Tuesday, December 3, 2013
* Blarney Castle, Blarney, Ireland (Eire) *
“It is time” stated Sir Thomas Leaf to Lady Etain as they headed out of her Mom and Dad’s home in Douglas, Ireland. Off they went for their annual trek to the Blarney Castle and into the The Rock Close to visit the Wishing Steps of Rock Close, and the Blarney Witch at her Witches’ Kitchen and Stone – to thank her for bringing them together.
It was three years ago, in 2010, during the Witch Potato Project that Sir Thomas Leaf first came to this magical garden hidden in the grounds of Blarney Castle. It was Monday, June 28th, 2010 that Sir Thomas learned of the Blarney Witch. Legend has it the witch has an arrangement with the Castle – they would bring her dry firewood every night and allow her to continue to live on the land if she granted garden visitor’s their wishes – if they walk up and down the wishing steps with their eyes closed, backwards, thinking of nothing other than the granting of their specific wish. She would have a year to make the spell come into fruition. Exactly a year and a month later the witch granted his wish – to bring him to his twin flame and soul mate letting them be married happily ever after. He had always had visions of marrying a Irish woman back in his childhood, he never thought much of it growing up. He was given an oracle at the Lothlorien nature sanctuary during Wild Magic in 2000 that said he would meet his twin flame who would be coming from or born from the Pacific Northwest with Vancouver always in his minds eye. The July of 2011 Sir Thomas Leaf was supposed to go to Ireland, but ran out of funding, so had to head home to America. He was luckily invited to go to Burning Man to assist the Irish in building the Celtic water dragon effigy for the burn. It was there that a wandering Irish woman, coming from Vancouver Island, in the Pacific Northwest, after having lived there for the summer doing W.O.L.F’ing work trade, ventured over to Burning Man alone and being Irish – seeking other Irish. She came to the Effigy Burn in hopes of meeting some Irish. Sir Thomas Leaf was a fire guardian around the perimeter of the burn protecting it from crazies ready to run into the flames, and a friend of his from Colorado was fire spinning for them and needed a safety check person. Since he couldn’t leave the perimeter, he looked around and spied a woman dressed like a leprechaun who was amazingly sober- asking her to do the safety check. This turned out to be Lady Etain, from Cork Ireland, a stone’s throw from the Blarney witch, who was just coming from the Pacific Northwest. After the burning of the Irish dragon, he invited her back to his camp “Tir na nOg”, the Irish land of faerie youth. He fed her faerie food and drink – long story short fell in love. She invited him back to live with her in Ireland, two months later at the Stone of Destiny atop the Hill of Tara, the stones chided Sir Thomas Leaf to propose to her, he did, and a few months later they eloped and handfasted. Eight months later they had to return to America to take care of their dying mother only to realize they were pregnant with child. They gave birth to Cian, the faerie prince of Endurance. A year after their match making by the Blarney witch they visited her, bringing her a gift in 2012 to say thank you. Now, in 2013 – it was time to trek to the castle again to say “thank you” for the Oracle, wish, and spell were fulfilled.
It was also the Prince of Endurance’s first visit to the Castle and grounds. Oddly as they approached the steps and Rock Close, he got all excited bouncing in his stroller. Sir Thomas Leaf and Lady Etain headed straight for the Rock Close after entry to the Castle grounds, pit stopping at the Badger Cave at Blarney Castle along the way. The whole grounds were vastly improved and well cared for they both thought. Woven willow tunnel they entered through into the magical lands of Rock Close, past the Dolmen over to the Wishing Steps. They did the steps again each for new wishes. A magical offering was left for the Witch in her kitchen to feast upon for that cold winter’s night. Offerings left also at Witches’ Kitchen and Stone. Sir Thomas Leaf explored the Druid’s Cave and Circle, then pranced around the Fairy Circle which now had a chair with the Druidic triad on it, and other lovely additions. They went to the stable yards, past the vardos, to the Coach House café for some hot chocolate and muffins. As the Castle grounds were soon closing, they raced to the The Blarney Poison Garden to take a peek at the plants progress during winter. Sir Thomas Leaf was amazed to see the giant cannabis plant was finally there in its glory. (previous years they were plants taken away by the RCMP)
On the way out of the gardens, they met a witch from Canada experiencing the castle grounds for the first time. She was rushing a healing spell twirling sage in a circle while her friends were coaxing her on to catch the bus. We told her about the magic gardens, poor girl, did not want to leave, as she wanted to see them, and off she went with her friends hesitantly. That evening they headed back to Cork for time with the family.
