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An Exploration Of Death In The Gaelic Paradigm of the Classical Age v.1.4 by Iain Mac an tSaoir From before the time of Homosapien Sapien (us), hominids, as sentient creatures have asked pertinent questions and most times have come up with answers. Some of these questions and their answers are the matter of religion. There are things that religions provide for those who follow their tenets. These things are answers to questions. Where did I come from? What is the purpose of life? Where do I fit in the great scheme of things? What comes after death? These are but a few of the things that religions supply the answers to. Evidence says that from before the coming of Neanderthal types, hominids have had some sort of spiritual beliefs. The evidence of methodology, whether in the form of simple burial goods to the use of red ochre, shows religious ritual and hence some form of spirituality. Our Gaelic ancestors of the Classical Age, had very rich and well defined ideas about the hereafter. The purpose of this article is to explore the evidence and to establish what we can piece together of the ideas that our Classical Age ancestors held of the hereafter. In my opinion this is probably one of the most important studies on the website, as many of us follow the religious beliefs of the Classical Age Gael. I was prompted to do this exploration, as well as write this article, by a recent cardiac incident. There is nothing quite like beholding one's own demise to get them thinking about this topic. It was, therefore, investigated for my own edification so that I would know what shall be the terrain in which I will find myself deployed, after my heart stops beating. I am now prepared to share the fruits of this research. This is not a topic that can be directly jumped into. There must be a foundation laid first. To accomplish this I will be exploring the various threads concerning death, OtherWorld, and rebirth. Only at the conclusion will I portray any sequence of events. Mor Rioghain - The Phantom Queen: We have, in other articles, spoken of Macha, the Plain. She is of course the Goddess of Sovereignty of Ulster. Another of the Great Goddesses, one who incidentally, is related to Macha through Nuadh, is the Morrigan. She is variously known as the Morrigan, the Morrigu, Mor Rioghain, and others. The proper spelling is, as given by Dr. Daithi OhOgain, 'Mor Rioghain'. While this directly translates to 'Great Queen', OhOgain points out that this is not an accurate translation. He also states that the term more likely meant 'Phantom-Queen', which agrees with the findings of other scholars (1). Besides being the Phantom-Queen, she has also been given the title of 'lamia', a Latin word denoting a vampire that takes children (2). There is substantial evidence to establish the Mor Rioghain as having been a Goddess of Sovereignty (Land Goddess) at one time. The lore, however, tells of Her taking on the ways of blood lust as a result of the death of Her son. She was thereafter cast into the position of a Goddess of War associated with Badb (Rage) and Nemain (Frenzy).(3) The Mor Rioghain, shows up in the lore as a crow (4). Crow is another meaning of the word Badh (bav) and of particular significance is Her title 'an badb catha' or 'Battle Crow'(5). The crow is a harbinger of death (6). In popular tradition, the Mor Rioghain is associated with the Banshee through the type of crow being depicted with the word Badh (7). The Banshee is a woman of the Sidhe, connected to families, whose keening portends a death (8). These are two different types of crows, but both are associated with the Mor Rioghain. Metaphorically speaking, one is a Crow of Battle that feeds on the fallen; the other is the announcer of impending death (9). Both are found at the scenes of battles in the lore. According to the lore, those who sought Her out had to engage in sexual relations with Her. In fact, Her appetites for sex and violence has had Her portrayed as a Celtic Kali (10). In one piece of lore She is described as being colored red, while in some places She is described as having silver hair. She fills a place in the Gaelic pantheon that is similar in many respects to positions in other Northern European cultures. Two examples are the Germanic Indisi and Valkyries, though in many ways She also appears very similar to Freya. In each of these there is the use of magic in casting fetters on warriors, and it is their domain to choose who will die (11). Of particular interest are examples of Her choosing who would die. The Rees brothers showed how during the Second Battle of Moytirra, the Mor Rioghain "said she would go and destroy Indech son of De Domnann. The lore states that she did 'deprive him of the blood of his heart and the kidneys of his valor', and she gave two handfuls of that blood to the hosts. When Indech later appeared in the battle, he was already doomed."(12) The Mor Rioghain is well known in lore, in Her guise as the 'Washer at the Ford'. As this apparition, the soon to die sees Her washing their bloody clothes. It was as the 'Washer at the Ford' that the Mor Rioghain made one of Her appearances to CuChullain, this being the point at which She informed him that she would be working against him. The Mor Rioghain is one of the few Goddesses of the Gaelic pantheon who also appears in the pantheons of other Celtic cultures (13). In Brythonic lore, as typified by Her interaction with Arthur, as Morgan Le Fey, as well as in Gaelic lore, She is shown to be malicious. This at least until after Arthur's death, when She appears as one of the Queens who bears him away to Avalon. It is perhaps a similar situation that occurs when Bran first meets the OtherWorld woman and received the gift of the silver branch from Her (14). This type of gift is, in the lore, a necessary passport from the Queen of the OtherWorld for mortals who have not yet reached their appointed time of death to journey to the land of the dead (15). When Bran and his troop approach the 'Isle of Women' it is the Queen who draws them into Her realm with a magical clew. Throughout we see the Mor Rioghain or Phantom-Queen as the one who chooses who will die or otherwise make the journey to the Land of the Dead. She is then the Great Queen of the Dead. Donn, The Lord of the Dead: Donn, whose very name means 'dusky one, dark one' (16) is the Lord of the Dead in the Gaelic pantheon (17). He should not be confused with the Don of Welsh myth, who is the counterpart of Danu in Gaelic mythology. The abode of Donn is called Tech Duinn, which literally means "the House of Donn" (18). It is at the House of Donn where the spirits of the dead assemble before departing to OtherWorld (19). According to the 9th century poet Mae/l Muru of Othan, Tech Duinn is the assembly place of the dead. According to Mae/l Muru, Donn Himself proclaimed: "A Stone cairn was raised across the broad sea for his people, This would seem to be all that would be necessary for an introduction to Donn, however, I would be remiss if I were to leave things here. The Roman ideas about Dispater being the father of the Celts, as well as the propensity for many in modern 'Celtic' studies to affix everything into the Hindu patterns, dictates a further treatment of Donn. This is because the Gaelic and other reflexes of the basic Indo-European mythos diverged radically from the typical (21). The following shall not simply be a matter of histrionics, but shall serve to establish traits in the Gaelic worldview that are not understood otherwise. The typical expression of the basic mythos of the Indo-Europeans is found in the Vedic materials of the Hindu and is fleshed out by comparison with Iranian mythology (22). In this mythos, there are twins. One is a priest, 'Mano', and the other is assigned the title of 'Yama' (King), by which he is known, and which signifies his status before and after his death. The death of Yama comes at the hands of his brother Manu in an act of sacrifice, which Yama accepted freely. It is this sacrifice, through the dismemberment of Yama that established the cosmos (23). Yama did not however, end his career there, but went himself to establish the Land of the Dead, and become King their (as implied by his name). This brings us to the Gaelic materials. When the Milesians came to invade Ireland, amongst the sons of Mil was his chief son, Donn, a king, as well as Amairgen the poet (24). At their first attempt to make landfall they were repulsed by the magic of the Tuatha De Danann. At the second attempt, Donn climbed to the top of the