is also blessed with clear vision, and is wise in the mysteries of rebirth and healing…
Hope is born in and of the darkness.Hope lights the way into the unseen, through an intuitive understanding of the deeper meaning in life.Boann (Bóinn) is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne.Boann represents poetic inspiration, fertility, and wisdom.As told in the Dindsenchas (lore of places) in early Irish literature – the myth of Boann explains the magical creation of the Boyne Valley in County Meath.In defiance of her husband Nechtan, Boann visited the forbidden sacred Well of Segais – tobar segais.Surrounded by nine magical hazel-trees, the hazelnuts (representing knowledge), fell into the well where they were eaten by the mythical Salmon of Wisdom.Boann challenged the well by walking around it counter-clockwise (tuathal).The sacred waters were angered, and rose up violently bursting forth to chase Boann toward the sea.The surging spiraling currents merged Boann’s spirit with the mystical waters, carving out the path of the River Boyne.By unlocking the power of the forbidden Well of Segais, new life was unleashed into the world.In this painting, the cosmic egg – symbol of potential – is held by soaring wings that protect and take flight of our hopes and dreams.Hummingbirds are seen as symbols of joy and hope.Native American and Navajo traditions view the tiny agile birds as sacred healers, bringers of good luck, and symbols of wisdom.
The Horse was loved and worshipped by the Celtic people. Horses decorate bronze, gold and silver objects as creatures of grace, intelligence and beauty. Horses also serve as solar symbols, embodying the sun’s divine qualities of strength and fertility – and golden Celtic Coins were often minted with images of the Horse, and solar symbols such as the wheel..
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS 100% Cotton HANES TANKS Men's
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest
CARE INSTRUCTIONS Poly Chiffon is lovely soft sheer scarf – permanent inks with easy care washing. To wash a polyester chiffon scarf, it’s best to hand wash it in cool or lukewarm water with a mild detergent. Alternatively, you can gently machine wash it on a delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag. Avoid hot water, wringing, and bleach, as they can damage the fabric.
HAND WASH (best) Fill a basin or sink with cool or lukewarm water. – Add a small amount of mild detergent. – Gently submerge the scarf and swish it around to clean. – Rinse thoroughly with cool water. – Gently squeeze out excess water (do not wring). – Lay flat to dry, avoiding direct sunlight.
MACHINE WASH – Place the scarf in a mesh laundry bag. – Set the washing machine to the gentle cycle. – Use cool water and a mild detergent. – Air dry the scarf flat, away from direct sunlight – Avoid using a dryer, as heat can damage the fabric.
IRON / STEAM – Polyester chiffon is sensitive to heat, so use the lowest temperature setting possible on your iron. – Place a clean, dry pressing cloth (like a piece of cotton fabric or a towel) between the iron and the chiffon to prevent scorching and shiny spots. – Garment steamer, use it instead of ironing directly on the fabric. – Hold the steamer a few inches away and move it gently to smooth out wrinkles.
SILK CHIFFON CARE / WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
CARE for SILK GARMENTS
Our quality silk scarves are printed with permanent dye reactive inks. Although pre-washed before shipping to you – reactive inks can be sensitive to washing the first few times. Here are recommended silk washing instructions.
WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
Hand-washing silk is the most widely recommended method for washing silk clothing. To freshen and restore silk’s natural shine and softness, you can use a white vinegar rinse.Mix white distilled vinegar with lukewarm water, Soak the silk, rinse thoroughly, and dry it out of direct sunlight. This method helps remove residue, neutralize odors, and revive the fabric’s luster.
FIRST WASH
First few washes of our reactive inks printed scarves. – Use home-made solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 tsp salt in gallon of cool water. – Submerge the silk scarf/garment in the vinegar solution and gently swirl it for a few minutes – Rinse the silk in clean, cool water until all traces of the vinegar are gone. – Gently roll the garment in a towel to absorb excess water. Do not wring or twist the silk.
IMPORTANT – dry immediately after washing.
Air Dry: hang to dry or lay flat with no self-overlap
Ironing: If you need to iron, use low heat and a steam iron on back. Be careful with heat.
Red Dragon - Ddraig Goch - Symbol & Meaning
Ddraig Goch – the Red Dragon represents the sovereignty of Britain, and is the totemic beast of the greatest line of kings, the Pen-dragons. The Red Dragon once represented the old Welsh God Dewi, who later became Wales’s mythical patron Saint David. Ddraig Goch has one talon raised in defiance! The Celtic Nations have a proud history of resistance, surviving many invasions (Saxons, Romans, Vikings) in the Western parts of Britain and France – Wales (Cymru), Brittany (Breizh), Cornwall (Kernow), the Isle of Man (Mannin), Ireland (Éire) and Scotland (Alba). Ysbryd Tragwyddol y Keltiad – the Spirit of the Celts is Eternal! Saxon invaders, the Engles, renamed part of Britain England. Fortunately, St. George, patron Saint of England – who according to legend tried to slay the Dragon – has not conquered Ddriag Goch, who is still the official emblem of Wales. Y Ddraig Goch Ddyry Cychwyn is an ancient Welsh prophesy: The Red Dragon Will Rise Again!
