Celtic celebrations, Celtic facts, Celtic fair, Celtic warfare, Food in the early middle ages, Irish history, medieval era

Interesting Facts About the Ancient Celts, Part II

In this post, Christian author Mark Fisher continues his list of interesting Celtic facts about the ancient Celts with Part II. (Click here for Part I.)

In no particular order, they are as follows:

5 – The Celtic Fairs Were the Wonder of Ancient Ireland

Boar on a Spit

The Óenach was a grand event, a gathering of tuatha, or clans, from all over ancient Ireland. In a land where the largest settlement barely rose to the status of a “village”, when the Rí Cóicid, or regional king, called a Óenach, everyone wanted to attend. Sometimes the event was called to decide certain legal matters, but most often it was an occasion for celebration, trade, and merrymaking. People traveled for leagues to attend. They came dressed in their finest. And pity the poor lad who was chosen to stay behind and tend the flocks or herds. The heart of every Óenach was the horse races, both short and long distances. Other events might include rock throwing, wrestling, and swordplay.

6 – Some Celts Went Naked Into Battle

Celtic Raiders, Mostly Clothed

Aye, ’twas so. In a previous post, I wrote:

“Although most Celts wore colorful clothing, often indicating their status in society, some bands of Celtic warriors fought naked. That’s right. They went into battle with only a sword, a shield, and the suit they were born with. They did it for religious reasons, believing it enhanced their spiritual connection with Mother Earth. If they died in battle, they hoped it would ensure rebirth in the Otherworld. We also have tales of the ancient Irish, some of whom not only fought naked, they died themselves blue and put lye in their hair to make it stand straight up, all the better to instill fear in their enemies. ”

7 – Pottage Was the Staple Meal of the Ancient Celts

In a previous post, I wrote:

“The typical ‘peasant’ breakfast, lunch, and possibly dinner in early Celtic Ireland might have been pottage. How do you make it? Throw some barley and water into the cauldron and let it simmer all day. Someone caught a rabbit? Skin it, cut it up, and throw that in too. Your lady harvested some onions, leeks, turnips, or carrots? Ah, those too make good additions. Your uncle killed a deer? Even better. Cut up some venison for the pot. Meanwhile, you’re eating from the cauldron at all times of the day. In fact, you can keep eating from and adding to it for days on end. A bit boring, maybe, but then the ingredients did keep changing.”

8 – The Ancient World Didn’t Eat With Forks

In a previous post, I wrote:

“But what culinary equipment did the early medieval diner employ? Not much. Forks did not come into existence until after the 11^th century, imported from the Byzantine empire. The first forks only had two tines and some viewed these strange devices with great suspicion. Surely there’s a diabolical similarity here to the Devil’s own pitchfork? And you want to stick that in your mouth?

But the basic tool for attacking your dinner was the knife, and you might have used two of them. Hard to stab a pea with, but useful for most foods. For soup only a spoon would do, and spoons have been around from the very beginning. The first spoons were probably seashells. And the early imagination, pondering such a useful natural instrument, would naturally add a handle. ”

Next time, we’ll continue our list of interesting Celtic facts with Part III.

Ancient Celtic Ireland is the setting for the Mark’s books of Christian historical fiction—one in publication, The Bonfires of Beltane, and The Amulet, now in search of readers before a final edit. The same setting is also the basis for the author’s fictional world in a novel of Christian fantasy, The Scepter of Elyon, now seeking a publisher. Click on the link to learn more about The Bonfires of Beltane.

July 2, 2017/by Mark E. Fisher

Celtic community, Celtic facts, Celtic women, Irish history, medieval era

The Ancient Celts — Interesting Celtic Facts, Part I

Teachings from the Ancient Celts: Bravery and Courage

In this post Christian author Mark Fisher looks at the attribute of bravery and courage among the ancient Irish Celts and how this trait helped St. Patrick in his mission to the ancient Irish.

St. Patrick’s Bravery

In his book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, Thomas Cahill writes:

“We can also be sure that the Irish found Patrick admirable according to their own highest standards: his courage—his refusal to be afraid of them—would have impressed them immediately; and, as his mission lengthened into years and came to be seen clearly as a lifetime commitment, his steadfast loyalty and supernatural generosity must have moved them deeply. For he had transmuted their pagan virtues of loyalty, courage, and generosity into the Christian equivalents of faith, hope, and charity.”

Courage in the Face of Danger

Courage. Bravery in the face of personal danger. These were things the Irish highly valued. When Patrick approached the Irish, he was a Roman entering a foreign culture. For years before he escaped back to England, he’d lived among them as a slave. So he knew the Irish and their ways. But bringing the gospel to such a people was dangerous. The only ones who could safely travel the lands between the Irish kingdoms were druids, poets, bards, and the nobility. And no doubt the latter traveled with an armed escort. Between the kingdoms roamed bandits. So when Patrick appeared before the clan leaders speaking of a new God, he risked capture, slavery, and even death.

His Enemies—The Druids and Some Princes

One of his enemies was the druid class. When they heard Patrick’s message of the one God, they knew instantly this Christian religion brought trouble. Weren’t the spirits of the druids in the forests, rivers, lakes, and streams? Did they not exist in their mythical ancestors with names like the Fir Bolg and the Tuatha Dé Danann? And they were not also in the gods Danu, the earth mother, Manannán mac Lir, god of the sea and the Otherworld, and in Lugh, god of many things? Their gods were fickle, dark, and ever demanding. Patrick’s one God—and a God who loved!—threatened all this. More than once they tried to poison him.

Another enemy, at times, was the nobility of the regions. To a region mired in ancient tradition, Patrick brought change, and change was always threatening. Once, the princes of a region even beat him.

Yet he walked into this danger without hesitation. He preached his message of salvation for all with bravery and courage. And for this most of the Irish gave him admiration and an audience.

A Warrior of a Different Kind

For wasn’t it courage that upheld the warrior when he went into battle against his foe? When the raiders came, trying to steal cattle, grain, or women, the Irish went out to meet them with swords and spears held high and a battle cry on their lips. To go into battle was to admit that you might, at any moment, go into the next life. A fierce warrior, unafraid of death, was a feared and respected combatant. Thus was Patrick. He was a warrior of a different kind, fighting a spiritual, not an earthly enemy. And for this, the Irish greatly respected him.

Mark is the author of The Bonfires of Beltane, a novel of Christian historical fiction set in ancient, Celetic Ireland at the time of St. Patrick. To learn more about his book, click on the link.

May 28, 2017/by Mark E. Fisher

Archive for category: medieval era