mast of His ship. From there he espied Eriu, just before taking the full force of another of the magical blasts conjured by the Tuatha De Danann (25). He fell dead into the sea. Afterward, it was proclaimed by Amairgen, that the spot where Donn fell into the sea would thereafter be the place where the children of Mil would go when they died (26). Presumably it was later when Donn Himself made the proclamation quoted by Mae/l Muru. Though the creation of the cosmos aspects are missing, in this telling we see the King who certainly became the Lord of the Dead willingly giving himself up. Donn was a veritable sacrifice enacted by His own doing and not through his life being taken by another (Amairgen). We also see Donn as an ancestor deity, the head of the family so to speak, of the Milesians, hence a Dispater-like deity. We also see the place where the dead would go being pointed out. The implications are in this story, that the realm of Donn is underwater. This would denote the House of Donn as "the land beneath the waves" and other euphemisms for OtherWorld. These lands or cities beneath the waves, where lives the spirits of the departed, are known throughout Celtic lands (27). This would seem to cause there to be a question about the very physical island that lies to the Southwest of Ireland that was called Tech Duinn (now called Bull Rock). This need not cause a question because there are still extant vestiges of Donn's veneration and these establish three sites for Tech Duinn. One of these is where Donn fell into the sea (Bull Rock), and the others are Cnoc Fi/rinne, a hill in Co Limerick, and the great sanddunes at Dunbeg on the western coast of Ireland (28). While the Bull Rock site is also in some places referred to as a cairn, so does the hill at Cnoc Fi/rinne fit the bill as a Si. This is because folklore states that people were brought to the hill to "be with Donn" when they died, as a the entrance to Donn's palace was believed to have been through a cavity near the summit of the hill (29). This is fully in keeping with the general belief, as reported by Squires, that the cairns and Si (mounds) were portals to OtherWorld (30). This would seem to be all that would be necessary in the recounting. However, there is another old tale that gives more information on the beliefs surrounding Donn. This is in the well known cattle raid portrayed in Ta/in Bo/ Cuailnge. Both Dr. Lincoln and Dr. OhOgain state that the battle between the Brown Bull (Donn) and the White Bull (Findbennach or Find) is another myth in which the ancient IE mythos is being played out (31). The finale of this tale is when Donn (the Brown Bull) shreds the White Bull (Find), and creates or recreates the Irish landscape. As Lincoln points out there is a shift here from the basic IE mythos, in that the King becomes the sacrificer (32). Lincoln explains the shift this way: "Such a transformation may be understood, I believe, if we perceive the way in which the Irish reinterpreted the P-I-E cosmogonic materials they inherited. Thus it is crucial to see that what was originally a myth of creation through sacrifice became for them a myth of creation through combat. Within the context of sacrifice, the figure who stands out as most admirable is the victim - he who permits the ritual to be enacted upon his body for the sake of the world that comes into being as a result. Within the context of combat, however, the vanquished attains no such eminence, and it is the victor alone whose stature is noble. If one is to be elevated after death, it must be the conqueror, not the conquered, and the myth is adjusted accordingly. Thus we are told that Donn died shortly after the Findbennach Ai/, suffering a broken heart and giving his body to create the Irish landscape. Donn thus comes to play the role of *Yemo as well as of *Manu. With regard to P-I-E myth, he occupies the position of sacrificer and sacrificed alike, while within the Irish myth he is only the victor. Insofar as he assumes *Yemo's role, however, and insofar as he is infinitely more admirable than the fallen Findbennach Ai/, it is he who becomes the lord of the dead." (33) Through this we have established that Donn is the Lord of the Dead, that His abode is a Tech Duinn, and that Tech Duinn is the place where the spirits of the dead gather before continuing their journey to Tir na Nog. In addition we have presented Him in the worldview of the Gael, as a victor in combat, as well as sacrificer of self for His people. Hopefully, in addition, the errors of simply inserting piecemeal, Gaelic or other Celtic symbols or deities, into Hindu or other Indo-European patterns, has been demonstrated. The Good and the Bad : There would be those who would argue that there were no set ideas of good and bad in the pagan world of Classical times. However, every society has concepts of right and wrong, and regarding those who willfully do right and wrong, good and bad. The Greek philosophers of the Classical times are fine examples of 'pagan' people who recognized 'good' and 'bad', though these concepts were certainly defined by their culture. It was no different amongst the Gaels. Caesar recounts how amongst the Gallic Celts, the druids would exhort the warriors to fight bravely, with promises of a better life in the world to come secured by their proper valor in this life (34). This is a fully understandable concept amongst a people who held to a heroic morality, where valor as good, was the anti-thesis of cowardice, which is evil. This serves as one example of good versus bad, amongst the Gallic Celts. The ancient Gaels too, were people who held to definite ideas of right and wrong, as expressed in the type of ethic maintained them. This is the 'heroic' morality. Primarily, the 'heroic' morality is typified by Celtic and Norse religions, though other examples exist. 'Heroic' morality is summed up by the Gaelic hero Caoilte as "truth in our hearts, strength in our arms and fulfillment in our tongues" (35). 'Heroic' morality is rooted in concepts of personal honor, which when lost was expressed as the 'losing of face.' One could only regain their face back once they had come back into compliance with the law. This meant not only turning away from lawlessness, but also making restitution for wrongs committed, including extra prices called 'honor prices' (36). The triads of old called for the lawless to come back within the law (37), and called for the lawful to refrain from interacting with the lawless (38). Also according to the triads, someone who was previously lawless coming back to lawful living was held to be amongst the most beautiful of things in the world (39). Those laws which people were bound to established actions that were always right as well as those that were always wrong. Penalties for wrong action were always enforced, though extenuating circumstances would be taken into consideration. These circumstances were however, also set out, and were considered when someone normally lawful inadvertently did a wrong act (40). Right was always right, and wrong was always wrong, and those who chose to live outside of what was right paid a penalty for their choice after death. Scholars are in agreement that many of the ancient ideas regarding death were transferred onto the extent 'fairy faith' of Celtic countries (41). They are also in agreement that the Tuatha De Danann were not originally the gossamer winged Sidhe/Si critters of modern fairy lore, but that they are in fact the Gods (42). Some of these ideas have been extracted from the still extant beliefs in these places. The Tuatha De Danann were not originally connected to the Sidhe at all. The word si/he is old Irish for mound or hill (43). Those who lived there, the Tuatha De Danann, were not the Si/dhe, their appellation was "Aes Sidhe" which means "The People of the Mounds". Each of the Gods had their own sidhe over which they ruled. "Aes Sidhe" is another name, that many feel probably applies to the Gods after they were diminished in the minds of the tribes of man and assigned their various "sidhe" or hills/mounds in Irish legend (44). The Gods are not the spirits of place, which is why Evans-Wentz recorded one man making a distinction between the Shining Ones (Tuatha De Danann) and the fey. There are two general councils, if you will, amongst the spiritual beings of the status of the Gods. In Ireland the Good Folk are called the 'Daoine Si' [theena shee] (45). These are known in Scotland as the Seelie Court and are the good which opposes the evil of the Unseelie Court (46). 