THE CELTIC CONNECTION • MARCH 1993
Page 9
BOOKS
Your Guide and Teacher on the Celtic Trail
A GUIDE TO EARLY CELTIC
REMAINS IN BRITAIN
By Peter Berresford Ellis
A Constable Guide - London .
1991 - 254 pages
ISBN 0-09-471110-0_
Review by Angela Dillon
A Guide to Early Celtic Remains by Peter Berresford Ellis, a thoroughly researched and carefully planned book, is the ideal guide for Celtic enthusiasts on the warpath. Have you ever been on vacation and wondered how you ended up in a tourist trap when you ardently searched for spiritual discovery?
The truth is, you don't easily happen upon a spectacular Celtic ruin simply by back-packing in remote areas. Become informed. Ellis's book makes it easy for you. It's a small soft-cover volume so it won't be a nuisance to carry along.
Ellis keeps to a simple format by dividing the areas he covers geographically. Then, he breaks it down to the specific sites where you might venture to see in the area of your choice. All the geographic sites are also cross-reference to a standard map.
Ellis is always concise, and he often reminds the reader that his guide is not an exhaustive one. For the benefit of the avid Celtic enthusiast in strange lands, Ellis tries to highlight the areas he considers "the most visually rewarding of the remains left us by the early Celtic occupants."
He doesn't hesitate, however to include extremely interesting jewels of historical information:
"Coming into Humberside, we
leave the territory of the Brigantes for awhile, and move into that of the Parisi, a tribe which was either the same as, or shared a name with, the Celtic tribe which gives its name to the French capital — The Parisi of the Seine Valley. The Celtic name Humber, which is used for a number of streams in En-
fland and is cognate with Am-er, seems to nave meant the good river."
Ellis skillfully integrates various kinds of relevant material pertaining to the early Celts. His introduction alone is a wealth of information, in which he overviews early Celtic history and defines the terms he uses throughout the book.
The guide is packed with interesting diagrams and photographs which complement Ellis' description and definitions. Added to all of this is the glossary, which comes in handy when you've forgotten that an Ard is a primitive plow.
But wait! There's more — an Index of Sites as well as a great bibliography.
Peter Berresford Ellis has also written Celtic Inheritance (1985), A Dictionary of Irish Mythology (1987), and Celtic Empire (1990). His passion for Celtic history shines through in this well-written guide. I recommend it to anyone planning to go abroad. It's a compass to our past.
Coleman: A Cult Followed Him
The name Coleman comes from the old Irish personal name Colman, earlier Columban, a diminutive of Colum(b).
This was the name of an Irish missionary to Europe, generally known as St. Columba (c.540-615) who founded the monastery of Bobbio in northern Italy in 614. With his companion St. Gall, he enjoyed a considerable cult following throughout central Europe, so that forms of his name were adopted as given names in Italian (Columbano), French (Columbain), Czech (Kolman) and Hungarian (Kalman). From all of these, surnames derived.
FAMILY CREST
Variations of the name are Colman, Coll(e)man and Coulman. In Ireland we find the patronyms McColman and McCalmon(t) and the Scottish variations are Callum and Cullum.
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No genealogical representation is implied or intended by this report and it does not represent individual lineage. Provided by Medieval Coats of Arms, 454 West Cordova Street, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bishop Casey's Visit Home
DUBLIN — Bishop Casey made a brief visit to Ireland late January. His visit made the front pages of The Irish Times. He apparently flew into Belfast to avoid recognition and was here for less than a week to meet a few close friends and relatives. It is reported that he is now in Latin America, where he is learning Spanish and will soon go to work in South America. — Liam Ferrie
OCEAN PARK NEWS
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