In many Celtic legends, visitors to the Otherworld require a special token to ensure safe passage into and out of the land of the fae. The Otherworld existed alongside our normal world but was hidden from human eyes. This was a happy place where there was no pain or sickness, much dancing, fun and merriment. Tokens to enter the Otherworld might have been a silver bough hung with bells or fruit which when shaken made music that would lure humans into an enchanted sleep or a branch from an apple tree.
The King and host of the Underworld was Manannan, Irish god of the sea and keeper of the magic tools of the Tuatha De Danann. He is also associated with the weather and the veil or mists between the two worlds. At midsummer, offerings of bundles of reeds, yellow flowers and meadow grasses were made to Manannan.
Humans could occasionally enter this mysterous realm and many tales have been passed down through time telling of mortal adventures into the Otherworld and their encounters with its strange inhabitants. Bold heroes such as Bran, Finn and Conaire found a way to transgress the boundary between the worlds. Bran mac Feabhail was walking one day for instance, when he heard such beautiful music that it lulled him into a pleasant slumber. When he woke up, he noticed a silver branch in front of him. He picked up the branch and started back home to find that accompanying him was an Otherworld woman who sang him a poem about the land where the branch had grown. The poem described a world that was bountiful and beautiful. It was always summer and food and water was in plenty. In this mysterious place, there was no sickness or despair. She invited Bran to voyage to this land across the sea and intrigued by her tales, the very next day he gathered a company of men to set off on this journey.
After two days, he saw a man on a chariot coming towards him. This was Manannan mac Lir who told Bran he would beget a son who would become a great warrior. Bran continued on and reached the Isle of Joy. Here everyone laughed and stared at him but would not respond to his calls. He sent one of his men to the Island to find out why. The man went ashore, then started to laugh uncontrollably and stare just like the others so Bran left him and sailed further. He reached the Land of Women but hesitates to go ashore. He had no choice however when one of the women threw a magical ball of yarn which stuck to his hand and enabled her to pull the boat to shore. Once on the island, each of his men paired off with a woman and Bran followed the female leader.
For many, many years (although time went by very quickly for the men) they all lived happily on the island, feasting of all the joys offered to their heart’s content. But some because restless and homesick. The leader of the women didn’t want them to go and warned them not to step upon the shores of Ireland. Bran sailed back to Ireland. People who gathered on the shores did not recognise him but they had heard of his name in legends. One of his men jumped out of the boat and onto the land. Immediately he turned into ashes. Bran and his men managed to tell their story to those who were on the shore, then turned their boat back towards the sea, never to be seen again.
The King and host of the Underworld was Manannan, Irish god of the sea and keeper of the magic tools of the Tuatha De Danann. He is also associated with the weather and the veil or mists between the two worlds. At midsummer, offerings of bundles of reeds, yellow flowers and meadow grasses were made to Manannan.
Humans could occasionally enter this mysterous realm and many tales have been passed down through time telling of mortal adventures into the Otherworld and their encounters with its strange inhabitants. Bold heroes such as Bran, Finn and Conaire found a way to transgress the boundary between the worlds. Bran mac Feabhail was walking one day for instance, when he heard such beautiful music that it lulled him into a pleasant slumber. When he woke up, he noticed a silver branch in front of him. He picked up the branch and started back home to find that accompanying him was an Otherworld woman who sang him a poem about the land where the branch had grown. The poem described a world that was bountiful and beautiful. It was always summer and food and water was in plenty. In this mysterious place, there was no sickness or despair. She invited Bran to voyage to this land across the sea and intrigued by her tales, the very next day he gathered a company of men to set off on this journey.
After two days, he saw a man on a chariot coming towards him. This was Manannan mac Lir who told Bran he would beget a son who would become a great warrior. Bran continued on and reached the Isle of Joy. Here everyone laughed and stared at him but would not respond to his calls. He sent one of his men to the Island to find out why. The man went ashore, then started to laugh uncontrollably and stare just like the others so Bran left him and sailed further. He reached the Land of Women but hesitates to go ashore. He had no choice however when one of the women threw a magical ball of yarn which stuck to his hand and enabled her to pull the boat to shore. Once on the island, each of his men paired off with a woman and Bran followed the female leader.
For many, many years (although time went by very quickly for the men) they all lived happily on the island, feasting of all the joys offered to their heart’s content. But some because restless and homesick. The leader of the women didn’t want them to go and warned them not to step upon the shores of Ireland. Bran sailed back to Ireland. People who gathered on the shores did not recognise him but they had heard of his name in legends. One of his men jumped out of the boat and onto the land. Immediately he turned into ashes. Bran and his men managed to tell their story to those who were on the shore, then turned their boat back towards the sea, never to be seen again.