Three Sisters – Triple Morrigan – the triple Morrigan, or Morgan, also known as Morgan-le-faye – is the Arthurian version of the old Celtic warrior goddess – the Raven is her totemic bird. In common with other Irish Goddesses including Nemhain, the Badbh and Macha, the Morrigan has the ability to shape-change between human and animal forms. The Morrigan ruled the Fortunate Isles with her ‘nine-sisters’ who are said to guard and tend the Cauldron of Rebirth in the depths of Annwn, cooling it with their breath.
In the Celtic religion, everything in the natural world contains its own spirit. Legends tell of living beings magically turned into stone, their spirits alive but sleeping within the cold grey rock. These standing stones are enduring symbols from the megalithic age. The source of the greening vines – the Tree of Life – is the Celtic cauldron of rebirth, the Grail, representing healing and regeneration. Life and death are interconnected. Red is the color of the Otherworld, and the red poppies are associated with dreams, sleep and the journey to the Otherworld. In Celtic mythology and folklore, lovers such as Diarmuid and Grainne, Tristan and Iseult, Geraint and Enid, Deirdre and Naoise, Dwynwen and Maelon, represent themes of love forged into deeper connection often by unfortunate tragedy and misfortune.
The Celts perceived the presence of divine forces in all aspects of nature. Patterns of harmony and balance, of dark and light, winter and summer, female and male, are woven throughout Celtic tradition. The waxing and waning moon is archetypal symbol representing re-birth, healing and creativity (female). The illuminating sun is life-giver, the light of the world (male). This design is inspired by the most profound of life’s mysteries, that of the birth of a new life from the union of male and female, yin and yang. This is both a literal primal act of love and procreation, and an alchemy within the psyche or soul self. The psyche contains elements of both archtypal animus (solar male) and anima (lunar female) qualities. In working towards balance and fulfillment of both our solar and lunar energies, the self emerges more fully realized, giving birth to the divine within. Within Celtic mythology, birds are symbols of the spirit, and carry the soul to and from the Otherworld, at birth and death. Through initiatory experiences along our life journey, we often experience death and rebirth of the ego. As our renewed self emerges, our creativity and inner light shines brightly.
This Celtic Triskele symbolises the rhythm of nature, each branch represents and element: water, earth and fire. The Triskele is a three-legged pattern, sacred to the Celts who used a triple cycle for the season, and for many magical patterns and ritual blessings. There are many examples of Triskele patterns on Pictish stones and in the Celtic manuscripts. They are among the most ancient symbols created by our ancestors, carved on bone amulets and cave walls, appearing on megalithic monuments, entrances to caves and sacred places of worship, all over the Continent and the British Isles, such as Newgrange in Ireland, the Gavrin’is in Brittany. Spirals are the design of nature, of our universe. Snail shells, water flows, star systems, our very DNA is patterned in the sacred spiral thumbprint of life, the Spiral Dance. In Brittany the Triskele is still widely present, a symbol of regeneration – it represents independence and autonomy, and is worn for protection and good luck.
Oghma – or Ogma/Ogmios – is Patron of the Bards, the Celtic God of Language, Literature and Eloquence, and of Ideas and Knowledge. Oghma is often depicted with chains connecting his tongue to the ears of his followers – who are slaves to his eloquence. In this painting, the vines of the Tree of Life and Knowledge connect Oghma to his subjects, who bow their heads in humility, whilst dancing within the realm of the Bard. Awen is the Welsh word for “poetic” inspiration. The mark of Awen (three dots with three lines) represents this divine inspiration of the Poets. The Labyrinth represents the sevenfold path of knowldge. The Celtic Shaman used a Crane Skin bag to carry his Ogham tools – here the sacred bird represents the Mysteries of the Eloquence of the Bard.Oghma is originally one of the Tuatha De Dannan Irish Gods – also known as Cermait, which means `honey-mouthed` or Grainainech, meaning `sunny-faced`. The Welsh figure Euuyd who is related to Oghma, is mentioned in the ancient Welsh texts Llyfr Taliesin, and the Maginogi, probably relating to a lost tradition of Euuyd. Oghma is credited with the invention of the Celtic writing system Ogham.
