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Discovering Ireland's Deep Forgotten Wisdom

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    • Immersion 1 – Nine Waves – Introduction to Irish Myth, The Cycles and Silver Branch Perception
      • Wave 1: The Voyage Of Bran
      • Wave 2 – The Cesair Journey
      • Wave 3 – Fintan and the Hawk of Achill
      • Wave 4 – The Settling of the Manor of Tara
      • Wave 5 – Cú Chulainn: Romantic Cultural Hero
      • Wave 6 – Cú Chulainn as a Tragic Hero
      • Wave 7 – Amhairghin and the Arrival of the Sons of Mil
      • Wave 8 – Conaire Mór: The Exemplary King
      • Wave 9 – Niall of the Nine Hostages
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    • Immersion 2 – Nine Waves – Myths of the Chosen and Not Chosen People
      • Wave 1 – Birth and Boyhood Deeds of Fionn MacCumhail
      • Wave 2 – Fionn and the Fianna
      • Wave 3 – Oisin and Niamh
      • Wave 4 – Diarmuid and Grainne
      • Wave 5 – Parthalon
      • Wave 6 – Nemed and the Fir Bolg
      • Wave 7 – Balor of the Evil Eye
      • Wave 8 – Cormac MacAirt
      • Wave 9 – Mongan
    • Immersion 3 – Exile, Migration and Return: Voyages and Adventures
      • Wave 1 – Deirdre of the Sorrows
      • Wave 2 – Midir and Etain
      • Wave 3 – The Children of Lir
      • Wave 4 – The One Jealousy of Emer: Cuchulain and Fand
      • Wave 5 – The Voyage of Mael Duin
      • Wave 6 – Brendan The Navigator
      • Wave 7 – The Voyage of Bran
      • Wave 8 – The dream of Oenghus
      • Wave 9 – Brigit and the Tuatha
      • Wave 10 – Columcille and the Celtic Christianity
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The King Myths

and the concept of sovereignty in the Irish Tradition

The King Cycle in Irish Myth

For a country and culture with a colonial history, the concept of a King is always going to be problematic. What actually seems to have happened is that the King stories are no longer told.

Professor Dáithí Ó hÓgáin of UCD Folklore Department spoke to the King Tales as being one third of the myths told before the Colonial period but only 3% by the end. Colonised people do not tell King stories!

What we have here is a remarkable body of King Lore and a world view that outline the characteristics of the exemplary King and the consequences to the culture of the behavior of the good or bad king. Essentially this is a style of Kingship embedded within the political and cultural systems of the distributed power of the “Fifth Province” and the idea of the Sacred  Centre. This wisdom is of considerable relevance today to a world with little trust in its leaders.

Tuesdays 7 to 9pm
I) Feb 1stThe Tradition of the King, the Sovereign in the Irish Tradition & Lugh Lamfada The rightful King in the Mythological Cycle and
2) Feb 8thCormac MacAirt & Labraidh Loingseach Fir Flathamon and the duty of the King to always judge and act fairly and how these judgements were connected to prosperity for all.
3) Feb 15thConaire Mor The obligations of the leader, Geasa and Buada and the consequences of breaking the  sacred obligations
4)Feb 22ndConn Caed Cathach & Conor Mac Neassa Exploring the flawed King
Break for a week
5) Mar 8thNiall of the Nine Hostages & Mongan The exemplary King and the mating with the Goddess of Sovereignty – the land
6) Mar 15thMedb, Emer & Graine Uaile The story of two powerful queen figures in the Irish Myths. What is the role of the Queen in the Irish Tradition. Graine Uaile as myth and history
7) Mar 22ndRe Tellings: What aae the insights, themes and connections to modernity from these tellings and what are the re-tellings the participants feel inspired to share
8) Mar 29thFinal Re Tellings and Reflections on the Immersion
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