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Belfast Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Ancient Celtic tradition to be resurrected with burning of 30ft Wickerman in Armagh
The ancient Celtic ritual is being brought back to life at the Navan Centre just outside Armagh city on Saturday evening. A team of dedicated weavers, led by Heather McDermott, have been busy creating the giant effigy made out of hazel and willow. 'Hazel is a brilliant material, it's so very flexible, so we built the skeleton and the ribs out of hazel and then we weaved the willow around it,' Heather explained. 'There was a lot of time taken into planning everything and thinking about how we could build it to include all the details necessary — particularly in the hands.' Heather, who started work on the eerie figure at the beginning of May, said it took a lot of time, dedication and physical strength to complete the project. 'I've got two frozen shoulders now after beating at it for months,' she joked. 'I teach weaving classes and it takes a lot out of you physically – so many people don't realise that. 'You aren't just working with your hands, you are use both sides of your brain, you really need to use your whole body, you will see weavers who are using their feet to hold it, some people sit on the willow, I know I even use my teeth to hold it at times.' Watch: Therapy dog brings joy to sick children in Belfast After more than three months of hard work, the masterpiece is set to go up in flames. Heather admits that part of her will be sad to watch it burn. 'I remember a few tears were shed once he was burnt last year but every year I pick up new techniques, every year is a learning curve, I love him this year but he isn't perfect yet. 'And on top of that, this is environmental art, it's only here for a short period of time, it goes back into the landscape. 'People come and they see the fabulous spectacle of the sculpture burning and the memory of that will stay with them a lot longer than it might if the sculpture was a permanent one,' Heather said. The Wickerman is burned in memory of the traditional fire festival – named after the the sun God, Lugh – celebrated by ancient Celts to express gratitude for a fruitful harvest. 'The Wickerman is our interpretation of that festival,' Heather said. 'We get that interpretation from Roman writings.' The expert weaver said the Lughnasa festival is something everyone in the local community enjoys. 'We have people from all sides of the community coming down to enjoy the festival – some people think it is a very pagan celebration and we would have people that embrace paganism coming but we also have a lot of people of the Christian denominations who come to celebrate our ancestors." Heather believes it's important to keep Celtic traditions alive including ancient festivals to mark milestones in the calendar . 'Back then, they lived in very difficult conditions, they didn't know if they were going to see it through the next winter, so they celebrated the seasons they had,' she said. 'I think in these often quite gloomy times it's so important for us to come together as a community and celebrate.' Heather has noticed a rise in people eager to learn more about Celtic tradition. 'We are so lucky here to have the Navan Centre, it is one of the best archaeological sites in Europe, there is so much history here,' she said. "I think some people appreciate that but others just don't realise what we have on our doorstep.'
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Aberdeen vs Celtic prediction, free betting tips and odds for Sunday's Premiership clash
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the betting offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC make the trip north for a Sunday lunchtime kick-off against Aberdeen. SunSport betting experts have previewed the game and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up Free bet offers from our partners Take your pick! Midnite: Bet £5 Get £25 + 50 Free Spins - CLAIM HERE* William Hill: Get your £40 in free bets when you stake a tenner on football - CLAIM HERE* Betfred: Get £50 in free football bets - CLAIM HERE* Parimatch: Bet £10 and Get £30 in free bets & bonuses - CLAIM HERE* BetMGM: Get £40 in free bets to spend on football - CLAIM HERE* talkSPORT BET: Get up to £40 in free bets to spend on football - CLAIM HERE* Tote: Grab your £30 welcome bonus + 20 free spins - CLAIM HERE* Aberdeen vs Celtic preview Aberdeen and Celtic were the only two sides last weekend to kick-off their Premiership campaign with their first competitive games of the season. And for both, it showed. Skipping the early stages of European competition, both looked like going through spells of coming to terms with the big restart. Aberdeen traveled in terrible weather conditions to a Hearts team who outbattled them for the majority of the first half and the Dons were probably a touch fortunate to only be one behind at the break. A much-improved second half followed but they'd go on to lose the second period too in a 2-0 opening day loss in front of the cameras. A far cry from the 11-game unbeaten run to start last season. And their difficult run of games to start continues here when champions Celtic head for Pittodrie. Though Celtic will be coming here seeking revenge after Aberdeen's penalty shoot-out victory in the Scottish Cup final in May. Failing to secure the treble was a big blotch on the Celtic record last term and ended a long run of Celts getting the better of the Reds. Aberdeen haven't beaten Celtic in 90 minutes since a 1-0 win in 2018 - a ridiculous 32 games ago. Celtic will need to improve themselves from the 1-0 win over St Mirren on Flag Day, where Luke McCowan scored an 87th minute winner. Incomings are an absolute must at Parkhead, none more so than in the centre forward position as was more than evident in that game. 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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Rice Became The Go-To Sendoff For Newlyweds