Triskele – the Celtic triple spiral patterns flow into the center, and out again, a spiral dance of life. Triple spiral designs are amongst the most ancient symbols created by our ancestors. We find them in many forms, carved on bone amulets and cave walls, appearing on megalithic monuments, entrances to caves – sacred places of worship all over the continent and the British Isles. There are many variations of these spiral patterns found throughout Celtic manuscripts and objects of antiquity, although this is an original design. Spirals are the design of nature – of our universe. Snail shells, water flows, star systems – our very DNA is patterned in the sacred spiral thumbprint of life – the Spiral Dance.
Welsh Folklore and legends have deep roots in prehistory. Pentre Ivan neolithic dolmen in Nevern, Pembrokeshire, Wales dateing back to about 3,500 BC was once partially covered by a great cairn used as a communal burial chamber. Pentre Ifan – which means Evan’s Village – was known as Arthur’s Quoit after the legendary King Arthur whose numinous presence is everywhere in Wales. In the midst of lovely Welsh farmlands this enigmatic Dolmen overlooks the Nevern Valley commanding extensive views. Carn Ingli, the mountain from which the Stonehenge bluestones allegedly originate, overlooks the ancient dolmen. In Wales, the entire landscape is saturated with myth. Many ancient megalithic monuments have dissaeared, but some have endured, partly due to the folk superstitions and faerie lore connected to the ancient sites. It is a testament to the enduring nature of the old ways and the deep connection that many local people have had to them over many years that respect for the stones persists. Stories and myths about them have been preserved within folk memory for us to enjoy – symbolized by the Crane, messenger to the Otherworld in this artwork.
The Welsh Goddess Rhiannon (Great Queen) was accompanied by magical birds whose songs could “awaken the dead and lull the living to sleep”. The Birds of Knowledge sing their songs of wisdom within the heart of the Tree of Life – they carry the prayers of the earth: the Song of the Trees. Birds possessed supernatural powers, and throughout Celtic myths, divine entities frequently shape-shift between human and bird form. Birds are a potent force in Celtic mythology, often symbolizing the flight of spirits to the Otherworld. Herons, Cranes, Storks, Pelicans are related to the Gods and Goddesses that preside over the mysteries of reincarnation, acting as guides to the Otherworld. Often three birds appear together in symbolism, all pointing to the Three Fates, the Sisters of Wyrd.
Brighid, daughter of the Dagda, Goddess of Poets, Healers, Smiths, is the well-known and loved patron saint of Ireland. daughter of the Dagda, the great god of Irish mythology, the ancient protector of the tribe Imbolc. She is also a revered Christian saint and pagan goddess of healing, poetry, smith-craft and midwifery. Her feast festival on Feb 1st (St. Brighid’s Feast – Candlemass), celebrates the beginning of Spring. It is traditional on the eve of Imbolc to weave a Brighid’s Cross, a whirligig pattern, from pulled rushes or straw. They are hungin the rafters, and by the door to protect the house. Within the Celtic tradition, birds are soul carriers between the worlds, connecting the realms of earth and sky. In this design, four white Cranes form the Brighid’s Cross – the White Crane is particularly associated with the spirit of the trees.
Wilde Geese are large, strong-willed birds that we see flying in large flocks across the grey winter skies. We hear their distinctive, raucous honking calls as they migrate home each year, their constant return symbolizing loyalty and the rhythms of nature.
The early Celtic Christians adopted the Wild Goose as their symbol for the Holy Spirit, rather than the calm, cooing Dove of surrender.These independant birds represent the people who choose to worship in their own way, close to the myth-haunted lands of the rugged western places of Britain and Ireland, far from the wealth and decadent power centers of religion and politics. Although Wild Geese cannot easily be tamed or caught, a young gosling attaches to the first large moving object it sees when born, and will even think a human its mother. This profound mystical connection between man/woman and the Goose developed into of the earliest husbandry practices, before the domestication of animals in Neolithic times. Once adapted to the human community, the independent Goose is an adept scavenger, needing little care, and is a useful food source of meat, eggs, fat and feathers. We see Goose patterns on early pottery and bone carvings, and few birds are so important in ritual and symbolism as the Goose.
The Gavrinis Megalithic Temple on the Isle Des Gavrinis (a small island at the entrance to the Golfe du Morbihan, Brittany/France) is dated around 3500-4000 BC. The inside of this raised cairn is deeply carved with beautiful patterns of rhythm and radiance – undulating curves and arcs expressing the seasonal wax and wane of sunrises and sunsets.The end chamber of the passage is carved with a radiant figure, from which all lines are flowing outward towards the opening. Where the midwinter solstice sunrise awakens the figure on the back of the mound wall – the Earth Goddess birthing the sun, and the days grow long again. The serpentine markings represent the coiled energy of the earth, the serpent representing rebirth and regeneration. The downward pointing triangle motifs are the female sign of fertility, and birthing. The spiraling patterns represent the cosmos – seen in the trails of stars, the ripples of water, our fingerprints, the ebb and flow of the energy of the earth. This painting is inspired by the markings and the back wall ‘figure’ (my personal interpreation) of the Gavrinis Passage grave – and the original oil painting on canvas is 18″ x 24″.
