In this episode, I take a look at the festival of Samhain and the Viking ritual festival of Alfablot.

If you've enjoyed this episode please check out The History Of Vikings Podcast with Noah Tetzner.  This podcast not only has an impressive and wonderful variety of guests, but it also engages the listener into a thrilling period in history, Noah's presentation displays his knowledge and enthusiasm for the world of Vikings.  It's marvellous! I have had the pleasure of appearing to discuss Heimdall, The Jomsvikings & The Norns, as well as The Vinland Sagas; please check out The History Of Vikings!

The Alfablot and Samhain

Mythology Legend & Folklore Podcast with Siobhan Clark.  A place where we can journey into the past & share the tales of myth, legend, or lore that have captured our imaginations and fired our curiosity! mlegendlore@gmail.com @LoreMyth

History

Society & Culture

Oral tradition is a wonderfully diverse form of communication in which societies share and maintain their knowledge, culture and history from generation to generation. It includes methods such as poetry, prose, storytelling and singing. However, over time much has changed if we consider how this practice has survived.

Today I have the joy of welcoming author Joshua Gillingham, & narrator Alexander C. Stewart, as they announce the release of The Gatewatch audiobook! Join us as we discuss Joshua’s epic adventure novel and its marvellous characters, oral tradition, poetry, audiobooks & much more!

 

Joshua Gillingham

www.joshuagillingham.ca

www.facebook.com/TheGatewatchNovel

twitter.com/JoshMGillingham

 

Alex C. Stewart

twitter.com/AlexcStewartVA

www.instagram.com/alexcstewartva

 

Crowsnest Books

www.crowsnestbooks.com/product/the-gatewatch

 

Sources:

Peter Hallberg - Old Icelandic Poetry: Eddic Lay and Skaldic Verse

www.amazon.ca/Old-Icelandic-Poetry-Eddic-Skaldic/dp/0803208553

 

Please check out SkarphedinArt on Etsy and Instagram where you can discover past and present illustrations, and eagerly await the future work of Jacob and SkarphedinArt!

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SkarphedinArt

www.instagram.com/skarphedin_illustrator

Music used in promo is Yngve-Frej from the Midsolsblot album by Torulf

torulf.bandcamp.com/album/midsolsblot

 

Background music:

Kai Engel - Chapter 4/Fall Smouldering

https://kaiengel.bandcamp.com

Special guest episode! Joshua Gillingham & Alex C. Stewart - The Gatewatch audiobook!

In today’s episode, I have the honour of featuring the wonderful music of Ian Fontova and his new album Tales of Olden. To accompany the music, we have a thrilling tale featuring Badb the battle goddess, a mythic isle, the legendary Boar King, and the wrath of Beira’s waves of misery! Ian and I very much hope you enjoy this episode, it has been a joy for us to work on it together. Below you will find links to Ian and Tales of Olden, and a few sources that inspired our story!

 

Ian Fontova and Tales of Olden:

www.youtube.com/c/IanFontovaValeroMusic

Spotify - tinyurl.com/y4s5tmuz

 fanlink.to/TalesOfOldenVol1

ianfontova.bandcamp.com

Sources:

Skye: The Island and Its Legends, Otta Swire

www.amazon.co.uk/Skye-Legends-Otta-F-Swire

Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs, James M MacKinlay

www.gutenberg.org/files/56034/56034-h/56034-h.htm

Old Celtic Romances, P W Joyce

www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/38041/pg38041-images.html

Gods and Fighting Men, Lady Gregory

www.gutenberg.org/files/14465/14465-h/14465-h.htm

Wondertales from Scottish Myth and Legend, Donald A MacKenzie

www.amazon.co.uk/Wonder-Tales-Scottish-Legend-illustrated

 

Please check out Skarphedin Art on Etsy and Instagram where you can discover past and present illustrations, and eagerly await the future work of Jacob and SkarphedinArt!

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SkarphedinArt 

www.instagram.com/skarphedin_illustrator

Music used in promo is Yngve-Frej from the Midsolsblot album by Torulf

torulf.bandcamp.com/album/midsolsblot

 

Background music:

Kai Engel - Chapter 4/Fall Smouldering

https://kaiengel.bandcamp.com

Tales of Olden, Vol 1 - with Ian Fontova

Today we have The Tháttr of Nornagest, which can be found in the longer version of the Saga of Olaf Tryggvason, contained in the Flateyjarbók, a medieval Icelandic manuscript. Our adaption is from Nora Kershaw’s 1921 translation, based on Valdimar Asmundarson’s 1891 version. This tale has a host of legendary figures, as well as mythical, and it reveals an interesting portrayal of life in a northern court. 

Those of us who have enjoyed the Saga of the Volsungs will be delighted with Guests account of his time with the hero Sigurth, and there is a wonderful section dedicated to Brynhild and her ride to Hel. But what will undoubtedly stand out is the tale of Guest himself and his connection to the Norns. 

There is also something a little special, the music you will hear is my sister-in-law playing a section of the Faroese Ballad Nornagest’s Rima, also provided by Nora Kershaw. It’s a beautiful piece and I very much hope you enjoy it as much as we have! Thank you, Karen, you helped to bring this story to life…

Nora Kershaw – Stories and Ballads of the Far Past www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33471

The Tháttr of Nornagest - adaption of Nora Kershaw's 1921 translation

Today I have the joy of welcoming Professor Carolyne Larrington to the podcast! Join us as we discuss her fascinating new book ‘All Men Must Die, Power and Passion in Game of Thrones’, a fascinating exploration of the narratives, themes, and characters of a truly epic series!

Carolyne is a Professor of Medieval European Literature, Official Fellow of St John's College at the University of Oxford, and an author whose books include:

The Norse Myths a guide to Gods and Heroes

The Poetic Edda – A translation

The Land of the Green Man

& the exceptional, Winter is Coming

Find Professor Carolyne Larrington on:

Saturday 27 February, 8pm GMT www.thefolklorepodcast.com(online)

signumuniversity.org/event/carolyne-larrington-author-chat-and-qa/

www.medievalists.net/2021/02/game-thrones-medieval-studies/

All Men Must Die, Power and Passion in Game Of Thrones with Professor Carolyne Larrington

Today I have the joy of sharing ‘An Bhuatais & the Meaning of Life’, the outstanding new album from Lorcán MacMathuna, with Martin Tourish, Daire Bracken & Éamonn Galldubh.

The album is accompanied by a fascinating and engaging book; ‘An Bhuatais and The Meaning of Life, the mythological representation of hope, longing, and fire’ written by Lorcán, which is an enlightening & philosophical exploration of what is it that gives life meaning. In past episodes of the podcast, we’ve explored a variety of Irish myths, legends, and folklore, if you have a keen interest in this as well as the history and traditions of Irelands people, then this album, this book, is undoubtedly for you! 

www.lorcanmacmathuna.com

www.youtube.com/user/lorcanmacmathuna

lorcanmacmathuna.bandcamp.com

soundcloud.com/evolutionofsound

www.reverbnation.com/lorcánmacmathúna

Twitter @mac_lorcan

The Alfablot and Samhain

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