Contact Tales From The Wood

I would love to hear from you, so please feel free to reach out to me via email or Instagram DMs. I will respond to you as soon as possible!

talesfromthewood.ie@gmail.com

Cashel of the Kings ⚔️The Rock of Cashel in

Cashel of the Kings ⚔️The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary looms over the surrounding landscape. Once the seat of the Kings of Munster, it was eventually granted to the Church almost one thousand years ago in AD 1101.Most of the buildings we can see today are ecclesiastical, and include a round tower, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, and a high cross amongst other fascinating structures. Together they represent one of Ireland’s most iconic and imposing collections of medieval art and architecture.With links to famous names such as Brian Boru and Saint Patrick, this site has borne witness to an incredible amount of Ireland’s history.It is a place where my imagination comes alive, and where inspiration flows.Le grá
Shelly#rockofcashel #cashelofthekings #tipperary #ancientireland #irishhistory #brianboru #castlesofireland #castles #historicarchitecture #archeology #irisharchaeology

Amongst the hawthorn And the stones I sow myself.

Amongst the hawthorn
And the stones
I sow myself.
Hedgerow hearted.
Thorny and coarse,
Yet vital and verdant.Beneath the Earth,
Otherworld whispers.
Above the Sky,
Infinity gazes down.To wonder at all of it
Is to be alive.The past and the future outstretch,
But for a moment, by fluke, I am here.
Sun-warmed and curious,
Amidst the rocks and the trees.🌳 Some thoughts today from Leac an Scail Dolmen.Le grá
Shelly

I spent an afternoon wandering around this medieva

I spent an afternoon wandering around this medieval church ruin spotting the Ogham stones that were recycled into its construction. This one actually blew me away ☺️What struck me the most was the amount of care taken by the local community to preserve and protect the site, what a beautiful thing to see when so many of our other monuments are sadly not treated with such care and respect.Take care if you visit, this is a ruin and as such there is always a risk of falling masonry. We are so lucky to have places like this still surviving, so be mindful not to cause any damage and to leave no trace.Hope everyone is well ❤️Le grá
Shelly📍Seskinan Church, Co. Waterford#ogham #oghamstone #waterford #ancientireland #irishhistory #historicalbuilding #ancienthistory #irisharchaeology

Sitting amongst the stones and imagining the days

Sitting amongst the stones and imagining the days in which they were built.I wonder how many people gathered together to raise them. Did some bring food for the workers whilst others discussed the plans?What mundane, everyday worries were they dealing with in their personal lives? I’d imagine that despite the ocean of time that lies between us and them, at their most basic level our concerns and priorities would be much the same.When they were finally finished did the community don their finest clothes and attend a ceremony or celebration? Who was in attendance and what words passed between them?Did this beautiful megalith represent a point of great pride for the community? Did the last old person with memories of being brought to ceremonies there as a child, drive their own grandchildren mad retelling the stories?What I’d give to know it all.Now it is part of nature. A slumbering giant cloaked in grass and flowers, watched over by sacred trees.Perhaps deep in its bones it recalls all the answers to my questions, a secret that now lies hidden forever within the stones.This monument is the Giants Grave Wedge Tomb at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick.I hope you’re all wellLe grá
Shelly#loughgur #wedgetomb #giantsgrave #ancientireland #irisharchaeology #irishheritage #ancienthistory #megalithic

Watching the sun set on the longest day of the yea

Watching the sun set on the longest day of the year at the Athgreany Stone Circle in Co. Wicklow ☀️I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for your support over the last few months. I’ve been so sporadic on here for the first half of the year, and have been having a block artistically. Recently I sat down and did my first painting of the year, a gift for a friend, and I feel that it might have broken the seal. So I may have new art to share here very soon!The other thing I want to say is a HUGE thank you for the incredible response to my song ❤️ it was a massive learning experience for me to put it together, and I had never been so anxious about sharing something on here before. But the feedback has been incredible and so helpful, and I even see that it’s been used in some reels on other folk’s accounts! I plan on continuing to make music, and hope to see improvement and a quicker artistic process as I go along 🙏Anyway! The weather is fabulous out there today, so I hope you have a good one. Much love to you all 🤎Le grá
Shelly

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! ☀️Here’s a

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! ☀️Here’s a little look at the Grange Stone Circle, a place where many gathered this morning to welcome the rising Midsummer sun.Make sure to check out Ken Williams work @shadowsandstone - who made the discovery of the megalithic art at the site in 2022.I hope you’re all having a wonderful day, I’m heading out to visit a very special site this evening for the solstice that I’ll tell you all about once I get home 🤎Le grá
Shelly#loughgur #grangestonecircle #archaeology #irisharchaeology #irishhistory #irishmythology #goddessaine #mythsandlegends #folkloreandfairytales #ancientireland #ancientarchaeology #stonecircle #summersolstice #grianstadantsamhraidh #midsummersolstice

Grange Stone Circle in County Limerick is Ireland’s largest stone circle. I recently had the privilege of visiting for the first time, and it was every bit as magnificent as I had imagined.Situated at Lough Gur, a landscape that is simply teeming with ancient archaeology, this site is one that I’ll be visiting again very soon.I will be writing up a full post about this circle in the next couple of days. With the summer solstice approaching it only seems fitting ☀️I hope you’re all keeping well, it’s hard to believe we’re in June already! I don’t know where the days are going, Bealtaine still feels like it was only the other day!! 😱 I can’t believe I haven’t painted a single thing this year. It’s so hard to find the time with a toddler! But I’m glad to have brought music into my life again, it’s currently a lot easier to sit at the piano in my spare moments than it is to set up paints! 😅Grá mór
Shelly#loughgur #grangestonecircle #stonecircle #standingstones #irisharchaeology #archaeology #summersolstice #megalithicmarvels #irishhistory #ancientcivilization #ancienthistory #ancientarcheology

