The Cailleach and Brigit in the Ritual Landscape of Scotland: gateway to understanding the past, and ourselves. Woman Spirit Ireland: Study Day on Samhain with Stuart McHardy Saturday, October 15th 2016, Marino Institute, off Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9 Chaired by Nuala Ahern, (Former Green M.E.P) and co-founder of Mythic Links Since 1994 Woman Spirit Ireland has organised and resourced Festivals of Brigit in Ireland and abroad with the aim of recuperating and reclaiming a female-centred tradition of spirituality. In recent years, however, it has become obvious that the figure of Brigit (saint or goddess) through her rituals, symbols, stories, artefacts and landscape is deeply embedded in the ancient cosmologies, spirituality and images of divinity of Old Ireland, Europe and beyond. Tantalising trace evidence still exists here in Ireland, and Woman Spirit considers that we have a special responsibility to continue to excavate, reclaim, and celebrate such traditions to counter some of the toxic narratives now dominating our planet. For that reason, Woman Spirit Ireland recently organised several study days focussing on two of the quarter days: Imbolc and Bealtaine. This year we are privileged that Stuart McHardy has agreed to be our main resource person. Drawing on his extensive work on the Scottish landscape and ritual traditions, his presentations will focus on the Cailleach at Samhain, and the relationship between the Cailleach and Brigit in ancient lore and landscape. His presentations will complement those of other recent resource persons who generously offered their time and resources. Fr. Seán Ó Duinn spoke on the ritual landscape of the four quarters days at Duhallow; Michael Dames spoke of Cailleach traditions in Britain and Ireland; Professor Séamas Ó Catháin shared his recent research on the parallels between the Irish Brigit and Northern European rituals; Anthony Murphy shared his findings on Irish archaeomythology. Stuart’s presentations will be multi-dimensional, comprising his rich store of visuals, stories, ritual traditions, and landscape often associated both with the Cailleach and Brigit, and taking the form of stone circles, eyes, breasts, sleeping figures, and mountain top sites. He will also speak of the Nine Maiden traditions found in Scotland and Ireland. This particular aspect of Stuart’s work places the Irish and Scottish references to nine maidens within an international emerging field where the most ancient traditions of divinity are being recuperated. For that reason, the following two links have kindly been offered by Helen Hwang from her recent book “The Mago Way”, where parallels can be found between the nine maiden motifs in the traditions of Brigit and the Cailleach, and ancient Korean cosmology! https://www.academia.edu/23180378/The_Female_Principle_in_the_Magoist_Cosmogony_from_The_Mago_Way_Re- discovering_Mago_the_Great_Goddess_from_East_Asia_Mago_Books_2015_ https://www.academia.edu/9870679/Magos_Muses_and_Matrikas_The_Magoist_Cosmogony_and_Gy nocentric_Unity_include d_in_The_Mago_Way_Re- discovering_Mago_the_Great_Goddess_from_East_Asia_Mago_Books_2015_authored_by_Helen_Hye -Sook_Hwang A particular focus of the day will be that of relating Stuart’s findings in Scotland to the Irish heritage. Participants are welcome to bring related resources — images, photographs, stories — on the topics to further our work in these areas. Biography Stuart McHardy is a storyteller and author of thirty books. He is a published poet, an accomplished musician/singer and has been lecturing on Scottish History and Folklore for Edinburgh University’s Centre for Open Learning since the early 1990s. He was a founder member and is a past President of the Pictish Arts Society and through much of the 90s was Director of the Scots Language Centre in Perth. An experienced broadcaster he has recently produced MYTHOGRAM1, a new way of telling stories for the digital age. He has published and presented his work in many parts of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls1HGq3XkF4 More biographical and bibliographical information: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/profile- author/2784 Key recent publications: 2003 The Quest for the Nine Maidens; 2005 On the Trail of Scotland’s Myths and Legends; 2006 On the Trail of the Holy Grail. 2010 A New History of the Picts; 2012 The Pagan Symbols of the Picts (All Luath Press). To read some of Stuart’s recent work on Cailleach traditions and landscape: https://stuartmchardy.wordpress.com/ Registration Venue: Marino Institute, off Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9. Date: October 15th Time: 10:00 — 5:00 Course Registration fee: €70:00 full fee; Early Bird (register by Oct 1st) €60:00; Concessions: (full time students and unemployed, €35:00). You can register online by using the Paypal donate button below that will take you directly to our Paypal account (also called Institute for Feminism and Religion). If you prefer to use the postal system, please send registrations to this address: Woman Spirit Ireland, 30A Parkhill Rise, Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24. .