by P. W. Joyce

This is a lovely collection of old traditional tales from the Irish tradition like The Children of Lir, that many of us have grown up with. Most of these tales are told in prose, though some in poetry.

The Irish tales have always had a lyrical quality to them even in prose and have been the basis for many later stories that build on the tales of both ancestors and the fairy tradition that weaves its magic through this style of storytelling.

This book gathers several of these romance tales into one volume for easy reference and would be a lovely gift for someone who enjoys all things Celtic.

The commentaries are also very interesting and explain the background of the tales. Some readers might have a little trouble with pronunciation of some names and names of places, but there is some help for that in the back.

by Morgan Daimler

This book is about the folklore and fairy tradition of Ireland. It may well be the most down-to-earth book on the subject on the market to date. Rather than the airy-fairy Victorian ideas of pretty little girl fairies that popular culture has spread, this is about the original tales and beliefs that are still prevalent in a mostly Christian Ireland.

The book is well researched. Tales from many places in the British Isles and Europe are cited and the folk beliefs are given context. Actual belief in fairies isn't required to enjoy the relation of the stories, though the author is mostly directing the information at a Pagan readership where some degree of belief is relevant.

There is a lot of repetition. Perhaps it was needed for context but I've seen the same information about fairy behavior in three different chapters and that gives the impression of padding. My only other complaint is that in an early chapter there was a promise to explain the difference between fairies and nature spirits, but only a passing reference to the latter later on. I pretty much understand the difference but would have liked to see it put into words to clarify.

Overall a good reference for anyone new to the subject, although the classic reference books are cited so often that I wonder if someone with more than a passing interest should just reading those works. Mostly well written, though it meanders in the last couple of chapters.

by Kristoffer Hughes

To start with this book has some beautiful cover art. I don't usually comment on bookcovers in reviews, but this one is both organic and magical and definitely made me want to pick up the book to see what it was about.

For anyone looking for a comprehensive explanation of the Druidic religion as it is practiced today, this is it. Hughes very clearly explains the definition of what is Celtic, something that isn't as simple as a specific tribe or nationality. He goes on to mention that the tradition represented in this book is based on Welsh roots rather than the Irish Celtic tradition which has been covered in many other books.

He succinctly describes a mytho-centric belief system wherein a pantheon of gods and goddesses and their mysteries are an inherent part of ritual and practice, as well as the role that singing and verse play in this form of magic. Hughes also gives sources, some of them not commonly known, for the historical basis of the tradition that is described. The Tale of Taliesin features highly.

I was pleased that he explains the particularly Druidic term 'Awen', the divine spirit of inspiration. This was something that people unfamiliar with the Pagan traditions and especially with modern Druidism may have needed clarification on.

Hughes also does a good job of explaining 'magic' in terms of natural forces. The philosophy expounds that all things are connected and everything we say or do affects the world around us. There are explanatory historic references of folk magic in Wales that tie history and modern tradition together.

Hughes does assume that the reader practices certain conventions, like keeping a journal, but he also reminds us of the accepted ethics in religions that practice magic and warns of natural consequences.

I'm not sure if I could agree with his statement that a magician must live a life of servitude, but the spirit of the idea of doing good is sound. Parts of the book did seem moralistic, but the explanation about living a magical life and direct consequences for magical actions is well placed.

The whole book is rich with symbolism and contains many meditation exercises to fully embrace the information imparted. I found some of the given rituals repetitive for my taste, but who am I try argue with the traditions of others?

Hughes explains that the Celtic tradition includes ritual other than the well-known Gardnerian formula and the Celtic connection to land, sea and sky as the elements, also explaining where fire fits in to this alternate view.

He emphasises planning and assessing reasons for performing ritual and offers ritual formulas with many variations to suit individual taste. There is a large section about magical allies or guides as well as Celtic gods and goddesses. Here he seems to qualify the information with a concession to those who choose not to believe in these deities. Do they exist or not? I appreciate that he's leaving room for disagreement, but I'm reading about his system and beliefs so why hedge?

I especially liked the material on the genius loci, or place spirits, which correlates with information I've read on these elsewhere.

Hughes asks us to use our imaginations and follow guided journeys through visualization. He draws on his personal experience and encourages the reader towards self evaluation as to why they want to do magic.

He shows us the meanings behind Ogham script and the significance of the wand and cauldron in Celtic ritual, and also teaches us a mixture of folklore and herbal medicine and where animals fit into this magical philosophy, often appearing as teachers.

Near the end of the book, he shows us a form of divination specific to this system that I haven't seen before.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to study modern Druidry or who just wants to round out their knowledge of Pagan paths with something different than the plethora of books on Gardnerian tradition. I found it interesting and informative.

It's somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars, actually, as I quite liked this Celtic mystery. Scarlet has just moved to Ireland after her mother passed away, and she is still settling in her new school, an all male boarding school. Soon, however she finds out there is more to this world than she ever expected.

The story started with Scarlet stating how fabulous all the boys at her new school are, moving from one to the next, and I admit, for a second I was worried. Luckily once she has established how interesting all the Connelly boys are the story much improved. It had me guessing for a while and even though not everything came as a surprise to me in the end, it didn't bother me. Some things were a bit glanced over in this book, but I would like to see if they are explained further on.

What I liked was that while it is clear from the start who the love-interest will be, the other brothers are not entirely pushed into the sidelines but rather play their own part in the story. I would like to see where this is going.

The author provided me with a free copy of this book. This review, however, solely contains my own opinions.

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This was my read for square 18. Set in a school. However, except for the opening scenes the book doesn't take place in school, so I will only roll one dice this turn.

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