* Asterisk to indicate prayers that have pagan changes put in them.

The Invocation of the Graces

(3)
(Original Form)

In showers of wine,
In the lustral fire,
In the seven elements,
In the juice of the rasps,
In the milk of honey,
And I place the nine pure choice graces
In thy fair fond face,
The grace of form,
The grace of voice,
The grace of fortune,
The grace of goodness,
The grace of wisdom,
The grace of charity,
The grace of choice maidenliness,
The grace of whole-souled loveliness,
The grace of goodly speech.

Dark is yonder town,
Dark are those therein,
Thou art the brown swan,
Going in among them.
Their hearts are under thy control,
Their tongues are beneath thy sole,
Nor will they ever utter a word
To give thee offence.

A shade art thou in the heat,
A shelter art thou in the cold,
Eyes art thou to the blind,
A staff art thou to the pilgrim,
An island art thou at sea,
A fortress art thou on land,
A well art thou in the desert,
Health art thou to the ailing.

Thine is the skill of the Fairy Woman,
Thine is the virtue of Bride the calm,
Thine is the faith of Mary the mild,
Thine is the tact of the woman of Greece,
Thine is the beauty of Emir the lovely,
Thine is the tenderness of Darthula delightful,
Thine is the courage of Maebh the strong,
Thine is the charm of Binne-bheul.

Thou art the joy of all joyous things,
Thou art the light of the beam of the sun,
Thou art the door of the chief of hospitality,
Thou art the surpassing star of guidance,
Thou art the step of the deer of the hill,
Thou art the step of the steed of the plain,
Thou art the grace of the swan of swimming,
Thou art the loveliness of all lovely desires.

The lovely likeness of the Lord
Is in thy pure face,
The loveliest likeness that
Was upon earth.

The best hour of the day be thine,
The best day of the week be thine,
The best week of the year be thine,
The best year in the Son of God’s domain be thine.

Peter has come and Paul has come,
James has come and John has come,
Muriel and Mary Virgin have come,
Uriel the all-beneficent has come,
Ariel the beauteousness of the young has come,
Gabriel the seer of the Virgin has come,
Raphael the prince of the valiant has come,
And Michael the chief of the hosts has come,
And Jesus Christ the mild has come,
And the Spirit of true guidance has come,
And the King of kings has come on the helm,
To bestow on thee their affection and their love,
To bestow on thee their affection and their love.

* Hey The Gift

(59)

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Son of the dawn, Son of the clouds,
Son of the planet, Son of the star,

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Son of the rain, Son of the dew,
Son of the welkin, Son of the sky,

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Son of the flame, Son of the light,
Son of the sphere, Son of the globe,

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Son of the elements, Son of the heavens,
Son of the moon, Son of the sun,

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Son of Ethlinn of the God-mind,
And the Son of Balar first of all news,

Hey the Gift, Ho the Gift
Hey the Gift, on the living.

Smooring the Fire

(84)

The Sacred Three
To save,
To shield
To surround
The hearth
The house
The household
This eve
This night
Oh! This night,
And every night
Each single night,
Amen.

---

Charm of the Sprain

(130)

Bride went out
In the morning early,
With a pair of horses;
One broke his leg
With much ado,
That was apart,
She put bone to bone,
She put flesh to flesh,
She put sinew to sinew,
She put vein to vein;
As she healed that,
May she heal this.

---

* Fath-fith

(133)

Fath-fith
Will I make on thee
By Danu of the augury
By Bride of the corslet
From sheep, from ram
From goat, from buck
From fox, from wolf
From sow, from boar
From dog, from cat
From hipped-bear
From wilderness-dog
From watchful scan
From cow, from horse
From bull, from heifer
From daughter, from son
From the birds of the air
From the creeping things of the earth
From the fishes of the sea
From the imps of the storm.

---

The charm of the lasting life

(135)

I will place the charm of the lasting life
Upon your cattle active, broad, and full
The knoll upon which the herds shall lie down
That they may rise from it whole and well.

Down with success, and with blessing
Up with activity and following
Without envy, without malice, without ill-will,
Without small eye, without large eye
Without the five eyes of neglect.

I will suck this, the sucking of envious vein
On the head of the house, and the townland families
That every evil trait, and every evil tendency
Inherint in you shall cleave to them.

If tounge cursed you
A heart blessed you
If eye blighted you
A wish prospered you.

A hurly-burlying, a topsy-turvying
A hard hollying and a wan withering
To their female sheep and to their male calves
For the nine and the nine score years.

---

Saint Bride’s Charm

(136)

The charm put by Bride the beneficient
On her goats, on her sheep, on her kine
On her horses, on her chargers, on her herds
Early and late going home, and from home.

