OTHER
ONLINE RESOURCE AND LINKS There are a multitude of sites related to Irish art, language,
music, and traditions with many more coming online all the time. Some sites maintain
excellent links to the best Celtic web pages. Pat Murphy's site
and Sunsite's Gaelic Page. You will find
invaluable information and extensive links to Celtic sites.
A Pagan's Guide to Dublin
News and Features from Dublin (Irish Times)
All Things Irish
Irish Products
Irish Mythology
Irish History
The Ceolas Music Archive is a
starting point for those who are interested in Celtic music.
Dan Beimborn's Home Page
Steve's Computer
Celtic Knotwork page
Peter Suber's page that
discusses knots in mathematical, artistic, and rope-tying terms. Nice links.
Merle's step-by-step instructions for
drawing knots. It's simplified for easier computer implementation.

A virtual tour of Stonehenge is available
online.
A more informative look at
Stonehenge is also out there.
DEI New Age Web Works (Druidism)
Druid Practices
The Druid Tradition
Celtic, Germanic, and
Nordic Culture Page
Celtic Gopher Pointers
BOOKS
Here is a Irish reading list which contains some of the most
important books on the Irish and Irish topics. These are the best introductory texts
available. Many of these books can be found in different editions. The copyright dates
shown here are for specific editions that I own or have read.
History and
Culture | Mythology | General | Art and Knotwork
HISTORY AND
CULTURE
The Irish peoples emerged as a distinct group about 2-4000 years ago. Unfortunately,
because they did not have a written language as we do, most of the knowledge about their
culture comes from archeological finds and speculation derived from folklore, legends and
dubious history.
MYTHOLOGY
The Irish People certainly have some colorful
mythology. As they encountered, conquered, and were subjugated by other cultures, they
found parallels between their stories and the stories of other peoples. Rather than
accepting one mythology and discarding the other, the Irish People had a habit of
intertwining the two to produce a hybrid mythology that survives today in the folk tales
and songs of Ireland
- Celtic Myths and Legends by Charles Squire, Newcastle Publishing (1975)
Similar to....
- Rolleston Celtic Mythology by Pronsias MacCana, Newness Books
Includes comparisons with the Gaulish pantheon
- Celtic Mythology & Religionby Alex MacBain (1917) Stirling
- Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race by T.W. Rolleston, 1917
Mr. Rolleston does not tell the stories of the ancient Celts; rather he tells about them.
The stories are presented in capsulized form.
- Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, 1994
This is sort of a Grimm's Fairy Tales for Celtic countries.
- Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by Peter Berresford Ellis, 1992
This book's strength is that you can look up any reference to a Celtic place or person and
get a concise description.
GENERAL
- Carmina Gadelica by Alexander Carmichael, 6 vols, Reprinted by Scottish
Academic Press (1972?)
Rites & customs of the isles & Highlands. Excellent collection.
- The Celts by Nora Chadwick, Penguin
- The Celts by T.G.E. Powell, 1958, Thames & Hudson
- Celtic Bards, Chiefs & Kingsby George Borrow, 1928, London
- The Celtic Empire by Peter Berresford Ellis, 1990, London

- Celtic Heritage by A & B Rees,1961, Thames & Hudson
Highly Recommended
- Celtic Ireland by Eoin MacNeill, 1921, Dublin
- A Celtic Miscellany, 1971, Penguin
An anthology of Celtic poetry & prose
- Celtic Mysteries by John Sharkey, Thames & Hudson
- The Celtic Realms by Miles Dillon & Nora Chadwick, 1967, London
Any of their works recommended.
- Celtic Wonder Tales by Ella Young, Floris Books, Edinburgh
- Every Day Life of the Pagan Celts by Anne Ross
- The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. Evans Wentz, 1977, Reprint
Colin Smythe.
Good study of religion, the sidhe etc. at turn of 20th Century
- Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory, 1979, Colin Smythe
- Gods of the Celts by Miranda Green, 1986, Alan Sutton Publishing
Archaeology based. Very good, comprehensive study.
