by Seamas MacCraith - Doire Rinn O gCuanachWed Jun 07, 2006 16:36
As Chief of the Rinn Gaeltacht Grove of Druids I have a modest contribution to make here. Druid Michael McGrath led the Return to Tara in 1993 of the Irish Druids. He deserves some credit for that. He was then elected Archdruid of the Order of Druids in Ireland, as we are entitled to elect our own Archdruid in the ODI, are we not? It was in fact the following Midsummer of 1994 when a small group of about 20 of us assembled on the Hill and elected him Archdruid of Tara and Ireland at that time. At that time there was not another Druid or pseudo-Druid around except the 20 of us assembled on the Hill. And we had no help or message of support from anybody either. The Gathering increased to about 50 in 1995, to about 200 in 1996 and jumped dramatically to 700 in 1997 - and it is important to remember that no other organisation except the ODI organised the event, with Michael McGrath working so hard that he neglected his own business of professional photography through those years we were in the wilderness to work full-time organising the ODI and Midsummer Day at Tara. And he deserves our thanks and respect for that, not the terrible abuse I see handed out elsewhere. online . We were alone in those days and I do not remember any of his critics here today being around at that time organising or even taking part in the promotion of Irish Druidry. At the time I couldn't help much, as every year I had three Leaving Certificate classes to teach (Irish and Irish History) as Vice-Principal of St. Augustine's College in Dungarvan. And now I am retired but in poor health. I never remember Michael ever mentioning anything about Nazis at that time or since then. He was totally devoted as he is today to the revival of Irish traditional Druidry in Ireland, and there are hundreds, almost a thousand people, who can attest to that fact - in Ireland alone. True we always had a good drink in those early days of the revival of Irish Druidry, but what of it? We all always enjoyed his company. Most important of all I recognised Michael as "of the blood", that is, an Hereditary Druid of Ireland, with descent from Celtic and pre-Celtic times (as many Irish people are). What he says is true. At Lughnasadh 1997 we were assembled on the Hill to elect a 'High King' with the idea that the man elected would represent us ODI Druids as an "Ambassador", especially as regards preserving old buildings, protecting the environment and performing works of charity for those in need. What's wrong with that? Suddenly we had a cacophony of screeches and screaming and I looked to see five women come across the Hill with the tricolour and shouting Up the Republic and such. It was none other than Janet Farrar, well-known occultist and wiccan, leading "the charge". To me and to the others it appeared "balmy", especially as they all five had English accents. From then in August 1997 none of us would dare venture near Tara. We are respectable and conservative Irish people, many of us Catholics with a few Protestants, and, I remember, one Jewish chap from Dublin (He turned out to be an Irish-American-Jew and one of Michael's best friends to this day). Then I hear that at the end of 2002 a meeting took place, led by Janet Farrar and the new man in her life, a Mr. Gavin Bone (Maith an fear!) and they got some new people together, mostly of English extraction and Northern Irish, a Dutch couple as well, and they formed a new Druid grouping called the CDE who then proceeded to take over Tara. Not a single one of us old codgers, after all the work we had done, was ever invited to take part in this CDE. It's defunct for years now.....
Now you know what I'm saying, so now you know the history behind the present conflict. And I don't think anybody can blame me or my people, Michael McGrath or the ODI. And we were and are perfectly entitled to choose our own chiefs and leaders and not to be dictated to from outside. That's all I have to say except I shall never stand on Tara again. Because I'm afraid. And ashamed. Seamas MacCraith B.A., H.D.E. Rinn O gCuanach Portlairge (Gaeltacht Grove ODI)
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