St Michael’s Day in the Scottish Highlands
St Michael Vanquishing Satan Since St Michael’s Day is coming soon, 29 September, I thought it might be appropriate to write something about his feast day. Saint Michael the Archangel…
Bloodfeud in Scotland
Blood Blood had a strong visual impact in ‘a society where symbol and ritual were important means of communication’. In 1593 some poor women from Nithsdale travelled up to Edinburgh…
Altram: Fosterage Kept the Clans Strong
Fosterage in Scotland and Ireland was the most important form of artificial kinship meant to keep a lineage alive. The child of a greater man was fostered by a lesser man…
Bealltainn (Beltane)- May Day Festival
Beltane the Modern Festival Most people know about Beltane from neo-pagans who have borrowed aspects of their ceremony from English festivals such as dancing around the May Pole and the…
Fionn mac Cumhaill & the Fianna
Who was Fionn mac Cumhall? Fionn mac Cumhaill was the legendary leader of the Fianna or warband. In the manuscript tradition Fionn’s father was called Cumhall. However, in the oral tradition of…