To keep them from rocks and ridges
From the heels and the horns of one another
From the birds of the Red Rock
And from Luath of the Feinne.

From the blue peregine hawk of Creag Duillion
From the brindled eagle of Ben-Ard
From the swift hawk of Tordun
From the surly raven of Bard’s Creag.

From the fox of the wiles
From the wolf of the Mam
From the foul-smelling fumart
And from the restless great-hipped bear.

From every hoofed of four feet
And from every hatched of two wings.

---

Exorcism of the Eye

(141; ref. to curses)

I trample upon the eye
As tramples the duck upon the lake,
As tramples the swan upon the water,
As tramples the horse upon the plain,
As tramples the cow upon the iuc,
As tramples the host of the elements
As tramples the host of the elements.

Power of wind I have over it,
Power of wrath I have over it
Power of fire I have over it
Power of thunder I have over it
Power of lightning I have over it
Power of storms I have over it
Power of moon I have over it
Power of sun I have over it
Power of stars I have over it
Power of firmament I have over it
Power of the heavens
And of the worlds I have over it
Power of the heavens
And of the worlds I have over it.

A portion of it upon the grey stones
A portion of it upon the steep hills
A portion of it upon the fast falls
A portion of it upon the fair meads,
And a portion upon the great salt sea,
She herself is the best instrument to carry it
The great salt sea
The best instrument to carry it.

In name of the Three of Life
In name of the Sacred Three
In name of all the Secret Ones,
And of the Powers together.

---

The yarrow

(164)

I will pluck the yarrow fair
That more brave shall be my hand
That more warm shall be my lips
That more swift shall be my foot
May I an island be at sea
May I a rock be on land
That I can afflict any man
No man can afflict me.

---

Incantation of the Red Water

(180 pp2; a healing prayer)

Great wave, red wave,
Strength of sea, strength of ocean,
The nine wells of Mac-Lir,
Help on thee to pour,
Put stop to thy blood,
Put flood to thy urine.
[the name of patient]

---

Fragment

(216)

As it was,
As it is
As it shall be
Evermore
O thou Triune
Of grace!
With the ebb
With the flow
O thou Triune
Of grace!
With the ebb
With the flow.

---

Birth baptism

(217 pp 9-11)

A wavelet for thy form
A wavelet for thy voice
A wavelet for thy sweet speech

A wavelet for thy luck
A wavelet for thy good
A wavelet for thy health

A wavelet for thy throat
A wavelet for thy pluck
A wavelet for thy graciousness
Nine waves for thy graciousness.

---

* Prayer at Rising

(223)

Thou Kings of moon and sun
Thou Kings of stars beloved
Thou Thyselves knowest our need
O Thou merciful Gods of life.

Each day that we move
Each time that we awaken
Causing vexation and gloom
To the Kings of hosts who loved us.

Be with us through each day
Be with us through each night
Be with us each night and day
Be with us each day and night.

---

God’s Aid

(231; a morning prayer)

God to enfold me
God to surround me
God in my speaking
God in my thinking

God in my sleeping
God in my waking
God in my watching
God in my hoping

God in my life
God in my lips
God in my hands
God in my heart.

God in my sufficing
God in my slumber
God in mine ever-living soul
God in mine eternity.

---

Supplication

(232)

O Being of life!
O Being of peace!
O Being of time!
O Being of eternity!
O Being of eternity!

Keep me in good means
Keep me in good intent
Keep me in good estate
Better than I know to ask
Better than I know to ask!

Shepherd me this day
Relieve my distress
Enfold me this night
Pour upon me Thy grace,
Pour upon me Thy grace!

Guard for me my speech
Strengthen for me my love
Illume for me the stream
Succour Thou me in death
Succour Thou me in death!

---

Thou, my soul’s healer

(242)

Thou, my soul’s healer
Keep me at even
Keep me at morning
Keep me at noon
On rough course faring
Help and safeguard
My means this night
I am tired, astray, and stumbling
Shield Thou me from snare and sin.

---

The Three

(245)

The Three Who are over me,
The Three Who are below me
The Three Who are above me here
The Three Who are above me yonder
The Three Who are in the earth
The Three Who are in the air
The Three who are in the heaven
The Three who are in the great pouring sea.

---

* Charm of protection

(246)

The charm placed of Brigit about her foster-son
The charm placed of Danu about her tribe
The charm placed of Manannan about his shield
The charm placed of Aengus about the Wonder Hill.

Charm against arrow
Charm against sword
Charm against spears
Charm against bruising and against drowning.

Charm against firebrand
Charm against adder
Charm against levin
Charm against harm in fields of battle

Charm against child of faerie
Charm against child of earth
Charm against hostile one
Charm against deadly peril.

