Celtic as opposed to Celt. Pronounced either keltic or seltic. Celtic means or refers to something that has to do with the Celts. The word Celt properly refers to a historic culture and peoples or collective nations referred to as the Celts.
The Celts were a group of peoples that occupied lands stretching from the British Isles to Galatia. Though there is very little written record of the Celts stemming from their own documents, we can piece together a fair picture of them from archaeological evidence as well as historical accounts from other cultures that they interacted with.
While Celtic properly refers to the languages spoken by the Celts, it has come to be used and to represent various things usually in relation to or in reference to the Celts such as Celtic Art, Celtic Music, Celtic Dance etc. In addition, Sport teams have taken on the banner of the Celts as a team name, such as in the USA Basketball’s the Boston Celts, or the Soccer team the Celtic FC. So why is it that people want to identify with the Celts?
Is it the mystery and the overall awe of the Celts of history and legend? Is it an attachment to their culture and heritage? Is it the deep seated revival of a historical suppression of an entire culture and people that is now making its comeback?
The result is that around the world all things Celtic are attracting huge amounts of attention and interest. The roar of the Celts is being heard in all things Celtic.
All Things Celtic
If you are looking for things that are Celtic, then this is the page to come to, here you will find links, pictures, information, products and services, on all things that are Celtic.
If you have questions on things Celtic, you can post them here for someone to answer. Unlike other sites and search engines, here you are welcome to participate in all things Celtic.
Other uses of the term or name Celtic:
- Sports
- Products and Services
- Heritage
- Tourism
- Entertainment
Celtic Sport Teams
The Celtic spirit and mystery has inspired both professional and non professional sports teams to take up the name.
- Boston Celtics baketball
- Celtic Football Club or Celtic FC
Celtic Sports
The history of Celtics sports is a more recent addition to all things Celtic. This is not to say that the Celts did not have sports in ancient history, they did and we will list some here as well. The traditional sports associated with the Celts, ie Celtic Sports include:
The Celtic Wheel of the Year:
In days before this Common Era, and still celebrated today by those who hold to their Celtic roots, the cycles of the Earth were marked and celebrated. The Celtic Wheel of the Year was devised to mark the four great festivals marking the changes of the Earth seasons, as observed by the Celts.
The four great festivals are: Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Unlike the modern day solar based calendar, with twelve months and four equally divided seasons, the Celtic year was divided in half. The Celt’s saw the year as being in darkness or in light and so marked the year with the celebration of the return of the light (Beltaine, May 1st) and the start of Darkness (Samhain, November 1st).
‘’’The four Celtic seasons:’’’
‘’’IMBOLC’’’
Imbolc also known as Brigid, is celebrated as the beginning of the first day of Spring in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. Imbolc is observed and celebrated from sunset on January 31st, to sunset on February 2nd,. Imbolc is represented in the goddess Brigid, whose name means “The Exalted One”.
‘’’BELTAINE’’’
Beltaine is the major festival marking the return of the Light, and is celebrated May 1st. This is also the first day of summer on the Celtic Wheel of the Year. Beltaine is the liveliest festival welcoming in summer. It is said that a Druid would light Beltaine fires on the top of a hill, which the Celts believed was a magic to bring back the light.http://islanddruid.shorturl.com/ Beltaine is one of the two great divides between Light and Darkness.
‘’’LUGHNASADH’’’
Lughnasadh, is the harvest festival and marks the start of the autumn season. Lugh is the Celtic god associated with this festival, which stories say was in honor of his mother the goddess [Tailtiu]] the last of the Fir Bolg queens. Gaelic: “The Great One of the Earth” suggesting that Tailtiu was the embodiment of the earth, the mother goddess of earth.
‘’’SAMHAIN’’’
Samhain, is the beginning of the winter season and is marks the start of the Celtic year, the beginning of darkness. Samhain begins November 1st, and is preceded by Samhain eve of October 31st, also known today as Halloween. Samhain is seen as one of two openings in the great divide between Light and Darkness, when it is believed that the divide between the living and the dead is open.
Special Interests and Everything Celtic
Special Interest Halloween:
Halloween is Celtic Too!
Pranks and mischief have always been associated with Halloween, but why? In the past they used to tip over outhouses, and soap windows, for example, other such tricks included rolls of toilet paper on houses, eggs and such tossed at houses \ and cars as well as soaped windows. Tricks were originally intended when treats were not forthcoming. So we have the call of the spirited “Trick or Treat” what will it be!
Some have placed the origin of Halloween on the Celts and their celebration of Samhain and if we do then we can also trace back the source of the Trick or Treat as well to the Celts. During Samhain it was believed that sprits roamed the streets and alleys of towns and places that people dwelt. Could this be the basis of the act of dressing up in costume and roaming the streets of today’s Halloween? Some were spirits benign and some mischievous (some evil oooooo), so in order to save ones property, ones spirit, and appease these spirits or to entice the spirits to help bring a good crop the next year etc., presents and treats were left on the doorsteps of houses and dwellings the basis of today’s “Trick or Treat”, paying off the spirited children so they don’t soap your house.
