Beliefs

Festivals
The four Fire Festivals are universal to the Sinsearacht . Samhain, Oímelc, Bealtaine, Lughnasadh are times to gather as a family and as a tribe, venerating the gods and the family with a joyful gathering .

Samhain was the traditional start of the new year in ancient Ireland, and is a time to honor the dead. The modern holiday of Halloween has its roots in the ancient festival of Samhain, when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual one is thought to be thinner on this night that other times of the year, allowing the spirits of our ancestors to more freely visit.

Oímelc is traditionally the beginning of the agricultural cycle, and is notably the time when young livestock are about to be born, and this time is often dedicated to venerating Brighid in particular.

Bealtaine is the midpoint of the year, and is oppositional to Samhain. The veil is thinner at this time as well.

Lughnasadh, in the harvest portion of the agricultural cycle, is named for Lugh and is usually celebrated in his honor. Games and competition are key elements of the celebration.

Individual Spirituality
Festival observances are one of the most asked after elements of the Sinsearacht and many Tuatha and Clanna are reluctant to discuss this

information with others. Many of the activities involved in the celebrations are particular to each family. Other than general themes, the feasts seem to be guided by the personal tastes and feelings of its participants. We refer to this ideal as individual spirituality, and it can be

practiced even by members of the same family. As this is key to understanding how the Sinsearacht interact with their gods, it also helps to show why there are, as of yet, no books published on how to properly celebrate Sinsearacht festivals, although one may be in the works.

A Brief Discourse on Deities

Nuada, Lugh, an Mórríghan, Dana/Danu, Goibhniu, Manannan Mac Lír, Dian Cecht, an Dagda, Bríd (a.k.a. Brighid), and Bóann are the most commonly revered among the Sinsearacht. Nuada is a tribal king and warrior. During the battle of Mag Tuired, his right hand was severed, and following the tradition that no king may be marred physically, he was replaced for a time by Bres the Beautiful, who was half Dannan and half Fir Bolg. Dian Cecht made for Nuada a silver prosthetic hand, and he was later judged to be whole and capable of kingship again. An Mórríghan, a title that means Great Queen, is a shape-changing tribal queen noted for her affiliation with War, Death and Prophecy. Goibhniu, the smith, is noted for his great skill in crafting weapons. Manannan Mac Lír, son of Lír, the Sea God is the guardian of the sea and the realms of the dead. Dian Cecht is the surgeon of the gods, and is noted for making Nuada's silver hand, after the Battle of Mag Tuired. An Dagda, the Good God, is a lusty, larger-than-life figure and is believed to be the father of many of the other Dannan. Bóann is the namesake for the River Boyne in Ireland and is also a tribal queen. Brighid's role in the Sinsearacht view is one of the more individualized, as there are many variations in who exactly she is. Some say she has two faces, one beautiful and one hideous, while others say she is two (or more) separate goddesses. Regardless, Brighid is associated with smithcraft, healing, and poetry.