About Beltane
Beltane, traditionally celebrated at the beginning of May, marks the arrival of Summer and falls midway between the Spring Equinox (day and night of equal length) and the Summer Solstice (the longest day).
Beltane is just one of four Celtic quarter-days, or feasts, that mark the passing of the seasons through the year. The other days are: Lughnasa (August 1st), Samhain (November 1st) and Imbolc (February 1st).
Astronomically, Beltane occurs as the sun rises with the constellation of the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. The name of the month of May comes from the Greek word Maia, the name of the eldest of the Seven Sisters in their mythology.
The constellation of the Pleiades appears to have been important to our prehistoric ancestors. It is thought to be depicted in cave paintings in France dating from 16,500 years ago and to appear on the Nebra sky disk (found in Germany) dated 2,600 years old.
Nebra sky disk
Lascaux cave paintings
The Pleiades Constellation (or Seven Sisters)
Throughout the British Isles, Beltane was a fire festival at which 'lucky' fires were lit and cattle driven between them on their way out to summer pasture (or sometimes over the embers). This rite was performed so that the cattle would be protected against diseases and from the menace of evil beings.
People also danced round the fires or leapt over them in the hope of being
similarly blessed with good health and good fortune.
In one of the oldest accounts of this practice from Ireland, the fires are reported to have been made by the Druids.
About Thornborough Henge
Thornborough Henge is a complex of three almost identical circular earthworks (each 240 metres in diameter) that were built around 5,000 years ago on the plateau of land that lies between the rivers Ure and Swale in North Yorkshire.
Thornborough Henge was part of a much wider ritual landscape and three more nearly identical Henges (Hutton Moor, Cana Barn and Nunwick Henge) were constructed in the same period on the Swale-Ure river plateau.
One of the Devil's Arrows
Where the two rivers meet (near to modern Boroughbridge) there stand three giant stone monoliths known as the Devils' Arrows. These are the remains of a 'Stone Row' that may have once marked the entrance to the plateau of Henges.
The central Henge at Thornborough was itself constructed on the site of an older type of monument called a Cursus (a long earthwork). The Cursus at Thornborough (now covered over) was aligned with the Summer Solstice sunrise.
The constellation of Orion
At the Winter Solstice the three Henges form a near perfect south west alignment (in the direction of the setting sun) with the three stars of Orion's belt, and all three Henges may have originally been covered in a white layer of gypsum rock.
Thornborough Henge, one of the largest and most important prehistoric rirtual monuments in the British Isles, provides the perfect setting for the celebration of our native traditions.
About Brigantia
Brigantia is the Goddess of an ancient Celtic Kingdom that once united England and Ireland.
At the time of the Roman invasion (43 AD), her followers, the Brigantes, were the single largest tribal group in the British Isles. Their territory covered most of northern England and also the south eastern corner of Ireland.
Because of the historical connection of the Brigantes tribe with Ireland it is highly likely that Brigantia and the Irish Goddess known as Brigit, are in fact one and the same diety.
In Irish mythology, Brigit (Brigantia) is described as one of a race of Gods known as the Tuatha Dé Danann (people of the Goddess Danu). She is also daughter of the Dagda (the Good God) a powerful diety and father figure who became High King of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
According to legend, the Tuatha Dé Danann appeared in Ireland at Beltane, arriving on dark clouds that blocked out the sun for three days. They were skilled in the arts of magic, prophecy and Druidry, which they had learned in the 'northern islands' of the world. They won two great battles against the other races then inhabiting Ireland (the Fir Bolg and the Fomorians), but were then defeated by the Milesians, who invaded Ireland from Spain.
Following their defeat, the Tuatha Dé Danan retreated underground to reside in the Sidhe, the Irish name for the ancient mounds that were the prehistoric monuments of our ancestors.
The Tuatha Dé Danann pictured in Marvel Comics