'Seelie' means 'blessed' and they are kindly and helpful, and maintain an ethic very much similar to heroic morality of the Celts of the Iron Age (47). The Seelie Court is made up of the Tuatha De Danann. They love to play such games as hurley and horse races, as well as enjoying good fights, battles and wonderful feasts. They are the exact anti-thesis of the Unseelie, who are comprised of the Fomorri, whose cohorts are the 'sluagh' [the Host] (48). The Host are very malevolent towards human kind, their numbers are comprised of the dead who lived evil lives, and these go about terrorizing the living (49). Amongst the 'Gentry' or 'Good people' (other names for those of the Seelie Court), the good dead are often seen (50). Hellhounds; Guardians of the Path to Tech Duinn : Another of the elements of the death experience is the so called 'hellhound.' This is a feature found in most all cultures which have descended from the Proto-Indo-Europeans and the IE themselves. The Celtic cultures are no different (51). There is not just one 'hellhound' but two, one being white and the other black. They are sleepless guardians of the path to the Land of the Dead. In many cultures there was either no name for them. In most cultures, including Germanic, they are described as being ferocious, devouring, and greedy for raw meet. The significance to these adjectives are that they denote a literal hunger. In addition, the words used to name them associate them with wolves, drawn from the horrifying growl they make. Typically the black dog brings death, and the white dog can bring health. Lincoln points out how vital it is to understand that, without the help of the dogs, it is impossible to get to the Land of the Dead. The aid of the hounds is by way of their howls which may be withheld from those who have worked ill. This act of withholding the howl by itself is a virtual condemnation.(52) From Celtic materials we have more than one pair of dogs. From the Brythonic lore we see the Hounds of Anwn. From the Gaelic we have Finn's hounds, who as we shall see fits the typical ancient ideas about the hellhounds. Finn's hounds were named Bran [bran] and Scheolaing [shkeolan] (53). In one Highland tale Finn won these animals from a monster very similar in many regards to Grendel of Germanic lore (54). The name of the first was Bran, which certainly denoted him as being black, while in one Highland version of the tale Scheolaing is referred to as 'the Grey Dog' obviously denoting a whiteness of color (55). Finn's dogs are said to be monstrous and ravenous. Their size was also typical as Bran, the most described of the two, is told to stand as tall as Finn's shoulders (56). Interestingly enough, Bran is said to have retrieved the meals that the Fianna feasted upon (57). In one old Highland version of the tale, Scheolaing is described as being the most dangerous, and only controlled by Finn's gold chain. That element bears a resemblance to the Germanic Garmr who is chained at the entrance of Hel, as well as Fenrir who was bound by Tyr, both wolves who will break free at Ragnarok (58). Concerning wolves and other large black hounds as the takers of people to OtherWorld, all of this helps drive home the value of the five circles of protection that Olc Aaiche placed around Cormac when he was born. They were specifically to protect against wounding, against drowning, against fire, against enchantment and against wolves (59). Katharine Briggs describes the black dog in this way: 'Stories of black dogs are to be found all over the country. They are generally dangerous, but sometimes helpful. As a rule, the black dogs are large and shaggy, about the size of a calf, with fiery eyes. If anyone speaks to them or strikes at them they have the power to blast, like the MUATHE DOOG, the Black Dog of Peel castle in the Isle of Man...'(60) There are a great many customs and bits of lore about these hounds. These range from having a black dog upon which there is found not one white hair, as the first burial in a new cemetery, to the ideas that these hounds cannot enter a smithy. Though it is completely anecdotal, there are a great many witnesses who claim to have seen them, including people who had no previous knowledge about the lore (61). Bruce Lincoln states about them: 'As Schlerath and others have made abundantly clear, the essence of the hellhound is his intermediary position - at the border of this world and the next, between life and death, hope and fear, and also (given its pairing with the dog of life) between good and evil.' Later, Lincoln goes on to say: 'In the last analysis, the hellhound is the moment of death, the great crossing over, the ultimate turning point.'(62) Could it be then, that it is the fear we have of death itself, as personified by the black hound, as such fear is inspired by their howling, deaths reputed sting, that motivates us to proper living, in the hopes of a better place in the hereafter? Food for thought. Certainly we must pass by them on the way to Tech Duinn. Regardless, in several of the Indo-European cultures, there were three means of overcoming the dogs that guarded the path to OtherWorld. Those three ways, were by force, food, and song (63) and it makes one wonder about the old Gaelic custom [also found in other Celtic cultures] of burying a shoulder of pork with the dead (64). Another question to inspire thought, does a guilt-ridden heart sing? Having established that the hounds belong to Fionn MacCumhaill we are forced to explore Fionn a little more. Who was he? To begin this let us start by piecing together is parentage. According to A Dictionary of Creation Myths, by David and Margret Leeming, there is an inferred 'Celtic' creation myth. To establish this *inferred* mythos they examined what is rather pan Indo-European in scope. What they derive is that there was the original pairing, male and female, the sky and earth respectively. The original pair were, according to the inferred myth, so close that there is no room for creation between them. One of the sons separates the original pair by castrating the father. This evil son then goes on to become the god of the underworld. The good children became the gods of the sun and the earth.(65) We know that to the Gael the original pairing was Danu and Bile (66). Bile means "Sacred Tree" and therefore it can be assumed that He would maintain a similar place to Kronos of Greek legend. It is thought that to the Gallish Celts, the sacred tree was emasculated by the cutting of mistletoe. Mistletoe was not indigenous to Ireland, and so a reflex would have had to be built in the Gaelic experience to account for, or replace, the castration aspect of the myth. We do not know what that aspect of the reflex was. However, as stated above, we know that it was Donn who created and became King of the Land of the Dead in the Gaelic reflexes. This act being accomplished after his self sacrifice. As pointed out by Lincoln, and also referenced above, the basic IE mythos maintains that sacred twins were involved in the sacrifice withwhich the cosmos was created. By looking again at the lore regarding the battle between the Brown Bull and the White Bull, we can deduce that the twins were Donn and Find. This is not the only place in the lore where we see a close interaction between these two persons. According to OhOgain, Find is Old Irish, and is the same person known in Middle Irish as Finn and in Modern Irish as Fionn (67). According to OhOgain, Fionn Mac Cumhaill is none other than old Find himself. We know from the lore that Find was a warrior as well as a seer and poet (68). Find is said to have emerged from the mystical waters, as well as maintained full knowledge and wisdom of the ancestors which he accessed by sucking on his thumb (69). The battle between the bulls is probably amongst the earliest tales showing Find in combat. However, in the tales where he is known as Fionn his martial prowess is well testified. Associated strongly with Fionn are deer, and hunting, and even a deer deity (70). The Fianna band of warriors who were under his command were as much hunters as warriors, and the association with deer and deer deities is strong (71). Some of the lore regarding Fionn details him directing the actions of his Fianna as they moved about after their quarry. Interestingly, the Fianna are said to roam about on Donn's horses. In fact, one such horse which is a sea-going horse, is said to have brought fifteen of Fionn's companions back from Otherworld (72). By putting the pieces back together, we can further deduce that Fionn, the warrior-poet-seer, was not only the Ferryman, as we shall