This is the Gentlidecht na gCuanaigh ritual for Lá Fhéile Oirbsen, usually held around June 29th but this year held June 12th by Five Rivers Protogrove, ADF.
Lá Fhéile Oirbsen
(La ayla Oribsheen)
Gathering
A bell is tolled three times calling the folk to the nemeton.
GO/SD/GP – The tribe is called together for Lá Fhéile Oirbsen (lay ayla ribsheen.) Let us gather at the center.
Inviting the Patron:
GO/SD/GP – Manannan Mac Lir old and deep we invite you to join us this day as our tribe gathers to celebrate Lá Lúnasa (Law Loonuhsuh.) We offer you libations after your journey.
GO/SD/GP: makes an offering and says: Manannan Mac Lir, accepting this offering.
All: Manannan Mac Lir, accepting this offering.
Honoring the Local Land Goddesses
DRUID: We honor the Five Rivers, the goddesses of the land; Potomac, Patapsco, Susquehanna, Gunpowder, and Patuxent. Givers of life that flow from the mountains and form estuaries of the Chesapeake.
We honor you and make this offering to you in gratitude for your waters that nourish this land.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
All: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
Host Offering
GO/SD/GP: We now make an offering to Odin. The All-Father, lord of this hearth and land. We are gracious for the hospitality shown to us and return a gift with a gift.
GO/SD/GP: makes an offering and says: Odin, accepting this gift.
All: Odin accept this gift.
Statement of Purpose
DRUID:
At Saint John’s Eve, near Midsummer on the Isle of Man, the people paid rent to Manannán mac Lir, the first king of the island. The Manx Traditional Ballad says:
“If you would listen to my tale
And if you thought the narrative pleasant
As best I can with my mouth
I shall speak to you of the blessed Isle
Who was the first man who possessed it
And how came it to him
How Patrick sent the first Christian
And how it came to Stanley
Young Manannán, son of Lir
That was the first man who possessed it
As far as I can see
He was nothing but a heathen
Not with his sword did he defend it
Nor with his arrows nor his shield
But when he saw ships a-sailing
He would hide it round about with mist
Some would go, bearing their rushes
Up to the summit of the great mountain Barrule
Others used to leave their rushes below
With Manannán upon Keamool
Until Patrick came among them,
Who was a mighty man filled with magic art,
He drove Manannán into the sea
With his evil company, unjustly”
The ballad was written by Christians, yet Patrick is described as driving out Manannán unjustly. To this day Manannán’s name is regarded with reverence on the Isle. Rent for the Isle of Man was paid to him in rushes, though the word may also translate as flags or wild irises. Some went to the top of Barrule, Inis Man’s holy mountain. Others paid their rent at the seashore.
Though we do not live on the Isle of Man, Manannán is for us the keeper of the gates between the worlds, the lord of mists who allows us passage in our journeys through the Otherworlds, and teacher and guide for our tribe. And so it is at this time that we pay for our passage by giving honor and offerings to Manannán mac Lir. We bring him food and drink, and we bring him yellow flowers to symbolize gold and jewels for his pleasure.
Opening Prayer
All:
Bless those minding cattle,
And those minding sheep,
And those fishing the sea
May the rains sweep gentle across the fields,
May the sun warm the land,
May every good seed planted bear fruit,
And late summer find us among fields of plenty.
Centering Meditation
A guide is selected to lead this guided meditation. Going through it with a calm voice and steady voice.
Guide: Close your eyes clear your mind and focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out slowly visualizing the spiral of the cosmos around you.
Guide: We are at the center of An Thríbhís Mhór. ah-heeveesh-vohr
Guide: Inhale and as you exhale visualize your feet firmly planted on the earth.
Guide: We stand firmly upon the Sacred Land.
Guide: Inhale again and as you exhale imagine you are surrounded by the great calm ocean.
Guide: The Eternal Sea always surrounds us.
Guide: Inhale and exhale seeing the great blue expanse above you.
Guide: The Endless Sky spreads itself above us.
Guide: Inhale while visualizing the great spiral around you, with you at its center.
Guide: We are at the center of An Thríbhís Mhór. . ah-heeveesh-vohr
Guide: And breath, open your eyes when ready.
Honoring the Local Land Goddesses
DRUID: We honor the Five Rivers, the goddesses of the land; Potomac, Patapsco, Susquehanna, Gunpowder, and Patuxent. Givers of life that flow from the mountains and form estuaries of the Chesapeake.
We honor you and make this offering to you in gratitude for your waters that nourish this land.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
All: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
Establishing the Sacred Grove
Sacred Hearth Fire
DRUID:
I make sacred the fire,
The first fire born of lightning
from which all fires are lit.
The hearth fire which warms our homes
and binds our people.
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID : puts butter on the fire, then says:
I light the sacred fire of inspiration. Sacred fire, burn within us.
All: Sacred fire, burn within us.
Well of Segais
DRUID says:
I make sacred the well,
From which the five rivers flow,
Salmon swimming, hazels hanging high.
Bubbling brightly Segais, source of wisdom,
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID: dips the apple branch into the well then says:
In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters, flow within us.
All: Sacred waters, flow within us.
