Harp, Club, and Cauldron - A Harvest of Knowledge: A curated anthology of scholarship, lore, and creative writings on the Dagda in Irish tradition

by Lora O'Brien, Morpheus Ravenna, Kelly Woo (Editor)

He is a king, a druid, a war chieftain, a lover, and a worker of the land. He nourishes and he kills, he loves and he fights, in equal measure. He knows the sorcerous arts of druidry and the secrets of time. He is the Dagda - the mightiest of all the Irish Gods, and yet he is often overlooked in popular approaches to the Irish Gods. This book distills the scholarship, experience, and creative vision of the Irish and Celtic spirituality communities to bring you a harvest of knowledge -- Works of original scholarship on the Dagda, his role in literature culture, and myth, and related divinities. -- Translated early Irish textual material with commentary. -- Tools for the practitioner including prayers, rituals, recipes. -- Insightful experiential writings from priests and practitioners. -- Curated original creative writings. -- Original artwork and illustrations.No one reading this book will come away unsatisfied… Join us at the Dagda’s Cauldron!Contributions Ravenna, Lora O'Brien, Jon 'Scéalaí Beag' O'Sullivan, Isolde ÓBrolcháin Carmody, Morgan Daimler, Chris Thompson, Anthony Murphy, Dr. Stephen Davis, Segomaros Widugeni, Valerie Herron, Brian Walsh, Branwen Rogers, Vyviane Armstrong, Brennos Agrocunos Gunn, Victoria Hendrix, Geraldine Moorkens Byrne, Jane Brideson, Jennifer Lawrence, Mael Brigde, Ann Gerety Smyth, Orlagh Costello, John Paul Patton, Joe Perri at Wolf Mercury Photography.

301 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2018

About the author

Lora is an Author, Teacher, and Guide: born and raised in Ireland, with 25+ years personal and professional experience in our history, heritage, archaeology, mythology, and pre-christian Irish Spirituality.
Book publications include - Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch, 2004 (2nd Edition, 2020); A Practical Guide to Irish Spirituality, 2013; Rathcroghan - a Journey, 2015; Tales of Old Ireland - Retold, 2018; Harp, Club & Cauldron - A Harvest of Knowledge [editor, essay], 2018; Politics, Kinship and Culture in Gaelic Ireland [essay], (Wordwell) 2018; A Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood, (Llewellyn) 2019; and The Irish Queen Medb, 2020.
She is a modern Draoí – a practitioner and priest of native Irish magic and spirituality. Lora has been consciously following a Pagan path since 1994, and dedicated specifically to the Irish Goddess Mórrígan in 2004.
She managed one of Ireland's most important sacred sites - Cruachán/Rathcroghan - for a decade, and is a co-founder and Reverend legal celebrant with Pagan Life Rites Ireland.
With her partner, Jon O'Sullivan (An Scéalaí Beag), she runs EelandOtterPress.net, and the IrishPaganSchool.com - an online learning environment where you can connect to the heritage, culture and spirituality of Ireland in an authentic and meaningful way, every day.
Lora has three children, one grandchild… but never enough plants in her life to keep her happy.
Though she’s not really one for a lot of responses to personal private messages - consider that your fair warning - you can find her in the comments section on her YouTube Channel content a couple of times a week, sending regular Irish Resources emails to her busy mailing list at LoraOBrien.ie, and personally moderating some very active community groups over on Facebook: The Morrigan’s Cave, Learn Ogham, Journeys in the Irish Otherworld, and the Irish Pagan School Community.
If you would like a personal consultation with Lora, to answer your questions on Irish spirituality, you can access that service here - https://irishpaganschool.com/p/lora-q-a

Reviews

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been interested in the ancient Irish belief system for the past six months or so, mainly b/c of the goddess/Saint Brigit. "In Dagda" literally translates to "the good god," and as he is Brigit's father, and probably the most important god in the Irish pagan pantheon, I wanted to learn more about him. This book went a LONG ways in increasing my knowledge. It is an anthology w/ short chapters written by various different Irish pagan experts/writers. I especially enjoyed the bits from Jon O'Sullivan, who is an expert in the Dagda.
I liked that some of the chapters printed the stories about the Dagda in the original Irish and then translated them, explaining almost line-by-line in a couple of them so that now I understand those chapters better. There was even a chapter mentioning Brigit! Some of the chapter-writers were poets, so their contributions were poems.
All in all, it was an interesting, quick-reading introduction to In Dagda, the "All Father" of the Irish pantheon.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a lot out of the book! Wonderfully researched and wonderful contributions to those who work with or have had important experiences with An Dagda. I loved the translations of An Dagda's many names, exploring the religious sites and histories, and revisiting some of my favorite myths.

The last Third of the book the book: Inspirations, I believe it is titled, was genuinely the hardest to get through because so much of it felt like much of it outright contradicted the first 2/3rds with poems or chants, and some insights that even after much introspection made me grouchy. Because theses are peoples personal experiences and expressions, I think I am just going to have to chalk it up to differences in personal gnosis and leave it at that.
Perhaps other people will connect to those things better than I did.

Overall though, a great and wonderful undertaking and a must for those working with The Good God.

[K.S. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had a book come into your life at exactly the right time? Have you ever read something and been swept away with emotion, knowing that this was what you were calling out for but didn't realize it until that moment? That is what this book is to me.

In addition to the academics, I thoroughly enjoyed the contributions of those who were kind enough to share aspects of their practice as well as their experiences. Jon O'Sullivan, in particular, is a gifted storyteller. “The Dagda's Work” is my favorite piece from this collection.

I am extremely proud to have had a small part in bringing this book to fruition. This is something I will revisit, cup of tea in hand, curled up in a blanket in my favorite spot.

[Tiffany Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good God I needed this book! So inspiring and can I just say I need more of Jon O'Sullivan's writing in my life!?! He perfectly captures the feel and emotion of the Dagda. Superb.