Christmas preparations are now beginning in earnest, and advent calendars are being opened on daily basis. However, the four weeks prior to Christmas are also associated with fasting, which may be a good precursor to the indulgent practices of the feast itself. We have come a long way from the […]
This month I am going to talk about the many healers of vernacular medicine who still practise in our communities. Most people call this folk medicine, but this term does not give it the recognition, or respect, it deserves because these cures sustained our communities for many centuries and still […]
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is just ready for harvesting now, and it may be found on roadside verges and in stony ground. These kind of conditions are excellent for developing the therapeutic properties of yarrow thus making it a very worthwhile remedy. Some authors contend that yarrow may be a herb […]
Honeysuckle /woodbine (Lonicera periclymenum) is spreading its glorious perfume among the hedgerows at present, and it is a really beautiful scent on a summer evening. Even though its early growth is soft and supple, it becomes hard with age and is very strong. In the ‘Táin Bó Cúailnge’, Cúchulainn tells […]
