#BookologyThursday #Celtic: ` Dá Derga. 'Tis by him that the Hostel was built, and since it was built its doors have never been shut save on the side to which the wind comes—the valve is closed against it—and since he began housekeeping his caldron was never taken from the fire, but it has been boiling food for the men of Erin.`
Source: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301017A.html

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `Ever open was the Hostel. Why it was called a Bruden was because it resembles the lips of a man blowing(?) a fire(?). Or bruden is from bruth-en, i.e. en ‘water’, bruthe ‘of flesh’ broth therein.
Great was the fire which was kindled by Conaire every night, to wit, a torc caille ‘Boar of the Wood’. Seven outlets it had. When a log was cut out of its side every flame that used to come forth at each outlet was a big as the blaze of a burning oratory. There were seventeen of Conaire's chariots at every door of the house, and by those that were looking from the vessels that great light was clearly seen through the wheels of the chariots.`
Source: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301017A.html

According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, King Ambrosius wished to memorialize the British warriors slain by the treacherous Saxons on Salisbury Plain, so had Merlin transport a giant stone circle from Ireland. This monument, the Giant’s Dance, later became known as Stonehenge. #BookologyThursday

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: When Conaire asked for the way to Dá Derga’s hostel Mac Cecht said: „The road whereon thou art going continues till it enters his house, for through the house passes the road. There are seven doorways into the house, and seven bedrooms between every two doorways; but there is only one door-valve on it, and that valve is turned to every doorway to which the wind blows.’
‘With all that thou hast here,’ says Conaire, ‘thou shalt go in thy great multitude until thou alight in the midst of the house.’
‘If so be,’ answers Mac cecht, ‘that thou goest thither, I go on that I may strike fire there ahead of thee.’
Source: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301017A.html

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `There was great state and rank and plenty in the king's house at Emain. On this wise was that house viz., the Red Branch of Conchobor, after the likeness of the House of the Midcourt [The feasting hall at Tara]. Nine beds were in it from the fire to the wall. Thirty feet was the height of each bronze front that was in the house. Carvings of red yew were therein. It was a board ... below, and a roof of tiles above.
The bed of Conchobor was in the front of the house, with boards of silver, with pillars of bronze, with the glitter of gold on their head-pieces, and carbuncles in them, so that day and night were equally light in it, with its silver board above the king to the highest part of the royal house. Whenever Conchobor struck the board with a royal rod, all the men of Ulster were silent thereat. The twelve beds of the twelve chariot-chiefs were round about that bed.
Yea, the valiant warriors of the men of Ulster found place in that king's house at the drink, and no man of them would touch the other. Splendid, lavish, and beautiful were the valiant warriors of the men of Ulster in that house. There were great and numerous gatherings of every kind in that house, and wonderful pastimes.`
Source: https://iso.ucc.ie/Tochmarc-emire/Tochmarc-emire-text.html#Extract_1

Pegana- created (or discovered) by Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany for #BookologyThursday

#BookologyThursday #Celtic: `When Finn, Caoilte and their comrades where seated in the lighted house and provided with the newest of every food, and the oldest of every drink, Donn, son of Midhir, related: `Bodb Dearg said to our father: 'Unless you will put away your sons, we will wall up your dwelling-place on you.' So the eight-and-twenty brothers of us came out to look for a place for ourselves; and we searched all Ireland till we found this secret hidden place, and we are here ever since.`
Source: Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory - Project Gutenberg eBook

Wondrous is the wall-stone; broken by fate, the castles have decayed; the work of giants is crumbling. Roofs are fallen, ruinous are the towers. The grasp of the earth, stout grip of the ground, holds its mighty builders, who have perished and gone. - From 'The Ruin', Anglo-Saxon #BookologyThursday

"...little things, little glimpses such as this never depart. And the memory of that first view of the Blind Pool would still be in his mind forty years afterwards, rather faded, perhaps, like an old photograph in an album, but still there, an imperishable masterpiece" #BookologyThursday B.B. (1940)