44 Comments

Thank you for this wonderful meditation on island mythologies! It reminds me of the Croatian islands of my childhood and of Venice where I recently worked, and which is all islands. There is an island in the middle of a lake on the island of Mljet, which was a Roman outpost and is now sacred to the Virgin. I hope to write about it some day.... I especially liked the passage on Robin and his memories of the Isle of Man. He was truly Orphic!

As a classicist I cannot help but notice a small typo: Keats wrote the poem Endymion about the lover of the moon goddess, Artemis or Cynthia as he called her, though in the Greek myth she was Selene. Endymion was so beautiful that she asked Zeus to keep him forever young and in deep sleep. In another version it was the god of sleep Hypnos who was in love with Endymion, making it a homoerotic tale.

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Thank you so much, Kresho, I updated the change, although I used the word Selene as the moon goddess. I love Venice too... Robin and I stayed there a few times, and the Croation Islands must be beautiful. I love both versions of Selene and Hypnos. Oscar Wilde also touched on the wish for immortal youth and beauty in the Portrait of Dorian Gray. xx

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Oh yes, I love Wilde! I actually reread Dorian Gray for the winter holidays and was entranced by it. It also reminds me of the Vedic mythology of the Dawn, Ushas, forever young and immortal, as you know.

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I used Ushas for my Temperance card in the Vedic Tarot. Xx

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Which happily gave us the opening: 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever' ...

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Such a lovely phrase, Philip, I agree. I love Keats. He had a hidden sensitive nature and was not long lived but his works live forever. ***

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I subscribed to your page! Nice to meet you!

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Myth and Mystery...

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Thanks! Nice to meet you too!

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Another wonderful read! I can't wait someday to cross off the big pond and visit your Islands. I live on a Island in the US in Lake Michigan Though we do have a bridge to get off, but when it is out your stuck unless you have a boat. ☺️

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Islands in the middle of lakes are usually safe places. The ancient Irish often had crannogs built on islands on lakes and special stepping stones beneath the surface hidden at shallower ends that only they knew the placement of… there are still crannogs rebuilt so that we can experience them now.

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I have lived on islands for the last 34 years. They have shaped my being in such a way I don’t feel right on larger land masses (islands themselves, right?) Thank you for these tales. Now I want to go visit these islands!

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The life stories and the mythology of the islands beckon even more than the actual history. The land itself seems to shape us, I know what you mean. Thank you for reading about them.

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For sure! The first island where I lived was Block Island, off the US northeast coast. Although the Manissean Indians were wiped out by European settlers and their stories and mythologies lost, the people there now (many descendants of white settlers who came in 1661) are restoring the place. There is an oral culture connected to the land. I’m going to write about this in my next book. And thank you!

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I lived on Long Island, New York, for a while, not even sure if it is an island, but it was beautiful, overlooking the sea. There was woodland there that I loved. I am not sure which Native Americans used to live there, but I 'knew' in my heart they had done so... so sad what happened to the Indian nations. I met many of them in Florida.***.

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Block Island is close to Long Island, which is actually an island, just with bridges. I believe one ethnic group on Long Island were the Montauks, also the Mohegans, who famously crossed the water to invade Block Island and were driven off the bluffs to die on rocks by the local Manisseans. The bluffs still bear their name. I believe it’s the only indigenous place name that made it through colonial times to now.

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Thank you for that information. In Florida I spent some time with the Miccosukees and Seminoles, the latter being a matriarchal society. Incredible medicine people there.

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Thank you for this wonderful article. I love the information about Robin. He seemed to love animals and they seem to know it and love him back. I love the story about the bird, and it falls for Robin. The information is so appreciated as I am Irish and know so little and love hearing all the folk lore. I can't wait to read your book about Robin. Please keep writing, as you are so talented.

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Thank you So much Teresa. He was great fun in my life. Xxx

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I always see the two of you as two halves and a whole together. I know he always seemed to light up when he spoke of you.

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Have to say again I love Robin...Cannot imagine what I would have said if I would have had the chance to have him in front of me. He seemed so distant

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I do enjoy my dreams and there are portals to your inner world although it is almost impossible to reach the so called subconscious. Interesting... my late aunt, a very smart woman, used to have a recurring dream. It was a house. She said she dreamed of that house all her life. Incredible to me I am writing about her, she was so much alive.

Speaking of dreams, it's interesting that Robin, a creative individual and artist, did not like to dream! I love his picture from your article , he seemed so serious and distant. It makes me wonder what his creative process was like without that dream world inspiration.

Well Dwina , we will all be in suspense, waiting for your book and tarot deck! .

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He was on Snaefell on the Isle of Man. He loved to walk and think.

