A Circle of Stones: Journeys and Meditations for Modern Celts - Erynn Rowan Laurie 1995

The Daily Round

The Gate of Divine Mysteries

Here is the secret gate, the opening of the way. It is the beginning of the journey, of immram to the sacred land. A journey must begin with a desire to attain the goal, and our goal is the divine wisdom of mythic Ireland. Our source is the hidden source of the Well of Wisdom, navel of Danu, tended by the Goddess Boann. At our beginning is a Name - the tri-fold Name of the Sovereignty of Ireland: Fodla, Banbha, Eriu. These are the cunning wives of Bres, of Buaigne. With these Names we can begin our search, rising through the triple eddies of the waters in Tobhair Segais.

Ailiu iath nErend

Ermach muir mothuch

Mothach sliagh sreathach

Srethach coill ciothach

Ciothach ab essach

Eassach loch lionmar

Liondmar tor tiopra

Tiopra tuath aenaigh

Aenach righ Temra

Teamair tor tuatha

Tuatha mac Míled

Míledh long, libern

Libern ard, Ere

Ere ard, diclass

Dichteal rogaeth

Ro gaes ban Breisi

Breisi, ban Buaigni

Be abdal Ere

Eremhon ortus

Ír, Eber ailsius

Ailiu iath nErenn (Irish source: Macalister, R.A.S. and John MacNeill, Do Ghabhalaibh Erend, Hodges, Figgis, Dublin 1916)

I invoke the land of Ireland,

Much-coursed be the fertile sea,

Fertile be the fruit-strewn mountains,

Fruit-strewn be the showery wood,

Showery be the river of waterfalls,

Of waterfalls be the lake of the deep pools,

Deep-pooled be the hill-top well

A well of tribes be the assembly,

An assembly of kings be Tara,

Tara be a hill of the tribes,

The tribes of the sons of Míl,

Of Míl of the ships, the barks,

Let the lofty bark be Ireland,

Lofty Ireland, darkly sung,

An incantation of great cunning,

The great cunning of the wives of Bres,

The wives of Bres, of Buaigne;

The great lady Ireland,

Eremon hath conquered her,

Ír, Eber have invoked for her,

I invoke the land of Ireland.

ALL-yoo EE-ath NAYR-enth

AIR-mahk mweer MOTH-uk

MOTH-uk SHLEE-ug SHREH-thahk

SHREH-thahk kill KEE-ah-thahk

KEE-ah-thahk ab ESS-ahk

ESS-ahk lok LEE-on-var

LEE-on-var tor TEE-a-pra

TEE-a-pra TOO-ath EH-nahk

EH-nahk reeg TEV-ra

TEV-er tor TOO-a-tha

TOO-a-tha mac MEE-leth

MEE-leth long, LIV-ern

LIV-ern ard, AYR-a

AYR-a ard, DI-glass

DIK-tal ro-GI’TH

ro gi’s, ban BRAY-shee

BRAY-shee, ban BOO-ug-nyee

bay AB-dal AYR-a

AYR-e-von OR-tus

eer, EH-ver AHL-shius

ALL-yoo EE-ath NAYR-en

Moving Meditations on the Gate of Divine Mysteries

Find the roots of something

Trace your family genealogy

Look for the etymology of a word or a name

Study techniques of invocation

Learn about Celtic well-dressing customs

Read a creation myth

Begin a quest for something

Affirmation for the Gate of Divine Mysteries

Today I invoke my own inner sacred place: a land fertile with creativity, a well deep with wisdom, and a sky showery with many blessings.