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. From the bouquet toss, to the removal of the garter, to unique TikTok wedding cakes, weddings are filled with rituals (some easier to explain than others). On the food-related side of wedding-planning, brides and grooms might be thinking about how much food they need for their menu, the best (and worst) frosting choices for their wedding cake, or how to build a wedding charcuterie board. Today, we're exploring another centuries-old, food-centric matrimonial tradition: the rice throw. Rice is even a wedding prop for live performances of the cult classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show;" fans throw rice over their shoulders (not at the theatre screen!) as Ralph and Betty leave the church in the film's opening scene. Throwing rice at weddings is a ritual that traces back to the ancient Celts over 2,000 years ago. The Celts were an agriculture-centric civilization that placed high symbolic importance on grains and rice, and tossed the natural elements as an appeal to the gods to bestow blessings of abundance onto the new couple. Per the Celtic religion, the throwing of rice also warded off evil spirits that might be looking to cause mischief for the new couple on their special day. Tossing natural confetti isn't just a Celtic tradition, either. There are records of the ancient Romans throwing wheat at weddings, and Eastern Indian wedding-goers throwing flower petals. Either way, this ancient nuptial tradition pre-dates the Christian religion by several centuries. Read more: 13 International Dining Etiquette Rules We Should All Be Following Wedding Guests Have Been Throwing Rice As A Symbol Of Prosperity For Centuries The tradition goes that friends and family toss grains of rice at a newly-wedded couple as they exit the ceremony together. The rice throw typically takes place as the couple walks back down the aisle post-vows, or as they leave the church or venue together before the reception. Small paper cones of rice might be passed out to each guest, or a larger bowl filled with rice might be offered for everyone to grab a handful. So, why rice? For one thing, it's cheap and widely available. Rice is thought to have usurped cereal grains for the ritual sometime during the Middle Ages. On the metaphysical front, rice symbolizes fertility and prosperity, making it a natural fit for tiding well-wishes for the newly wedded couple, including good fortune and kiddos, if they want kids. Still, all that rice makes a mess. Many modern ceremonies pay a vendor to handle clean-up. But the loose rice poses a slipping and falling hazard, is tedious and annoying for the venue, and some think it's potentially harmful for the digestive systems of nearby animals. Depending on where the ceremony is held, some churches and venues don't allow a toss of any kind (rice, flower petals, forget about it). For these reasons, the rice throw tradition isn't as popular in the modern era as the staple once was in weddings of the past. Does The Rice Throw Hurt Birds? We would be remiss not to address the widespread misconception that has become linked with the wedding rice throw over the years: Uncooked rice hurts birds. So, does it? In a word, "no." The rumor traces back to 1985, when a Connecticut state legislator passed a bill that effectively outlawed the ritual, on the alleged grounds that uncooked rice kills birds. Even though the bill was not supported by Audubon bird experts, and doesn't carry any factual merit (ornithological studies have shown that uncooked rice doesn't hurt birds), the unflattering connotation has stuck. On the contrary, migrating birds such as ducks and geese are known to eat uncooked rice to fuel up before their travels. If anything, the rice throw has a greater potential to attract birds -- which can also throw a wrench into a smooth wedding day. In fact, in 2007, rice tosses were banned in Venice, Italy, for this very reason. At Venice's popular wedding destination St. Mark's Square, flocks of an estimated 40,000 pigeons, drawn by the rice, were regularly attending (and disrupting) ceremonies, perched and waiting for the anticipated rice throw. Pro tip: For folks who admire the rice toss tradition but are hosting an outdoor wedding, seeds, herbs, and dried flowers make a more environmentally-friendly confetti. Guests could also wave ribbon wands, sparklers, ring bells, or blow bubbles as the new couple exits the ceremony, preserving the well-wishes sendoff. Or, why not just throw birdseed? If you're curious, here are a few other wedding food traditions from around the world. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Mega bucks Celtic signing sent four week warning as Brendan Rodgers to rubber-stamp new transfer
