The Celtic myths, legends and stories of “Eternal Knot” from the Adiemus series (IV) by Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins. Hear the music in our playlist section.

Cu 'Chulainn




Cu'Chulainn was the greatest hero of Irish legend. He was born Setanta, and due to an accidental magical influence became possessed of extraordinary powers. One day, the hellhound watchdog of Culann the Smith barred young Setanta's way when he was late for a party, so he slew the dog. As compensation, he took the hound's place, as well as the name Cu'Chulainn, or Culann's hound.
Cu'Chulainn underwent a magical change and was invincible in battle. He was constrained by several taboos. He was defeated and died after losing half his strength as a result of carelessly breaking his taboos.

Eternal Knot




Eternity Knot There is not just one knot that can be called an "Eternity Knot". Any knot that has a closed path, with no beginning or end may be symbolic of eternity or continuum. It is debatable if this was ever the intentional meaning of ancient scribes, but since this meaning was suggested by the great Scottish Celtic art teacher of the 20th century, George Bain, it has been an accepted meaning by many artists and craftsmen.

The Voyage of Máel Dúin (The Palace of the Crystal Bridge)









The Palace of the Crystal Bridge is an old Irish romantic tale that is part of the epic of the voyages of Máel Dúin. They sail in a sturdy Currach (traditional Irish boat) to an island where they see a beautiful palace with a bridge made from pure crystal leading to it. There is a fountain at the end of the bridge, from which a beautiful maiden gathers water in a pail every day. Máel Dúin tries to convince the maiden to let him be a suiter for the queen of the palace but after a magical sleep brought on by the maiden with the pail, they find themselves back at sea, the island and the palace vanished.

The Wooing of Etain




The wooing of Etain
A Tale that is actually three separate tales. Through jealousy, she is turned into a butterfly by a faerie, blown from her true love, reunited only to be blown away again. She is swallowed and reborn as a human, who grows into beauty and marries a king, whose brother languishes with unrequited love. Well, its hard to put this tale into a nutshell. Suffice it to say that much poetry and prose has come from this ancient tale.

The King of the Sacred Grove




The King of the Sacred Grove
For the most part, the Celts did not built temples but worshipped their gods in Sacred Groves or 'Nemeton' amongst the trees of the natural landscape.
Nemetona was a Celtic Goddess particularly associated with these open air places of worship. She was a guardian of the Sacred Grove. More often than not, she was depicted with her divine consort, the Roman Mars Rigonemetis ('King of the Sacred Grove'.

Saint Declan




Saint Declan’s Drone
Saint Declan was an early Irish bishop and abbot. He is sometimes said to be one of four bishops to have preceded Saint Patrick in Ireland in the early 5th century (See also Saints Ailbhe, Ciaran, and Ibar), although he is also made a contemporary of Saint David in the mid-6th century. His feast day is July 24.


Saint David







Saint David (c. 500–589) (Welsh: Dewi Sant) was a church official; he was later regarded as a saint and as the patron saint of Wales. In contrast with the other national patron saints of the British Isles, Saints George, Andrew and Patrick, David is a native of the country of which he is patron saint, and a relatively large amount of information is known about his life. However, his birth date is still uncertain, as suggestions range from 462 to 512.

Connla's Well




In Irish mythology, Connla's Well (also called the Well of Coelrind, Well of Nechtan, and Well of Seglais) is one of a number of Otherworldly wells that are variously depicted as "The Well of Wisdom", "The Well of Knowledge" and the source of some of the rivers of Ireland.
Much like the Well of Nechtan (and some sources conflate the two) the well is the home to the salmon of wisdom, and surrounded with hazel trees, which also signify knowledge and wisdom.

The Dagda




The Dagda is an important god of Irish mythology. The Dagda is a father-figure (he is also known as Eochaid Ollathair, or "All-father Haughey") and a protector of the tribe.
The Dagda was a High King of the Tuatha Dé Danann after his predecessor Nuada was injured in battle. The Tuatha Dé Danann are the race of supernatural beings who conquered the Fomorians, who inhabited Ireland previously, prior to the coming of the Milesians. His lover was Boann and his wife was Breg. Prior to the battle with the Fomorians, he coupled with the goddess of war, the Mórrígan, on Samhain in exchange for a plan of battle.[1]

Tuatha Dé Danann (Children of Dannu)





Children of Dannu
The Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the goddess Danu", pronounced [tuːˈəhə dʲɛː danˈən]) are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg.
hey are thought to derive from the pre-Christian gods of Ireland. When the surviving stories were written, Ireland had been Christian for centuries, and the Tuatha Dé were represented as mortal kings and heroes of the distant past, but there are many clues to their former divine status. A poem in the Book of Leinster lists many of the Tuatha Dé, but ends "Although [the author] enumerates them, he does not worship them." Goibniu, Creidhne and Luchta are referred to as Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craftsmanship"), and the Dagda's name is interpreted in medieval texts as "the good god." Even after they are displaced as the rulers of Ireland, characters such as Lugh, the Morrígan, Aengus and Manannan appear in stories set centuries later, showing all the signs of immortality. They also have many parallels across the Celtic world: Nuada is cognate with the British god Nodens; Lugh is a reflex of the pan-Celtic deity Lugus; Tuireann is related to the Gaulish Taranis; Ogma to Ogmios; the Badb to Catubodua.

Ceridwen's Curse





Ceridwen’s curse
n Welsh medieval legend, Ceridwen was a magician, mother of Taliesin, Morfran, and a beautiful daughter Crearwy (or Creirwy). Her husband was Tegid Foel, and they lived near Bala Lake in Wales.
According to the Mabinogion, Morfran (also called Afagddu) was hideously ugly, so she sought to make him wise. Ceridwen had a magical cauldron that could make a potion granting wisdom. The mixture had to be cooked for a year and a day. Morda, a blind man, tended the fire beneath the cauldron, while Gwion, a young boy, stirred the concoction. The first three drops of liquid from this cauldron gave wisdom; the rest was a fatal poison. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion's hand as he stirred, burning him. He instinctively put his hand in his mouth, and instantly gained great wisdom and knowledge.
Ceridwen chased Gwion. He turned himself into a rabbit. She became a dog. He became a fish and jumped into a river. She turned into an otter. He turned into a bird; she became a hawk. Finally, he turned into a single grain of corn. She then became a hen and ate him. When Ceridwen became pregnant, she knew it was Gwion and resolved to kill the child when he was born. However, when he was born, he was so beautiful that she couldn't do it. She threw him in the ocean instead, sewing him inside a bag of seal-skin. The child did not die, but was rescued on a British shore by a Celtic prince named Elffin; the reborn infant grew to became the legendary bard Taliesin.

The Hermit of the Sea Rock




The Hermit of the Sea Rock

Is another segment of the Voyage of Máel Dúin, where he comes across an old hermit on a bare rock who recounts his tales of remorse for a life ill lived. He spends his days in prayer on this rock begging forgiveness.

The Isle of the Mystic Lake




The Isle of the Mystic Lake

Also from the Voyage of Máel Dúin, where they encounter an enchanted lake on an Isle that houses the great Navigator, Brendon’s satchel. They witness a bird who refreshes itself and reverses its aging after bathing in the lake. Máel decides to bathe in the lake, against the will of his crewmen. He never ages a day after that.

Math was a Wizard




Math was a Wizard

Math was the son of Mathonwy, and brother of Don. Math was a powerful sorcerer and the lord of Gwynedd, in northern Wales. His main seat of power seemed to be in Caer Dathal.

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