Caoineadh Cú Chulainn - a lament for the Newgrange ancestors

This is a very soulful piece of music written by Bill Whelan for the Riverdance album. It's a lament, and is here played in honour and celebration of the builders of Newgrange and the Boyne Valley monuments. The piece was originally played (with an otherworldly brilliance) by Davy Spillane on the uilleann pipes. It is here played on a low D whistle.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones free wallpapers

Feel free to download and share these free wallpapers featuring quotes from my new novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones'.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones printed copies arrive

Having already been published on Amazon Kindle, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones' has arrived at my home in printed form! I received copies from the printer in Dublin on Friday evening. The book will be launched in The Barbican Centre, Drogheda, next Friday, November 29th at 7.30pm. The launch is being performed by Róisín Fitzpatrick, 'The Artist of the Light', and there will be music by renowned traditional musician Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin. I look forward to seeing you there.

For the above photograph, I decided to compare my new novella (yes, it's my first work of fiction!) with my two big non-fiction books, 'Island of the Setting Sun' and 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality'. I think they are three striking and well-designed covers. They are also quite vivid, and the three colour schemes vary quite a lot. After the launch, printed copies will be available through www.mythicalireland.com

In the meantime, you can learn more about Land of the Ever-Living Ones on its official blog page. You might also visit my author page on Goodreads, and you can also visit the new book's Facebook page here.

Modern technology versus Stone Age technology

Above is a short video with some thoughts and reflections upon modern technology and a comparison with the technology of the Stone Age world of Newgrange. Recorded while driving home from Newgrange in the Boyne Valley.

My new book, Land of the Ever-Living Ones

I am making my first foray into the world of fiction, with my new novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones', which is being published in November 2013.

The cover of my new book, Land of the
Ever-Living Ones, a work of fiction.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones is an extraordinary dialogue between an old man and a young boy that reaches into cosmic and spiritual realms. In one fireside conversation, they explore the universe with discussion about many different things, including natural phenomena, the mysteries of life and the question of what happens to us when we die.

The old man (sean-draoi) has gained much knowledge and wisdom during his life, and readily imparts it to the eager young boy, who is full of questions.

Tír na mBeo (Land of the Ever Living Ones) was an ancient Irish name for the otherworld, the home of deities, spirits and ancestors. It was believed to be a place where there is no sickness or old age and where happiness lasts forever. In this wide-ranging conversation, the man takes the boy on a journey into his own ancestral past, and through lesson, metaphor, story and dream, creates for him a stunning insight into his spiritual existence and his quest for eternity.

The journey is a magical and powerful one, evoking both ecstasy and melancholy, for lost ancestors, for the frailties of mankind, and for the sometimes harsh lessons of worldly life. However, it is an optimistic tale, one that stirs up great hope for the eventual destiny of the boy, and for all his kin.
Its central message is one of hope – a reminder that light will always emerge out of the darkness, and that all our struggles on this earth are not in vain.

The book will be published in printed form and also as an eBook on the Amazon Kindle platform. Because I am publishing this book myself, there are obviously considerable costs attached to that. If you would like to make a donation to help me bring this work to the public it would be appreciated greatly.

Time lapse video of Newgrange

This is a short time lapse video showing clouds moving over Newgrange, Ireland. It was shot on a Nikon DSLR camera by 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality' author Anthony Murphy.

Extraordinary alignments: Newgrange lines up with ancient sites

NEWGRANGE ALIGNMENT

There are some extraordinary alignments of ancient sites in Ireland. Two of these are now documented in new videos on Mythical Ireland.

The first involves Newgrange, perhaps the most famous of Irish monuments, with other sites which sit precisely along the winter solstice axis. You can read about the alignment and watch the video here:

http://www.mythicalireland.com/videos/Fourknocks-Newgrange-alignment-Google-Earth.html

BRIGID'S WAY ALIGNMENT

The recently launched Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage, which followed a route from Faughart in Louth to County Kildare was tracing out the route of a precise alignment of ancient sites discovered by Richard Moore and I during research for our book 'Island of the Setting Sun'. Read more about how this alignment was discovered, and watch a ten-minute video about the discovery at this link:

http://www.mythicalireland.com/Brigids-Way/Brigids-Way-Celtic-Pilgrimage-alignment.html



I have added some pictures from the first day of the pilgrimage here:

http://www.mythicalireland.com/Brigids-Way/Brigids-Way-Celtic-pilgrimage-pictures.html

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"It is good work," cried all the De Danaans, "we will stay and do it, but Brigit must go to Moy Mel and Tir-na-Moe and Tir-nan-Oge and Tir-fo-Tonn, and all the other worlds, for she is the Flame of Delight in every one of them."

"Yes, I must go," said Brigit.

"O Brigit!" said Ogma, "before you go, tie a knot of remembrance in the fringe of your mantle so that you may always remember this place--and tell us, too, by what name we shall call this place."

"Ye shall call it the White Island," said Brigit, "and its other name shall be the Island of Destiny; and its other name shall be Ireland."

From Celtic Wonder Tales, by Ella Young (1910), illustrated by Maud Gonne.

Best wishes from Ireland,
Anthony Murphy,
www.mythicalireland.com
www.newgrangeireland.com