The transfer window closes on September 1 but Celts still have plenty of work to do Scott Allan reckons misfiring striker Adam Idah has four weeks to save his Celtic career before the transfer window closes. The £9million Irishman drew a blank on Flag Day as super-sub Luke McCowan spared the Hoops' blushes with a late winner against St Mirren. Idah has blown hot and cold since his mega-bucks move from Norwich City last summer and continues to split the Parkhead faithful. The 24-year-old was hooked for Johnny Kenny on Sunday as Celts chased a breakthrough but Brendan Rodgers is desperately searching for more firepower. And former Hoops midfielder Allan believes the coming weeks could make-or-break Idah's chances of nailing down the No.9 jersey. He told BBC Sportsound: "It's a big four weeks for Idah until the window closes. He has four weeks to show. Is he ready to be the number one striker for Celtic? "If not, then I think you will see someone coming in that position. You will see them spend a considerable amount of money on that position as well in the next four weeks, if he doesn't get off to the start that he was expected to." Meanwhile Allan has hailed Reo Hatate as the best playmaker in Scotland. The Japan star, 27, is one of the first names on Rodgers' team sheet and sparkled against the Buddies, even hitting the woodwork. Allan is his biggest fan as he raved: "For me, Reo Hatate is the best midfielder in the country in terms of the creative areas and he's got the end product to go with it. He's got that through pass that we see time and time again." Incoming Manchester City defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was spotted in the stands on Sunday and is expected to rubber-stamp his season-long loan deal in the next 24 hours.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Brendan Rodgers declares Celtic Champions League ready as boss delivers Kieran Tierney injury update
The Hoops grabbed a Flag Day win over St Mirren after a late strike from sub Luke McCowan at Parkhead Brendan Rodgers has vowed Celtic will be ready for the Champions League – despite an opening day scare against St Mirren. The Hoops needed a late Luke McCowan strike to avoid the party going flat on Flag Day at Parkhead. Celts struggled to find a cutting edge against stubborn Saints but eventually found a way through to ensure a winning start. Rodgers insisted he was delighted with the display but admitted he's still looking to strengthen his squad in the coming days and weeks. Defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was at Celtic Park on Sunday and his loan move from Man City will be confirmed on Monday. Rodgers is desperate for more firepower but he is adamant his men will be firing for the Champions League play-off in a fortnight. Celts will learn who they will face in the group stage showdown in Monday's draw in Nyon. And Rodgers said: 'We'll be ready for the games. Whenever they come, we'll be ready. The players are working very hard. They are always tense games. But we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes. 'I'm feeling really good. We've had a great, really, really good pre-season. The players are shaping up very well and are working very hard. 'There's real spirit and solidarity here in the team. So we look forward to that. "We know whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them. And we will accept whatever challenge comes.' Rodgers is thrilled to bolster his backline with the arrival of Simpson-Pusey to compete alongside centre backs Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales. He said: 'It's just about improving. There's areas that we want to improve in the forward line. That's something that we hope we can do over these remaining weeks. 'We're still waiting for clearance on that one (Simpson-Pusey). But he's up here. And I think obviously once it's definite, then it'll be announced. But yes, he's up here ready for the move. 'That area of the team is always so important. Any team, your centre-halves need to be dominant and we've got really good options there now. 'Your centre-halves need to be strong at Celtic. Sometimes you're not doing a great deal. You're stood on the halfway line and you're attacking a lot of the time. But you also need to be able to defend space. 'We knew that Kieran (Tierney) and maybe even Ali (Johnston) because he's only back for a few weeks, we knew Kieran was going to have to come out at some point. 'So, Austin on the bench, move Scalesy to left- back. I thought he was fantastic in the game. He was dominant and won headers against two big strikers.' Tierney caused concern when he limped off with 35 minutes to go but Rodgers revealed there was no serious injury. The full back impressed on his first competitive start since his return to Celts and the manager said: ' It's brilliant for him. "I'm so happy for him. He's got a great reception and you see the qualities that he has. "He had a wee bit of cramp at the end. He hasn't played a lot of football and that's part of managing him through this period. now that he's back. "Build him and his fitness. But yes, just his qualities, his crossing ability and his one-v-one ability. I'm really pleased for him."
