Ancient Irish Law fit for Today

20th century manuscript copy

by Margaret Maher 1996

To my mind an ancient Irish Law needs to be re-introduced and accepted on a worldwide scale as there is much to be said for its’ humanitarian qualities.

The Cáin Adomnáin (Law of Adomnáin), also known as the Lex Innocentium (Law of Innocents) was promulgated amongst a gathering of Irish, the Dál Riatan, at the Synod of Birr in 697. It is named after its initiator, Adomnáin of Iona, ninth Abbot of Iona after St. Columba.

This set of laws were designed, among other things, to guarantee the safety and immunity of various types of non-combatants in warfare. 
They provided sanctions against the killing of children, clerics, clerical students and peasants on clerical lands; against rape, against impugning the chastity of a women, prohibited women from having to take part in warfare, and more besides.  Adomnáin's initiative appears to be one of the first systematic attempts to lessen the savagery of warfare.

All through my life (I was born during WW2) the senseless murder of women and children has taken place around the world. Many of these atrocities have been under the umbrella of one religion or other, as if there was some sort of virtue to be gained. There is no justification in the killing of people whether it is under the mantle of that termed judicial or not. 
The taking of another life is still murder. To specifically target women and children who are non-combatants only shows up the callousness of the perpetrator.


In light of the atrocities being committed as I type, perhaps it is time for all nations to turn to the wisdom of Adomnáin.

HOLY THORN - A REQUEST

The Holy Thorn in all of it's glory

and as it still is in my memory,

Roy Vickerey of http://www.plant-lore.com/news/holy-thorn-update-3  is hoping to hear from people who have reminiscences or memories of visiting the Holy Thorn that once grew on Wearyall Hill, Glastonbury, Somerset. 

Unlike ordinary hawthorn trees, The Glastonbury Thorn flowered twice a year, the first time in December and the second time in spring and had a great deal of lore attached to it.
Sadly it will not flower this year as it has been destroyed by vandals, hence Roy’s call for your memories please.



Below are mine:

In the 1970’s and 80’s I lived in Glastonbury in a small house that faced Wearyall Hill and every morning, whether upstairs or downstairs, the Tree was always visible to me and in my focus. 
Glastonbury itself provided me with a lot of firsts in my life. It was there that I started a daily practise of transcendental meditation and where I began to compose poetry as well as sensing energies etc.

Living there one could not but absorb all of it’s myths and legends. The legend of St. Joseph of Arimathea in particular is so well steeped in the town that it is said he brought cruets of Christ’s blood with him
when he visited and that he secreted them in Chalice Well. These containers of blood are depicted in carvings on the porch of St.Benedict’s Church.

The Holy Thorn Tree on Wearyall Hill was to all who lived and visited the place evidence and proof of a living legend, a legend that told that the tree grew from  St J of Arimaethea’s staff and flowered twice a year.

I often walked up there, that’s what the majority of people did for it was somewhere handy to sit in peace and muse the time away or merely just to collect one’s thoughts, without having to make the long walk to Chalice Well or to The Tor.

Probably my last visit to the Tree was in the company of the late Olivia Durdin Robertson (co-founder of The Fellowship of Isis), in August 1997 when I took part in a short Lughnasadh ritual with members of Fellowship of Isis & attendees of the Goddess Conference.

If like me, you may have lived in Glastonbury, still live there or have even been a frequent visitor, in which case please share your memories with him. 
This is one way of keeping the Holy Thorn Tree in flower.
You can contact Roy via his website: http://www.plant-lore.com

All that remained after a mindless

 & senseless act of destruction.

MORALLY BANKRUPT

The title of this blog is aimed at all those who, directly or indirectly, support Zionist Israel whether financially, intellectually, militarily, politically, or socially as in ‘Friends of Israel’ or via trade links.

For example the Irish ‘Friends of Israel’ are believed to be Joanna Tuffy TD, 

Ruairi Quinn TD, Leo Varadakar TD, Alan Shatter TD, Charles Flanagan TD & Senator Feargal Quinn.

In other countries similar groups of politicians exist working for the benefit of Israel, often at the expense of their own country and fellow human beings.

Prime Minister of Israel

Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, I consider to be a WAR CRIMINAL.
His policies, which create genocide, were learnt at the knee of his father, Benzion who,  
regarding the Palestinian people, stated: 
“They won't be able to face war with us, which will include withholding food from Arab cities, preventing education, terminating electrical power and more. They won't be able to exist, and they will run away.”

A damaged Israeli boy soldier

I do not support the callous genocide being practised on the inhabitants of Gaza and am very aware of the deep psychological damage being done to the survivors of this dreadful war, including the Israeli troops, for none can be immune to the effects of inhumane actions.
Those left un-counselled may very well carry the scars throughout their lives.

I salute the Israelis protesting against the war, especially since dissent may subject them to death threats. A great many Jews oppose Israeli treatment of the Palestinians including six former Israeli Security Chiefs who are against the occupation of Palestine and The Holocaust Survivors who have criticised Israeli Policy Towards Palestinians.Many devoutly religious Jews oppose Zionism. 
A well-known sports writer Dave Zirin tweeted: 
“Israel’s actions are antithetical to everything I was taught in Hebrew School, and yet they did this in my name. Silence isn’t an option.“

The Israeli Government, with US backing, has said that during any truce its ground forces would continue their main mission of locating and destroying tunnels that have been used by Hamas for several cross-border attacks. This mission includes the use of the weapons of war leading to death and destruction in Gaza.
That is not a truce. 
A truce is when all military and incursive activity ceases. 
So once again we hear the ‘double talk’ of politicians.

The US Senate with a three zillion dollar debt, has approved an additional $225 million gift to Israel to fund its’ deadly war on Gaza. Perhaps this $225 million may have been better spent on helping the US citizens who face social depravation or the US veterans who live with the psychological effects of war every day?

The humane civilised world is getting tired of hearing from the political power junkies of US & EU with their ideas of a peace that actually enforces the wilful murder of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the Middle East and the Ukraine. 

We all know what these wars are really about - it is the mineral wealth that lies beneath the victims graves.

WE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH,

WE NO LONGER BELIEVE YOUR LIES,

NOW IS THE TIME TO STOP!

Please watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keS-LDl_ewA

Sign a petition at http://www.bdsmovement.net/StopArmingIsrael