- The History of the Celtic Language by L. MacLean, 1840, London
- History of the Celtic People by Henri Hubert, 1 vol edition, 1992, Bracken
Books
Includes archaeology, language, migration, tribes, etc.
- The History of the Celtic Place Names of Scotland by W.J. Watson, 1986,
Reprinted Birlinn 1993
Definitive work
- Legends of the Celts by Frank Delaney, 1989, Grafton Books
- Ogham Inscriptions in Ireland, Wales & Scotland by Sir Samuel
Ferguson, 1887, Edinburgh
- The Picts by Isabel Henderson, 1976, Thames & Hudson
- The Problem of the Picts ed. by F.T. Wainwright, 1980, Melven Press
Series of articles on language, dwellings, art etc. Recommended.
- The Religion of the Ancient Celts by J.A. MacCulloch, 1911, Reprinted by
Constable, 1991
- Silva Gadelica by S. O' Grady, 2 vols. (Irish), 1892
Highly Recommended but hard to find
- The Silver Bough by Marion McNeill, 4 vols., 1977, William Maclellan
Folklore & belief, local & national festivals of Scotland.
- Studies in the History of Dalriada by John Bannerman, 1974, Scottish
Academic Press
The definitive work on the Dalriada kingdom
- Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland by Wood-Martin, 1902, 2 vols.,
Longmans, Green & Co.
Excellent Folklore. Hard to find.
ART AND KNOTWORK
Throughout their history, the Irish Celts
produced many fine works of art. The hallmark of their work is that every sculpture, tool,
vessel, weapon, or other implement is decorated with intricate and abstract patterns.
- Celtic Knotwork by Iain Bain; 1986
Mr. Bain has produced the very best reference available to artists wishing to reproduce
Celtic knotwork patterns. His father, George, wrote a book that describes construction
techniques of many Celtic patterns, but it is very difficult to work from.
- Celtic Key Patterns by Iain Bain; 1993
In this book, Mr. Bain describes the construction of Key Patterns with the same clarity
and simplicity that makes Celtic Knotwork so valuable.
- Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction by George Bain; 1973
The elder Bain shows how the Celts could have drawn their intricate patterns. He covers
knotwork, spirals, key patterns, lettering, and zoomorphic designs. Though this book has a
wider scope and many more examples than Iain's books, George's methods of construction are
more difficult to follow.
- Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times by J. Romilly Allen; 1993
Both Bains rave about Allen's landmark works that describe the nature and significance of
Celtic Art. This book is hard to find, but worth the effort. It shows some methods of
construction, but everything is approached from the point of view of an art historian, not
an artisan.
- Celtic Mandalas by Courtney Davis, 1994.
Mr. Davis is a master of combining Celtic patterns with other imagery to produce evocative
artwork. His illustrations grace many books on Celtic subjects and a Tarot Deck. His books
are filled with great examples that inspire your own creativity and show that the
knotwork, spirals, and key patterns invented by the Celts are still relevant today.
- The Lindisfarne Gospels by Janet Backhouse, 1981
The Lindisfarne Gospels are illuminated manuscripts produced by the monks at the monastery
of Lindisfarne. The intricate artwork is distinctly Celtic, but the gospel texts are
Christian. Ms. Backhouse does a good job of describing how these two cultures came
together to produce the famous manuscript. The illustrations show the fine artwork that
went into the Lindisfarne Gospels.
- The Book of Kells by Sir Edward Sullivan,1986
Sir Sullivan treats the Book of Kells, another illuminated manuscript (produced by the
monks at the monastery at Kells), with the same attention that Ms. Backhouse gives the
Lindisfarne Gospels.
SHOPS
- Eason & Sons (NI) Ltd
Head Office
21 Boucher Rd
Belfast BT12 6QU
Tel: (01232) 381200
- Robert Henry
The Labyrinth
North Street Arcade
Belfast
- Hocus Pocus
19 King Street
Bangor, Co Down
BT20 3AH
Tel: (01247) 457889
- Moonstone
39 Church Road
Holywood, Co Down
BT18 9BU
Tel: (01232) 422625
|