Within Celtic mythology birds – aderyn in welsh – are symbols of the spirit – of freedom. They are winged travelers transcending earth with feathered wings into the heavens. For the Celts they are soul-carriers between the worlds, connected with birth and death – we still have an association with the bird carrying the new baby to us today. Welsh Goddess Rhiannon Great Queen was accompanied by totem birds who brought magical music from the Otherworld. Their songs could “awaken the dead and lull the living to sleep”. Herons, Cranes, Storks, Pelicans are related to the Gods and Goddesses that preside over the mysteries of reincarnation, acting as guides to the Underworld. Mystical Birds live within the branches of the Tree of Life, eating the Fruits of Knowledge. They sing theirsongs of wisdom within the heart of the Tree – they carry the prayers of the earth: the Song of the Trees. This design is inspired by the stylistic bird figures in the Book of Kells.
The Celtic triskele is an ancient three-legged spiral pattern found throughout Celtic art in infinite variations of design. The triple spiral is particularly sacred to the Celts, and spiral patterns are among the most spiritual symbols of Neolithic Europe, as they are possibly symbols of the cyclic seasons of birth, life, and death or afterlife. The triquetra is an interconnected Celtic triangle pattern. The triskele and triquetras here represent the three elemental realms of Earth, Air, and Water – or Land, Sky, and Sea. In this original design, pairs of double spirals meet and diverge in a meander pattern. They balance and weave together, representing the cyclic rhythm of day and night, the movement between the above and below, the inner and the outer. Held within a radiating fourfold pattern of triquetra, representing the four directions and seasons, the triple and double spirals radiate energy from the center and out again, spiraling and interconnecting as the elemental dance of life.
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS WOMEN'S Gentle Fit Heather Ts
MATERIAL • Heather Colors are CVC – 60 Cotton / 40 Poly. Non Heather Colors are 100% Preshrunk Cotton
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest Sleeve Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neck to outer edge of shoulder seam, then along outer edge to sleeve end
Cernunnos - Antlered Man - Symbol & Meaning
The Antlered Man figure of Cernunnos is from the Gunderstrup Cauldron, a votive object found ritually dismantled in a peat bog near Gunderstrup in Denmark in 1891.The richly decorated silver bowl is covered in beautifully crafted images including the Antlered Man whom we first encountered upon cave walls such as Les Trois – more than 10,000 years earlier.He is depicted with magical plants, which were perhaps used as ritual medicine in aid to his journeying. Shamanism can be found in every hunter-gatherer culture around the world.The shaman is a priest, a healer, and a magician – a link between the living and the Ancestors, this world and the Otherworld.Shamans journey to the spirit world in altered states of consciousness seeking transformation and healing as intermediaries for the tribe.The Stag Godis especially associated with the lordship of horned and hoofed animals, and with the wild hunt in which spirits of the dead were carried to the Otherworld.The Horned God appears in British folklore as Herne the Hunter. The hunter identified with the stag –this is a very ancient mystery: hunter and hunted are one.
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Heavy Cotton TANKS Men's
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS WOMEN'S Fruit of the Loom COTTON Ts
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest Sleeve Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neck to outer edge of shoulder seam, then along outer edge to sleeve end
The Triskele is a three-legged pattern, sacred to the Celts who used a triple cycle for the seasons, and for many magical patterns and ritual blessings. There are many examples of Triskel patterns on Pictish stones and in the Celtic manuscripts – the noble spirals of Aberlemno, Shandwick, Nigg, the Tara Brooch and the Ardagh Chalice, and later the intricate manuscripts, including the books of Durrow and Kells. Finely wrought metal and enamel works – such as the disc brooches dated around the second to fourth centuries – feature intricate variations of beautiful spiral and triskel patterns. In Brittany the Triskel is still widely present, a symbol of regeneration, it represents independence and autonomy and is worn for protection and good luck. This triskele symbolizes the rhythm of nature, each branch represents an element: water, earth and fire.
Shapeshifters are a profound magical element in Celtic mythology, as well as in many folk and magical traditions around the world. Animals and humans change into different forms, perhaps as punishment or with their magical gifts of transformation and metamorphosis. In Irish mythology, the Morrigan was a shapeshifting warrior goddess who appears as the Raven, and also as three women, maiden, mother and crone. In Scotland the Selkie changes from seal to human by removing their seal skin, and the kelpie is a water horse creature, who is also a seductive and dangerous handsome man. Legendary figures, spirits or deities may take the form of deer, such as Oisín and Sadhb. The Children of Lir are transformed into swans.
