Religiousfreak - Celtic Way

Love Spell Masterpost

A collection of our favorite love (and love auxiliary) spells for Valentine’s Day and all year long. Remember to ask for consent before casting! 

Love (Attracting):

Shower Disks for Attracting Love 

Love Spell for a 3rd Party 

Jar for Attracting Romance

“Funnel of Love” Spell 

Love Drawing Bath Soak 

Bring Love My Way Spell

Simple Love Spell 

Simple Spell Jar for Love

The Love Stone

Love (Strengthening):

Love Spell Cocktail

Kitchen Witchcraft Pies for a Lover

Strength of Love Spell 

Spell to Strengthen Love 

To Make a Relationship Stronger

Lust and Sex:

Tea for Lust and Romance 

Spell for Passion

‘Shot to the Lust’ Mix

Sex Spell Candle 

Mermaid’s Kiss Enchantment

Sex Drive Sachet

Rose Romance Spray 

Spell to Improve Sex Life

Glamour:

Goddess Glamour Bath 

Goddess Glamour Shower Disks

Glamour Solid Perfume

Notice Me Glamour Spell

Lingerie Glamour Spray 

Glamour Facial Scrub 

How To Get Free Books On Folklore

I do not believe in gatekeeping knowledge, so this post will be sharing how I get all my folklore books for free, legally.

To explain, when a book gets over a certain age and the copyright is not upkept, it falls under “public domain.” When that happens, many different websites will provide those books as a free download.

This is not restricted to one type of book, either. You can grab anything from Sherlock Holmes to history books, to folklore, and more.

If you are looking for a specific book, you may have to check more than one source, so I suggest bookmarking more than one website.

Example Websites:

Internet Archive

Project Gutenberg

Google Books

Open Library

Electric Scotland (Scottish books)

Sacred Texts

National Library of Scotland: Ossain Collection

Forgotten Books

Hathitrust

For me when I download a book, I then upload them to my Google library so that I can use the search functions as well as bring up the books anywhere, but a popular PC option isCalibre.

If you are interested in Scotland-specific folklore, I do have some suggestions of books you can start with.

Scottish Folklore Books:

(link) A Dictionary of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures by Katharine Briggs (1976)

(link) Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

(link) Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland by John Gregorson Campbell (1900)

(link) The Peat-Fire Flame: Folk-Tales and Traditions of the Highlands and Islands by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (1937)

(link) Notes on Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland by Walter Gregor, M.A. (1881)

(link) The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans-Wentz (1911)

(link) Witchcraft and Superstitious Record in the South-Western District of Scotland by J. Maxwell Wood (1911)

(link) Witchcraft & Second Sight in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland by John Gregorson Campbell (1902)

(link) Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

(link) Folk-Lore From The West of Ross-Shire by C.M. Robertson (1908)

(link) The Fairy Mythology / Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries by Thomas Keightley (1850)

(link) Popular Tales of the West Highlands by John Francis Campbell (1862)

(link) Scottish Fairy and Folk Tales by Sir George Douglas

(link) The Scottish Fairy Book By Elizabeth W. Grierson (1918)

(link)

(link) Popular Superstitions of the Highlands By W Grant Stewart (1823)

KITCHEN WITCHERY

HAPPINESS - Chamomile, Lemon Balm, St Johns Wort, Oregano

MONEY- Spearmint, Basil, Cinnamon, Ginger

SUCCESS - Bay Laurel, Lemon balm, Lovage

BANISHING - Chilli Pepper, Mandrake, Frankincense, Mugwort, Rosemary

WISDOM - Thyme, Cinnamon

LOVE - Jasmine, Rose, Meadowsweet, Coriander, Basil, Marjoram

FERTILITY - Myrtle, Geranium, Mandrake, Mistletoe, Clary Sage, Fennel

HEALING - Calendula, Allspice, Elderberry, Ginger, Eucalyptus, Lavender

PROTECTION - Angelica, Lavender, Aloe Vera, Agrimony, Star Anise, Salt

PSYCHIC POWER - Frankincense, Yarrow, Bay Laurel, Mugwort

PURIFYING - Rosemary, Juniper, Sweetgrass

Hey Mate, got tips for Brigid Worship that doesn't involve American/English/Wiccan stuff? I'm an Irish ex-Catholic who's trying to worship the Tuatha Dé Danann (I'm mainly focusing on Brigid because I loved her Saint equivalent growing up), but a lot of my research keeps showing me English/American Neogpagan and Wiccan Shite. Any advice?

