Listing on this site in no way endorses or gurantees the groups's honesty or legitimacy. I've only listed the larger, more well-known groups. Be careful for whacky sites out there on the net. Updating will continue throughout May and should be finished by June 21st, 2004.
There are four categories to this page:
Category 1 are the related members of the American family of Druid groups.
Category 2 are non-related organizations in America.
Category 3 are British, Irish & European Druid Groups.
Category 4 are useful resources.
Category 5 has on-line conferences regarding Druidic and Celtic matters.
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This movement started as a type of undergraduate prank at a midwestern U.S. college (Carleton College at Northfield, MN) in 1963. The administration had required that all students to attend church. Some students invented the RDNA as a reaction to this rule. The leaders were amazed when many of the students wanted to continue the RDNA, even after the protest against the administration had been won.
From Carleton's diaspora, 27 current RDNA groves and protogroves have sprung up across the country producing a rich, intellectually challenging tradition of essays on the subjects of religion and philosophy. One of the most famous members was, of course, Isaac Bonewits, who left to form ADF, over issues of organizationalism.
From the RDNA movement, a number of Neopagan Druidic movements have traced descendency, including the New RDNA, ADF, Henge of Keltria & Order of White Oak; making them a recognizable block within American forms of Druidry. Of the American groups of Druidism, RDNA is the most quiet, humorous, eclectic, least secretive (everything is available about them), but they are rather lazy and disorganized!
Reformed Druidism is still largely centered in the Bay Area and, of course, at Carleton College in Northfield MN where the Gould Library houses a large collection of material related to the movement. 80% of this material was republished by Drynemtum Press in our "A Reformed Druid Anthology" and on our web site. It is available for free Download at: A Reformed Druid Anthology Web Site and will soon be finished with three 800 page of densely crammed information and literature that laid the unrecognised foundation of the modern Druid movement in America.
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A group of 150 Reformed Druids post & recieve mail daily on their experiences, questions & thoughts.
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RDNA Grove Locations and Web-sites
Another site about RDNA, by Isaac Bonewits. It of course is written for explaining the transition to ADF Druidism, but a fair report.
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A very prominent Druid group in America. Thier name can be loosely translated as "our own Druidism" to indicate their independence from all other groups (including RDNA) and their right to design Druidism in ways that perhaps the ancients had not contemplated. Their name is pronounced "arn ree-ocht fane" or sometimes simply called "A Druid Fellowship". ADF was founded by Isaac Bonewits after leaving RDNA. Isaac recently retired from Archdruidcy in the mid 1990s, and is currently the Archdruid Emeritus and writing books. The Mother Grove council makes most organizational decisions, and there are many powerful experienced voices within ADF. Most groves have detailed constitution and organizational design, and are headed by elected Senior Druids and local councils. They maintain a great deal of day-to-day autonomy, but are answerable to central authority to maintain their tax-status.
They are a decidely neo-pagan organization and they are a recognized tax charity by the IRS (i.e. a "church). They once had and very organized seminary training program for clergy, quite revolutionary at the time, but this proved difficult to maintain by 1997, and has fallen lower on the list of prominent goals. It appears that a dedicant training has recently rebegun in 2003. The ADF emphasizes scholarly research, and " a blend of ancient practices and modern realities". Isaac's motto is "paganize mainstream religion by mainstreaming paganism". Their goal is to recreate the original forms of worship of Pan-European Druidism from 2000 BCE, with reasonable adjustments for 21st century reality. This involves researching elements from Baltic, Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, and even pre-classical Greek, Hindu and Roman beliefs.
The ADF publishes a quarterly ADF journal, a bimonthly News from the Mother Grove, and a semi-yearly Oak Leaves. Their website has many usueful resources online. Disapointingly, although there are a few old Grove organizer handbooks, new member guides, and a few liturgical books and old magazines, there is no convenient compilation of all these diverse materials yet for this energetic tradition. The only known repository of ADF matieral is the RDNA's meager Druid Archives, only available to visitors in MN.
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To join ADF go to http://www.adf.org/contact.html
Or write: ADF P.O. Box 17874 Tucson, AZ 85731-7874 The 40 ADF Groves are distributed mostly on the West Coast, North East and eastern Mid-West (mostly in democratic states) and Ontario. A list of contacts for each grove is: http://www.adf.org/groups/groves/
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Arch Druid Skip Ellison's Homepage has many administrative ADF materials, esp. by-laws & constitutions.
retired AD Isaac Bonewits' Homepage has a veritable wealth of pages by this proliffic RDNA, ADF and Keltrian author. There is an IRC chat on Sundays http://www.adf.org/forums/irc.html There are a number of e-mail lists http://www.adf.org/forums/subscribe.html
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Five ADF members compiled a list of 13 concerns about the ADF at the Pagan Spirit Gathering in 1986, Emulating the actions of Luther, they attached the list to the door of Isaac Bonewits' van in 1986. Fortunately for Isaac, they used tape in place of the nails. Keltria has focused on ancient Celtic religion and typically hold semi-public rituals. They published a journal: "Keltria: A Journal of Druidism and Celtic Magick" from 1986 to 1998 and currently publish Henge Happenings for members only. Keltria is a positive neo-pagan Druidic path focusing on the Celtic pantheons and the triads of Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Gods. They offer several resources including a Book of Ritual and a correspondence course for members.
