Parts:

• Connachta


• Ulster


• Leinster


• Munster


• Gatekeeper


• Diviner


• Meditation Leader

Procedure:



1. Establishment

• Pre-ritual briefing


• Musical Signal


• Procession


• Opening Prayers


• Grounding


• Purpose and Precedent

2. Creating the Cosmos

• Fire, Well and Tree


• Gatekeeper


• Kindreds and Outdwellers


• Settling and Focusing

3. Deities, Sacrifice and Offering

• Invocation


• Praise Offerings


• Omen


• Reception of Blessings

4. Seeking the Return

• Meditation upon the Omen and Blessings


• Reception of Powers


• Sharing of the Cup

5. Unwinding

• Thanking of Powers


• Closing the Gates


• Affirmation of Success


• Regrounding


• Recession


• Commission


• Musical Signal


• Post-ritual checkup and clean-up


• Gathering to eat, drink and make merry.

Full Ritual

1. Establishment

Pre-ritual briefing



Light fire, draw water for well, set out offerings.

Go over with new celebrants a typical Druid ritual. Maybe handouts, like in church.

Go over ritual procedure.

Go over chants.

Celebrants meditate silently waiting for the beginning of the ritual.



Musical Signal – Chime to signal entering into sacred space

Procession – Celebrants enter the Grove, are ausperged, smdged and marked with dirt and
circle thrice around the firepit. Chant is “We Approach the Sacred Grove”

Connachta: Ta muid anseo leis na dheihe a adhradh.

We are here to honour the gods.

Opening Prayers

Earth Mother:

Leinster: Danu, Mother of All, from whose womb the rivers flow, bearing

forth life, we bless you and ask you to uphold this rite. Biodh se.

*Leinster offers grain to the Earth Mother*

Chant: “Earth Mother”

Awen:

Ulster: Lady Brigit, from the well of inspiration, enter our hearts.

From the fire of wisdom, burn in our hearts. Guide us in truth, lead us in

wisdom, place the clear heart in all of us. May your power of inspiration

live in this holy place, at this holy time. Biodh se.

Purpose and Precedent:

Connachta: As our ancestors once did, so do we do today, and so will our

children do in the future. We are here to honour Danu, the Earth Mother,

on this fair Beltainne. We are here to ask Danu for her blessings, so that our crops

may grow. We are here to honour Danu so that our cattle may grow fat. Danu, with

our words and praises, we honour you tonight. Biodh se.

Grounding

Meditation Leader leads the celebrants in the Two Powers meditation

2. Creating the Cosmos

Fire, Well and Tree

Fire:

Ulster: Spirits of the flame, we make this offering to you. Let our praise

rise with you up to the sky above. Eternal flame, stand at the centre of

our circle and stand at the centre of our world. Let the boundaries be set.

Biodh se.

*Ulster makes offering to fire*

Well

Leinster: Spirits of Water, we make this offering to you. Let our praise

sink down into your fathomless depths. Carry them along to all there who

might hear it. Wild waters, surround our circle, as you surround our world.

Let the boundaries be set. Biodh se.

*Leinster makes offering to well*

Tree:

Connachta: Mighty Bile, towering Tree, we make this offering to you. Let our

praise rise up into your towering branches and down to your very roots.

Become the bridge to the sky above and the waters below as you uphold our

world. Let the boundaries be set. Biodh se.

*Connachta makes offering to the tree*

Opening of the Gates:

Gatekeeper: And from the deepest waters, Mannanan mac Lir, Lord of Gates, open the

ways for us. We walk the Sacred road, we walk the mists. Share your magic

with us. Mannanan mac Lir, accept our sacrifice.

*Gatekeeper makes offering to fire*

Gatekeeper: Lord of hidden ways, join your magic with mine! Let the fire be

a gate, let the well be a gate, let the tree be a gate. Open a road for our

voices and spirits. Let the gates be open! Biodh se!

Kindreds and Outdwellers

Connachta: I speak from the west, from the land of Connachta, of the Druids,

of the teachers and I speak first and foremost to all the Gods, whose

names are known or not known. Children of Danu, if you come in peace, if

you come to aid, if you come in respect, then we honour you in all your

forms. I have spoken. Biodh se!

*Connachta makes offering to fire*

Ulster: I speak from the north, from bloody Ulster, where the clash of arms

and strife still continues to this day. We warriors mark the boundaries, and

we know well the final boundary. It is to those who have crossed that

boundary that we call. Ancestors, spirits of the Dead, if your intentions

are pure, then we honour you and invite you here this day. I have spoken.

Biodh se!

*Ulster makes offering to fire*

Leinster: I speak form the east, from fertile Leinster, home of artisans, of

grain, of mead. We honour this day our allies, those of the fields, those of

the rivers, who cause our land to grow. To the growing trees, we honour you.

To the spirits of the animals, we honour you. Nurture us and guide us. I

have spoken. Biodh se!

*Leinster makes offering to fire*

Munster: And finally, I speak from the south, from hidden Munster. In the

old tales, Munster has always been where newcomers have entered into the

Land, for good or for ill. Today, we are prepared. Those who have come for

good, we welcome you with hospitality. Those who might think to trouble us,

we offer this, a gift, and ask that you accept it, and honourably leave us

alone.