hey mate! i’ll link some resources for you to peruse, hopefully they help. mix up of gaelic-centric and celtic-centric pagan resources

Gaol Naofa (a website discussing Gaelic polytheism)

Tairis (another website discussing Gaelic polytheism)

An Introduction to the Tuatha  Dé Danann (video)

Na hÉireanneach

A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland

Pagan Portals - Gods and Goddesses of Ireland: A Guide to Irish Deities

Gods and Fighting Men: The Story of the Tuatha De Danann and of the Fianna of Ireland (not sure where to link, this was lent to me! fer sure you can find it though)

The Cailleach in Irish Megalithic Traditions

Druids, Deer, and Words of Power: Coming to Terms with Evil in Medieval Ireland

The Book of Celtic Magic: Transformative Teachings from the Cauldron of Awen by Kristoffer Hughes

The Religion of Ancient Celts 

Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts

Brigid of the Celts

An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism

The Tain (amazon bleugh)

Irish Imbolc Customs

Scottish Deities: Brighde

Brighid, Goddess and Saint

Tending Brighid’s Flame (amazon bleugh)

How to Make a Brighid Cross from Rushes

to keep in mind while reading: Cailleach is not a member of the Tuatha Dé, and her lore supersedes theirs by a long shot. The Cailleach - Brighid dichotomy is specifically a Scottish folkloric tradition and does not appear in Irish folkloric tradition.

as far as personal experience, i don’t know much about brighid. never formed a bond with her, honestly, and she’s never shown interest in me in return. but i still celebrate her feast and do a lot of basic worship of her that day.

my main tip for you would be that, well... it’ll seem harsh, but coming from a fellow irish person, the tuatha de danann are nothing like the catholic god. they don’t love you unconditionally, and they aren’t omnipresent or all knowing. wise and powerful, fer sure, but your relationship with them will be completely different and unfamiliar at first. 

the irish deities were originally venerated ancestors. they became divine as the legends of them spread. the tuatha de danann are more like if an EXTREMELY powerful and respected war general was your landlord. offerings are less about connection and more about payin’ your rent! 

at the bare bones basics: there was an agreement between humans and them that they’d retreat from the war that was resulting in the near-extinction of both their peoples, IF the human invaders would leave part of their harvest goods for them on the mounds and edges of forests and windowsills on certain fests and holidays. with that deal struck, the tuatha de danann retreated underground beneath the faery mounds and very soil we stand on.

so keep in mind: the gods do not love you until you build that relationship. they’re not your parent, they’re not a friend. they are wiser, stronger, and more powerful than you in every way. holy fear should be part of it at first when it comes to irish deities. obviously you can still form a close bond, even worship them or become a close communicator! but you have to earn that first. 

Scottish Folklore Songs (Historic Recordings)

The site Tobar An Dualchais is a collection of historic audio recordings in Scotland, and that includes songs. I collected just some of the folklore related ones into a list for you all.

I have no talent in singing, so I will have to leave that up to the rest of you. Some are in English, and other are in Gaelic.

