Tales Of Eire / Celtic Craft Naas: September 2023

Butterflies: Messengers of Irish Folklore

According to Irish folklore, butterflies are said to move between worlds and bring messages and warnings. They are said to be souls, waiting to be reborn on earth.

This is perhaps why butterflies still play such a prominent role in material culture today, with a wide range of clothes, stationary, and other good coming decorated with butterflies.

Butterflies with dark wings were said to warn of bad news such as an attack or failed crop, while white and yellow butterflies were told to bring good news such as a birth or success.

In Irish mythology and folklore, butterflies have a special significance.

According to Irish tradition, butterflies are believed to move between worlds and bring messages and warnings. They are considered to be souls waiting to be reborn on earth. This belief has contributed to the continued popularity of butterflies in modern-day material culture. Butterflies can be seen on a wide range of clothes, stationery, and other goods.

Interestingly, the colour of the butterfly's wings also holds significance in Irish folklore. Butterflies with dark wings were believed to bring bad news such as an attack or failed crop, while white and yellow butterflies were said to bring good news such as a birth or success.

Overall, the significance of butterflies in Irish mythology and folklore highlights the enduring power of these delicate creatures. They continue to captivate us with their beauty and inspire us with their symbolism.

Dive into the enchanting world of butterflies and discover their profound significance in Irish mythology and folklore! we explore how these delicate creatures are seen as messengers between worlds, carrying warnings and news from the beyond. Learn about the fascinating beliefs surrounding dark-winged butterflies that foretell misfortune, while the vibrant white and yellow ones herald joy and success.

Join us on this journey as we unravel the reasons behind the enduring popularity of butterflies in modern culture, from fashion to stationery. Their beauty and symbolism continue to inspire and captivate us today. If you enjoyed this exploration, please like and share.

Irish Bog Oak

Celtic Craft Naas Shop

Bog wood
is ancient timber which has been preserved through being in wet, anaerobic conditions so it is

most easily found where a farmer has been draining wet land or in cutaway bog. For the farmer, bog wood can be a nuisance and may simply be piled up at the side of the field. You do, of course, need to ask permission to remove bog wood and farmers are increasingly aware of the value of bog oak as a resource – so you may get it for nothing or you might have to part with a few pounds for the privilege. Unfortunately, once bog wood is exposed to the open air it starts to degrade so wood which has been left in the open for some years may be too rotten to bother about – this can be the case with bog wood found in old cutaway bog.

There are four main bog woods, fir and oak being the commonest;

Bog oak; Typically looks a dirty grey-brown when found, try chipping a bit of the outer layer off and if it’s jet black inside it’s probably bog oak. Most work done in the class is with bog oak.

Bog fir/pine; Can be bleached white outside but is more like an orangey red inside, more orangey than a modern ‘antique pine’. It is more difficult to get fine detail working bog fir because it can split with the grain compared to bog oak.

Bog yew; Less common, black on outside, a purplish shade on inside.

Bog birch; Black but has a different grain to oak.

Your wood may need to be air dried for 6 – 8 months. If there is a load of clay or muck on it you may wish to hose it down first – it may be home to a wide variety of insects and worms (!). Keep the wood covered in an airy place.

Tools

The basic tools are;

– A woodworking mallet, preferably wooden

– A gouge, a small u shaped chisel

– A flat chisel, perhaps 1 inch/2.5 cms

– A V tool, a small v shaped chisel useful for cutting lines and indentations.

Other tools which class members would use include various kinds of rasps for cleaning up wood (a plastic handled one is available very inexpensively), scrapers, a spoke shave (like a two handled small plane), files of various kinds or shaped files and so on. If you start with the basics you can often try out someone else’s tools to see what you might use.

For finishing off, you can use sandpaper, power tool sanders, and fine wire wool, as well as teak oil or linseed oil and turpentine (half and half). A wood polish would usually be the last thing to be applied; depending on its position or the amount of care you expect it to receive, you could use a varnish but most protective varnishes will yellow and are not a great idea. You can however experiment with water based varnish, especially on bog pine – but you have to apply it carefully because if it dries in an accumulation it will dry white rather than clear which will make your piece look strange.

Preparation

You need to strip off all the dirt, rotten and dodgy bits which will never last to the finished piece, using rasps, chisels, scrapers and what you will. However, until you have decided what your piece will be you’re probably wiser leaving sound ‘miscellaneous bits’ in place – they may just turn out to be a crucial part of your final design; unwanted pieces can be cut off when your design is finalised.

What do you do with your wood? There are 3 main approaches, which can overlap, and you can use one or any combination of them;

Copy an existing item. This could be a sculpture, an item from a painting, a household item, anything.
Carve what you want. In this case you do need a piece of wood which will allow you to achieve your masterpiece. In this approach the wood is simply a ‘blank canvas’ for you.
Go with what the wood suggests. Leaving a piece of wood in your home and staring at it for a week or two can yield results if you can’t immediately decide, e.g. it’s a boat riding on the waves. You can be surprised what your mind can see in a piece if you let it. If the wood is already an interesting shape, you may not need to do much more than clean it up and polish it to have a beautiful piece, possibly adding a figure or two or a small design.

Most people will use chalk to mark out the initial design, and indeed further details as the work progresses.

Further on and finishing off

A good question is when you start to oil your piece – the general rule of thumb would be to do it when it has taken shape but before you do finishing details. It can help by putting life into a piece and make you more aware of what the finished colour will be. You can use teak oil – available in Pound Shops – or linseed oil and turpentine (or turpentine substitute as the latter can be unavailable). You may do one oiling and then one or two more when finishing completely. It can take a couple of days to soak in properly. If working with bog pine and you want to keep it light coloured, do not oil the piece but move straight to finishing with wax or a water-based varnish (you can test an underneath, hidden part with different finishes to see what works).

