Lora O'Brien – Irish Author & Guide
Your Authentic Connection to Ireland
A while back, I was interviewed by a student named Hannah for their college research, and I thought others might be interested in the Irish Paganism Q&A that resulted from the interview. What would you say is the overall conception of the world and the place of humans in Irish Paganism? Overall, I believe native…
Bealtaine (or May Day) is coming up at the end of this month, so we’d love to see you fully prepared for this very important Fire Festival in the Irish Tradition. Note: In Ireland, Bealtaine is the name for the month of May in our Irish language and living cultural traditions, while Beltane is the…
A lot of folk have asked me about a practice I engage with every December, my Winter Solstice vigil each year here in County Waterford, Ireland. So, I decided to outline what it is, why I do it, and if it’s something you should be doing as part of an Irish Pagan practice. What is…
Ogham (also spelled ogam) is a uniquely Irish alphabet, which uses a system of notches and horizontal or diagonal lines to represent the sounds of an early form of the Irish language. Our students at The Irish Pagan School always want to know though, how to read Ogham? We have two primary sources for the…
This is a simple Irish prayer to say to the Mórrígan (the Irish Goddess Morrigan) at sunset each night, wherever you are in the world. Our prayer to the Morrigan is adapted from a traditional Irish prayer found on Duchas.ie in the School’s Collection. The original entry is as follows: The following prayer was generally…
In my Guided Journeys work at the Irish Pagan School, one of the most common concerns that students have is do guided meditation journeys work if you fall asleep? Because it happens to most of us, at some point. Look, Basic Meditation is about relaxation. As I always say in my workshops (remember when we…
Another one from the frequently asked questions file at the Irish Pagan School is how to make offerings to Pagan Gods and Goddesses, so if you’re confused or have questions on this topic – you’re not alone! The following is not specific to Irish or ‘Celtic’ Gods and Goddesses, but does of course apply to…
Well first off, your answer may be – none. You don’t have to work with any god or goddess to be a practicing Pagan, or to follow native Irish spiritual traditions. In fact, you’re probably closer to any Irish ancestral connections that are there by just having a general ‘something bigger than me exists but…
Lora O’Brien answered an Irish Pagan School Student Question about Irish Ancestry and Cultural Appropriation, in relation to Irish or Celtic Pagan Practice. My name is Chelsea, I was born in Canada to an American mother and a Canadian father. I live in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. I am of mixed English, Scottish and Irish ancestry…
When you begin to study Irish History there can be some confusion as to the terminology, particularly around the time periods and the dates of what happened when. I thought it would be useful to put together a simple guide to the phases and dates that you’ll see mentioned when you study any Irish History….