In the Welsh myth of Taliesin – Gwion Bach must stir a brew of wisdom and knowledge for the sorceress Ceridwen. When Gwion accidentally receives three drops onto his thumb, he receives the magical potion meant for her son. To escape the wrath of Ceridwen, Gwion changes into a hare, but Ceridwen changes into a greyhound and chases him. So Taliesin shapeshifts into a fish in a river, so Ceridwen becomes an otter and closes in on him. Taliesin transforms into a bird, Ceridwen into a hawk, and then Taliesin hides in a pile of wheat as a single grain. Ceridwen becomes a black hen, and eats it all, and so Gwion grows for ninth months inside her. When the baby is born, he so beautiful that Ceridwen cannot kill him, and so she casts him out in a leather bag upon the water. After a magical journey, where Gwion is nurtured by the birds and creatures of the sea, he comes to land in the salmon wier, and becomes the shaman bard Taliesin – which means “Radiant Brow” for his magical gifts of poetry and inspiration.
Herons – Tri Garan Cranes & Herons are long-legged wading birds, usually associated with willow trees and water, mysterious as the fringed marshes along which they dwell. Within the Celtic tradition, birds are soul carriers between the worlds, and the White Crane is particularly associated with the spirit of the trees. Manawydan ab Llyr the Welsh Sea God (Manannán mac Lir in Irish), makes his Shaman Crane Bag from the skin of a crane that was once a young woman. The Druid’s Bag holds Otherworldy treasures – spiritual power objects such as stones and sticks for divination, herbs and plants for healing and giving wisdom, nets and strings for spirit traps. When the sea was full, its treasures were visible, when the fierce sea was in ebb, the crane – bag in turn was empty.
Seanchaithe are the Gaelic storytellers, known in Wales as the Cyfarwydd, the One Who Knows. They are the keepers of the old lore and clan histories of the tribes. The Old Knowledge was not written down, and the long lyric poems and legends were memorized by the respected storytellers and bards who kept the native oral traditions alive through the generations.
The Salmon of Wisdom, Mórrígan the Raven, Crane, Fox, Hare, Hound, Spider, Butterfly, and Mouse are all interwoven around the Tree of Life, feeding the tales of the seanchaithe. The bard plays the bird-headed harp, and the boat represents the mythic journey.
Following in the tradition of illustrated Welsh alphabet prints found in the schools of West Glamorgan in South Wales at the turn of the century, this design is framed by the letters of AWEN (poetic inspiration). In Welsh – A is represented by Adar (bird), E by Eog (salmon), W by Wy (egg), and N by Nghigfrain (raven).
The Celtic Priests or Druids were healers, poets, astronomers, magicians, and astrologers who oversaw the rituals and laws of the tribes. Although most of their names remain forgotten, Irish mythology tells of the Ban-draoithe, Ban-draoid, or the Bandruí, the female Druids of the Celts. Tlachgta is a great ban-draoithe who came to Ireland with the Firbolgs, long before the Tuatha De Dannan and Milesians. Ancient goddess of the sun and of lightning, her name means “earth spear” (in Old Irish, tlacht gae). Tlachgta is full of light and energy and known for her wisdom and magical secrets. She traveled with her father, the chief Irish Druid Mog Roith, and discovered the sacred stones of Forcarthu and the pillar of Cnamchaill that is said “to kill all who touch it, blind those that gaze upon it, and deafen those that hear it” (in the form of lightning). Tlachgta also created a great rolling flying wheel – the sun. She became pregnant on Imbolc (February 2 – the Celtic festival that marks the beginning of spring) and leaves these three sacred objects behind in the East to arrive at a great hill in Ireland to give birth to three sons, Doirb, Cumma, and Muach. On Samhain (October 31–November 1, which marks the end of the Harvest and the beginning of the dark time of winter) Tlachgta died in childbirth, giving her life, name, and power to the land, and was buried on the hill that is named for her – the Hill of Tlachtga (now known as the Hill of Ward). The Hill of Tlachtga became the sacred place of druids, and on Samhain, the first sacred fires in Ireland were lit, ensuring light against the growing darkness of winter.
DaffodilsIn spring the banks of many Welsh rivers and canals, hills and valleys, are incandescent with the bright yellow flower, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, the wild daffodil, which is the national flower of Wales. Leeks or Daffodils are traditionally worn upon the lapel on March 1st, marking the beginning of spring in honor of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. Dewi Sant, was an ascetic monk who helped spread Christianity throughout the pagan Celtic tribes of the area. The leek has been a symbol of Welsh identity for centuries. Leeks were also associated with health and medicine. Even today, Welsh soldiers wear leeks in their caps on St. David’s Day. Daffodils, also containing a green stem and white bulb, are often substituted for the odoriferous leek by many Welsh. In fact, the Welsh name for the daffodil is cennin Pedr or cenhinen Bedr, Peter’s leek, similar to Leek – cennin. The beauty of daffodils are immortalized in the poem by Wordsworth, “I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils.”