see, but also the director of the Gaelic version of the 'wild hunt'. In the 'wild hunt', the soul of the newly dead is hunted, chased down by the Fianna band. Leading the chase is Fionn's hounds, who once they have cornered their quarry, either bark in approval or do not. If approved, then it would seem that the newly dead is escorted to Fionn for ferrying to the Land of the Dead. Ferryman : Many of us have sat reading, absolutely enthralled by Marion Zimmer Bradley's recounting of the tales of Arthur in the Mists of Avalon. But how many realize that when the four Queens bear away Arthur's body to the Isle of Apples, that the Celtic cultures, like their Greek counterparts, also maintained that there was a ferryman to the Land of the Dead? I have heard some who, realizing that there was a ferryman, stated that his name was Morgen. Others, like Rhys, relinquished Morgen to the realm of Mermaids (73). Yet a more careful reading of Monmouth's Vita Merlini (74) shows that Morgen was a female in this text, who as pointed out by Lincoln, was a personage derived from the Irish Mor Rioghain Herself (75). Also derived from the Irish is found the name of the actual ferryman, Barinthus, that being the Latinized version of Barrfind, which literally means, according to Lincoln, 'white hair'(76). While the Monmouth's text is certainly Brythonic, Lincoln also points out an Imrama in which the much beloved St. Brendan, ends up in paradise. That text is called Navigato Sancti Brendani, and the ferryman is once again called Barinthus (77). Lincoln, using the term 'white hair', takes the ferryman to be the process of aging that surely brings everyone to deaths door (78). Yet, it is significant what we find when we follow the track and search for Barrfind in the lore. According to OhOgain, Barrfind, spelled Barrfhind by OhOgain, means 'fair hair', an interpretation I am more likely to accept considering that OhOgain is a native speaker of the language and Lincoln is not. Though the differences in interpretation do not ultimately detract from Lincoln's interpretation of the imagery. Barrfhind had as derivatives of his name Findbhaire, and later as Fionnbharra (79). When Christianized, he became St. Barra. About Barrfhind, OhOgain states: "...but it is more likely that the name was derived from myth and applied to various sea saints. 'Barrfhind' is a term used to describe the sea-waves in the early texts concerning the mythic Mananna/n, and it is significant that some descriptions of St. Barra resemble Mananna/n in that he rides on horseback across the sea and effortlessly picks a salmon from the watery 'plain.'(80) We can perhaps untangle the concepts that have confused Fionnbharra and Mananna/n to come to a general understanding. Throughout the ancient texts Mananna/n is usually referred to as the son of Lir, though sometimes he is said to be the son of Nine Mothers (perhaps related to the Nine Waves). Some of the lore holds that Lir and his son Mananna/n was of the Tuatha De/ Danannan (81). Though, as pointed out by Green, the early texts hold that Mananna/n wasn't a member of the Tuatha De/ Danannan (82). 'Lir' is the genitive of Le^r. The Dictionary of the Irish Language (DIL) defines both words as meaning things like "many; prosperous; abundance; ocean or sea; from out of."(83). H.R. Ellis Davidson points out that there are similarities between Heimdallr and Mananna/n. He is always associated with the sea and is held to be the god of the sea (84). According to the lore there was another name often attributed to Mananna/n. That name is Oirbsiu ['Airbhshean' in Old Irish](85). By researching this word we see that the stem 'orb-' refers to "acquired property" (86). This property would encompass anything that changes hands (87). By referencing the words involved in the name, 'Oirbsiu' would seem to mean "the old one who grants (or transmits) property". On a secondary level 'oirbe/airbe' can be seen to have meant, "hedge, fence, boundary-marker". The last is interesting in that His mists are indeed a hedge, for as a sea god He protected Ireland by enclosing it with the sea (88). Mananna/n's protection of the Isle of Man specifically consisted of surrounding the island with mists. Mananna/n as ruler of the sea also rules the mists. In some tales Otherworld is on the other side of the mists. What are the mists except the waters over which He rules, which separate this realm from the OtherWorld that exists on the other side of those waters. If he doesn't let you pass through the mists, you don't get in. Thus it was Mananna/n who carried people across the waves in his sea going amongst some. These are thought to have first by the Conmhaicne sept which settled in Connacht, but who had come from Leinster, and the people of Leinster proper. These also looked at Mananna/n as fulfilling many of the same tasks as both Fionnbharra and Donn both. The attributions of Fionnbharra, as King of the Fairies, and consequently as King of the Dead, through corruption's in the Fairy Faith, is a later coloring that confused Fionnbharra, Mananna/n, and Donn (89). Yet, how typically Celtic, that there would be such a hierarchy as would have a Lord of the Dead of a Land [or City] Under The Sea [Donn], with a higher Chieftain of the whole Sea [Mananna/n], who would himself be a servant of the dead citizens, a ferryman. It also makes complete sense, that it would be the Ard-Ri of the whole sea, that would ensure the safety of the travelers through the watery realm, to their destination, as such was a requirement put upon human kings regarding human travelers. Tir na Nog : Unfortunately, when people think of the Land of the Dead, they think of the dark dreary place described first by Homer and then carried forward by later Greek writers. There are however, other texts, from the Greek culture, which shows that their beliefs at one time fairly well matched the ideas of other cultures about a happy OtherWorld. The Greek ideas, as typified by Hesiod and Pindar, is different from the Celtic, only in how the descriptions are expressed (90). In the beliefs of the Celtic cultures, the realm of the dead was portrayed as a paradise. Depending on the texts being referenced, this paradise was known by several names including, Hy Breasail [Breasal's Land], Tir Tairngire/ [Land of Promise], Mag Mell [Plain of Happiness], Tir nam beo [Land of Happiness], and Tir na Nog [Land of Youth] (91). The last is by far the most recognized name in the common era. There are a few references to the land of the dead being toward the east. This is also typified by the Conmhaicne sept which settled in Connacht, but who had come from Leinster, and perhaps before that the Isle of Man. These are those who looked at Mananna/n as an ancestor deity, the Lord of the Underworld (their Dispater), and Man as the ancestral homeland from which the originated and inevitably returned upon death (92). This is not typical of Gaelic ideas about the OtherWorld. The predominate Gaelic ideology is of an island or set of islands in the western ocean. Scholars agree that there are forms of Irish literature that contains elements, which date back to the Classical Age. These are called 'wonder tales' and are typified by the Imrama (93). There are two basic forms of the wonder tale, one is the 'voyage' [the Imrama proper] which has the voyager visiting Otherworld through an invitation; the other is the 'adventure' where the voyager visits OtherWorld while on a quest for justice by force of arms. It is agreed by academacians, that there are tomes of information about the domain of the dead in those tales (94). About the Imram, Dr. Lincoln says, 'This poetic device, whereby paradise is defined more by /what it is not/ [/denotes italicized words/] than by what it is, is also quite common in texts describing paradise in the literature of other Indo-European peoples.(95)' I shall utilize several of the Imrama tales in this article. The first used will be the Voyage of Bran Son of Febal . About the Voyage of Bran Son of Febal, Dr. Alfred Nutt states: "The main episode is the hero's visit to a mysterious land dwelt in by beings clearly distinguished from mortals by several attributes, most prominent among which is that of deathlessness; a feature of secondary importance is the re-incarnation of one of these beings in the shape of an Irish chieftain, whom other tales also represent as a reincarnation of one of the most famous heroes of Irish legend, Finn, son of Cumal. Thus are raised the questions of the nature, age, and origin, on Gaelic soil, of the conceptions of the Happy Otherworld, and of the Rebirth of immortal beings in mortal shape..."