Kelpies and Each-Uisge 🐎🌊

(link) A MHÒR, A MHÒR, TILL RID MHACAN. "This song, which was used as a cradle song, was said to have been a lament composed by a water-horse(each-uisge) whose mortal lover had gone, taking their child with her. He is pleading with her to return. " (Recorded in 1956)

(link) A GHAOIL LEIG DHACHAIGH GU MO MHÀTHAIR MI "This song takes the form of a conversation between a girl and a water-horse. The girl is asking him to let her return home to her mother. The water-horse has other ideas. It is clear from the last verse that the girl escaped. " (Recorded in 1954)

(link) 'ILLE BHIG, 'ILLE BHIG SHUNNDAICH Ò "This is a fairy song. It was said to have been composed by a girl who was in love with a water-horse. As the song describes, he was killed by her brothers. The song lists some of the gifts he had promised to give the girl. " (Recorded in 1963)

Mermaids 🧜‍♀️

(link) ÒRAN NA MAIGHDINN-MHARA "In this song a mermaid says that she was deceived. She fell in love with a man even though he was human and she was a mermaid. Her sleep is unsettled when there is bad weather. " (Recorded in 1963)

Selkies:

(link) THE GREAT SELKIE OF SULE SKERRY "Supernatural ballad in which a woman bears a son to a selkie." (Recorded in 1973)

(link) THE SELKIE "The woman is speculating on who her baby's father is, when he appears and tells her he is Gunhaemilar and he is a selkie [seal man]. She is distraught and turns down his proposal of marriage. He tells her to nurse the baby for seven years, then he will return and pay her. He comes back and she asks him to marry her, but he rejects her in the same words she used to turn him down. He says he will put a gold chain round his son's neck so she will know him. She marries a gunner who shoots both the selkie and his son and she dies of a broken heart. " (Recorded in 1971)

(link) UNKNOWN "A Shetland song mentioning the selkies." (Recorded in 1985)

Other:

(link) MORAG'S FAIRY GLEN "Song of a man telling the beauty of Morag's Fairy Glen, and bidding his love to meet him there. " (Recorded in 1952)

(link) FAIRY DANCE "This is the reel 'Fairy Dance' played on the fiddle. " (Recorded in 1970)

(link) CRODH CHAILEIN "This song belongs to the fairy songs tradition and was used as a milking song or lullaby. Colin's cattle referred to in the song are the deer. " (Recorded in 1955)

(link) TÀLADH NA MNATHA SÌDHE "This song is a fairy cradle song in which the speaker says she would wander in the night with her beloved child. Sections of the song contain vocables which belong to the piping tradition." (Recorded in 1970)

(link) HORO 'ILLE DHUINN SHUNNDAICH "A song in which a woman tells of the murder of her fairy lover who promised her the kertch of a married woman." (Recorded in 1994) (link) HÈ O HÒ A RAGHNAILL UD THALL "In this fairy song, a fairy woman is trying to get a herdsman called Ronald to come across a river to her. Fairies cannot cross water." (In some stories, certain types of fairies can't cross running water) (Recorded in 1953)

(link) HÓRO 'ILLE DHUINN SHUNNDAICH "Song about a woman with a fairy lover." (Recorded in 1962)

(link) ÒRAN AN LEANNAIN-SÌTH "In this song the bard tells of being visited by a fairy lover. She asks him to make her a song, which will win an award at the Mod. He describes her beautiful appearance and sweet voice. She promises to give him a magic wand. She tells him about some of her deeds, and reminds him to make the song as she requested." (Recorded in 1960)

The…Other Children of Lir

Lost princes || A family dynasty || Judgment 

Continuing my (very very slooow and overly specific) journey through Irish tradition, I wanted to talk about some of the more mysterious personages.  Tw for two (brief) mentions of assault/dubious consent, without detail. Manannan mac Lir is probably one of the better known figures (which is why he’s the jumping off point for so much of my writing) alongside his foster son Lugh and his pupil Aengus - but he’s also given an extensive family of children, including Mongan, Eachdond Mor, and Gaidiar. None are quite as well-known or have stories so well-preserved (apart from possibly Niamh of the Golden Hair) but what we do know about them is interesting. Niamh could probably do with her own post so I’ll respectfully leave her out of this one. Aine is also given as Manannan’s daughter in certain sources but I couldn’t verify this and she would also need her own feature.