The Bealtaine Fire at Uisneach 🔥This year I f

The Bealtaine Fire at Uisneach 🔥This year I finally made a start on writing music, and for my first try I’ve written and recorded the song that you can hear in this reel! It’s a celebration of Bealtaine ❤️☀️If you’d like to hear it in full it’s up on the usual pIatforms, and I’ll put a Iink up. This was a massive learning curve for me, as I’ve never recorded, mixed and produced music before, let alone published it! I really enjoyed putting it all together though, and it’s definitely something I’m going to keep doing and trying to improve at 😄The festival itself this year was absolutely incredible, thank you so much to everyone who was involved with it - I was really blown away this year by all the talented artists, performers, craftspeople, storytellers, musicians and creators that took part. Too many to list here but ye know who ye are and you’re all amazing ❤️See you all there again next year 🙌Le grá
Shelly#bealtainefestival #bealtainefirefestival #bealtaine #bealtaine2024 #uisneach #uisneachfirefestival #hillofuisneach #sacredsites #irishhistory #irishmythology #irishmusic #irishmusician #irishheritage #irishfolklore #mythsandlegends #folkloreandfairytales

Fáilte Bealtaine 🔥🌱☀️Footage from las

Fáilte Bealtaine 🔥🌱☀️Footage from last year’s Fire Festival on the Hill of Uisneach, I hope to see as many as possible of you up there again this year ❤️I’m starting to get back online now after a long and much needed break. It’s a chaotic world out there, but Bealtaine is reminding me that the summer season lies just before us, soothingly simple and ever dependable. The birds are singing, the bluebells are out and the hawthorn is coming into bloom.I hope you’ve all been well the past few months ❤️Le grá
Shelly#bealtaine #bealtainefestival #uisneach #uisneachfirefestival #hillofuisneach #irishhistory #irishmythology #irishheritagesite #irishculture #wheeloftheyear #irishfolklore #mythsandlegends

Lá Fhéile Bríde Shona Daoibh! I hope you’re a

Lá Fhéile Bríde Shona Daoibh! I hope you’re all doing well this Imbolg evening 🔥 I’ve been blown away by all the amazing Brigid artwork and inspiration today, it’s by far the most I’ve ever seen this time of year - a heartening and wonderful tribute to this incredible woman, and hopefully a sign of great days to come for us all.January was a busy month for me, with some very nasty colds and doses doing the rounds and knocking things off track in the house. Nevertheless today the sun decided to shine and the birds sang their hearts out to welcome it ☀️I’m sharing an older piece of art today, and one that means an awful lot to me. This was the first goddess portrait I ever painted for Tales From The Wood. It was done back in 2020, when I had around 200 people following me, and she’s accompanied me on an incredible journey since then. Brigid has always been an immensely important figure to me, and was an early gateway into my fascination with Irish mythology during my childhood. Her story and magic runs so deeply in my heart, it’s only fitting that it was her image that got the ball rolling on everything Tales From The Wood has become in the years since. She is the vessel from which so much creativity and inspiration springs for so many people. I’m beyond delighted to now see her getting the attention she rightly deserved for so many centuries. 🔥Have an absolutely lovely Imbolg everyone. How fabulous that Spring has arrived 🌱Le grá
Shelly

Reflecting on my Irish archaeology & myth art.Th

Reflecting on my Irish archaeology & myth art.This coming year I hope to create more art that I feel proud of. I hope to continue on my journey of exploration, learning and understanding. I hope to have many more adventures and forge many new friendships.Mostly, I hope that a time of peace draws nearer.I don’t really have a solid plan for the year ahead. I’m just going to roll with whatever comes my way and take the good with the bad. I know that whatever comes along, I will be busy and have my hands full throughout. And I can’t think of a better way to be heading into 2024.I really hope that you’re all keeping well and have a very Happy New Year.Le grá
Shelly#irishmythology #irishmythologyart #irisharchaeology #irishhistory #ancientireland #prehistoricireland #mythsandlegends

The Knockroe Passage Tomb, Co. Kilkenny, is one of

The Knockroe Passage Tomb, Co. Kilkenny, is one of my favourite passage tombs here in Ireland, and it bears an alignment with the Winter Solstice.The photo in this clip is a light mimicking the effect of the sunset, as unfortunately, more often than not it’s too cloudy here to see the spectacle the way the Neolithic builders intended 😅This year is finally coming to its conclusion, and like many of you, I won’t be sorry to see it go. I’m hoping next year to spend far more time immersed in nature and creativity, and far less time on screens.I find that the Winter Solstice is the perfect time to set your intentions for the year ahead, as the hours of light begin to overcome the hours of darkness. I’ve said it many times, but there is great comfort in the reliability of the changing seasons when the world around us seems so utterly chaotic.Warmest wishes to you all.Grianstad an Gheimhridh sona daoibh go léir!Shelly#wintersolstice #irishwintersolstice #passagetomb #irisharchaeology #irishhistory #ancientireland #irishmythology #ancienthistory #solstice #wheeloftheyear