My reflections today are from my own experiences and thought processes, and not from any authoritative poet, mystic, or theologian. I simply want to share a few recent experiences and thoughts with you.
I am currently engaged with a project to create a 35 mile hiking tail in county Mayo. It will start in Balla a small town in mid Mayo and finish at Murrisk at the foot of the Reek, or Croagh Patrick, as the holy mountain is known outside of Mayo. It will be called the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail.
Just last week, during that lovely period of cold clear sunny weather, I walked the last section of the trail. Across the face of Croagh Patrick from Boheh of the Rolling Sun toward Murrisk I followed the Deer Park wall.
A lot of thought jumbled through my mind as I trekked along…… ideas about sacred place and naming of place, ideas about the time of year that I was journeying here.
For instance Croagh Patrick has a much older history than the Christian one we ascribe to it. Formerly it was Cruachain Aigle – Eagle Mountain – most likely a Druidic ritual centre. Indeed there are some of us who believe that there was once an older pre christian pilgrim path that reached from Rath Cruachain, near Tulsk in County Roscommon, home to Queen Medbh, [she of the Tain Bo Cuailgne] all the way to Cruachain Aigle. All around me as I walked were the archaeological remains of Bronze Age, Stone Age and Early Christian times. I experienced a deep sense of age old calmness, a serenity that recharged my spirit.
Along the way I met a hill farmer, an acquaintance, and we talked of the impending lambing season. This led me to reflect on February – what an interesting month. Beginning with La Feile Bride, or St. Brigid, that most pagan of Celtic Priestesses, now beatified linked to that is the festival of Imboilc – a term which refers to the lactation of ewes – the flowing of milk – the return of life giving spring.
Incidentally Februum was also a Roman festival/ritual meaning purification. Last Samhain I related to you how the Celts used Fire for purification at that time, here again the idea recurs. The Christian churches have designated February 2nd as Candlemass day, the day when all candles to be used in liturgical celebrations, during the coming year would be blessed. Again an older tradition overlaid with a newer dispensation.
As I meandered along I mulled over these ideas, the interconnectedness of all things, alas I did not have anybody to share these thoughts with

Joe McDermott
Sunday 24th February 2008 Unitarian church Dublin

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