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www.celtic-connection.com
may 2013
Beltaine: This seasonal feast marks the end of the dark half of the year, and is about honouring life, and
the coming of summer
About our Cover Artist
HAMISH Douglas Burgess is a Celtic artist living on Maui, in the Hawaiian Islands. He continues the ancient practice with his own Celtic art, traditional and modern, in various mediums.
Coming from Celtic stock (Scottish), and living for many years in a Celtic area of Britain (Cornwall), he has a love of Celtic art and music instilled in him, producing Celtic artwork, photography, and playing the bagpipes.
He regularly spends time in the ancient Celtic areas of Britain, Ireland and Europe, studying ancient works of art.
Recent works have included album, DVD covers and stage backdrops for The Irish Rovers, many Celtic Connection covers, book illustrations, commissions, original Celtic tattoos, and even entire cars!
If you visit Maui, 'The Celtic Art of Hamish Burgess' will be on display for the whole month of May at Hawaiian Village Coffee in the Kahana Gateway Center (4405 Honoapiilani Hwy, #207) in west Maui, north of Lahaina. Opening hours 6 AM -6 PM. Original paintings, giclee, and prints - all available for purchase.
HAMISH BURGESS
Hamish lives around the corner, so if you want a chat with him about his art. please call (808) 264-5190, and he'll see you at the coffee shop. Artist's reception Saturday, May 18 from 6-8 PM with a Celtic music session. Preview artwork at www.mauiceltic.com/ gallery.htm.
Hamish has promoted Celtic culture in Maui, Hawaii, for the last 14 years. He owns Maui Celtic, an import and Celtic
goods retail company, and cross-cultural link for music events, genealogy, Celtic art and heritage, and information on Celtic nations.
Maui Celtic is the biggest vendor at the Hawaiian Scottish Festival every April in Honolulu. The website is a resource and archive for all things Celtic, and the Scots in Hawaii - www.mauiceltic.com.
Hamish shares Celtic culture and music with a worldwide audience over the airwaves and Internet, as a volunteer presenter of his popular weekly Maui Celtic Radio Show on non-profit Mana' o Radio 91. 5FM in Maui - Sunday morn-ings8AM- lOAMHawaii, and streaming live 11 AM -1 PM West Coast summertime on the net at www.manaoradio.com.
He travels to many countries interviewing musicians for the program, and also reports freelance on Celtic events, writing for local Hawaii and mainland societies and newspapers, including The Celtic Connection.
He is a well-known local bagpiper, currently playing 6 PM on Saturday, Sunday, Monday at Fleetwoods on Front Street in Lahaina, Maui.
In Memory of Mary Ita Hyland (nee Kennedy)
Mary passed away peacefully at Delta Hospital on April 2, 2013. Born in Attymon, Co. Galway June 7, 1943, Mary immigrated to Canada in 1972.
A registered nurse, Mary worked at St. Vincent's Hospital, Heather and Langara until her retirement in 2006.
A lover of travel and nature, Mary will be fondly remembered for her spirited personality and sense of humour.
Predeceased by husband John (J. J.), she leaves to mourn daughter Ita (Dallas), brothers Denis (Anne) and Brian (Agnes), many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Mary is remembered in the local Vancouver Irish community as a wonderful woman who gave of herself in so many kind ways.
She and her beloved J.J. were founding members of the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club.
They both served the community for over 30 years in so many varied capacities of leadership. They will never be forgotten. Blessings on their daughter, Ita and son-in-law Dallas.
MARY HYLAND
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[Continued from page 1]
Bel is portrayed on the front cover of this issue as he was in ancient carvings, as a flaming solar god with wings, wearing a serpent headed neck tore (representing healing and regeneration).
The sun disc decoration is based on the carvings of a First Century BC bronze mirror, found at Trelan Bahow, St. Keverne, in West Cornwall.
The ancient name for West Cornwall (the Celtic region of south-west Britain) was Belerion, 'the place of Bel'.
Bel's name survives to this day in the old London fishmarket of Billingsgate -Bile's Gate.
Also in William Shakespeare's play Cymbeline, which was based on the Celtic king Cunobelinus (the Hound of Bel), who lived from the First Century BC until the 40s AD.
Beltaine is first mentioned in the ancient Irish dictionary Cormac s Glossary, written by Cormac Mac Chileannain, Bishop of Cashel andKing of Munster, who died in 908.
He derives the word from the name of a god Bel, or Bil, and the Old Irish word 'tene' or fire, so literally 'the fires of Bel'.
This seasonal feast marks the end of the dark half of the year, and is about honouring life, and the coming of summer.
The Sun God is released from the captivity of winter, and returns to visit the Earth Goddess, with a time of joyous celebrating.
People did everything in their power to ensure the return of the Sun God, with huge Bel fires being lit on a knoll, started with nine different types of sacred wood (depicted on the cover artwork) collected by the Druids.
The ever-burning household fires would
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only be extinguished at Beltane, so they could be re-lit from brands of the sacred fires, as a symbolic blessing.
People passed, and animals were driven, between the two need-fires to bring luck and protection.
It was thought that the purifying fires would cleanse the animals of winter sickness and disease, before going to summer grazing pastures.
Beltaine is a fertility festival, with young folks full of the joys of summer.
The ancient festival has become May Day in modern times, with its fertility dance around the Maypole, with young men and maidens circling the pole with coloured ribbons, weaving around each other, making a pattern on the pole.
Boys traditionally held red ribbons for the Sun God, and girls held white ribbons for the Goddess.
[Prints of the cover artwork available on watercolour paper - limited edition - approximately 8x10 inches $60 plus shipping - approximately 11x14 inches $90 plus shipping. The original piece measures approximately 8 x 10 inches. Purchase online: www.mauiceltic.com/gallery.htm/
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THE CELTIC CONNECTION
ISSUE 22 VOLUME 4 - Established in 1991
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