Be the cowl of Columba over thee
Be the cowl of Manannan about thee
Dagda’s cowl, beloved, safeguard thee
The cowl of the Gods of grace shield thee

To guard thee from thy back
To preserve thee from thy front
From the crown of thy head and thy forhead
To the very sole of thy foot

An isle art thou in the sea
A hill art thou on land
A well art thou in the wilderness
Health art thou to the ailing.

The succour of Columba is with thee
And his own cowl around thee
The aiding of Manannan is about thee
And his great shield protects the.

---

Blessing of Brigit

(264)

Each day and each night
That I say the Descent of Brigit

I shall not be slain
I shall not be sworded
I shall not be put in cell
I shall not be hewn
I shall not be riven
I shall not be anguished
I shall not be wounded
I shall not be ravaged
I shall not be blinded
I shall not be made naked
I shall not be left bare
Nor will Dagda
Leave me forgotten.

Nor fire shall burn me
Nor sun shall burn me
Nor moon shall blanch me

Nor water shall drown me
Nor flood shall drown me
Nor brine shall drown me

Nor seed of faerie shall lift me
Nor seed of airy host shhall lift me
Nor earthly beig destroy me

I am under the shielding
Of good Brigit each day
I am onder the shielding
Of good Brigit each night.

I am under the keeping
of the Child of Dagda
Each early and late,
Every dark, every light.

Brigit is my comrade-woman
Brigit is my maker of song
Brigit is my helping-woman
My choicest of women, my guide.

---

Petition

(266 pp1)

Be Thou a smooth way before me
Be Thou a guiding star above me
Be Thou a keen eye behind me
This day, this night, for ever.

---

Blessings

(277 pp 1, 7)

May the Spirit satisfy you
With the water of grace.

The love of your creator be with you.

---

Good Wish

(282)

Power of raven be thine
Power of eagle be thine
Power of the Fiann.

Power of storm be thine
Power of moon be thine
Power of sun.

Power of sea be thine
Power of land be thine
Power of heaven

Goodness of sea be thine
Goodness of earth be thine
Goodness of heaven

Each day be joyous to thee
No day be grievous to thee
Honour and compassion.

Love of each face be thine
Death on pillow be thine
Thy Saviour’s presence.

---

Good Wish

(284)

Thine be the might of river
Thine be the might of ocean
The might of victory on field

Thine be the might of fire
Thine be the might of levin
The might of a strong rock.

Thine be the might of element
Thine be the might of fountain
The might of the love on high.

---

Prayer

(285)

Power of eye be thine
Power of element be thine
Power of my hearts desire

Power of surf be thine
Power of swell be thine
Power of the sap of my reason

Power of king Cu Chulainn be thine
Power of the king of the world be thine
Power of the king of the Fiann.

---

Beauteous fair one of grace

(303)

Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous guidant of the sky
Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous fair one of g race

Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous guidant of the stars
Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous loved one of my heart

Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous guidant of the clouds
Hail to thee, thou new moon
Beauteous dear one of the heavens!

---

Queen of the Night

(312; ref. to New Moon)

Hail unto thee
Jewel of the night!

Beauty of the heavans
Jewel of the night!

Mother of the stars
Jewel of the night!

Fosterling of the sun,
Jewel of the night!

Majesty of the stars
Jewel of the night!

---

Sun

(315)

The eye of the great God
The eye of the God of glory
The eye of the King of hosts
The eye of the King of the living

Pouring upon us
At each time and season
Pouring upon us
Gently and generously

Glory to thee
Thou Glorious Sun

Glory to the, thou Sun
Face of the God of Life.

---

The sun

(316)

Hail to thee, thou sun of the seasons,
As thou traversest the skies aloft;
Thy steps are strong on the wing of the heavens
Thou art the glorious mother of the stars.

Thou liest down in the destructive ocean
Without impairment and without fear
Thou risest up on the peaceful wave-crest
Like a queenly maiden in bloom.

---

I am going home with thee

(345; a prayer for Death)

I am going home with thee
To thy home! To thy home!
I am going home with thee
To thy home of winter

I am going home with thee
To thy home! To thy home!
I am going home with thee
To thy home of autumn, spring, and of summer.

I am going home with thee
Thou child of my love
To thine eternal bed
To thy perpetual sleep.

---

The apple tree

(483 pp1,7)

O apple tree
Apple branch
Apple tree
Tree of apples

O apple tree, The Gods be with thee
May the moon and the sun be with thee
May the east and west winds be with thee
May everything that ever existed be with thee
May every bounty and desire be with thee
May every passion and divinity be with thee
May great Somerled and his band be with thee
May everyone, like myself, be with thee.

Top | Celtic Study Hall | Home | Sitemap