Happy Nechtan's day & a little holiday rant

[macnacailli]

On this day the god Necthan was honoured, as a saint, at his holy well

Comments

[northwestpass]

That many Gaelic CR’s refuse to look the crooked quarters shows that a near neurotic unwillingness to endure even the most superficial resemblance to Wicca is more personally important than good scholarship.

Hear, hear!

[macnacailli]

Glad you agree - how about adding your voice to mine in Nemeton-L.
I could use the support.

[hazelbranch]

and the four weeks in March belonging to the Cailleach under four different names.

Can you provide more info on this? :)

[macnacailli]

I can. :)

McNeill. "Silver Bough" Vol. 2, p 21, refers to March 25 as Latha na Cailleach or Auld Wife's Day.

Each week of March, notorious for unpredictable weather, has a name related to the Cailleach. McNeill lists them as the Sweeper, the Whistler, the Sharp-billed One, and A Chailleach.

However, John Campbell "Witchcraft and Second Sight in the Highlands", p 250-251, though also linking March with the Cailleach, lists the weeks as Feadag (the Whistle), Gobag (the Sharp-billed One), Sguabag (the Sweeper), and lastly Gearran (the Gelding or Complaint).

Interestingly, D.A. Mackenzie "Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend" p. 43-45, associates these name with the Cailleach, not as weeks but rather the actual winds she sends in March (same order as Campbell) using them in combat against Angus after he rescues Bride from her.

It's all pretty cool stuff. :)

[eumelosdrizzle]

This sort of thing you are most welcome to post on my new group - thats one of the reasons I put that attempt at a colander out there, so we could fiddle with it and add as much as we could. Then maybe I could do the 3 columned thing alfrect proposed.

[macnacailli]

Do you want me to cross post it?

[eumelosdrizzle]

Thats up to you... but feel free to post stuff that you feel is relevant to the group. :)