On this episode of The Celtic Feminine Podcast, Amy interviews Anthony Murphy about his work at Mythical Ireland, as well as the sacred sites and stories dedicated to St. Patrick and St. Brigid.

Anthony Murphy has been featured in newspaper, magazine and news media articles around the world, including: The History Channel, National Geographic, Discovery Science, BBC, RTÉ, TG4, and others.

Anthony is the author of nine books, including non-fiction and fiction books discussing ancient Ireland. He is the discoverer of "Dronehenge," a Late Neolithic henge near Newgrange, as well as 300 previously unrecorded monuments. Anthony has taken on so many roles, such as an accomplished photographer, tour guide, scriptwriter and narrator, storyteller, musician and bandleader.

http://www.mythicalireland.com

⁠For more information about The Celtic Feminine Podcast, please go to http://www.thecelticfemininepodcast.com and you can contact us by emailing [email protected]

Thank you!

Originally Recorded on July 24, 2020

As a Shamanic Practitioner, Supervisor and Teacher trained in the Celtic lineage and Druidic traditions, Karen founded and runs Moon Mnà Women's Celtic Circles offering Rites of Passage Ceremonies and online courses. Her television work includes Energy Therapist on the BBC's "Last Resort" and Holistic Therapy Presenter from RTE's "Health Squad."

She is the author of the Annual Moon Mná Diary-Journal which highlights the deep connection of women's monthly cycles with the moon. She is also writer of the innovative book, "Change a Little to Change a Lot" and is a regular contributor to Naturally Good Health magazine and the Brainstorm section of the RTE website. Karen co-rediscovered the Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage and she is guided in all she does by this quintessential feisty Irish Goddess known as Brigid!

http://www.slianchroi.ie - Slí An Chroi - Dr. Karen Ward and John Cantwellhttp://www.moonmna.ie - Moon Mná - Women's Moon Circles

Important Note and Disclaimer: In this episode, we discuss an event that Elaine was planning to carry out, however it had to be canceled due to the current pandemic concerns.  Since this interview was recorded in early March, at the time many protocols were not in place and certain risks were not completely known.  Please be sure to follow the recommendations of your local government on the protocol for appropriate physical distancing, home stay orders, and other safety measures. Please do not take the outdated commentary on the COVID-19 situation in the podcast as an indication to gather in groups if it is against the regulations of your local government. 

Please keep an eye on Elaine`s page (link below) for more information on her virtual class and concert offerings!

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On this episode of The Celtic Feminine Podcast, Amy Panetta interviews Elaine Ní Chiardha who is a musician, singer, voiceworker, and shamanic practitioner from Singing the Land.  Elaine is inspired by the healing power and immense beauty of the human voice and spirit, sharing and evolving voicework practices for healing, liberation, empowerment, and fun.  Elaine discusses her music written in dedication to Brigid, as we as Patrick, and their connection with springtime and the earth.  You can find Elaine by going to "Singing the Land" on Facebook and Soundcloud:

Singing the Land on Facebook

Singing the Land on Soundcloud

Intro and Outro Music from the album, "A Year In Ireland" by New Time Ensemble, Used with Permission.

You can find out more information about the Music of Brigid Webinar by emailing Amy Panetta at [email protected]. 

Thank you!

In this podcast, Amy Panetta has a conversation with Allison Mondel about the life, music, and legacy of Hildegard von Bingen, a powerful female spiritual figure of the middle ages!

Links:

Sacred Voice Studios - Transformational vocal coaching by Allison Mondel.

Intro Music from the album, "A Year In Ireland" by New Time Ensemble, Used with Permission.

Outro Music performed by Eya Medieval Ensemble, of which Allison Mondel is the director.  They perform O rubor sanguinis, which is an antiphon to St. Ursula.  Please go here for more information about the Eya Medieval Ensemble.

Note: This podcast interview happened in October of 2017

In this podcast, Amy has a conversation with author, educator, spiritual guide, and festival organizer, Dolores Whelan about her book, "Ever Ancient, Ever New: Celtic Spirituality in the 21st Century," The Brigid of Faughart Festival, and the importance of music in honoring Brigid on her February 1st feast day. 