(96) The tale begins with the visit of an OtherWorld woman to Bran. She described Tir na Nog to Bran, in the way noted by Lincoln, after which she gave him the silver branch. As stated above, this type of gift is, in the lore, a necessary passport from the Queen of the OtherWorld for mortals who have not yet reached their appointed time of death. Her words are recorded in the form of quatrains, the following is her description as found in the ninth and tenth quatrains: IX. In the familiar cultivated land, Most of the Imram's utilize very similar descriptions. Some are nearly identical. Four that are somewhat different, though still similar, are Voyage of Bran Son of Febal, the Voyage of Teigue, Son of Cian, Navigatio Sancti Brendani and Oisin in the Land of Youth. In the tale Oisin in the Land of Youth, Oisin is conversing with St. Patrick. Oisin relates: "Delightful land beyond all dreams! There would appear to be a social structure that is very similar to that of the ancestral society. This would include even chieftains and chieftainesses, battles and feasts. Interestingly enough, the Classical Age Gaels, like their Germanic counterparts believed in a realm that was designated to be for the warriors only. These details are found in a tale called the Voyage of Teigue, Son of Cian. Where there is divergence from the Norse is that while the Norse believed in Vahalla for the kings and warriors and Hel for everyone else (99), the Gaels had one addition. In this tale, Teigue goes on an adventure to recover his kidnapped mate. While the kidnappers, according to the story, are from an island called Fresan near Spain, the use of Spain in this context is itself denoting OtherWorld. The adventure goes out into the western ocean, the direction of Tir na Nog. It takes nine weeks to get to Tir na Nog, after which, the tale uses similar imagery to the other tales to depict OtherWorld as a place of joy and plenty, including fruit laden trees and a plain that is dewed with honey. In the center of the plain there were three duns or forts. The first of the duns was the abode of Ireland's kings (and presumably other warriors). The second dun had a rampart made of gold, governed by a wondrous queen who wore clothes of gold, and presumably peopled by the other pagan folk. The third dun had a rampart of silver. At the third dun they met Connla of the Hundred battles, and the OtherWorld woman who had drawn him there. This third dun was for those who were to become Christians, who would be coming there to live after death, until called to judgment at Judgment Day. (100) While there will no doubt be some will find it perplexing to have different duns for the warriors and the rest of the folk, there is nothing that states that the experiences of the spirits there will different. Indeed, each of the duns are referred to as paradises. Referring back to The Voyage of Bran we see that everyday life is described as being filled with 'sweet music', the 'best of wine', filled with happiness, health and everlasting joy.(101) It needs to be noted that there is a vast time difference between Tir na Nog time and the time we experience in this world. Note how in the Oisin tale three hundred years have passed in the course of their year in Tir na Nog. A similar phenomena is found in the Voyage of Bran where what was one year in OtherWorld was in fact a span of many of our years. This is one of the several places where the old ideas concerning death have been transferred to the modern ideas about fairies (102). As a matter of fact, even as late as the 16th century, and in some places even to this day, it was the common belief in the Highlands, that those called 'fairies' were the spirits of the dead (103). Waters of Forgetfulness - Waters of Wisdom: Perhaps the element of the death experience that most fascinates me is the concepts surrounding two sources of water. One is the Water of Forgetfulness and the other is the Waters of Wisdom. These were found, in some guise, amongst most all of the IE cultures. Regarding them Lincoln cites the Greek journey found in Plato's The Republic (104). In this text Er, a Pamphylian soldier who is thought to be dead journeys to OtherWorld where people are compelled to drink of waters that cause them to forget their previous lives. According to the tale Er did not drink, and was reborn with full memories of his previous existence. Lincoln also points out an archeological find of Orphic origins, a foil plate inserted into a sheath, upon which was written instructions for the dead person upon which the sheath was secured. The plate reads: 'You will find a spring to the left of the house of Hades, From the Germanic we have another version with similar threads. This is the tale of Mimi/rs spring. This spring is by the World Tree. Mimi/r drinks from the sacred spring using a horn called the Gjallarhorn (106). The very name of the horn however, shows that the horn is dipping from a spring that comes up from Gjoll, the river that flows next to the gates of the Land of the Dead [Hel], though both the river and the spring are in OtherWorld (107). The general schematic found throughout Indo-European cultures, including Celtic cultures, is that after the dead spirit crosses a parched plain, they come across the first body of water. Regarding the general concepts involved, Lincoln states: 'The picture that emerges is as follows. On the way to otherworld, souls of the dead had to cross a river, the waters of which washed away all of their memories. These memories were not destroyed, however, but were carried by the river's water to a spring, where they bubbled up and were drunk by certain highly favord individuals, who became inspired and infused with supernatural wisdom as a result of the drink.'(108) However, careful consideration must be used when restoring the Gaelic version, as there are divergence in details, Lincoln states: 'The various texts usually mention two bodies of water, but sometimes only one. They are usually located on the way to otherworld, but sometimes on the way back or on the surface of this world. The first body of water is described as a river, a pool, or a lake; the other, a pond, a spring, or a drink from a golden cup. Sometimes the first has the power to rob one of memory; sometimes one's deeds, youth, or strength are lost, and this effect is said to be caused either by drinking the water, crossing over it, or bathing in it. The effect of the second body of water usually comes as a result of drinking from it - although Plato omits the second body entirely, and transfers it's effect to the abstention from the first. Finally, although the Indian reflex is aberrant, the other versions consistently state that the second body of water bestows memory or supernatural wisdom on those who drink from it.'(109) From Gaelic sources we have several pertinent examples. The first is cited by Lincoln and is O'Rahilly's summary of the story Feis Tighe Chona/in. O'Rahilly's summary of the story is concise where he states: 'Finn, after bathing in a lake at Sliab Cuilin, found himself transformed into a feeble old man. The warrior band led by Finn thereupon laid siege to the neighboring si/d. Cuilenn, the lord of the si/d came forth, bearing a golden cup, and when Finn had drunk form it his former strength and appearance returned to him. Finn then handed the cup to Mac Reithe, who likewise drank from it; but the cup then sprang out of Mac Reithe's hand and disappeared into the earth. By drinking from Cuilenn's cup Finn and mac Reithe acquired supernatural knowledge.'(110) Conforming to the region wherein the tale is said to have happened, the typical river has become a lake. By bathing in the lake Finn's youth and strength are washed away, metaphorically these are his memories. The second body of water comes from the golden cup. The Otherworld properties of the cup and its contents are established by it being brought by the lord of the si/d mound, as well as by the cup disappearing back into the earth after Finn and Mac Reithe have drank. When they drank, the prominent item that was received was supernatural wisdom.