a n c a I l l e a c h
(Ah-n KAL-yuhk) The veiled one. Old woman, crone, witch, hag - powerful nature spirit and creator.
Friday, July 31, 2026
"Neart agus Tuiscint"
Issue #9
Meet Amanita Muscaria
Everyone's favorite poison mushroom!
Despite it's deadly reputation, you can actually safely pick these mystical mushrooms.
Click on the photo to see a "how to" video on how to prepare and enjoy this colorful fungus.
Oil on canvas by Erin Crociani - 2022
Power of the +
A powerful way to free yourself from the negative pull is to enlist allies who are of
similar mind. Agree to work together to continually shift the energy in a situation in a positive direction. The power of people
working to promote the positive is exponentially greater than one person
working on their own.
Asleep in the Sun - 2026
by Vincent Gargiulo
(featuring Elma Rico Kastning as Black Cat)
"I even miss when you were a jerk.
You'd paw my leg while I'm trying to work."
Ná lig an
sean-bhean isteach!
Elaine Stritch - 1956
"Life is full of IFs and Buts.
Squirrels save and save and
what have they got? Nuts!"
Editor's note: the STORY you are about to (hopefully) read is an account from the chronicles of the National Folklore Collection of Ireland - dúchas.ie. It just so happens this tale takes place less than a mile from our house in Taghmon. Yes, I have every intention of going to look for the traces of the "old cabin." Stay tuned!!!
The village of Taghmon is situated on a height and commands a splendid view of the country all around
it. Looking toward the west'ard there is a rich vein of land aptly called Clover Valley. For it is said that the best land in the county Wexford is in this valley. Well, long ago there lived in this valley an old woman who was supposed to be a witch. Yearly she used to visit the different farmers in the district of Taghmon, and it
was said that every time she called at a house she wanted help or something to eat or to drink. It was also said that if anyone refused her what she wanted, that some animal was sure to die, or even some member of the family.
There was a farmer's work boy going looking the
cows one summer morning, out on the land. Every morning he used to carry two greyhounds with him. Well, this morning he had his usual companions with him, one was black and the other was white. 'Twasn't
long 'til the dogs caught sight of a hare, and they
chased it for all they were worth. The boy got so interested in the chase -- 'twas so hot -- that he forgot about the cows, and followed after the dogs and the hare. The hare led down a slope, and the dogs followed. Then the boy caught sight of a little cabin and into this cabin the brave hare ran and the dogs after him. The boy ran down to see where the dogs had gone. He looked into the cabin, and behold:
There he saw an ould woman, torn and bleeding lying on the floor. He did not know what to do. He got afraid and went home and told his master what he see. The neighbours around gathered together and went
to see the sight. But when they reached the place there was no trace of a cabin or an ould woman to be seen, so they did not believe him. Sometime after, when this boy was sleeping in his bed, he heard his two dogs fighting fiercely outside his window. He got up and tried to separate them but he couldn't. They took no notice of him, and they fought on until they collapsed. And what happened the boy? He got a terrible disease from the bites he got from the
hounds and died in about a week.
All this happened in Clover Valley where there is an old rath. This rath is the trace of the old cabin.