Mongan is interesting in that in most stories of his birth he’s half human, half tuatha de - if such a division can be considered clear cut. In The Voyage of Bran, Manannan stops Bran (another appearance of Lough Foyle) at sea to tell him that he’s going to concieve a son who’ll be a great hero. Stories vary but generally, Mongan’s father Fiachna (meaning crow) is fighting in Scotland. He’s losing, until Manannan shows up and says he’ll help, for a price. Fiachna makes the old mistake - “I’ll give anything” - and Manannan asks for his wife. In other (nicer) versions, Fiachna’s wife is well aware and the all three people involved consent. Mongan is raised in the Otherworld until his late teens, when he returns to start his job as King. Interestingly, he doesn’t seem that interested in ruling and spends his time drinking wine and playing games. He has to be prompted into making decisions by his father, and even then he retains a sense of ennui and longing to return to the Otherworld. He shapeshifts into children, a washerwoman, a priest - he has as many faces and is as fluid as you’d expect.

Eachdond Mor, Mongan’s older brother, is pictured sitting as Manannan’s left hand, accompanied by his ally Abartach, a trickster who shares a name with a character from the story of the Gilla Decair and a “wizard”/sidhe lord/creature from Garvagh in Ulster, and may be connected with Midir.

Gaidiar is Eachdond’s brother, and commits “adultery” with Becuma, a “woman of the sidhe” (in some tellings he assaults her, in others it is consensual) while they are both in prior relationships, for which she is expelled from Tir na Nog beginning a saga involving a king falling in love with her and accidentally cursing Ireland. Becuma, as the woman, is treated as solely responsible while Gaidiar - and the king - seemingly avoid repercussions. 

Both brothers in their very brief appearances are portrayed as powerful lords or kings in their own right, rubbing shoulders with Aengus, the Dagda, Finbhara and Bodb Derg. 

((I’ll probably come back and edit this since I know there’s a story I’m forgetting, but I’m too tired to remember it properly now, but hopefully somebody finds it interesting!))

Scottish Folklore for Holy

There are many plants thought of protective in Scottish folklore, and Holly(cuileann in Gaelic) is one of them.

Holly . This name is probably a corruption of the word holy , as this plant has been used from time immemorial as a protection against evil influence . Folk Lore: Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland within This Century By James Napier

Much like rowan, holly could be placed inside the house above the door as a protective seal. If done, this plant was said to protect against evil intent(including from fairies), and nightmares.

The HOLLY . Pieces of holly along with rowan were placed inside over the door of the stable to prevent the entrance of the nightmare . My informant has cut the tree for this purpose. The Folk-lore Journal (Pg41): SOME FOLK – LORE ON TREES , ANIMALS , AND RIVER FISHING , FROM THE NORTH – EAST OF SCOTLAND

If planted near the house (outside) it was also said to protect from lightning. As it turns out, they may have been right.

“We now know that the spines on the distinctively-shaped holly leaves can act as miniature lightning conductors, thereby protecting the tree and other nearby objects.” The Holly Society,

It was considered bad luck to cut down a holly tree, but cutting of boughs for use was allowed.

The only time the tree was never to be trimmed was if they grew in in boarder hedges, due to the belief that witches would run on top of hedges, but the holly would act as a barrier to stop them.

It is even said that in 1861, the Duke of Argyll even had a prospective road rerouted to avoid cutting down the holly there.

Waulking Songs and the Loireag | Scottish Folklore

A waulking song is a traditional song that was sung for a group to keep in sync while rhythmically beating newly-woven fabric on a surface. This motion shrinks the fibers of the fabric, which makes it better at repelling water.