(111) Of particular significance is that there are two bodies of water. The first washes away, and the second confers extraordinary wisdom. In addition a God living in the OtherWorld brings a golden cup, and that the Golden cup from whence this wisdom comes remains in OtherWorld. The next example from the Gaelic is the Well of Segais, which is also known as Conla's Well (112). This is the well that sits betwixt nine hazelnut trees. When the hazelnuts drop into the well, bubbles of wisdom arise (113). The well is also said to be the source of the Bo/inn, Shannon and other rivers (114). As with the Orphic example above, the Well of Segais is guarded and there are those who administer the Waters of Wisdom. From this we see that the well itself is not only guarded, but that the guarding is done by Nechtan and His Three Cup Bearers. Nechtan was held from very early time to be another name for Nuadh (115), who is seen as a god of water (116), and is the mate of the Boi/nn. (117). The first question that comes to mind is, "what is the sequence of interacting with these waters?" As pointed out by Lincoln, this is one of the areas of divergence amongst the various cultures. We do however have some definite clues. Caesar stated that the people of the Celtic cultures of Gaul would enter into contracts in this life, with the anticipation of making those contracts good in the next world (118). From the Gaelic we have the ancient festivities of the Fleadh nan Mairbh [Feast of the Dead], amongst others, at Samhain (119). At this feast, settings were placed at the tables for those who had passed on to Tir na Nog [OtherWorld], and the dead were interacted with in other ways as well. It was also a time to say good bye to those who had gone on during the previous year. This is one of two times in the year when the veil between this world and Tir Na Nog, the Shield of Skathach, is at its thinnest (120). These and many other customs regarding dead ancestors show that the dead were considered to remember their kindred in this world, after they had gone to Tir na Nog. Therefore, we can ascertain that amongst the Gaels, the Waters of Forgetfulness were encountered during any rebirth process that may have come along. Thus, the washing away of memories wasn't encountered on the way to Tir na Nog, but on the trip back across the waters of the western ocean from Tir na Nog. Hence we see that the Gaels held to the simple passing over the Waters of Forgetfulness, as being the act which brought about that loss of memories. This is fully in keeping with one of the mechanisms noted by Lincoln. Having traveled back across the waters to once again take form in this world, where would the Well of Segais be? While I have to date found no direct reference which intimates this, we can perhaps get a clue by looking at a place where the location of the well is still denoted. That is in the Orphic example cited above. While there are a great many differences between the Greek and Celtic reflexes, the common place for this well is at the entry to the OtherWorld. In this case, the Greek says, 'You will find a spring to the left of the House of Hades, And standing beside that [spring] is a white cypress.' That imagery is very close to another image of the Well of Segais, which is sitting under a great Oak tree. To stay true to the concept, the Well of Segais would need to be sitting to one side or other of the House of Donn. Hence, the idea seems to be portrayed that the dead assemble at the House of Donn and from there travel to Tir na Nog. On the return trip they come back to the House of Donn, after losing their previous memories by passing over the waters of the Western Sea. Once again at the House of Donn, people may approach the Well of Segais, and be granted draughts of the Waters of Wisdom or not be as individual cases may be, presumably at the discretion of Nechtan. The next question that arises is, 'what are the waters from the well'. As pointed out by Lincoln, and quoted above as well as here: 'The picture that emerges is as follows. On the way to otherworld, souls of the dead had to cross a river, the waters of which washed away all of their memories. These memories were not destroyed, however, but were carried by the river's water to a spring, where they bubbled up and were drunk by certain highly favored individuals, who became inspired and infused with supernatural wisdom as a result of the drink.' Lincoln goes on to correctly state: 'Ultimately, this cosmologem is not just a piece of funerary geography, but conveys basic truths about the nature of human existence. It relates that the dead have no need for their memories, having passed beyond the realm in which those memories have value. But the memories of the departed are not without value for those who are yet living. The accumulated memories of the dead comprise the totality of human history. Preserved and appreciated, they are the source of true wisdom, the wisdom that is based on the full sweep of human experiences rather than the idiosyncratic events of one human life. In the last analysis, the present depends upon the past, the living upon the dead, and this world upon the other. Those who die do not just pass on but continue to contribute to the sustenance of this world, as the world of the living draws strength, meaning, and wisdom from the world of the dead, much as one draws water from a spring.'(121) This would present that the Well of Segais is a metaphorical expression to state where true wisdom comes from, the collected wisdom of the ancestors, as well as personal experience. It shows that while the ways of expressing a basic truth may have differed, there was at the least the idea that history was to be learned from. That is, that the wisdom of experience of those who have gone on before were the source of true wisdom, and were to be taken and used in conjunction with personal experiences. This is indeed found to be what is expressed in the tales. To show the simple, though often misused and misrepresented meanings, we need only look again at Navigato Sancti Brendani. Here, the number of streams is counted to be five, and these are directly established to be the five senses, or personal experience. Furthermore, whether the wisdom come from the eating of the hazelnuts directly, or by partaking of the salmon which go out into the various rivers or streams, wisdom only comes from partaking of the wisdom of the ancients, and utilizing that wisdom in conjunction with the five senses. In effect, a statement that wisdom to be lived. This is an understanding of the imagery that is agreed with by Lincoln, O'Rahilly and the Rees brothers (122). That does however, present a question about the old rites enacted by the Filidh. In these they would seek poetic wisdom, called e/isce, by a place very typically Celtic, a riverbank (123). It is typically Celtic because of the 'in between' nature of the place. Between the very edge of the water, and the high water mark as denoted by debris, was considered 'in between' as well as a place that was 'safe' from Otherworldly creatures (124) However, it need not carry any of the baggage of the 'magical mystery tour' of the New Age. While certainly there was stylized ritus involved, it could very simply be a matter of either going within, or seeking the help of the spiritual world in some other way, to weave the very real, and recorded, wisdom of ancestors into some plan that is usable in their individual lives. Rebirth : Dr. Alfred Nutt refers to the incidence of the reincarnation of immortals, of Gods, into or back into human form (125). This would establish that at one time the Gods had been human, and that they had by some mechanism become immortal. In particular Dr. Nutt is referring to Mongan, who in other tales is called Finn, as Mongan is said to be the reincarnation of Finn. This was something that was confirmed not by some other mortal but by the appearance of another immortal, Cailte. Finn is not the only example of the reincarnation of immortals, as such is exemplified by CuChullain who is inherently connected with Lugh. Other examples, such as Dermot exist, and many have looked at the Osian cycle of myths to be carrying on the existence of those who were in the Red Branch cycle. In this case the Red Branch personages are traced back to the cycle of myths called the 'Mythological Cycle', the Tuatha De/ Danann Themselves. Following up on Evans-Wentz and checking a source cited by him(126), Elenor Hull succinctly wrote: 'There is no doubt that all of the chief personages of this cycle were regarded as the direct descendants, or it would be more correct to say, as avatars or reincarnations of the early gods. Not only are their pedigrees traced up to the Tuatha De/ Danann, but there are indications in the birth-stories of nearly all the principal personages that they are looked upon simply as divine beings reborn on the human plane of life.'