Samhain Month (Mi Na Samhna)

Samhain the Celtic harvest and opening of the gates to another world.

Gaston Bussiere, Beatrix Elvery and unknown. Compilation image and photo by Hroðberht.

Some Legends:

Samhain is well known for the exploits of legendary Gaelic hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his Battle on Samhain night against the fire breathing Giant Aillen.  Believed to be symbolic protection against fire.  Samhain was also the second Battle of Mag Tuired in which the Tuatha DE Danaan battle the Fomor for the final time. Traditional Samhain has much to do with Ancestors, spirits, ghosts and the beings of the mounds of shadowy corners. It was a time of celebration, feasting and harvest before the coming of the dark half of the year. Sacred Bonfires would be lit across the land and Druidic prophecy foretold. 

The hero Nera is said to have embarked upon a journey into the non corporeal world where he encountered Faries and the Undead. One Samhain night The Warriors of Cruachan were feasting and their King Aillil dared any man to put a wicker band around a corpses ankle that had been hung. Samhain is a night when the dead walk.  Nera A warrior of Connacht was the only one brave enough to accept the challenge. As he placed the band upon the corpse it moved and asked him to give it water, Nera allowed the undead being to climb on his back and carried it to a house. The first house was in flames, the second flooded with water but the third they could enter. The corpse drank 3 cups of water, spitting the third out killing those in the house. Nera returned the corpse to the gallows only to find the hall in flames with all inside decapitated. He saw a host riding back into the Cruachan and followed them into the otherworld. Once in the mound he met one of the female Sidhe (She) who told him that it was not real but a vision of the next Samhain night if the warriors of Medb and Aillil did not destroy the Cruachan and defeat the army of the Sidhe. Nera returned to tell Queen Medb and Aillil of what he had heard and seen only to find no time had passed since he left on his quest.  Nera warned the people of Cruachan before escaping with the woman Sidhe.  Medb, Aillil and Fergus Mac Roich then went to destroy the Hill of  Cruachan.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain

https://www.newgrange.com/samhain.htm

Hroðberht-

October 19, 2020 | Categories: Ancient Northern Europe, Axe Culture, Celtic culture, Early Celts, European Culture, North Sea Coast | Tags: britain, Celt, celtic, Celtic Paganism, Celtos, celts, Gaul, Halloween, Indo European, ireland, irish american, Keltoi, Mi Na Samhna, paganism, Samhain, Sowen | Leave a comment