CARE INSTRUCTIONS GENTLE CARE ITEM – For best results hand wash & line dry – Machine wash cold with like color – Delicate Cycle – Inside out is best – Tumble Dry Low – Warm Iron on back of fabric (we use steam) – Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations
STYLE GENEROUS CUT This casual button-down open necked shirt is made to be loose and hang (not get tucked in).
HARRINGTON FASHION BRAND Chest is measured 1” below the armhole – circumference – Body length is measured from the top neckline of the back
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Women's Silky or Heather Flowy TANK
CARE INSTRUCTIONS For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold or Warm – Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations “Bella Canvas” Brand
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Women's Vintage Heather Racerback TANK
CARE INSTRUCTIONS For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold or Warm – Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations
DETAILS “Next Apparel” Brand
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Women's Vintage Heather Short Sleeves
CARE INSTRUCTIONS For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold or Warm – Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations
MATERIAL 4.3 oz. – 50% polyester, 25% combed ringspun cotton, 25% rayon jersey Breathable Triblend Soft Stretch Jersey
STYLE Women’s Smaller Fashion Sizing – Form Fitting – Soft and Stretchy – Scoop Neck
DETAILS Front coverstitched 1×1 baby rib-knit set-in collar – Sideseamed Short Sleeves – taped shoulder-to-shoulder “Next Apparel” Brand
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Women's Vintage Heather Long Sleeves
CARE INSTRUCTIONS For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold or Warm – Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations
MATERIAL 4.3 oz. – 50% polyester, 25% combed ringspun cotton, 25% rayon jersey Breathable Triblend Soft Stretch Jersey
STYLE Women’s Smaller Fashion Sizing – Form Fitting – Soft and Stretchy – Scoop Neck
DETAILS Front coverstitched 1×1 baby rib-knit set-in collar – Sideseamed Short Sleeves – taped shoulder-to-shoulder “Next Apparel” Brand
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Unisex Men's HOODIES
CARE INSTRUCTIONS GENTLE CARE ITEM For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations • No dry clean.
MATERIAL 9 oz 80% Organic Cotton • 20% Recycled Poly • Enzyme Washed • Preshrunk
STYLE ECONSCIOUS FASHION BRAND Average USA Men’s Fit. Full YKK Zipper • Pouch Pocket • Pull Over Lined Hood Clean-finished neck seam with woven tape • Double-needle coverstitched seams 2×1 cotton-spandex rib • 2×1 cotton-spandex rib Manufactured in a SEDEX SMETA audited factory
CARE INSTRUCTIONS GENTLE CARE ITEM For Best Results Hand wash and Line Dry Machine Wash Cold Delicate – Inside Out • Line Dry – or Gentle Dry Cool/Warm Do Not Use Chemicals – No Dry Clean • Do not Iron Decorations • No dry clean.
Full YKK Zipper • Pouch Pocket • Pull Over Hood with Drawstring Clean-finished neck seam with woven tape • Double-needle coverstitched seams 2×1 cotton-spandex rib • 2×1 cotton-spandex rib Manufactured in a SEDEX SMETA audited factory
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS BELLA Women's Featherweight Cap Sleeve
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS WOMEN'S HEAVY COTTON Ts
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest Sleeve Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neck to outer edge of shoulder seam, then along outer edge to sleeve end
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Heavy Cotton Unisex L/S Ts
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest Sleeve Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neck to outer edge of shoulder seam, then along outer edge to sleeve end
SIZE CHART/CARE INSTRUCTIONS Heavy Cotton Unisex S/S Ts
CARE INSTRUCTIONS • Machine wash warm with like colors • Inside out Medium Tumble Dry • Do not iron decorations • Do not dry clean.
HOW TO MEASURE Body Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neckline seam straight down to bottom of the front hem Body Width: Lay garment flat. 1” below the armhole flat measure the garment across the chest Sleeve Length: Lay garment flat (face down). Measure from center back neck to outer edge of shoulder seam, then along outer edge to sleeve end
TREE SONG Cân Goeden The Birds of Knowledge sing their songs of wisdom within the heart of the Tree of Life, whose branches whisper their gentle poetry with the wind. Roots grow deep into the ground, drawing the sweet music of life up into our hearts. Interlacing branches reach high into the heavens. They carry the prayers of the earth: the Song of the Trees. The interlacing roots and branches symbolize the Celtic belief in the Continuity of Life.