(127) Thus we have as the first grouping of personage who comes back to this world, the immortals as avatars. An avatar is an incarnation of a deity, into this world, in either a human or animal form, so as to work against some particular evil (128). Tracing incarnations or avatars back is rather easy. The actual identity as they appeared in an earlier cycle is revealed by another unmistakably immortal personage.. This revelation is accomplished while the people are in congregation. The identity of the reincarnated deity is proclaimed, as stated, by another clearly immortal person who has appeared before all of the people. An example of this is found in the tale about Mongan who was proclaimed by Cailte. It wasn't a matter of someone proclaiming their own deific nature. This is of particular significance since in most extant Celtic cultures, the 'sleeping hero', 'king under the land' or 'king under the water' motiff is still extant. The expectation being that in some future time of peril, a great Hero or King shall come back to his people from OtherWorld, to either defend or lead to freedom.(129) Having looked briefly at the rebirth of deities, let us look at mortals who reincarnate. What causes one to come back? Certainly need on the part of kin and loved ones comes into play. This is expressed by the motiffs of the sleeping-hero as well as other thoughts surrounding the reincarnation of immortals. Yet there seems to be only one thing that causes a mortal to come back. By looking at the Fairy Faith, as it is held to in the rural areas of the old country, and comparing that to what we see in the Imrama's, a dichotomy is established. Note how in each of the Imrama's, it is the desire of the voyagers to see their homes and partake of this world, that causes them to come back. This should be compared with the wide spread belief that partaking of the 'fairy food' and enjoying the fruits of OtherWorld, will cause one to be trapped there (130). Whether there was some form of set time that one had to go between incarnations, as in Hinduism, cannot be ascertained. Only that it was a longing that brought the dead back into this realm. Regarding reincarnation doctrines amongst Gaelic peoples, let us first use Caesar as a foundation to establish these concepts amongst the Celts generally. Caesar stated that the Celtic peoples believed in reincarnation (131). This alone is not enough as there are several variants of the reincarnation theme. The classical writer Polyhistor was perhaps the first to associate the Celtic teachings about reincarnation with a particular variety taught by Pythagoras. This element was further echoed by other writers of the Alexandrian School, including Diodorus. Later, Clement, an early Church Father and historian, wrote that it was not the Celts who learned from Pythagoras, but that the student was Pythagoras who learned from the Celts. As regards this essay that particular argument is inconsequential. What matters is that the Celts believed in a form of reincarnation that was typified by that taught by Pythagoras (132). Clement also goes so far as to associate that common teaching with the Brahmins of Hinduism when he said: "Polyhistor desires to state that... Pythagoras was one of those who hearkened to the Celts and the Brahmins."(133) What did Pythagoras teach? Manly P. Hall said it very concisely when he wrote: "According to one view, he taught that mortals who during their earthly existence had by their actions become like certain animals, returned to the earth again in the form of beasts which they had grown to resemble." (134) While there may be other ideas about what Pythagoras taught, the given interpretation is the closest to that taught by the Brahmin Hindu, whose association with the Celtic concept was established by Clement. Celts believed in the transmigration of souls. This would mean that what is now a *human* soul, with a human spirit, has trekked a course of evolution, having started as non-human and eventually becoming human. As the soul evolves upward and becomes more human, so too do the spirits associated with that soul. Presumably, if we look at other Indo-European cultures, such as the Hindus, such a belief not only means that the spirit can advance but also fall back into those "lower" states, or at the very least into a lower caste (135). The idea of 'transmigration' of souls is that, if we by our actions fail, we fall back, and amongst the Hindus there were actions that were held to certainly result in that de-evolution. They also hold that if we act with honor [the heroic morality] then we advance. If we are average then presumably we stay as we are. If we strive for excellence and are exemplary in our lives then we advance. We can certainly now come to understanding of what Caesar was talking about when he stated that Celtic warriors were ushered on fearlessly to battle with the promise of another [better?] life. Having established this, let us look at what evidence comes from the Isles. Regarding the topic of reincarnation amongst Celtic peoples generally, there is a triad that speaks directly of this. This one survives from the Welsh texts. It says: "Three purposes for the return of souls to this world : To collect into the soul the properties of all being , to acquire knowledge of all things, to acquire the power to overcome chaos."(136) It is thought that the transmigration a soul is being addressed in the Brythonic textual evidence. Talesin wrote as part of the CaD Goddeu [translated by Graves]: "I have been in many shapes, As we are more concerned with the Goidelic evidence, we find a similar expression in the Gaelic Song of Amerigin [translated by Graves ]:
"I am a stag: of seven tines, It is even possible that from the Gaelic folk practice we have a carry-over into modern times. This may be evidenced in such anecdotal evidence as recorded by Yeats (139): "The souls of the dead sometimes take the shape of animals. There is a garden at Sligo where the gardener sees a previous owner in the shape of a rabbit. They will sometimes take the shapes of insects, as well, especially butterflies." It also needs to be stated that in the old texts we see that the first settlers of Ireland were led by Banba [AKA Cessair]. As Cessair we know Her as the feisty Queen who settled Ireland with Her people prior to the flood recounted in Biblical texts. Amongst the three men who went with her to Ireland was one Fintan. Fintan is said to have survived the flood as a Salmon. Amongst his other manifestations, he existed as an eagle and a hawk. (140) What comes to mind is that the poets not only recorded the genealogies of their people, but that they also knew what or whom a person had been in a previous incarnation. It would also seem that they somehow used their own past existences as some sort of statement of authority. The transmigration of souls exhibited by Taliesin and Amerigin, mythic Ard-fili, also serves the purpose of legitimizing their tribesmen's place in the lands whose every creature, herb, and wind is within their own soul-memory. In addition to these things we see the Taliesin's statements, "I have been in many shapes, Before I attained a congenial form", as well as "There is nothing in which I have not been..." [from the CaD Goddeu]. This is fully keeping with the element of the ideas of reincarnation, in that we, in toto, are the sum of all our lives. The idea that there is an evolutionary ascending of the soul is also common to "totemistic" cultures. In such religions as still have totemistic qualities, a basic idea is that the evolution of human beings brings about the evolution of other species. This happens as these other animals attach themselves to us or our families and clanns. When we move up the ladder, they follow us and take our place. That our ancestors were totemistic is without question. To this day, the totem animals of the families are recorded in the devices of heraldry. Such is why Grenham can write, "Originally, they [family names] indicated identification with a common God, often connected with an animal valued by the tribe..." [italics added by author] Some sects of Hindu, like their Buddhist cousins, believe that when a person dies, if they do not immediately look up and see a light to go into then they enter a spirit-sleep. What will keep the dead person from looking up is that their draw to the physical is too strong and they are attracted back (141). After a set period of time the spirit reawakens and is born again (142). Such direct teachings are no longer available to us as may have been taught by our ancestors. Though, there may be hints of it in lore such as where Conn and Eoghan met in battle. Eoghan