Join Corr réisc Grove for a celebration of Lughnasadh!
Sunday 14th August 2022, 10:30 - 12:30
We will no longer be advertising our events on Eventbrite: to confirm your attendance, please send us an email.
About Lughnasadh
"At Lughnasadh, we see the fields of corn being cut, and for some this is the true time of the festival. In the fields John Barleycorn, who laid with the Lady in the woods at Beltane, has grown old, and now stands bent and bearded with a crocked cane. He looks to the Sun as he has changed from green to gold, and he knows that his time has come. His life will feed the people, and it is this sacrifice that we honour at Lughnasadh" (from the OBOD website).
By August, the footsteps of the radiant Lugh will be heard across the fields of 'gazing grain' (to quote Emily Dickinson) and the first of our three harvests for the year, lead by the corn king John Barleycorn, will begin!
Those of a warrior heart now test their prowess in series upon series of vigorous athletic games, prompting us all to follow their example and take pride in the fruition and ripeness of this year's striving and subsequent achievements, thus far.
Meeting place
We will meet outside the Cambridge Museum of Technology, facing the river, between 10:15 and 10:45.
Location for gathering itself
We usually wait for around 10-15 minutes at the location above before heading into Stourbridge Common. To join us if you are running late, walk straight into the Common, keep straight as you pass a children's playground to your right and as you enter the open fields down a wide dirt track, look to your left for a group of trees. Hopefully, you won't miss us!
First time with us?
If you have never attended or taken part in a pagan/druidic/OBOD ceremony, worry not! Our ceremonies are flexible, open to whatever you would like to contribute and inclusive of all identities. There are simple ceremony roles to have a go at, with pre-prepared lines to read out, but there is no obligation whatsoever to do so. If you'd like to have an idea of what's involved, please get in touch with us.
Preparing
All registered attendees will be sent a link to the ritual script online, with details of what to prepare/bring, a few days before the event. I will usually bring key items for the ceremony, though all are welcome to lay any personal items in the altar space we create.
Please do print your own booklet for the day, especially if you have a speaking role in the ceremony. This is not essential if not, as you are welcome to come and simply soak up the words and actions performed by others. A 'herald' at each ceremony will lead the ceremony and ensure everything runs smoothly.
We are mindful of the weather and dress appropriately, bringing water, a hat, suntan cream, coat and waterproofs, etc. Come rain or shine, hail or snow, we will meet, except when government advice regarding the pandemic prohibits us from doing so.
After the ceremony
Food and drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are usually brought after an outdoor gathering: please do feel free to bring something to share though there is no requirement to bring anything or to take part in having something to eat and/or drink, particularly if you are socially distancing. We do share mead but again, please don't feel you need to partake, bring your own or share.
Gifts of music, poetry and readings for a small Eisteddfod afterwards are always most welcome and there will be an opportunity to sign up for any offering of creativity you would like to share, if desired, once the ritual script link is circulated. Again, there is no requirement for you to do so: there is just a general 'ask' that we all support these bards as they share their talent and inspiration by us giving them our full attention.
Subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with this and future events and please do get in contact if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing you for our first harvest celebration of Lughnasadh,
Corr réisc Grove.
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