Can anyone guess where I’m going? I just got my super-duper, brand spanking new #Bloggersbash tee-shirt, and I’m so excited, because the moment I put it on, it suddenly felt REAL! The Bloggers Bash is really happening, people, and it’s less than two and a half months away. It’s already nearly a year since the […]

Shape-shifting, transformation, reincarnation, head-cults, ancient ritual magic, you’re seen it all on this blog so far. It’s pretty far-fetched stuff, even for a fantasy writer who OD’s on caffeine and prosecco late into the night just to bring you these stories, right? Death by cheese, anyone? Brain-ball, a new line in deadly weaponry, perhaps? I’m […]

Some people say that the internet community is not really composed of actual friends. I always felt that wasn’t true, and now, after yesterday’s experience, I know it. I’ll admit I was fragile yesterday. I know if I had reached out into my physical locality, I would have found love and support from my ‘real’ […]

It’s 630 in the morning, and outside, the sky is dark, but not so black as my mood. Carys is on her way to the children’s hospital in Dublin, and I’m sitting here, chain-drinking coffee while my heart breaks. It’s only dental work, but it’s never ‘only’ something for children like Carys. There’s no way […]

There has been much debate over whether the Celts practised a Cult of Heads. Even now, experts are divided over the issue. It’s easy to jump to conclusions; a severed head depicted in Celtic artwork does not a macabre ritual make. Such ‘evidence’ must be interpreted and so conclusions are arrived at through speculation. However, […]

An oldie I wrote a long, long time ago, before computers, mobile phones and x-boxes. That’s right, kids, these innovations came into being within my life-time. Hard to imagine, right? Happy Easter to all! When I was seven years old, I was sent to spend Easter with my granny in the country. I loved Easter […]

Originally posted on Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life:
It is Easter and no doubt there will be chocolate!  Oh yes!.  I am not fully present here on the blog at the moment as I am busy filling boxes with items I cannot part with and charity bags with things I hope will…

I am delighted to welcome back my old blogging friend and author Craig Boyack! Craig has just released his latest book, The Playground, and you can read an extract right here. So without further ado, let’s all go and have some fun at The Playground… the blurb The hottest toys of the Christmas Season are the […]

I’ve long felt that our ancient Irish ancestors were far more advanced and civilised than we give them credit for. Not simply because of the amazing engineering which went onto the construction of the stone structures they left behind in the landscape, but through all that I have learned about their beliefs and way of […]

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! When I moved to Ireland, I was surprised at how low key the celebrations over here are. Whilst many towns and villages hold a parade of sorts, generally composed of a few floats and tractors, with a bit of face-painting and waving of flags for the kids, Paddy’s Day seems more […]

This is the first time I have taken part in Hugh’s Photo Challenge, but as soon as I read his post on this week’s challenge, this image popped into my head. Lough Ramor is a huge lake just five minutes drive from where I live. I used to go there often for a walk with […]

There’s some pretty freaky weird stuff that goes on in Irish mythology. Like the Tuatha de Danann arriving in Ireland from the sky on black storm clouds; like Nuada’s silver arm, possibly the world’s first ever bionic arm; like the Sword of Light, and Lugh’s spear which is so desperate to kill of its own […]

“What d’you think?” asked Geoffle, turning away from the mirror. “Purple or pink?” The Black Witch eyed his rainbow beard, reaching for her tinted flying goggles. “Jesus, Geoffle, purple is good, but neon dayglow is so 1980s.” Geoffle grinned. “I know. Best decade of my life.” Sacha sniffed. “I wasn’t even born then.” She brushed […]

Originally posted on Myths of the Mirror:
Click here for Amazon If you’ve read my bio, you know that it was Tolkien’s fantasy worlds that awakened my love of reading. It doesn’t surprise me that fantasy taps out on my laptop or lines my bookshelves. Now, with a grandson, I’m eager for him to experience…

Last year, I wrote a piece for Irish Central based on equality of women in Irish mythology. Those of you who enjoyed ‘Warrior Women’ may find this interesting… Queen Medb of Connacht is arguably the most famous female character in Irish mythology. Her story is told in the Cattle Raid of Cooley, or Táin Bó […]

Irish mythology is riddled with powerful women, yet they are quite an enigma. On the one hand, we have feisty Queens like Medb, fearsome Goddesses like the Morrigan, gifted healers like Airmid, female smiths like Brigid, respected Druidesses like Bodhmall,  and knowledgeable lawgivers like  Brigid Brethach. On the other, we have the helpless heroines such […]

Originally posted on Roaringwater Journal:
There’s this brilliant young man, JG O’Donoghue, who combines the best qualities of researcher and sketch artist to produce outstanding illustrations, especially of heritage subjects. I’ve been a fan of his on Facebook for a while, but recently I saw the full extent of his talent. Kilcrea Castle, Co Cork You…

In my research of all things Fianna, I have come across numerous references to the mysterious war-cry of the Fenian war band as the Dord Fiann. Don’t get me wrong; undoubtedly the Fianna did have their own unique battle chant as they charged into the fight. But a Dord is an ancient Irish war horn, very […]

There really is a sword in the stone, but it’s not Arthur’s Excalibur, or Caliburn, as it’s sometimes known. This weapon once belonged to a ruthless and violent Italian warrior of the C12th called Galgano. The story goes that he repented his vicious ways after receiving two visions of the Archangel Michael. In one version, […]

So I read this book last week. It’s called Abomination and its written by author and blogger Jane Dougherty. Now, before I go any further, you need to know something; we may never have met in the flesh, but Jane and I are friends. Gasp! I know, how can that be? Even worse, we actually […]

Originally posted on The Look of Kells:
A resumption of a popular two day Medieval Weekend from over a decade ago, the new Battle of Kells: Medieval Fayre event on the 20th & 21st August 2016 travels through time to when the Wall of Kells still stood. With a battle re-enactment, live jousting, music, dance,…

I don’t know about you, but even as a child, I was always fascinated by the way our ancestors from our distant past may have conducted the minutiae of every day life. What they ate, how they slept, how children played, how they cooked, what their homes looked like, and so on; these were the […]

Today on the Friday Fiction, I am lucky enough to have not one but TWO authors to present to you, PS Bartlett and Ronovan Hester, who have co-authored their first book together, Amber Wake Gabriel Falling. Here are the excerpts they have chosen from their book… enjoy! PS Bartlett’s Excerpt Selection A walk home seemed […]

“Love wasn’t like it was portrayed in the movies; I understood that now. It wasn’t an ethereal cloud of hearts and flowers and happy-ever-afters. It was a solid gritty living lump with sharp edges plunging around in my chest, a spiky ball of complex conflicting emotions all rolled into one indistinguishable, exquisite messy mass which […]

In ancient Ireland, our ancestors found significance and meaning in everything, not just people and animals but in such things as the seasons, the wind, dreams, and so on. It’s hardly surprising, then, that certain numbers took on sacred meaning too. Probably the first which comes to mind is the number 3; you don’t have […]