Shanachie
the Storytellers - Seanchaithe
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).
Art & Text by Jen Delyth ©2019