alskuefhaih
asoiefh

Monday, August 18, 2008

gift from Ireland


Last week on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland, Inge returned to the churchyard where a couple dozen beech trees line a stone wall (the cluster of trees in the upper right of the postcard, above). Rising above the ancient seat of Celtic kings and neolithic tombs 5000 years old, these living beings lift their arms to the sun, surrounded by views down into half of Ireland's counties.



At the foot of one special beech tree Inge found a square stone - once a brick, I think (in the photo, below), to bring to me. This is the first summer in four years I didn't get to touch this goddess among trees that I first met in 2005. But thanks to Inge, now I can hold a piece of worn brick - symbol of human constructs - from her shade.


18 comments:

Anet said...

Such an amazing tree! I remember you mention the tree in Ireland that you had a special connection with when I did the post with the tree's and a tree poem.
This is it! I'm so glad you shared it. I can see why it draws you to it! It must of liked you Ruth! I really believe trees have souls:)

Gwen Buchanan said...

Green and Ireland and beautiful!!..
I love hearing about the place of my ancestors.. I feel a connection to the place but I don't know much about them, except that they left at the time of the potato famine...and that they came form Dublin and Ulster areas.. thank you Ruth...

Ruth said...

Yes, Anet, and I'm glad you can see it too, even just from pictures. I think she did like me. I'm glad you understand.

= = =

Hi Gwen, so your people left Ireland during the famine. We visited Cobh, where a couple million of the Irish left for America on ships. What a hard journey that was, but they had a lot of hope that got them through it.

rauf said...

Sometimes i wish to belive in myths Ruth, the tree of life or the fruit of knowledge. A tree or a river has to be feminine along with mother earth., life giving, life supporting. i just responded to a comment from Whisper in my blog, while writing the response my mind wandered, i stopped writing and looked out of the window. i realised how powerful the female is, running and managing the entire planet.

Reading Gwen's comment took me to
'Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus' Myths play such an important roles in our lives. Its so easy to dismiss these myths.

i hate keys Ruth, because they don't speak. i don't lock anything i expect the keys to speak,
'here, i am here'
i wish these stones tell the story what they witnessed.they look so alive in the picture.

Ruth said...

rauf, I've told you about these trees, and what they mean to me. I would never have dreamt I would connect with a tree, until it happened. I was overwhelmed with emotion. Last year I was bereft to only have 45 minutes with this mother tree. I know it probably sounds like New Age shite, but that doesn't matter, because I know what I experience/d in her/their presence, and I was blown away.

If that is anything like the power of the female that you are talking about, maybe I understand what you felt a bit. There are archetypal mothers all around us, and they make us feel loved. That's one part of the female I've witnessed.

Sharon said...

Even through the computer that tree exudes spirit.

Oh, and I really like the Auden quote on your side bar. You are just full of gifts today Ruth!

Ruth said...

Thank you, Sharon, on both counts.

Loring Wirbel said...

Rauf's comments were really interesting to me, because I've been working on a book on how nationalist and ethnic myths propagate and generate. But the rationalist who wants to rid the world of myths is killing the wood spirits who live in everyone's pagan core. The bad part of myths is when people spin yarns around an unnameable core, and those yarns gain the power of accepted wisdom over generations of story-telling. The good part is when someone has a direct experience of the mystery embedded in nature.

MYM said...

Lovely post and beautiful photos. My mom's family was from Ireland...hundreds of years ago. I tried doing some research, couldn't figure out where they left from in Ireland when they came to Newfoundland tho.

Your posts always get me thinking, LOL. It's a good thing!

Ruth said...

Mmmm, Loring, thank you. I am not a person to subscribe to sprites and faeries, but the power of the trees was unavoidable. Not that I wanted to avoid it.

= = =

Drowsey, chances are very good that they left from Cobh or Kinsale. Thank you, sweetie.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful tree! Gosh it's just beautiful. Thanks for sharing this tree with me!

Ruth said...

Thank you too, Amy. Trees can be magnificent, and this one is especially so.

sandy said...

I totally understand that connection between a human and a tree...both Be-Ings...

My maternal grandfather immigrated from Ireland, and he and my mom went back when she was a teenage, for a trip. I want to say they were from County Cork...but I'm not remembering for sure anymore.

I've always wanted to visit Ireland.

Beautiful photos.

I remember one of my favorite books
The Secret Life of Plants. I will always remember the book and learning how plants/trees communicate....fascinating. I think he came out with a new book later that I haven't read yet.

Ruth said...

Sandy, oh, I haven't read that book, I've heard about it. I should look at it.

I hope you'll go to Ireland. I never had the desire to go, no connection that I knew of. When I had to go for work, I fell in love. And County Cork is wonderful! Cork town is one of the nicest small cities I've been in, I got hooked on it.

The people in Ireland are very open and friendly. It's an easy place to visit because of that, and then there are lots of sacred sites to visit, which I found fascinating.

Glad you agree that the tree connection makes sense. I like that: we are fellow be-ings.

Ginnie Hart said...

You got to go to Ireland after all, Ruth!

Ruth said...

Yep, Boots, or Ireland came to me.

Bob Johnson said...

Ruth what an awesome tree, love that you have the square brick, very cool, oh and I love your run away hair,lol.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Bob, I'm glad you like the tree too. Yeah, that hair is something, my goodness. :)