Tara Index

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Optional Additions to the Ritual

This page is a compilation of traditional material from
ancient Irish Manuscripts. It has been somewhat edited down, amended
and slightly altered by the authors of this ritual,

Kathryn Price NicDhàna and Raven nic Rhóisín

Call to Tara Optional Extension: Metrical Dindshenchas, Titles of Tara

(This part can be done in place of the shorter call to Tara. If it feels too wordy for that section of the ritual, but you still want to include it, it could be added in later - either after the poem for Brighid, or around the fire later on.)

And now we address Tara herself, calling her by her many historical names and poetic titles, and introducing ourselves accordingly. This poem is from the Metrical Dindsenchas, a poetic description of the names of places and natural features in Ireland, and may be read in its entirety at http://www.mythicalireland.com/mythology/dindshenchas/volume1.html. While this is being read, focus on reaching out and connecting to Tara, her long and proud history, and her role as the center of Ireland, seat of kings and queens and home of the land.

RL: There was a time when it was a pleasant hazel-wood
in the days of the noble son of Ollcan,
until the tangled wood was cut down
by Liath son of Laigne Lethan-glas.

Thenceforward it was called Druim Leith-
its corn was rich corn-
until there came Cain free from sorrow,
the son of Fiachu Cendfindan.

Thenceforward it was called Druim Cain,
the hill whither chieftains used to go,
until Crofhind the chaste came,
the daughter of all-famous Allod.

Cathair Crofhind ('twas not amiss)
was its name under the Tuatha Dé Danand,
till there came Tea, never unjust,
the wife of Erimon lofty of mien.

Round her house was built a rampart
by Tea daughter of Lugaid;
she was buried beyond the wall without,
so that from her is Temair named.

The Seat of the Kings was its name:
the kingly line of the Milesians reigned in it:
five names accordingly were given it
from the time when it was Fordruim till it was Temair.

Optional Extension: The Settling of the Manor of Tara

If the ritual is being performed by a group, people who live in, who hail from (or whose ancestors hail from) one of the provinces can represent that province and read that section. If you or your ancestors are not from Ireland, a group could assign roles based on professions or callings - a teacher for the west, a warrior for the north, someone who works with money or trade for the east, a musician from the south, and the ritual leader or head of household for the center.

RL: And Ireland, how has it been partitioned, where have things been therein?
Not hard: knowledge in the west, battle in the north, prosperity in the east, music in the south, sovereignty in the center.

pause, face west

RL: Her learning, her foundation, her teaching,
her alliance, her judgement, her chronicles,
her counsels, her stories, her histories,
her science, her comeliness, her eloquence,
her beauty, her modesty, her bounty,
her abundance and her wealth,
- from the western part in the west.

pause to honor the west, face north

RL: Her battles, also, and her contentions,
her hardihood, her rough places, her strifes,
her haughtiness, her pride, her captures,
her assaults, her hardness, her wars and her conflicts,
- from the northern part in the north.

pause to honor the north, face east

RL: Her prosperity then, and her supplies,
her sweet bee-hives, her contests, her feats of arms,
her householders, her nobles, her wonders,
her good custom, her good manners, her splendour,
her abundance, her dignity, her strength,
her wealth, her householding, her many arts,
her accoutrements, her many treasures,
her satin, serge, silks and green spotted cloth,
and her hospitality,
- from the eastern part in the east.

pause to honor the east, face south

RL: Her waterfalls, her fairs, her nobles,
her reavers, her knowledge, her subtlety,
her musicianship, her melody, her minstrelsy,
her wisdom, her honour, her music,
her learning, her teaching, her warriorship,
her fidchell playing, her vehemence, her fierceness,
her poetical art, her advocacy, her modesty,
her code, her retinue, her fertility,
- from the southern part in the south.

pause to honor the south, return to center

RL: Her kings and queens, moreover, her stewards,
her dignity, her primacy, her stability,
her establishments, her supports, her destructions,
her warriorship, her charioteership, her soldiery,
her principality, her high-kingship, her ollaveship,
her mead, her bounty, her ale,
her renown, her great fame, her prosperity,
- from the centre of the land.

Whence are these? Not hard.

From Mide, from Bile, from Bethre,
from Bruiden, from Colba, from Cnodba,
from Cuilliu, from Ailbe, from Asal,
from Usnech, from Sidan, from Slemain,
from Slâine, from Cno, from Cerna,
from Cennandus, from Bri Scâil, from Bri Graigi,
from Bri meic Thaidg, from Bri Foibri, from Bri Din,
from Bri Fremain, from Tara, from Tethbe,
from Temair Broga Niad, from Temair Breg,
the sovereignty of all Ireland from these.¹

RL: We honor the land of Ireland!

All: We honor the land of Ireland!

RL: Her mighty provinces, her seat at Tara. We greet her with the hand of friendship extended to the five provinces. We embrace her sacred center.

RL: We embrace her sacred center!

All: We embrace her sacred center!

1. The above text is from the Irish "The Settling of the Manor of Tara". It has been trimmed down for ease of flow, but other than that few changes have been made. You can view the full original text at http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/tara.html

This page is a compilation of traditional material from ancient Irish Manuscripts. It has been somewhat edited down, amended and slightly altered by the authors of this ritual.
This exact version, arrangement and presentation of the material is
copyright ©October 2007 Kathryn Price NicDhàna and Raven nic Rhóisín.
All worldwide rights reserved.
May be printed out for personal use, but not republished or altered
without the written permission of the authors.
If you wish to publicize this on the internet, do not repost; rather, direct interested parties to

http://paganachd.com/tara/optional.html
Raven nic Rhoisin Kathryn Price NicDhana Kathryn NicDhàna Kathryn NicDhana