The Circle and The Cross- Some notes on the characters.
Set against the backdrop of early fifth century C.E., The Circle and The Cross begins as the story of a young monk who arrives in Ireland as part of a mission to Christianise the country. The resulting tensions between the old Druidic ways and Roman Christian values, drives the unfolding narrative.
Many readers may not realise that some of the characters in the novel are based on actual historical figures. Palladius the Elder was, reputedly, the first Christian missionary to Ireland, in the ten or twenty years before Saint Patrick. In some stories Palladius was accompanied by Declan, later Saint Declan of Ardmore.
Near Ardmore in 1981 I heard a story about Palladius, Declan and the Druid Cieran, who had converted to the Cross. Later, I went for a walk up to Saint Declan’s holy well and hermitage on the cliffs close by the modern town of Ardmore. I had no idea at the time that all three characters would later be a part of this story but the place spoke to me in a way, if you know what I mean.
High-King Leori is based on a real life High-King of Ireland in the fifth century, Lóegaire mac Néill. The historical King Lóegaire lived under a Geas that stated he would die somewhere between Alba ( Scotland ) and Ériu ( Ireland ). So, he never so much as set foot in a boat his entire life. In the old stories, however, a Geas cannot be avoided.
King Eohan is based on Eoghan Eoghanacht, an ancient King of Mumhan ( Munster ).
Origen of Alexandria is based on tales I’d heard in Kerry about an Egyptian hermit-monk. The stories say he established the Christian hermitage at Skellig-Michael, a tiny island off the south-west coast. Yes, that’s the place where they filmed a Star Wars sequel.
Tathata was based on another story I heard about a Shee woman who had once lived on the Burren. The story went she was under a prohibition that stated she could only find peace if she fulfilled a series of almost impossible tasks.
Tathata and her Geas were cut out of The Circle and The Cross when it was first published in the mid-1990’s because the people who controlled my career at the time thought there were too many female characters. They also thought the concept of the Geas was too complicated for a fantasy novel. I’m overjoyed that she’s now returned to her rightful place in the limelight.
The Morrígan, the Cailleach and Brigid are all drawn from the most ancient cycles of stories. They represent the three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone that were sacred to the ancient Irish. While they are separate entities they are also mystically the same person. Some scholars believe tales about them may have been the source of the late Christian idea of the Holy Trinity.
Yes. I’ve done a lot of research but ultimately The Wanderers are fantasy novels. The historical characters I’ve borrowed really bear little relation to their real-life counterparts. That said, I was careful to only adopt historical characters about whom little is known other than their names.
The Circle and The Cross: Book One of The Wanderers Series
Many readers may not realise that some of the characters in the novel are based on actual historical figures. Palladius the Elder was, reputedly, the first Christian missionary to Ireland, in the ten or twenty years before Saint Patrick. In some stories Palladius was accompanied by Declan, later Saint Declan of Ardmore.
Near Ardmore in 1981 I heard a story about Palladius, Declan and the Druid Cieran, who had converted to the Cross. Later, I went for a walk up to Saint Declan’s holy well and hermitage on the cliffs close by the modern town of Ardmore. I had no idea at the time that all three characters would later be a part of this story but the place spoke to me in a way, if you know what I mean.
High-King Leori is based on a real life High-King of Ireland in the fifth century, Lóegaire mac Néill. The historical King Lóegaire lived under a Geas that stated he would die somewhere between Alba ( Scotland ) and Ériu ( Ireland ). So, he never so much as set foot in a boat his entire life. In the old stories, however, a Geas cannot be avoided.
King Eohan is based on Eoghan Eoghanacht, an ancient King of Mumhan ( Munster ).
Origen of Alexandria is based on tales I’d heard in Kerry about an Egyptian hermit-monk. The stories say he established the Christian hermitage at Skellig-Michael, a tiny island off the south-west coast. Yes, that’s the place where they filmed a Star Wars sequel.
Tathata was based on another story I heard about a Shee woman who had once lived on the Burren. The story went she was under a prohibition that stated she could only find peace if she fulfilled a series of almost impossible tasks.
Tathata and her Geas were cut out of The Circle and The Cross when it was first published in the mid-1990’s because the people who controlled my career at the time thought there were too many female characters. They also thought the concept of the Geas was too complicated for a fantasy novel. I’m overjoyed that she’s now returned to her rightful place in the limelight.
The Morrígan, the Cailleach and Brigid are all drawn from the most ancient cycles of stories. They represent the three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone that were sacred to the ancient Irish. While they are separate entities they are also mystically the same person. Some scholars believe tales about them may have been the source of the late Christian idea of the Holy Trinity.
Yes. I’ve done a lot of research but ultimately The Wanderers are fantasy novels. The historical characters I’ve borrowed really bear little relation to their real-life counterparts. That said, I was careful to only adopt historical characters about whom little is known other than their names.
The Circle and The Cross: Book One of The Wanderers Series
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