World Tree
DRUID says:
I make sacred the branch/tree,
Towering high, hanging heavy with hazel,
Spanning and connecting the Three Realms,
The mighty bile of the grove,
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID: dresses (takes water from well and pours it or rubs it on the tree) the bile, then says:
From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred tree, grow within us.
All: Sacred tree, grow within us.
DRUID: raises arms
DRUID: With the Flame of the Hearth, the Well of Knowledge, and the Sacred Bile the grove is erected and hallowed.
All: Hallowed is the Grove.
Parting the Mists
DRUID: prepares an offering for the gatekeeper and says:
DRUID: says: We honor Donn, the first Ancestor of Ireland and Lord of the Dead we ask that you part the mists and allow the ancestors to travel from
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Donn, accept our offerings and gratitude as you part the mists.
DRUID: Let the mists be parted!!
ALL: Let the mists be parted.
Inviting the Gods and Ungods
An Sinsear (en shen-shoor)
DRUID: Mighty dead, you who have come before,
Ancestors of our blood, Heros of our people
We offer you this gift with love and loyalty and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Ancestors, accept this offering.
All: Ancestors, accept this offering.
Aos Sí (ees-shee)
DRUID: Great nature spirits, you who frolic in the wild world,
Spirits of this place,
We offer you this gift in friendship and invite you to witness this rite.
Spirits of family and the people that came to this land from faraway lands.
We offer you this gift in friendship and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Aos Sí (ees-shee), accept this offering.
All: Aos Sí (ees-shee), accept this offering.
Gods of the Tribe
DRUID: Great gods, you who are mightiest in all things,
Deities of our faith,
We offer you this gift with reverence and honor and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Gods and goddesses accept this offering.
All: Gods and goddesses accept this offering.
Key Offering
DRUID: Manannán mac Lir, Lord of Mists, Lord of the Sea and of Change,
Rider of Aonbharr the Splendid-Maned, hear us.
Shapeshifter, holy trickster,
Keeper of the Gates between worlds, hear us.
Manannán mac Lir, Lord of Wisdom
Father of Mongán, armorer of Lugh,
Keeper of the Crane Bag of Wisdom and Secrets, hear us!
Patron of our grove, protector of our tribe.
Guardian of wisdom and knowledge, hear us.
Manannán mac Lir, King of the Land of Women.
Husband of Fand, lover of Aine,
Keeper of the Cloak of Mists that drowns all sorrow, hear us.
Husband, lover,
Guardian and beloved of women, hear us.
Oh, Manannan we make these offerings in gratitude for the wisdom and guidance you provide.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Manannan mac Lir, accept our offerings and gratitude as you part the mists. (mah-nuh-nahn’ mak leer)
ALL: Hail Manannán.
The Augury
Seer: Ritually washes their hands then forms the left hand into a tube, blows through the tube then says:
I am going within
To the doorstep of the sí
in the name of Finn
Stronger in sight then all.
The augury made by Finn to his men,
That Bride blew her palm,
Message of truth without a message of falsehood
That I myself shall see
The semblance, joyous and mild
Of all that is hidden to me
Good spirits and gods of my people,
Give me the sight to see all I need,
With vision that shall never fail, before me,
That shall never quench nor dim.
Tell me what I need.
Seer: then takes the omen, interprets it, and records it.
Receiving the blessings of the Gods and Ungods
DRUID: raises the blessing plate/cup high and says:
Tuatha de Danaan (tooah-de-danyan), Aos Sí , (ees she) and An Sinsear (en shen-shoor), we have praised you and made offerings and now a gift calls for a gift. We pray to you and ask that you give us your blessings. Make sacred these apples and infuse them with your vitality, strength and inspiration.
Lo, the blessings of the Gods and Ungods are upon us.
All: Lo, the blessings of the Gods and Ungods are upon us.
DRUID: Slices and eats the blessed apple and passes it around.
Thanking the Gods and Ungods and Closing the Mists
DRUID: We have given gifts to the gods and ungods and received gifts in return. Take these blessings into the world and use these them to live fruitfully and with honor. At this time we have come to the closing of this ritual and will give thanks to those who have come to aid us.
DRUID: Tuatha de Danaan, gods of our tribe, we thank you for your presence and blessings.
DRUID: Blessed ancestors, are honored by your attendance and welcome you to our table as honored guests and wish you well if you depart.
DRUID: Tuatha de Danaan (tooah-de-danyan), gods of our tribe, we thank you for your presence and blessings.
DRUID: Aos Sí (ees-shee), these are your lands and here you shall remain. We thank you for attending and accepting our offerings of peace and respect.
DRUID: Don, we thank you for your attendance and ask that you watch over our ancestors as they travel back through the veil.
DRUID: Let the mists return and the veil be whole.
All: Let the mists return and the veil be whole.
DRUID: Mighty Rivers, these are your lands and here you shall remain. We thank you for attending and accepting our offerings of peace and respect.
DRUID: Oribsen (Oribsheen) today we celebrated you and gave you praise and offerings. We thank you for your attendance and parting the mists. We ask that you allow the mists to fall as our ancestors pass back into your realm.
Taking down the Sacred Grove
DRUID: And now the Sacred Grove must be taken down. We honor the Hearth Fire and restore it to flame. We honor the Well of Segais and restore it to water. We honor the bile and restore it to branch. All is as it was and the Sacred Grove is dismantled. The ritual is ended.
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
All: Biodh Se! (bee-shay)