I need information on Celtic Druidry holidays to study?

Answer 1

Celtic Druidry is a redundant term. Just say druidism.
Study Halloween, it's the Celtic New Year.
Happy Samhain!
I quit celebrating the "New Year" on January 1st because it's an Unlucky Day for me.
Samhain is way more fun anyway.

Answer 2

I'll second the comment that Celtic Druidry is redundant, as Druidry is, by nature, redundant. (I know Bonewitz might quibble with me over terminology, but he also admits his stance is for expediency's sake.)

Contrary to what most people will tell you, there's no record that the ancient Celts followed the 8-fold Wheel of the Year. The records of the Irish show 4 major holidays, and materials from the other Celtic cultures showed most of them held fairly comparable festivals at roughly the same time. They are:

Imbolg/Lá Fhéile Bríde, around Feb 1
Bealtaine, around May 1
Lughnasadh, around August 1
Samhain, around November 1

(I say "around" because there's some evidence that the date may've been a little flexible, based on local conditions.)

I recommend a certain wariness when dealing with information on the individual holidays - a lot of people have come up with some rather fanciful stories in regards to the actual details of the holidays, preferring fiction to fact. Check the sources before accepting someone's word on the holidays.

Answer 3

Although written accounts seem to have begun 2,200 years ago, Druidry was probably in existence for a good deal of time before then, and it seems likely that as a type of religion or magical practice it evolved out of earlier pre-Druidic cult practices.

As for HOLIDAYS, the Druids celebrate eight seasonal festivals which consist of the solstices and equinoxes - four moments during the year which are dictated by the relationship between the Earth and Sun – and the four ‘cross-quarter' festivals which are not determined astronomically, but are related to the traditional pastoral calendar.

The summer and winter solstices are celebrated when the sun rises and sets at its most southerly point (the northern hemisphere's midwinter) and at its most northerly point (the northern hemisphere's midsummer). The summer solstice occurs on the longest day of the year, usually the 21st or 22nd June in the northern hemisphere and the 21st or 22nd December in the southern. The winter solstice occurs on the shortest day of the year, usually the 21st or 22nd December in the northern hemisphere and the 21st or 22nd June in the southern. The equinoxes occur when day and night are equal. The spring equinox usually occurs on the 21st or 22nd March in the northern hemisphere and the 21st or 22nd September in the southern. The autumn equinox usually occurs on the 21st or 22nd September in the northern hemisphere and the 21st or 22nd March in the southern.

The other four festivals are also related to the seasons, but are not tied to specific astronomical events. Instead they have evolved from traditional festival times linked to farming practices begun in western Europe thousands of years ago: lambing in early February, bringing the cattle out to pasture in early May, the start of the harvest at the beginning of August, and the preparations for winter at the end of October.

These are some good sites. The first one has the most detailed information.

http://druidry.org/
http://www.wildideas.net/cathbad/druid.html
http://www.fatheroak.com/
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/d/druidism.html
http://www.crystalinks.com/druids.html
http://www.britannia.com/wonder/michell2.html

Answer 4

I don't know what Celtic Druidry is, but many Pagans celebrate the eight "Wheel of the Year" holidays, and some of those holidays (Imbolc, Beltane, Samhain, etc.) have Celtic roots.

Do you mean modern Druids or ancient Druids?

Answer 5

Ah this sounds wonderful, much as some cultures had their shamen the celts had the druid. The Celtic race are indeed a fantastic lot. The mythology is incredible and as is the rituals in celtic Magic. I`ve listed some of my favourite sites that will give you what you need I hope

Answer 6

http://www.dobhran.com/DruidryHome.htm
http://www.cassandraeason.co.uk/druidic_year.htm
http://www.keltria.org/

The early Celts did not keep written records so much of what you'll find is reconstructed but have fun searching!