Dolores holds an M.Sc in Biochemistry from Trinity College Dublin  and an MA in Spirituality from Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality California founded by Matthew Fox, a radical Dominican priest.  She studied with a number of figures in the New Cosmology movement, such as Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, Matthew Fox, Jean Houston, Joanna Macy and others.  Her studies with Creation Centered Spirituality, as well as Native American Spirituality in California eventually led her on a journey of rediscovery of her own spiritual roots back in Ireland. 

In 1986 Dolores founded the “Iomlanu Centre for Healing and Creative Living” in one room in her home in Dundalk where she offered courses which focused on either physical, mental emotional or spiritual aspects of the person. The Iomlanu Centre became a beacon of light during the 1980’s and 1990’s attracted many wonderful teachers and seekers until 1997.  Iomlanu Education now is dedicated to the new work she is bringing into the world through talks, lectures, workshops regarding "education in the pursuit of wisdom and wholeness," as the Irish namesake describes.  The Provide education in the pursuit of wisdom and wholeness, as it's Irish namesake.  As Dolores Whelan's website explains, "Iomlanu Education believes that at this time of unprecedented change and crisis what is most needed are new ways of perceiving reality, new ways of thinking, new ways to understand ourselves ,our role and our relationships within the earth community."  

Please get in touch with Dolores through email at: [email protected] or click here for more contact information.  

Links:

Dolores Whelan's Webpage - blog, events, lectures, courses and pilgrimages. 

Brigid of Faughart Page - detailed schedule and information to celebrate Brigid in Dundalk and Faughart the week of Brigid's feast day on February 1st each year.  

To get a copy of her book, Ever Ancient, Ever New: Celtic Spirituality in the 21st Century

Intro and Outro Music from the album, "A Year In Ireland" by New Time Ensemble, Used with Permission

In this podcast, Amy has a conversation with Mael Brigde, about her work and connection with Brigid.  Since 2004, Mael has maintained the longest-running, most prolific blog about Brigid entitled, "Brigit's Sparkling Flame" where she collects a variety of different resources about Brigid, such as in links, books, music, and events. She also has her poetry dedicated to Brigid on her "Stone on the Belly" blog.  She founded "Daughters of the Flame," which is the first non-church-based flame tending group dedicated to Brigid, which interestingly enough lit their first flame on Brigid's Eve, January 31st 1993, the same year that the Brigidine sisters in Kildare Ireland relit Brigid's flame.  Currently, Mael teaches online courses dedicated to Brigid.

Links:

Brigit's Sparkling Flame Blog

Stone on the Belly Blog

Daughters of the Flame

Mael's Brigid Courses:

Journey with Brigit - Goddess of Poetry

Stepping into Brigit – Goddess Activation Course

Discovering Brigit – Goddess and Saint with Mael Brigde

Intro and Outro Music from the album, "A Year In Ireland" by New Time Ensemble, Used with Permission

Today, Amy is talking with Sabina Magliocco on her book, “Witching Culture” and addresses questions listed in historical order, as well as questions on music in festival and ritual culture, and the importance of the figure, Brigid.

Sabina Magliocco, Ph.D., who was a Professor of Anthropology at California State, Northridge at the time of the interview, however currently, she is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia.  Dr. Magliocco grew up in Italy and the United States. She has published on religion, folklore, foodways, festival, witchcraft and Neo-Paganism in Europe and the United States. A recipient of Guggenheim, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright and Hewlett fellowships, and an honorary Fellow of the American Folklore Society, she also serves as editor of Western Folklore.

Apologies for the lack of clarity in the audio quality at times.

Welcome to The Celtic Feminine podcast which explores where the streams of Folklore, Ethnomusicology, Celtic Spirituality, and Women’s Studies meet.  Often, we will be discussing Celtic spirituality with a specific emphasis on the Irish cultural landscape.