being routed, an Otherworldly lady named Eadaoin (whose living in the area of the battle may associate her as a Land Goddess) spirited he and his men away to Spain (a possible euphemism for Otherworld). When he arrived he was given a bright cloak made from the skin of a marvelous salmon. At the end of nine years he began to long for Ireland and so returned to take up what he had left unfinished. The Otherworldly symbols cannot go unnoticed, the salmon, the king of Spain, the princess who made the cloak, his longing for this realm ushering in his return, and his taking up where he had left off. The nine distinct periods of time need not be literal years though, and this is where we are once again without particulars. While it is dangerous to ascribe wholesale, Gaelic symbols to the Hindu paradigm, Dr. Miles Dillon (143), Dr. Wendy Donniger O'Flaherty (144), Dr. Mircea Eliade (145) and others have pointed out the places where there are parallels between the two cultures. Having ascertained the evolution of the spirit from the most base to higher forms, and having seen the concept of states of falling back into more base forms, we can go one further. We have seen in the above where there were those who had died as upright people. These go on to be with the Gods in Tir na Nog. Their anti-thesis is the sluagh or host, who are the spirits of those who had died after living lives in which they chose to go against what was upright. It would seem then that while the upright would come back as human, perhaps even in a higher form, that those who had become sluagh would incarnate at that lower state. While in some instances, such as when Finn came back as Mongan, the immortal remembered their previous existence, in some tales they did not have such memories. There is nothing in the tales that states that humans would remember their previous existences, and if it is rare for a mighty immortal to do so, how much more rare must such be amongst mortals. Reincarnation Along Bloodlines: Based on what is compiled so far, the First Ancestors were those we now call "the Gods." All of us as Gaels are descended from them, just as Germans from their Gods, Hindus from theirs, etc. Those of mixed ancestry no doubt have the blessing of bounty with all the Gods that come through their blood lineage. It is thought by many of us that the sacred nature of adoption causes the ancestors of the adopting family to become the ancestors of the adopted member of the family. This would be the natural consequence of people literally becoming blood relatives. As a logical consequence, that would also mean our First Ancestors becomes their First Ancestors. This would hold true for as far back as the Mother and the Father of the Gods. While there has been evidence given for the Gods to be our ancestors, a very important point has not yet been shown. That point is that subsequent reincarnations occur through bloodlines. This concept is not outlandish in the least. The thought that the ancestors will return through a bloodline is shared with the ancient German peoples (146). Much of the same textual evidence that can be utilized to establish reincarnation as a concept held by the Goidelic Celts can also be used to demonstrate this. For instance, while Daelglas was dying he was kissed by his daughter, at that instant a red spark passed from his lips to hers, later she bore a child who was named Daelglas, whose first "feat of folly" was to jump his own gravestone. There are several of these types of stories in the lore. The highly respected academacian, H.R. Davidson Ellis has come to the same conclusion, that reincarnation is through bloodlines (147). Though, she states that she thinks it was more involved than simple rebirth, with the qualities and gifts of the ancestors being passed down as well. That would also arrange things so that we were not only the sum of our existences, but also the sum of our ancestors. Conclusion: I must start this conclusion with a very light addressment of ethics. Does all of this mean that we must live the old heroic morality? Of course what is good and what is bad is mostly determined by the society one lives in. While in many respects the heroic morality of old is much more restrictive on how people live, there are things that were allowable then that simply would not be allowed in today's world. The taking of heads, after challenging an obnoxious neighbor comes to mind as a distinct example. Yet there are universal standards that have been in place as right and wrong for millenia, regardless of culture. Murder, rape, lying, and cheating are all things that come to mind. It could be well argued that the ancient Brehons would expect us to live within the laws of the various jurisdictions wherein we live. This would be something also found in the heroic morality. Yet just because something is legal, does not make it right. Therefore, I think that if there are injustices, the Brehons would want us to, of course, stand for what is right. We are fortunate that we live in a society where we can work within the system to effect changes, thereby fulfilling our moral duties to both fulfill the laws of the people as well as fulfill our own personal senses of right and wrong. Yet the heroic morality addresses much more than just the matters of civil law. It addresses much more that may not be covered by any law. It addresses always telling the truth, always giving fact as fact, it covers meeting our responsibilities and obligations, it covers raising our children in safe and loving environments and working to bequeath to them real and lasting positive legacies. It covers standing up for what is right, even when you are the only one standing. Kant said that the reasoning human being automatically knew right action from wrong action and developed morals for themselves based on their knowledge (148). Other philosophers have put forward good arguments that a knowledge of what was right and what was wrong was an inherent part of every person's nature. Ultimately, civil laws aside, what is right, we as individuals decide for ourselves. At the conclusion of this study, for me it is a matter of choosing to work within the constraints of what I as a person know to be right, or to snub my nose at what I know to be right, which will determine whether I spend the afterlife with the Gods in Tir na Nog [if I am a person of honor], or as one of the sluagh [if I don't stand for what is right]. The reader has probably already seen the sequence of events involved. Yet, here is a statement based on the whole of the above. The Mor Rioghain appoints who will die and when. When the heart beat does stop, the dead will face Bran, the Blackdog, and hope for the howl that will usher them on to the House of Donn. If the person has not lived an honorable life, the howl of the hound will be withheld from them, and they will journey amongst the sluagh as one condemned. If they have lived an honorable life, they will hear the howl of the hound and enter the House of Donn. Barrfhind will then ferry them through the watery realms to Tir na Nog. If they are a king they go to the first dun, the warriors who die in battle will probably go there as well though Irish sources found to date do not state that definitively. If they are others who believe the old ways, then they go to the second dun. If they are Christian folk, they go to the third dun. Regardless of the dun in which they live, joy, pleasure, health and all of the other benefits of paradise are bestowed upon them. If one longs to stay there they will, longing for this realm seems however, to be the trigger that brings people back for another go in the flesh. On the way back, as they pass back over the salt water plains of the Western ocean, they forget their previous existence. Once back at the House of Donn, if they press the issue properly at the well, Nechtan or one of His cup bearers will present to them the golden cup filled with water from the Well. They may then drink hearty draughts of the Waters of Wisdom. Otherwise, they will return to this realm dumb as a box of rocks. Though, this need not be a permanent state, because the Waters of Wisdom, which bestows the accumulated wisdom of the ancestors, can be drank of here in this realm by learning and living the ancestral wisdom which can be gained from what is recorded. Regardless of whether it is gained before birth or through hard work after birth, it is supplemented with what we experience with our five senses. SPECIAL THANKS: SOURCES: By Iain Mac an tSaoir |
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