FOUNDING OF NEW FOI CENTRES

A REMINDER

REGARDING THE FOUNDING 

OF NEW CENTRES WORLDWIDE

Presiding Founders of existing Lyceums, Iseums, Groves & Priories of the Fellowship of Isis are empowered to issue appropriate Charters for members wishing to found new centres.

Olivia Robertson 16/6/2012

JUNO

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

12^th May, 2012

OLIVIA’s STUDIO, Clonegal Castle 

Close up of JUNO
 before her mirrored reflection

In Her new portrait 
by Olivia Robertson

WAY OF THE RABBIT

Way of the Rabbit is published by Yeshe Rabbit, who is "a devotee of the holy church of laughter."  She co-owns The Sacred Well, and is High Priestess of Come As You Are Coven. 


Read a lovely blog post about Lady Olivia and Loreon Vigne!

GREEN TARA

There is a Friends of Green Tara page on Facebook, created by Archpriests Claudia & Thomas Wehmeyer.

DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT ISEUM

Cerridwen has a new name for her Iseum in Tennessee:

 Daughters of Light Iseum

ELLEN EVERT HOPMAN

Ellen Evert Hopman is an ArchDruidess of the Druid Clan of Dana. She is a homeopath and author as well.  Her new book is Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore.  She also publishes a Druid's Blog.

DAUGHTERS OF QETESH

Qetesh

The Iseum of the Daughters of Qetesh has a new blog that honors and teaches about this interesting Goddess.

CALISTA FLOCKHART

Read about Calista Flockhart's recent visit to The Castle.

ABOUT THE CASTLE

Alexander Durdin-Robertson, who now runs a year-round programme of attractive events open to the public, including guided tours of the Grounds and Castle and so on, has invited our Fellowship websites to include a link to the Castle's own website atwww.huntingtoncastle.com, so that visitors can get an overall picture of what is available at Clonegal nowadays and come along.    

It might be an idea to make it clear that although the Fellowship refers to the Castle as 'Foundation Centre' or Clonegal Castle, which was its old name - and it is in the village of Clonegal on the borders of Counties Carlow and Wexford in Ireland - it is also known as Huntington Castle, and all general, non-FOI information, can only be found under that name.

There is no change to the usual 'Invitations' system for those wishing to attend any of the 8 annual festivals held by the FOI at the Castle by request via the Hon.Sec. of the Circle of Brigid which assists in running them.


(thank you to Minette Quick for this information.)

NEW GROVE & LYCEUM AT THREE CASTLES

Olivia’s Visit 
to

NEW GROVE and LYCEUM
 in Ireland

1st June, 2012

Olivia

At

THREE CASTLES, CO. KILKENNY

Photos by Minette Quick (on the way to Three Castles)

Our new Grove

‘An a Cuallacht Dé Danaan’ 
(Fellowship of Danu)

And


 Lyceum‘An Neimheadh’

(Sacred Space – The Goddess Nemetona)

Three Castles is in one of the most ancient areas of Pre-Druidic remains.

The Centre is dominated by a lofty Norman Castle, the ruins of another Castle and strangest of all, The Old Rectory where Eimear Burke & Howard Campbell live is also part of a Norman Castle, one over each other in segments.

Druid Way

The River Nore runs nearby, and is dedicated to The Goddess Fόdhla.  The land here is connected with the defeat of the Danaans by the Milesians  and led to the retreat of the Danaans ‘underground’ to the psychic realm of Tír na nÓg.  A Milesian Gaelic invader Eremon has his grave there on the ‘Plain of the Silver Woods', near the banks of the river. It is good to have a connection with the land to balanceArachne’s World Wide Web! O.R.

(I took some photographs whilst we were on our visit to Three Castles. M.Q.)

Isis Tree

The Sycamore Tree is said to be the “Tree of Isis”, and a beautiful young one silently presides just to the left as you enter Her Temple which has recently been created within the smallest stone tower.  It is a delightful intimate space and its four walls are open to the skies beneath the green canopy of the Sycamore.

Root & Bole

Stepping out of the doorway of this first Temple, this is just one charming wild pathway of many which wind all round the Castles and garden. Turning to the right you meet this lovely Druid Shrine.  There is something of interest at every turn. 

Druid Shrine

The largest sacred space of the three Castles, also open to the skies, is entered via a short flight of stone steps and through an ancient stone doorway you step down into what was clearly used at one time as a Church with narrow windows and high walls.  Looking to your left as you enter, a triple branched spiral or triskele has been created on half of the floor space, and an iron gateway looks out over an ancient graveyard. 

DCD Grove

 This Temple has now been dedicated to the Irish Goddess of Sacred Space - ‘An Neimheadh’. This is a beautiful space for Ceremony and is enjoyed by all the members of the Grove and Lyceum.

Giving Thanks

   

Eimear & Howard run various courses at their Centre and welcome contact:

eimearbindigo@gmail.com  +353 56 7767142

Eimear &  Howard

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STRATHLOCH ARMS

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

3rd April, 2012

Strathloch Arms

PAINTING of THE ARMS 

OF THE SCOTTISH BARONY of STRATHLOCH

Revived and bestowed

 through the Irish Heraldic Office on

Laurence Durdin Robertson

Painted by his Daughter, 

the Artist Anna Curry

BARBARA ST. LEGER

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

3rd April, 2012

Barbara St. Leger

Olivia Robertson's Great, Great, Great Ancestress,

BARBARA ST. LEGER 1748-1820, 

married Alexander Durdin.

Her paternal grandmother was Helen Durdin.

Barbara’s cousin 

ELIZABETH ST. LEGER 

of Doneraile Court

Was famous as 

the only Freemason 

who practised the Craft

All her life.