‘The shakes’ in bog wood carving is when a piece is not as robust as it might be and may have a weak or rotten spot or lines which affect your working. Apart from taking any such aspects of the wood into account in your initial design, it is possible to strengthen a piece by using wood glue (if necessary clamping the piece to hold it together until it has set) or even using wood glue and sawdust (of the same wood) to fill a spot or glue an essential part which has broken. Wood glue initially makes the sawdust look lighter than the wood because it is white but it dries clear.

The extent to which you get a highly polished finish is dependent partly on the amount of polishing work you do, and that is a product of both what you want for the finished product and the amount of elbow grease you apply! If you want a high polish you need to do a lot of smoothing with sandpaper and wire wool before waxing.

For finishing off, one readily available wood wax is Briwax; you would use Jacobean Dark Oak colour for bog oak and Pine or Clear wax for lighter woods.

Bog wood is timber that has been preserved through being in wet, anaerobic conditions for thousands of years. It is commonly found in areas where farmers have been draining wetland or in cutaway bog. While bog wood can be a nuisance for farmers, they are increasingly aware of its value as a resource. If you plan on removing bog wood, it is important to obtain permission from the landowner. Once bog wood is exposed to the open air, it starts to degrade, so it is important to take care of it properly.

There are four main types of bog wood: oak, fir, yew, and birch. Bog oak is the most commonly worked with in woodworking classes and can be identified by its jet black interior. Once you have your bog wood, it is important to air dry it for 6-8 months and clean off any dirt or muck that may be present.

When working with bog wood, the basic tools you will need include a woodworking mallet, a gouge, a flat chisel, and a V tool. Other tools, such as rasps, spoke shaves, and files, may also be useful. Once you have stripped off any unwanted bits, you can begin planning your design. This can be done by copying an existing item, carving what you want, or going with what the wood suggests. The course tutor is always available to offer suggestions and lend a helping hand if needed.

To finish your piece, you can use sandpaper, power tool sanders, wire wool, and teak oil or linseed oil and turpentine. Bog pine can also be finished with a water-based varnish, but it must be applied carefully to avoid drying white. A highly polished finish can be achieved with a lot of smoothing with sandpaper and wire wool before waxing. Briwax is a readily available wood wax that can be used for finishing off your piece.

Celtic Craft Naas Shop

Soul Mate by Celtic Craft Naas

Bog Oak Jewellery Anamchara

Anamchara, 5000 Year Old Irish Bog Oak Anamchara & Silver Pendant, Hand-Carved , Unique Jewellery, Ancestry Gift From Ireland.

https://celticcraftnaas.etsy.com/listing/1550895630

Unique Celtic Design Anamchara

1mm Diamond Cut Curb Chain Necklace | Choose from 16" 18" 20" 22" Chain | With Polishing Cloth & Pouch Bag this outstanding and unique hand-carved 5000 year old Irish Bogwood pendant will be made for you, or a loved one, in our studio in Ireland.

Bog Oak comes from ancient forests that once covered Ireland. Huge Oak trees have been buried in peat bogs and preserved from decay by the acidic and anaerobic bog conditions, sometimes for hundreds or even thousands of years. The wood is usually stained black by tannin dissolved in the acidic water. Bog-wood represents the early stages in the fossilization of wood, with further stages ultimately forming lignite and coal over a period of many millions of years.

King of the forest for its strength and longevity, the Oak tree was sacred to the ancient Celts and is considered one of the three primary magical woods.

Light and elegant, this bog oak wood necklace is suitable for both everyday wear and for that special occasion.

It is the perfect gift for anyone with Irish heritage or for someone who resonates with the Celtic mythology and traditions of the natural world.

- 5000 year old Irish Bog Oak, sanded to a smooth finish

- Non-toxic oil finish to seal the wood & enhance its natural colour

- Pendant size: 20mm x 30mm x 5mm approximate

- On a 16",18", 20", or 22" on a 925 Sterling Silver Necklace & Pinch Clip Clasp

Me

I’m my father’s son

My mother’s son

My wife’s husband

My children’s father

The protector

The fun to be with

The go to person

The unrelenting

Wrath if needed

Author: Patrick Conlan

Triple Goddess

In Irish mythology, there are three goddesses that are considered to be the patron goddesses of Ireland. These goddesses are Eriu, Banba, and Fola. Eriu, who the land of Ireland is named after, was known as the goddess of sovereignty and was believed to personify the land itself. Banba, on the other hand, was considered to be the goddess of fertility and was often associated with the earth and agriculture. Lastly, Fola was the goddess of prosperity and abundance, ensuring that the land of Ireland would always be fertile and the people would thrive.

Eriu is depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown or headdress and sometimes holding a spear which symbolized her power and authority. Banba, also known as Banbha, was worshipped as a divine mother figure and was said to have been the spiritual essence of the Irish people. Her name is thought to derive from the Irish word "bán", meaning "white", which symbolized her purity and fertility. Fola, also known as Fotla, was believed to ensure that the land of Ireland would always be fertile and the people would thrive. Her name is thought to derive from the Irish word "fodla", meaning "good harvest" or "abundance".

In Irish mythology, these goddesses were highly revered and were believed to have immense power and influence over the land and its people. They played a significant role in the lives of the Irish people and were worshipped with great respect and admiration. Today, their legacy lives on in Irish culture and mythology, reminding us of the importance of the land and the natural world in our lives.

Celtic Goddess Danu

Unique Celtic Goddess Danu Design