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Charming and so enchanting Dwina! I loved reading about these mystical islands and got lost in dreamland reading your essay! I've never been to Ireland, and hope to go some day! Thank you for the wonderful escape! ✨💚✨

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Charlotte it is worth travelling up the entire Western coast of Ireland on the wild Atlantic side. The light is special and scenery spectacular. The Burren in County Clare has a mountain entirely of stone. Visit the islands. Donegal has millions of star-filled diamond skies at night as there is no light pollution. It looks like any normal drive in countryside until you turn a corner and some incredible scenery seeps into your consciousness. Robin and I used to just drive anywhere without plans. He loved it. Xxx

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It’s sounds like a truly enchanted land. My brother went many times, and loved its magic. The drives sound heavenly! Thank you soo much for sharing! ✨💜✨

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Life is served up oftentimes with coincidences: yesterday we called by an out-of-the-way church in Northumberland, England, that retains some of the original 12thC building. https://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/10/03/100344_a5d1dfc9.jpg

St Aidan's has the similar short tower for small twin-bells that I think we see in your splendid photo of the roofless St Ninian's / St Trinian's (I of Man). The church is adjacent Thockrington village abandoned in 1847 possibly because of cholera. (NB William Beveridge, whose wartime report is credited with the foundation of our NHS, is buried there with his wife Janet. It can be a lonely and austere spot in winter looking out over the country north of the Roman Wall. )

Northumberland has a more recent RC dedication to St Ninian that refers to the legend that St Ninian started his mission at Fenton not far from us.

For those with further interest I found this recent online account of an archaelogist / historian's recent visit to St Trinian's 'roofless church' a useful follow up. Isle of Man is kind of special. 👍

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That is so interesting. At the roofless church there is a seventh century cross. St Ninian was usually revered by the Scottish Picts I believe. However they were in Northumberland and in Northern Ireland.

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Yes, I guess legends of Saint Ninian (and St Mungo aka Kentigern) were claimed in various places, and as you say churches were later dedicated to them mostly in Scotland and Ireland. There is an account of Ninian as founder of the community at Whithorn in SW Scotland. The site is now claimed as evidence of the earliest Christian activity known in Scotland, even perhaps as early as 397AD, with archaeology suggesting 5thC settlement https://www.whithorn.com/origins/st-ninian/

History gets hazy and the Bretonic people north of the Roman Wall seem to have retreated and taken their stories to Wales when the land from the east coast to Solway in the west became ruled by the incoming Germanic 'Anglians'. I think we can know something, however, of the Anglian's conversion arriving from Christian Ireland via Iona. There is some colourful stuff online, but this Wikipedia account is useful https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Æbbe_of_Coldingham

The sunken circles, which seem to have been prayer huts on the edge of high cliffs at St Abbs Head, are quite something. (I have seen a paper copy of archaeology of the earliest nunnery / monastery.)

The later, by then Christian Anglians (Northumbrians) raised tall 'preaching crosses' in what became Scotland as far north as Fife. This one in the west is on the Solway with inscriptions in both Germanic runes and Latin script. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/ruthwell-cross/history/

Fascinating stuff: Ireland, although outside the Roman Empire had become Christian and remained so in continuity, although the 'Celtic tradition' gave way in later centuries to the Catholic jurisdiction. Stories ... let them continue! 😊

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I will check out that reference, thank you Philip. Robin loved old churches and chapels and ancient stone circles too. 🍀

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I left out the Picts!

Good for Robin ... there is plenty of inspiration still ... I have seen a raised stone marked with the 'Pictish salmon',and there are old Scottish stories of the salmon and the eating of the hazel nut of knowledge.

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Yes, and in Ireland... Fionn macCuillhan. I wonder if he went to Scotland (Caledonia)?

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Strangely enough I also found references to St. Aidan just yesterday, Philip….

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Just for the record, I forgot to add the online link to the archaeologist at St Trinians. Mustn't forget the Buganne faery either! So for luck ... https://howardwilliamsblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/26/the-bells-and-buganne-of-st-trinians/

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Thank you for this! Your writing prompts me to do a lot of research. It's great when you write about Robin. I can't believe I never got to meet him. I love depth psychology so I'd love to know about his recurring dream!

There's a lot of interesting stuff in your writing that I want to look up. I love it when that happens!

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He had a few recurring dreams and did not particularly like to dream. I love to dream and also have had recurring dreams. Robin mentions it in his autobiography that I am transcribing from his tapes. Fascinating. It will be in the book. Xxx

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Love this... So informative once again. I now have an image of Robin being like a pied piper on the Isle of Man! Perhaps playing Islands in the stream!

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Thank you, Niccola… that made me smile. We looked after a parrot for a friend one weekend and Robin sang to it. I do believe the parrot was displaying signs of attraction!

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Thank you so much for this first-person essay! I am very interested in local history. Your story kept me intrigued throughout.

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Thank you. I tend to get absorbed with all the goings on in a place, and I love islands and enjoy the communities living there. The people are usually friendly and I like the stories.

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I have come to eagerly anticipate each new essay, Dwina. I feel so connected with each of these islands! My Collins family roots introduced the world of faery-folk and lore i have longed for these writings! Thank you!

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I just came back from the Isle of Wight so I had a rest for a while to soak up the lovely energy there. Just going across on that ferry makes me smile and exploring the island, any island, actually makes me very happy. Both the journey and being there inspires the mind and swells the heart, and this time I saw some lovely red squirrels!

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I tend to feel the same way when absorbing island energy. Renewing that deep sense of spiritual home, I feel both invigorated and calm.

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Something safe about being surrounded by the sea and hearing the waves like a real breath of the earth. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful and the moon and stars at night speak to me. I know how you feel. My aunt had a coalman who had never seen the sea and she willed a lovely painting of Mullaghmore to him that he had always admired that hung in her house. I often wondered if he ever saw the real thing.

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