Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations

by Alexander Carmichael (Compiler), John MacInnes (Introduction)

Carmina Gadelica is the most complete anthology of Celtic oral tradition ever assembled. During his travels, Alexander Carmichael spent hours with peasants in their huts in front of peat fires listening as they "intoned in a low, recitative manner" these poems and prayers. This unique collection of living spirituality drawn from the depths of Celtic Christianity, represents a hidden oral tradition of great power and beauty, handed down through countless generations of Hebridean peasants.

Previously available only as a bilingual text in six volumes, this edition in English contributes to a broader awareness of Celtic literature in general. John MacInnes' introduction puts the poems in the context of the life and folklore of the Gaelic community.

Genres: Poetry, Religion, Spirituality, History, Scotland, Nonfiction, Paganism

687 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Alexander Archibald Carmichael (Gaelic: Alasdair Gilleasbaig MacGilleMhìcheil) was a Scottish exciseman, folklorist, antiquarian, and author. Between 1860 and his death Carmichael collected a vast amount of folklore, local traditions, natural history observations, antiquarian data, and material objects from people throughout the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the southern Outer Hebrides where he lived, worked, and brought up his family between 1864 and 1882. Alexander Carmichael is best known today for Carmina Gadelica, an influential compendium of Highland lore and literature published in six volumes between 1900 and 1971.

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

A significant and important collection of prayers, hymns, and incantations from Celtic spirituality in Scotland. Everything is in here: milking songs, fairy songs, and lullabies; charms, blessings, and prayers for protection.

Of course, the Carmina Gadelica has enormous historical value. Carmichael compiled and translated these age-old poems (for lack of a better comprehensive word) into English as he traveled in Scotland for his work as an excise officer, making this a glorious resource for anyone interested in rural Scottish life before the 20th century. In many ways, this collection preserves pre-industrial ways of life that have as much connection to the medieval era as the 19th century. Some of them take me right to the Scottish moors, wrapped in an earasaid, watching my border collie round up the flock.* The spiritual value is what you make of it. As an American Protestant, I can't imagine myself ever saying incantations or charms, and I don't milk cows. However, many of the blessings, hymns, and prayers do appeal to me, with their richly textured view of the world well-established in the Celtic spiritual tradition.

The notes are particularly wonderful, listing the reciter, and filling out the selections with contextual notes and the stories behind them. This is a really strong sourcebook for those interested in Scottish Celtic spirituality, and Carmichael has given us an incredible gift in this work. His project could not have been more timely, since he died in 1912 just before the Great War ushered in a new age for the British Isles. Many of these poems would have slipped into oblivion if not for his dedication, making the Carmina Gadelica a document of times past in addition to a collection of spiritual value.

The Carmina Gadelica is fully available online, too. Each contributor is listed with their occupation and location here, which is entrancing.

*I owe it to my ancestors to declare that I'm not at all Scottish (to my knowledge), but of Irish, English, and Germanic descent.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book represents a small portion of the material that Carmichael collected. I marked this book as "read", but I must admit that I haven't read it cover-to-cover. I read sections of the book aloud to slow down my reading for meditative purposes and to try to more fully appreciate the oral origin of the verse.

Two contemporary books that I consider companion material are Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent by Noragh Jones and Every Earthly Blessing: Rediscovering the Celtic Tradition by Esther De Waal. Noragh Jones weaves selections from Carmina Gadelica into narrative about everyday life of Gaelic women in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Esther De Waal's book weaves selections from Carmina Gadelica with her narrative in hopes that for readers "it becomes life-giving on their own Christian journey."

[Lydia Van Calster · Rating 5 out of 5]

DUAN NA MUTHAIRN
RICH na gile,
A Righ na greine,
A Righ na riime,
A Righ na reula,
A Righ na crinne,
A Righ na speura,
Is aluinn do ghnuis,
A luh eibhinn.

Da lub shioda
Shios ri d' leasraich Mhinich, chraicich:
Usgannan buidhe
Agus dolach
As gach sath dhiubli.


Thou King of the moon,
Thou King of the sun,
Thou King of the planets,
Thou King of the stars,
Thou King of the globe,
Thou King of the sky,
Oh ! lovely Thy countenance,
Thou beauteous Beam.

Two loops of silk
Down by thy limbs,
Smooth-skinned
Yellow jewels
And a handful
Out of every stock of them.

[Nancy Sayre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't a book you read as much as one you live with. I take prayers from it and add them to my daily meditations, they are that beautiful. I love the Celts, and their sense of spirit and the Trinity weaving through everyday life. Also, how can you not love a prayer for "smooring the fire." I am working with an author to publish his book on Celtic saints, and Carmina Gadelica was an indispensable resource . In fact, we found our title, 'A Staff to the Pilgrim' in a line of one of the prayers. A profound book. God love Alexander Carmichael for the work he did preserving these prayers and poems.

[John Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and amazingly comprehensive overview of Celtic lore. I would consider this a must-have in the library of anyone wanting to see Celtic spirituality "in action," in the day-to-day concerns of people. The traditions are multi-faceted and fascinating.

[Morvie Fik · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my never-ending journey to explore and learn about Scotland, this is absolutely fascinating. It holds both catholic and pagan writings, I highly recommend.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a wealth of Gaelic verse and prose (translated into English)collected by Alexander Carmichael over the second half of the 19th century. It contains a blend of pagan and Christian imagery steeped in the Gealic oral tradition.

Here is a link to the review I've just posted on Amazon.com:

http://tinyurl.com/2xszas

We owe a great debt to Mr Carmichael. Without his efforts it is possible that much of this largely oral traditional material would have been lost forever.

[Pollymoore3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayers, cures, blessings, cursings, spells..... (although Christian ones). The strength and truth of this approach lies in its awareness of the holiness of everyday life. There's no false separation of sacred and secular, everything is of God. An inclusive, not exclusive way. I bought my copy on Iona.

[Buster Ratliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at Gaelic charms, hymns, songs, oral folklore, and incantations.

[MxEx]

read on sacredtexts

[Patrick Oden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most complete collection of Celtic prayers, blessings and poetry you'll ever find. A tax man wandered through the highlands and islands of Scotland in the late 19th century and collected these from the people he met. Many if not most of these are put into print for the first time in history, though they likely reflect phrasing going back centuries. Smaller collections of Celtic prayers generally cull their selections from this bigger book, once a multi-volume, multi-lingual set now collected in a single large English only volume.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quintessential gathering of the myths, superstitions, folklore, prayers, hymns and magic of the Scots Gaelic people. Without Alexander Carmichael's research and travels much of this lore would have been long since lost and forgotten He did a great service in perserving their culture and managed to convey it in a very unbiased manner.

[Erin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is nearly impossible to read from beginning to end. A collection of prayers, chants, and hymns written down from the oral Scottish Gaelic, I have found this volume to be of fare more value to eat, chew & digest piece-meal, meditate upon slowly, and enjoy each verse for its own sake.

[Chas Bayfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this back in 1989 and really enjoyed it. Some of the customs Carmichael writes about were dying even back in 1900. The poetry is beautiful and elemental although the explanations can be a little quaint. This book brings home the barbaric destruction of the post Celtic Christian church.

[Avonlea Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely selection of poetry, prayers, invocations, blessings and charms.

[Note: My review is not specific to this edition. I have read this online via Sacred Texts, which may be accessed here- http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/....]

[Lilly Rosemeade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book. It's full of beautiful prayers and poems.

[Alexandra Chauran · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read that steeps you in the lore of Scotland. It feels like a perfect snapshot of history. I've read it several times.