Media

Moon Mná in the Media

Representing Moon Mná and also Slí An Chroí with my husband John Cantwell, I have had the pleasure of being interviewed on TV programmes and written magazine articles shared nationwide. Many are of our woman’s circles at signifcant community celebrations of our indigenous Irish Celtic Festivals. A selection of them are shared below for you to enjoy and experience how Moon Mná offers much to the arts, communities and public life.

Brigids Day - Imbolc - The Fire Within

This film, by our national television station, celebrates the Celtic festival of Imbolc and Brigid, Goddess and Matron Saint of Ireland. Both mark the emergence of Spring, between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. With my academic and Irish Celtic Shamanic background, I introduce the meanings and relevance of this indigenous Celtic Festival today, inclusive of all.

Brigit Festival: Dublin Celebrates Women

As our capital city celebrates Brigid’s Day (also spelt Brigit & Brighid) each February, the highlight of the plethora of events is the Brigit Parade. This brings together a diverse variety of those who honour women in all our many guises. The Moon Mná Circle Facilitators were delighted to be a part in tandem with the Brat Bhríde Project highlighting Brigid’s relevance to our lives today.

Uisneach Bealtaine Festival

The Moon Mná Circle Facilitators were invited to symbolise Irish Goddess Ériu’s Summer Maidens at the Hill of Uisneach’s Bealtaine Fire Festival in early May heralding early Summertime in the Celtic Wheel of the Year.

We were invited to represent key deities at the Hill of Uisneach’s Bealtaine Fire Festival, as God Lugh and Goddess Ériu. In the Parade of Light, the Moon Mná are wearing white and the Slí An Chroí men in black and red.

One year, the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins lit the Bealtaine fire at Uisneach. The Moon Mná in white represented Ériu’s maidens with John and the Slí An Chroí men as Sun God Lugh and his menfolk.

Winter Solstice Newgrange

The Celtic Festival of Winter Solstice in Ireland is synonymous with the mighty Cairn of Newgrange, Síd in Broga in Irish Gaelic. Three days before and days after 21st December, the rising sunlight shines into the lightbox aperture and snakes up the passageway to illuminate the chamber within. This is a sight to behold! Each year like-hearted folk gather to celebrate in front of the triple spiral kerbstone. My husband John and I have been blessed to offer ceremony there at this special time for many years.

Each year as part of the ceremony a little child lights a lantern from the first rays of the rising sun over the Red Hill in the distance.

Hundreds of people from near and far come to celebrate the exact point of mid-Winter at the time of Solstice.

The City of Dublin Winter Solstice Celebration

Grianstad na Gheimradh is the Irish Gaelic for Sunstop when the Sun is at it’s lowest point in the sky. The light then begins to grow imperceptibly more and more each day from 25th December towards Summertime. For many years, we brought a lantern lit from the rising Sun’s first rays to the heart of Dublin city to celebrate with people from all walks of life, ethnicities and ages in Smithfield Square, Dublin.

On the Radio

Dr Karen Ward’s Radio Interview on Gerry Kelly’s Late Lunch Programme on LMFM Radio on 1st February 2021.

BRIGID'S DAY - HERSTORY

Shamanic and Social Activist Artist Barbara O’Meara painted me and Celtic Scholar Dolores Whelan as part of Herstory’s 2021 ‘Brigids of Our Time’ projected onto Kildare Cathedral at Imbolg for their co-rediscovering of the Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage.

Barbara’s painting, the image above, was projected onto Kildare Cathedral for their Brigid, Matron Saint of Ireland festival. Herstory, founded by Melanie Lynch, highlights Irish women in their power and grace worldwide. We were privileged to have been chosen for this unique honour.

BRIGID'S WAY CELTIC PILGRIMAGE

I am one of the co-rediscoverers of Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage with Celtic scholar Dolores Whelan, inspired by the findings of author and citizen archeologist Anthony Murphy and artist Richard Moore in 2012. This video beautifully captures the first international pilgrimage in 2013. www.brigidsway.ie Insta & Fb: Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage

The Spirit of Folk Festival, Dunderry Park, Meath

At Autumn Equinox, we were delighted to host this magical Faerie Gathering at the Spirit of Folk Festival, Co. Meath. (This festival has now morphed into the wonderful SOFFT Nights). The highlight was the Faerie Rites, which are part of the Moon Mná Facilitators course training. www.moonmna.ie

RTÉ, the Irish Television Station's website, 'Brainstorm' Section Articles

How the Irish Celts invented Halloween, Samhain, their New Year by Dr. Karen Ward.

Marking the Winter Solstice’s shortest day and longest night by Dr. Karen Ward

How the Celtic festival of Imbolg marks the first day of spring by Dr. Karen Ward.

Today’s Spring Equinox: more light, less darkness by Dr. Karen Ward.

How the Celtic Festival of Bealtaine starts early Summer in Ireland by Dr. Karen Ward.

Summer Solstice: the longest day and shortest night of the year by Dr. Karen Ward

The joys of Lúnasa (Lughnasadh) the early Harvest Celtic Festival by Dr. Karen Ward.

Autumn Equinox: a time of equal night and day – Harvest time by Dr. Karen Ward.

TV Interviews

Finnish musician Sami Yaffa invited myself and John to bring alive the myths and legends of the Sacred Site of the Hill of Uisneach as part of his series ‘Sami Yaffa: Sound Tracker’ in 2019. His series discovers the power of music and indigenous communities world wide.

We share the mysteries of the Sacred Site of the Hill of Tara with UK cricketer and car lover Freddie Flintoff and his partner in travels Rob, as part of his BBC ‘Freddie Fries Again’ series in 2018. Join us from 7.20 minutes in ’til 14.23 minutes to find out about this powerful place.

In the Paper

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