Tir na nOg in 3D Gaelic font

The Virtuality of Ancient Ireland

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Accasbel - your host in Tir na nOgA welcome from Accasbel, the inn-keeper

Cyberspace is very, very old. The ancient Irish knew about it. They called it Tír na nÓg (The Land of Youth).

Irish legends and myths tell of a land where mortal time was suspended and everyone was young and beautiful. Sounds like cyberspace to me!

This is a virtual hangout, with an Irish Mythological and Cultural flavour. The Ancients might have described it as a 'thin place' - a place where the real world and the other world become close.
The only physical connection with the real world is a telephone line from an old stone cottage in Cobh, on the shores of Cork Harbour in Ireland.
You can linger here and browse through the content. Up to 2016, online chat and message boarding were on offer. The main buzz centers around:

  • Matters Irish (mostly of the Ancient variety)
  • Irish language (Gaeilge)
  • Genealogy is not a mainstream activity here, but signposts are offered.

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    An Irish claim on Cyberspace

    The involvement of our Irish ancestors with cyberspace was not only legendary but also prescient.

    The ancients cut code into stones with a script called 'Ogham' (pronounced as 'home' without the 'h'). These Ogham Stones, of which some hundreds still survive in Ireland from pre-historic times, are the precursors of our modern Home pages.

    In early christian times, Irish monks recorded gospels and legends in manuscripts using an 'uncial' script. One translation of 'uncial' is 'bit-by-bit'.

    Mere coincidence? I think not! You can't argue with 'scientific facts' like these.
    No, when it comes to cyberspace, the Irish are (as we say in Cork) "Way ahead o' ye, boy"

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    Refreshments

    Coffee - Java (debandwidthated)

    Coffee - Irish (made with Uisce Beatha, the Water of Life)

    - and -

    Porridge
    Note: As your browser is not Java-enabled, you will not see the porridge bubble. This is a pity, but not a complete disaster. The porridge is very nourishing even when taken cold.
    Java (of the scripting variety) is frowned on in modern times anyway. Maybe I'll do an animated gif got my 90th birthday.

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    Overheard in Tír na nÓg

    Even when you walk slowly through a crowd, you only catch snippets of conversation.

    It seems rude to hover and eavedrop. Perhaps some reading of Irish Mythology could give some clues as to what they are talking about.

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    The story of Tír na nÓg

    I keep meaning to put up a version of the old tale, but "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".

    The number of versions available on the Web is growing, which must say something about something.
    It's my que to point out a few of ones that I like, and the reasons.

    This version of Tír na nÓg, from the second class in Scoil Chaitlín Maude Tamhlacht, has lots of 'value added'. It has

  • Charming illustrations by the children
  • Irish, English and French text side by side for each paragraph
  • A nice simple version of the tale

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    Social History of Ancient Ireland

    This is a Tír na nÓg project to gradually build a comprehensive picture of Ancient Ireland.

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    Archaeology of Ancient Ireland

    The emphasis in this section is on archaeology from earliest times up to the Iron Age.
    The Iron Age coincides with the blossoming of the Celtic culture.

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    Theme Links

    Tír na nÓg is here to add content to the Web. I want to avoid simply listing links that relate to Irish Celtic mythology, folklore, early history and language.

    This area of the Café contains groups of links that I find interesting. Each section is a work in progress - eclectic with a bit of thought.

    Ogham is a script use by the Ancient Irish. The links describe the Ogham symbols and their backgrounds.

    Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge). Links to on-line lessons and resources.

    Folklore, Mythology, History and Art - More of an 'other' section at the moment.

    Irish Genealogy - Links for the Irish and their decendants.

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    Ogham is where the hearth is

    Café spirits cut their own 'Ogham Pages here
    Note that these personages have heroic names as befits their stature. None of your 'jdoe@anon.com' for these worthies!

    Japhet of the Parthelonian Front
    An activist fighting for the rights of the aboriginal population of Ireland.

    Niall of the Nine Bandages
    A bronze-age warrior affected by new technology

    Mac Carell , The Superintelligent Fish
    Not to be confused with the Breadán Feasa

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    Muse

    One of the nice things about the creation of this site is that it has sparked the creative urge in others.

    Quill

    Quill was a chat regular amongst regulars. She sometimes weaved stories around some other regulars, some ideas that come up in chat, and her own (wild) imagination.

     

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