ROBERT MANNING

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

3rd April, 2012

Portrait of ROBERT MANNING 1771-1857

 Ancestor of Olivia’s Father, 

Manning Robertson

He published a book addressed as follows:

 “Dear Friends, You millions of the human race –

 Let us Love One Another”

He then listed all the genocidal atrocities 

committed by world religions.

As this included Christianity,

 The Manning Robertson family burnt every copy

 save one.

Olivia found this in a secret drawer

as a young woman, and felt overwhelmed

at being addressed in this way

by her ancestor. 

As she rightly says, 

we have all been given this message

 many times

But somehow, sadly, 

we’ve never got round to it…..

She is honoured to finally pass on

 his heartfelt message

“It’s taken a long, long time.” She says.  

“But better late than never.”

His is the central message 

of the Fellowship and of the Goddess

JUNO

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

12^th May, 2012

 OLIVIA’s STUDIO, Clonegal Castle 

Close up 

of JUNO 

before her mirrored reflection

In Her new portrait 

by Olivia Robertson

SHRINE OF CANCER

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

12^th May, 2012

OLIVIA’s STUDIO, Clonegal Castle

TEMPLE OF ISIS

ZODIAC SHRINE of CANCER

 by South Door to Garden

Statuette of the GODDESS JUNO

 of the Midsummer Moon.

By Her is a ceramic figure 

of Her Peacock.

Real peacock feathers 

show their Starry Eyes of the Sky.

She stands on an appliquéd representation of

The Spider Goddess 

Arachne

Who spins the Cosmic Web.

Peacock

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

12^th May, 2012

OLIVIA’s STUDIO, Clonegal Castle

Handsome Art Nouveau PEACOCK 

hanging on screen

Circa 1912!

1st EARL OF ROSSE

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

3rd April, 2012

1st Earl of Rosse 

Portrait of Ancestor

 of Nora Parsons, 

Olivia’s Mother,

The 1^st Earl of Rosse,

 head of the family

He introduced Freemasonry 

to Ireland

BRIGID OF JOY

CHANGING FACES OF THE TEMPLE

3rd April, 2012

OLIVIA’s STUDIO, Clonegal Castle

Brigid of Joy

Painting on fabric by Olivia Robertson

Of

GODDESS BRIGID of JOY

With Boy & Girl Sidhe

Why Egypt? Why Now?

Normandi Ellis and Nicki Scully  of Shamanic Journeys of are discussing upcoming plans to travel to Egypt in October.

Register for the Egypt Teleconference on May 15, 6:00 Pacific / 9:00 Eastern.

You may also register by contacting our office by email (use the email form at bottom of screen) or by phone at (800) 937-2991 or (541) 484-1099

Olivia's 95th Birthday

OLIVIA’S 95^TH BIRTHDAY

Friday 13^th April, 2012
by
Minette Quick

A large gathering of people turned up at the Castle to celebrate Olivia’s 95^th Birthday at the invitation of her family.  Friends from the village joined a number of Fellowship members to meet many of Olivia’s extended family who had travelled over to Ireland to be with her on this special occasion from England, the Isle of Man, and Bavaria.  All were entertained to a delightful concert in the Theatre, presented by Olivia’s niece, Cressida and her husband Bob who are wonderful entertainers, and various family members, including her sister Caroline, took the stage to sing and play.  To give a taste of the occasion I include a couple of photographs.  One is of Olivia’s nephew Patrick, playing a metal ‘didgeridoo ’constructed from a long vacuum cleaner tube! 

This was a splendid sounding instrument, and he encouraged everyone to join in chanting ‘OM’ in rhythm with his spirited playing, which together with Lydia Lyte’s infectious drumming really got things going. The other photo is of Caroline playing her own delightful and accomplished composition on the tin whistle. 

The concert was rounded out by the uproarious performance of an impromptu play, entitled “Space Mums” consisting of ‘Anonymous Confessions’ regarding the unusual and disturbing powers of their offspring, such as ‘levitating,’ and ‘getting their own way….’  Directed by Olivia with her customary panache, various members of the audience spontaneously engaged with great enthusiasm and wit, to much laughter and applause! Afterwards everyone enjoyed tea and cakes, served in the Castle Tea Rooms which adjoin the Theatre.

Despite the forecast of storms, thunder and overcast skies in the morning, and the fact that I drove up the Avenue with hail-stones bouncing violently off my windscreen just before 2pm, the weather cleared and the sun came out in perfect time for us all to set off after tea for a procession down to the Druid’s Grove of Dana for invocations amongst the great trees in the wilderness by the River Derry (Irish Daire-Druid river of the Oak) The swans have returned to breed on their island and four many-coloured donkeys are grazing beside it like Olivia’s ‘Four Holy Donkeys of the Zodiac.’

Next we processed to the ruins of the Abbey, home of the Noble Order of Tara, still in sunshine and blessed by the beautiful blossoms of the flowering cherry beside it, for further invocations from Members of the Order.  

We then returned to the Temple entering from the gardens by Persephone’s gateway.

At Brigid’s Well we received the blessings of Her Healing Water and members of the priesthood who had travelled over from London, Glastonbury and France, contributed to the ceremony both at the Well and in a beautiful Oracle from Brigid, Goddess and Saint, and Olivia took us all on a trance journey to Tir Na Nog.

Afterwards members of the priesthood offered counselling and healing to any who wished to receive it, and we all went down to the village at 6pm to relax over tea and sandwiches.  It was, as ever, a wonderful opportunity to share our experiences and to meet up with old and new friends. All in all it was a wonderful day which Olivia enjoyed to the full, and a very happy time was had by all!                                  

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