“There would often be 24 of them at one table, singing songs for four to five hours at a time, during which 300-400 yards of cloth would be waulked.” Audio Recording Transcript: “WAULKING THE CLOTH, ” Track ID: 65191, Date: 1961. Source: tobarandualchais.co.uk

This could be done sitting around a table and moving the fabric with your hands, but in some places the fabric was waulked using feet.

As they sing, they both beat and move the fabric a clockwise direction.

Related to this practice is a water fairy called Loireag(lorryack). She was a rather mischievous fairy that is often described as having an obsession with tradition.

“The ‘loireag’ presided over the warping, weaving, waulking, and washing of the web, and if the women omitted any of the traditional usages and ceremonies of these occasions she resented their neglect in various ways.” Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

Not only did she make sure things were done in the right order, but she also disliked people singing out of tune, and hated hearing the same waulking song twice.

” If a song were sung twice at the waulking, the ‘loireag’ would come and render the web as thin as before, and all the work of the women of no avail. They had to begin anew and waulk the web over again, taking special care not to repeat the offence. “ Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

The loireag had such a great love of milk that people would leave out offerings of it for her. If this was forgotten, she would take matters into her own hands by enchanting the milking animals to be as still as a statue while she drank her fill.

In one story where this occurred, a girl in Benmore discovered a loireag sucking a cow. The girl tried to drive the fairy away, but nothing worked so she went to fetch her father. It turns out her father was a Carle. Carle can be a derogatory term for a commoner man, but it can also be an alternative name for the "Bodach," which they may be intending in this case.

“The little Carle leapt out at the door in sparks of red fire, swearing at the impudent ‘loireag,’ and at the cow. He threw a boulder at the ‘loireag,’ wishing to kill her, but struck the cow instead and nearly killed her!” Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

He then grabbed the very point of one of the cows horns in the name of “Columba the kindly,” who was “the best leech of man and beast in Alban in his day.” With those words, the cow broke from the enchantment and leapt away. At the same time, the loireag took off running while singing back insults.

“Little carle of Corrie-foot, Little carle of the short coat, Little carle of the foot of the Pass Much I praise your aim.” Highland Mythology by Watson, E. C. (1908)

WAULKINGS SONG EXAMPLES:

(link) In this waulking song a man mourns the fact that another is courting his beloved while he sails the seven seas.

(link) This is a short fragment from a waulking song with a love theme.

(link) The composer describes going through the strath and seeing a herd of hinds. A man was driving them down the hill. He had a bow and arrow and a gun.

(link) This is a waulking song of the type found at the start of a waulking. The chorus refers directly to waulking the tweed, which is unusual in waulking songs.

(link) In this waulking song a sailor tells of his feelings, as the girl he loves is unfaithful. He expresses the hope that his beloved will not take the tailor, the shoemaker, the shepherd or the herdsman.

(link) In this waulking song, the composer lists by their occupation the men who are unsuitable, and then gives details of the one she would accept.

(link) In this waulking song, a woman longs for the man she loves, but his family disapprove of the relationship.

Four-Leafed Clover

Although the four-leafed clover is now only associated with Ireland, it also has folklore in Scotland. This is perhaps not surprising when you consider that in one location, Ireland and Scotland is only 12 miles apart. Despite this obvious opportunity at trading folklore, I still think it is worth sharing the Scottish-side of this folklore.

“The four-leaved Clover had extraordinary influence in preserving its possessor from magical and witch influence, and enabled their possessors also to see through any deceit or device which might be tried against them. I have seen a group of young women within these few years searching eagerly for this charmed plant.” "Folk Lore: Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland within This Century" by James Napier (1879)

Perhaps the oddest bit of folklore related to this involves taking the afterbirth of a horse, and burring it. Supposedly, this will help develop a four-leaf clover which will give you a lock-picking superpower.

"Let a mare’s first secundines be taken and buried, and let the spot under which it lies be searched from time to time till a four-bladed clover is found. Whoever finds it and eats it has the power of opening the most intricate lock simply by breathing upon it." "Notes on the folk-lore of the north-east of Scotland" by Walter Gregor (1881)