They describe themselves as; "We are a positive path Neo-pagan tradition dedicated to protecting and preserving our Mother Earth, honoring our ancestors, revering the spirits of nature, and worshipping the Gods and Goddesses of our Celtic heritage. Our focus is on personal growth through the development of mind, body, and spirit. We place special emphasis on spiritual development fostered through study and practice of the Druidic Arts and Celtic Magick. Through training, networking, resource material, ritual participation, and meaningful communication we hope to porvide a religious and spiritual framework through which people may reach their full potential."
Keltria has never been as active as ADF in recruiting members, choosing to focus more on training and bonding with its tribal-like henges, within a national organizational framework that is about as complicated as ADF in terms of by-laws, constitutions & tax relations. Keltria would seem to have peaked in membership during the middle nineties, and has then shrunk by half and now seems stable, with its major groves in the midwest and north-east.
Their literature includes 12 years of back issues of Keltria Journal up until 1998, superceded by the Henge Happenings newletter http://www.keltria.org/hengehap/HH-articles.htm There are also a few liturgical manuals, introductory pamphletts and odds and ends to the members.
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Write to: Henge of Keltria, P.O. Box 4305 Clarksburg, WV 26302 E-mail: Henge-Office@keltria.org Visit their website www.keltria.org They also have an online conference of 200 members at Yahoogroups.com and you can sign up easily at http://www.keltria.org/maillist.htm http://neopagan.net/OriginsKeltria.HTML A history of the Henge of Keltria movement. http://silver-gateway.com/grove/links.html A nice grove website. |
The MOCC, a fellowship of Reformed Druidic Wicca, was founded in 1983 in Warner, OK when a still unknown member of the RDNA dropped by and encouraged an amorphous groups of Oklahoman Druids to found an organization. Members are only required to hold to the Earth as Mother (at least in principle) and to "An it harm none, do as you will" and "Truth in heart, strength in arm, honesty in speech" as spiritual ideals. There are groups existing, or forming, across the United States, with most activity being in Muskogee, OK. Other Groves exist, or are forming, in Tulsa, OK, Ohio, NY and Seattle, WA.
They have a loose training program, but currently don't have any completed publications, although there are ongoing attempts to produce a liturgical manual.
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If you are interested in forming a group, email the founder Thomas Harris at myrddinamaeglin@yahoo.com with a request for a group charter and your snail mail address. MOCC has a conference called "moccgroveofthethreerays" on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/moccgroveofthethreerays on Yahoogroups.com with about 50 members. There is also a lethargic club at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mocccollegeofovates
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Order of the White Oak
Est. Samhain 1997 c.e. Perhaps 40-80 members
They currently have 5 Groves; 2 in Germany and 3in the USA, in MA, AR, and MD.
This is the newest of the dozens of possibly distantly related schismatic grandchildren of the RDNA. This place has an excellent collection of essays and bibliographies and links. One of its founding members, Ellen Hopman, is a prolific writer in the field of herb-lore and for publishing interviews with prominent neo-pagans; and therefore well known on the convention circuit. She is currently also promoting the loose confederation of the North-East Druid Coalition at http://technovate.org/nedruid/ (See this also in Section 5 of this Druid Links Webpage below.) The White Oak group tends to take strong stands on issues in public affairs and shares these with other organizations.
They described themselves as "The Order of Whiteoak is the on-line home of the Reconstructionist Druid organization, Ord na Darach Gile and our friends.
Our tripartite mission is:
In particular, we wish to apply the ethical insights we derive from the ancient Celtic past to contemporary concerns; environmental and ecological issues, human rights and social issues, and many other national and international political issues that are of rapidly increasing importance.
Our understanding of the roles of the ancient Druid prompts us to follow them in an involvement in the academic, artistic and political arenas, as well as in purely spiritual and religious matters.
We invite interested individuals from our own Reconstructionist discipline as well as other practitioners of Druidism to join in our discussions. For those who are interested in formal initiation into the Order, participation in the Whiteoak list is a first step toward Fosterage in the Ord na Darach Gile (Order of the WhiteOak).