Ravens Heart – The tribal heart beats with the blood of the Ravens – who show that life and death are interconnected, the one not possible without the other. True love balances the dark and the light, beginnings and endings. The strong heart is renewed through the wisdom of the Raven. Ravens are totem birds of the dark Celtic Goddesses the Badbh and the Morrigan, who shapeshift into Raven form. The Raven is associated with death and rebirth. Celtic coins depict the Raven or Crow perched on the back of a horse, symbolizing the war-goddes Badb Catha, who could change shape from woman to death-crow in battle. A Raven alights on Cu Chulainn’s shoulder at his death, to symbolize the passing of his spirit. As death is closely intertwined with life, the bright-eyed Raven is also blessed with clear vision, and is wise in the mysteries of rebirth and healing.
Music is the song of life. From the first simple reed instruments, the first beating of an animal skin stretched upon a frame, folk have created music as naturally as breathing. Wherever folk gather, music resonates. Wood and bone, tightly stretched sinew and gut strings, sing of joy and sorrow, love and loss, beauty and darkness through the skillful hands of the folk musician. We celebrate together with music at our festivals, at ritual gatherings. Around the hearth, long Winters nights are passed to the music of the fiddle, whistle, and the beat of the bodhran drum. With distinctive patterns and cadence of rhythm and harmony, traditional Celtic music continues to flourish throughout the modern celtic world, and wherever her people have travelled. In Celtic mythology, the universe is said to be created from sound, with three great shouts – represented by the Awen symbol of three dots with three rays. In this design, the ancient iron age Carynx horns symbolize the creative force of Awen. The mythic silver branch with her golden apples, is the emblem of the musician. Brought back from the Otherworld, it is said to make enchanting music that heals and soothes away our pain and sorrow. The magical Birds of Rhiannon sing enchanted songs that lull the living to sleep and awaken the dead.
Wolf Moon – Lleuad Blaidd – The hungry wolf calls to the moon – for change will come. Faoilleach – the old Gaelic/Irish winter month means the Month of the Wolf. The cold January Wolf Moon lightens the path of the hunters, showing the way. Intuitive, shadowy, Wolf is often connected with the Moon and her cycles. In Celtic mythology, Wolf is companion to the fertile white moon goddess Cerridwen. Although Wolf is often associated with war and destruction, these are ancient mysteries of death and rebirth as guides to positive change. In Gaelic wolf is Madadh Alluidh, or Mac Tire meaning “Earth’s Son”.
Fierce, shy, loyal and cunning – wolf communicates power and leadership through eye, voice and body language to the pack. He is one of the totem guardians of the Celts. Cormac – the Irish King – was suckled by wolves, and wolves appear on the Gunderstrup Cauldron, with Cernunnos – the forest stag god. In Norse mythology, the wolves Hati and Sköll chase the sun and the moon across the heavens – creating day and night until the end of the world – Ragnarok.
BARD SONG – The Celtic Harp is a wooden stringed instrument – often intricately carved with bird and animal designs. The Harp is traditionally played by the Celtic Bards – the poets and musicians – who sing songs of enchantment, love and loss,and beauty and darkness. Music is the song of life, and the Celts say the Universe was created with sound. In Celtic mythology, the Silver Branch from the Tree of Life, is the totem of the musician. Brought back from the Celtic Otherworld, it is said to make enchanting music that heals and soothes away our pain and sorrow. The bird headed harp is played by the ancient Celtic Goddess Rhiannon, whose magical birds are said to sing enchanting songs, that “Lull the living to sleep, and awaken the dead.”
“Fly little bird, With your ribbons and prayers, We hunted you down Gave you cage and a crown.Fly little wren, May your song never end, In darkness your sight – Gave your life for our light”. Excerpt from Song “The Hunting of the Wren” by Jen Delyth
The Wren – Drwy – is a deeply mystical divine bird for the Celts. In Welsh the name of the Wren is connected to the word for Druid. – Drwy, and in Irish Gaelic, Drui-en – the Druid bird. The wise and elusive Wren is the King of the Birds – a little bird, cunning, fertile, and with a strong beautiful voice that particularly inspired the Bards, and was sacred to Taliesin, and a voice of augury for the Druids. There are many folk songs – especially in Wales and Ireland, about the Winter custom of “Hunting of the Wren – Hela’r Dryw”. This folk tradition has ancient roots, and potent symbolism around the Winter Solstice, when the Wren is sacrificed and given a ritual burial to ensure the fertility and light returning to the world, at the darkest time. In some customs the Wren is let free instead.
