In bygone Celtic times the year was dominated by the eight key festivals.

• Samhain
• Winter Solstice
• Imbolc
• Spring Equinox
• Beltaine
• Summer Solstice
• Lughnasadh
• Autumn Equinox

These festivals were used by the people to honour the elements, nature and indeed Mother Earth herself.

The celebration of Imbolc originates from the Celts. Imbolc symbolizes the halfway point between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara). The word “Imbolc” means “in the belly of the Mother,” because the seeds of spring are beginning to stir in the belly of Mother Earth and new life begins to emerge during this time.

From the Celtic point of view, it’s the start of the agricultural year, when the earth warms up, everything begins to grow and lambs and other livestock start to be born. It celebrates light and fertility. Cows’ udders begin to engorge with milk at this time of year, ready for the first births of spring.

Imbolc begins on the 1^st February but can fall between the 1^st & 7th of February when calculated as the midpoint between the astronomical Winter Solstice and the astronomical Spring Equinox.

Unlike any of the other eight Celtic festivals, Imbolc is unique in having a key central figure revered in Pagan and Christian times – Brigid. The demands on our ancestors were great as they prepared to clear, sow and plant for a good harvest. They needed fitness, nourishment and inspiration at the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. Brigid gifted them new vision for future prosperous times heralding the warmer, bright days.

When Christianity was spreading across Europe it was more often than not imposed on the people and much of their culture and tradition was wiped out forever.

Unlike much of Europe Irish Christianity or Catholicism is very different. And our rich mythology tells us that when St Patrick was spreading the gospel across Erin, he had an encounter with Oisin who had fallen off his horse while helping some men of the Fianna. Oisin had just arrived back from the land of eternal youth – Tír Na nÓg and in his offer of help to the men who were struggling to move a large boulder he accidently fell from his steed and became over three hundred years old. The Fianna immediately took him to St Patrick who had a very lengthy talk with him. After this talk St Patrick discerned that it was not right to stamp out these customs. He could see how the people truly revered the land and all that the Great Mystery had endowed them with so he saw fit to encompass all their festivals and culture into Christianity and so today we are very blessed to have both very active in our culture.

We have the goddess Brigid from the Celtic times who has been in a sensed transfigured into St Brigid, one of the three patron saints of Ireland to look after us.

So during this time of Imbolc, join us as we continue together on our journey home to ourselves. Let us once again retreat to the O’Moore county in the beautiful setting of Castletown where we can take a little recess from everyday life and re-join the brotherhood to which we belong where Vispi and Tadhg will masterfully take us through the weekend they have crafted for us.

See below for booking. We have a limited bursary fund as we wish to turn no man away from our events. If you need help contact us here