*Munster takes outdweller offering outside and well away from circle*

Settling and Focusing

Celebrants settle and focus upon the newly created cosmos.

3. Deities, Sacrifice and Offering



Invocation (this will be bilingual, hopefully. If I can get around to translating it. Don’t worry.
Leinster won’t have to do the Gaelic. It’ll be a tag-team)

Leinster: Danu, Mother. We are your sons, we are your daughters. We

celebrate the height of spring, we celebrate the start of planting. Danu, with

this last years grain, we ask your blessings

*offers last years grain to the earth and to the fire*

Danu it is by your blessings that the crops grow tall; Danu, it is by your blessings

that the cattle grow fat. Danu, we honour your bounty tonight, with words, praises

and songs.



Praise Offerings



Ulster: If anyone has any offerings to be made to the gods, you may do so now.

*The celebrants come forward if they have an offering and they make it*



Connachta: We have given works from our hearts and our wealth. Let our voices rise

through the fire, sink through the well, let the Tree carry our praises to all who would

hear. Let our words pass the boundary to the otherworlds. Danu, we give you our love,

our respect, our devotion as we pray to you.



All: Danu, accept our gifts.



*meditate upon the bounty of life that Danu has given and will give us*



Omen



Connachta: Having prayed and offered, let us open to them, asking blessings in

return.



*diviner performs omen*



Reception of Blessings

Diviner: The Gods have spoken…would you know more?



*If they want to know more, divine again. If not and the omen is good, continue as normal. If
not, end the rit here.*

4. Seeking the Return

Meditation upon the Omen and Blessings



*Celebrants meditate upon the blessings given to the people.



Reception of Powers:



*Pour waters into chalice. Leinster raises it in the air*

Ulster: Ancient Spirits, Gods of Old, we have honoured you. We pray you honour us in

turn, as a gift call us for a gift. Hear us, our children.



All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.



Connachta: We thirst for waters of wisdom, of bounty, of rebirth. Hear us your

children.



All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.



Ulster: We open our hearts and await blessings. We stand in pride, honour, and

friednship with all the powers of the worlds. Hear us, your children.



All: Shining Ones, give us the waters.



Leinster: We draw blessings from the cauldron. We pour the ale of inspiration, of

fertility, the holy cup of magic, the blessings from the mighty ones. We share this

draught, and drink in the wisdom, love and strength and power of the old ones, to serve

their will. Behold, the Waters of Life!



All: The Waters of Life!



Sharing of the Cup



*cup is passed*



5. Unwinding



Thanking of Powers



Connachta: We have been blessed by the Old Powers. As we walk away from this place,

let us carry that strength into our lives and work, nurturing it every day. As we offer to the

powers, they become stronger, and more aware of our needs. As we go, let us give thanks

to those who have been with us today.



Leinster: Through your blessings, the crops grow and the land becomes fertile once

again. Oh Danu, we thank you for your blessings tonight and the blessings you grant

us in the future! Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait. (Or thank-you)



Connachta: Gods of Old, great and small, Shining Ones and Children of Danu, we thank

you for your blessings tonight. Sacred kindred, Tuatha de Dannan, we have honoured

you tonight as you have honoured us. Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait



Ulster: Ancestors and Kindred gone, those who have come before, it is in your

footsteps that we walk. It is your wisdom and words that teach us, that guide us. We

have honoured you tonight, as you have honoured us. Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait.



Leinster: Spirits of the Land, Trees, and plants, furred ones and hoofed ones, you are the

ones who voice carries the voice of the Mother to us. It is your quiet words that teach us

to love and respect the land which gives us birth. We have honoured you tonight, as

you have honoured us. Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait.



Connachta: To the Fire, Well and Tree, we offer our praise. You have carried our voices

to the many spirits named and unnamed who have been here and who have aided in our

praise. Fire, well and Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me. Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait.



Ulster: Brigit, sacred voice, your poetic fire has touch our lips, touched our hearts,

touched our mind. Your inspiration have brought us insight, has brought us joy! Go raibh

maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait.



Closing the Gates

Gatekeeper: Mannanan mac Lir, lord of seas and magic, we thank you for easing our

way on the hidden paths, for lending your strength to our journey. Go raibh maith agait.



All: Go raibh maith agait.



Gatekeeper: Now, by your strength and our magic that we end what was begun. Let the

fire be flame, let the well be water, let the tree be a tree. Let all be as it was before. Let the

gates be closed. Boidh se.



All: Let the gates be closed.



Affirmation of Success



Connachta: We have honoured the Gods and gain their blessings and teachings. The crops

will grow, the land is fertile. It is as it should be.



Regrounding



*Meditation leader leads the celebrants in a regrounding*



Recession



*celebrants exit from the Grove, circling thrice before exiting. chant: We All Come

from the Goddess*



Commission



Connachta: Go in peace. This rite has ended.



Musical Signal



*chime*

Post-rit procdure

Everyone is checked to make sure they have made the journey back okay.

Clean up site

Gather somewhere for food and festivites and maybe a little beer.