Around New Years’ Day, villagers hunted the wren, carrying her in a little Wren House cage, honoring “the King of the Birds” with ritual ceremony. Young boys decked in ribbons and representing the winter Holly King, parade the wren from door to door, singing songs, and they would be given gifts in return. In this ritual, the Wren represents the newly crowned Holly King, who dies to ensure the return of the light – the “killing” of the old year, to bring in the new. The yellow Gorse or Furze – represents the sun, with her rich yellow flowers, and is a voracious light seeker. The evergreen Holly tree with blood red berries, represents the Winter King, as the Oak and the Robin represent the Summer King – the seasonal cycles of light and dark. The feathers of the Wren were thought to bring good fortune, and it was considered bad luck to kill a Wren, or steal her eggs, and that the wren’s nest was protected by lightening.
The “hunting of the wren” now typically takes place on St Stephen’s Day (26th December), as it was (unfortunately) believed that the Wren’s song betrayed St. Stephen, who was hiding in the yellow Gorse or Furze, leading to his martyrdom.
There are many similar folk stories told of magical faerie women living below the lakes of Wales that thread back to ancient Celtic myth and belief. The Lady of the Lake of Llyn Y Fan Fach in Myddfai Carmarthenshire, is interwoven with a later twelfth century legend of the Physicians of Myddfai, whose skills as herbalists were renowned from up until the 18th Century in Wales. The Physicians of Myddfai – and some of their descendants – were said to be eminent healers, who inherited the magical healing powers of the Lady of the Lake.
In the Welsh folk tale, a faerie woman leaves her home beneath the Lake, and agrees to marry a young local man who is entranced with her beauty – bringing him a dowry of magical cattle – with the condition that he does not strike her three times without cause – or she will return to the waters of Llyn Y Fan Fach. They had three sons together, but when her husband accidentally gives her three causeless blows, she keeps her promise and disappears – with her magical cattle – to her home beneath the Lake. She gifts her eldest son Rhiwallon with her medicinal knowledge of herbs, plants and cures, and foretells that his descendants will continue to have the skills of the Healers. Myddfai was indeed a well respected healing center in medieval Wales, through the 18th century.
Wolf Moon – Lleuad Blaidd – The hungry wolf calls to the moon – for change will come. Faoilleach – the old Gaelic/Irish winter month means the Month of the Wolf. The cold January Wolf Moon lightens the path of the hunters, showing the way. Intuitive, shadowy, Wolf is often connected with the Moon and her cycles. In Celtic mythology, Wolf is companion to the fertile white moon goddess Cerridwen. Although Wolf is often associated with war and destruction, these are ancient mysteries of death and rebirth as guides to positive change. In Gaelic wolf is Madadh Alluidh, or Mac Tire meaning “Earth’s Son”. Fierce, shy, loyal and cunning – wolf communicates power and leadership through eye, voice and body language to the pack. He is one of the totem guardians of the Celts. Cormac – the Irish King – was suckled by wolves, and wolves appear on the Gunderstrup Cauldron, with Cernunnos – the forest stag god. In Norse mythology, the wolves Hati and Sköll chase the sun and the moon across the heavens – creating day and night until the end of the world – Ragnarok.
Irish Roots – Celebrate Your Roots is written in Irish Gaelic and English translation, circling Jen Delyth’s iconic Celtic Tree of Life artwork. The green flag featuring a harp, is an older symbol of Ireland dating back to 1642. It has been chosen to represent Ireland and her people, at the heart of the Tree of Life. The original phrase Éirinn go Bráth translates to Ireland Forever, expressing allegiance to Éire – Ireland. Our ancestral roots reach back through the generations, as we celebrate our heritage through an ancient culture that continues to grow and evolve as a living tradition in our lives today. The Celtic Tree of Life represents the interconnection of all living things. The Ancients envisioned the entire cosmos in the form of a tree whose roots grow deep in the ground, branches reaching high into the heavens.
Gaelic Roots – Symbol & Meaning – Original Design by Jen Delyth
Scottish Heritage – Celebrate Your Roots is here written in Scottish Gaelic, and English, entwined around Jen Delyth’s iconic Celtic Tree of Life artwork. The Montrose Shield and Lyon Rampant was chosen to represent Scotland and her people at the heart of the Tree of Life. Our ancestral roots reach back through history and generations as we celebrate the culture that continues to grow and evolve as a living tradition in our lives today.
COMHARAICH DO FHREUMHAN is Scots’ Gaelic for “Celebrate Your Roots” Thanks to friends in Glasgow and Seamus for this special case translation, which required words that would give connotations of both botanical roots and familial roots. It required a “bardic” turn of phrase, using the old Gaelic love of double entendre and symbolism as opposed to a literal one.
The Horse was loved and worshipped by the Celtic people. Horses decorate bronze, gold and silver objects as creatures of grace, intelligence and beauty. Horses also serve as solar symbols, embodying the sun’s divine qualities of strength and fertility – and golden Celtic Coins were often minted with images of the Horse, and solar symbols such as the wheel..
