Talks

Mythical Avalon and the magical, very busy town of Glastonbury are the subject of this talk which includes present day pictures and travel tips as well as explores its history and legends. References to the Grail Legend, excerpts from Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon as well as updates on its annual festivals will be included.

Bridget, Brigid or Brede are variations of the name given both the Celtic goddess and the Saint. Bridget of Kildare is both a fifth century abbess and the subject of many legends and stories. The Celtic festival of Imbolc and the Christian celebration of Candlemas honor her spirit. Often called the Mary of Gael, legend places her at the birth of Jesus, acting as midwife. This presentation includes story, poetry, art and music that she inspired.

Almost everyone has heard of Stonehenge, but fewer know about Newgrange in Ireland. The first monument is aligned to celebrate the summer solstice; the latter is aligned to mark winter solstice. Maeshowe in the Orkneys and West Kennet Long Barrow near Avebury are similar chambered cairns, remarkably like Newgrange but on a smaller scale. While often referred to as passage tombs, the extensive archaeological discoveries within Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange, Dowth and Knowth) suggest these ancient sites were much more sophisticated than early historians realized.

Jeanne will share pictures and describe these sites and what we know of their origins.

The mystery and wonder of ancient stone circles, the mysticism of abbey ruins, the liminal thin places of Celtic lands all contribute to a certain palpable Celtic wisdom. It seems to come with a connection to the land, to the elements, to the rhythms of nature. Sages, poets, and storytellers; Druid bards, Grail legends, tales of The Little People; lasting symbols, and rituals and celebrations all contribute to capturing its essence. Thankfully, the wit and wisdom were recaptured by the Celtic Revival movement and are now expressed by modern day writers such as John O’Donahue and poet Seamus Heaney.

Join me in a walk through Celt lands and times as I share my pictures and experiences, interspersed with their sage words.

Sweet Molly Malone ‘s statue and the gates of the Guinness Brewery may be Dublin’s most visited sites, but this talk will take you to many lesser-known places. Pictures of statues and homes of famous writers, leaders and artists will be interwoven with pictures and excerpts from Joyce’s Ulysses to Maeve Binchy’s Tara Road.

Mary Black’s rendition of the song “Living on Your Western Shore” is the inspiration for this compilation of photographs and commentary on Ireland’s most beautiful and inspirational coastline, now called the Wild Atlantic Way. Excerpts from the works of a wide array of writers and poets will be shared as we see the places that inspired their works such as the Flaggy Shore of Seamus Heaney’s “Postscripts”.

Everyone recognizes a number of Irish symbols, but few know their origins and meanings. This presentation will illustrate the different kinds of Celtic knots, explore Celtic animal art as well as tell the stories of Brigid’s Cross, the Celtic High Cross and, of course, the shamrock and triskele.

The Irish call them the thin places-those mystical places where the veil between worlds is particularly thin. Jeanne is drawn to these places in Ireland and throughout the Celtic nations. Her book Celtic Spirit A Wee Journey to the Heart of It All, tells the stories of Americans on a bus tour to sacred wells, ancient abbeys, megalithic sites, and the impact these places have on their lives. The presentation will show illustrate many of these sites through picture and verse and readings from her books.

St. Patrick’s Day parades in the New York City helped Irish-American immigrants celebrate their home. Eventually, parades grew to be tradition around the world, enjoyed by those with Irish roots as well as others. In Ireland, it is Paddy’s Day and both a religious and national holiday. This presentation will connect the celebrations with the life and legend of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland.

Stone circles are megalithic wonders that can be found throughout Celtic lands: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, The Isle of Man, Briton and Brittany. Each as a specific alignment to sun, moon or stars that suggest ancient people had an understanding of what we now call astronomy. Most circles are located in places of natural beauty, where earth, sky and water are present. We can only surmise that rituals were performed here that connected these pre-Celts to their sense of nature and divinity.

Jeanne has a passion for visiting the most obscure as well as the often-photographed circles. She will show slides, speak about her experiences at these sites, and lead a discussion about this aspect of our Celtic past.

In Snapshots of Ireland: Travels to Galway, Jeanne highlights these three magical, mystical islands in Galway Bay that have long been the source of natural beauty and wonder. They are part of the Gaeltacht, areas that are a holdout of the traditional Irish speaking life. In fact, many Irish children come here to learn their native language today. It is said that Yeats advised Synge to move to the Aran Islands for inspiration. He was only one of many.

Called the Holy Isle, Iona is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. It stills draws Celtic pilgrims, seekers and writers on retreat and tourists to its shores and sacred sites. A beautiful cathedral-like chapel and abbey combined with the ruins of an early nunnery are sympatico with Druidic sites, stone circle and goddess rituals performed on the far side of the island. Jeanne will share her impressions of the Ireland, read from Celtic writers, and poets who through the centuries have been inspired by the isle, its history and legends.

Boldly positioned between Ireland and Wales, the Isle of Man is the smallest of the Celtic nations and the smallest of the United Kingdom components. Its unique history, heritage and language (Manx) have survived and are unique. While the beauty of its rolling hills and coastline are a match to its larger neighbors. Stone circles, tombs of Viking chiefs and Fairy bridges mix with modern events like the international TT motorcycle race to make this little gem worth knowing.