If you are interested in joining the WhiteOak Mailing list, a semi private virtual grove which discusses issues related to Celtic and Druidical ethics and philosophy.
To all potential list applicants: The WhiteOak list is a private list, by invitation only. Beginners on the path may be asked to do a little reading before they join. In keeping with the tradition of learning and scholarship of the ancient Druids we attempt to adhere to a high level of discourse. No offense is meant to persons on other Pagan paths.
Contact us at membership@whiteoakdruids.org
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White Oak's Web-page is http://www.whiteoakdruids.org/
White Oak has a private mailing list for this organization's discussion and research. To request joining it, write to:
Chris LaFond
chris@lafond.us |
Order of the Mithril Star
Est. 1990s c.e.? 3-6 groves. Perhaps 40-80 members
OMS is an intriguing mixture of Church of All Worlds and Reformed Druidism; which they began an interactive relationship in 1999. They are mostly center in the Northwest and are focused on the sharing of water as described in the science fiction novel "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein (1961) and the loose structure of Church of All worlds (est. 1962) and the earthy humor, essays and unpredictability of the RDNA.
They are attempting to buy land to produce a communal residence of the central committee of their Mother Grove in the Northwest. OMS has an online study group that runs its course of instruction 2 or 3 times a year. They produce their quarterly "Druid's Egg" newsletter at http://www.mithrilstar.org/news.htm They have a voluntary set of donated annual fees of a handful of hourly wages.
Their three tenets are:
1. The object of the search for religious truth, which is a universal and a neverending search, may be found through the Earth Mother, which is Nature; but this is one way, yea, one way among many.
2. And great is the importance, which is of a spiritual importance, of Nature, which is the Earth Mother; for is is one of the objects of Creation, and with it we do live, yea, even as we do struggle through life are we come face to face with it.
-- 'Book of the Law' -- Druid Chronicles, RDNA
Mithril Star Druids generally summarize these as "Nature is groovy" and "Nature is very groovy."
To these tenets, Mithril Star Druids have added a third:
3. "'Thou art God.' It's not a message of cheer and hope. It's a defiance--and an unafraid unabashed assumption of personal responsibility." --Mike to Jubal, SIASL by Robert A. Heinlein
We generally summarize that as "Thou art God/dess."
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To join OMS go to http://www.mithrilstar.org/join.htm
OMS's Web-page is http://www.mithrilstar.org/index1.html OMS has an online conference for this organization's discussion and research at "MithrilStar" at yahoogroups available at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MithrilStar/ OMS has an online conference for new members at "druidcraft101" at yahoogroups available at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/druidcraft101/ |
Some Other Interesting Homepages
RDNA, ADF & Keltrian. Chris Sherbak joined the RDNA in 1978 and has since followed Isaac to ADF. It make a good reading and he is very gracious towards most Druids.
Avalon College of Druidry (www.avaloncollege.org) offers courses and
degrees in the Druid traditions, modern Celtic spritual practices, magical
and bardic arts, history, philosophy, herbology, and mythology. Come join
our online community!
White Spruce Druid Association
Formed predominantly for purposes of fellowship and based in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, we offer a friendly and neutral
environment to those on the Druid Path, the curious, and seekers
alike, regardless of organizational affiliation.
The Celtic Traditionalist Order of Druids "The CTOD is a teaching Order, dedicated to the preservation and rebirth of the worship of the ancient Gods and Goddesses, primarily those of the Celtic Nations." They were founded in 1987as a semi-monastic teaching order
The Secretary for Iona Grove #1, UAOD is Mikey Ander. His phone numbers are 703-370-1441 (home phone, evenings/week-ends) and 202-781-3264 (work phone, normal east-coast business hours). You can e-mail him at MickeyAnder@netscape.net with a copy to anderm@navsea.navy.mil.
Via snailmail, you can write to Iona Grove #1 (since 1994), UAOD, Mikey Ander, 5911 Edsall Road (PH-2), Alexandria, VA, USA 22304.
Now if AOD and ADO get confused, that's natural. Here's a report on this group.
If that fail, an extra copy is here.
Nemeton is short for Drynemeton, the University coordination organization for individual seminary colleges connected with Trefn Gwyddoniad. A Nemeton assists and adds cohesion to the independently run Colleges. It sponsors newly forming regions and educational groups as well as maintaining a centralized structure for various postgraduate degree studies in our three priesthood schools.
Trefn Gwyddoniad is the beneficiary of a long history of priest-scientists (Gwyddons or Gwiddons) more commonly called Druids. We have lived and maintained our traditions since 1792 in the U.S. Our tuatha membership is not ethnically based, although our ritual structure is Celtic - specifically Welsh. What is more important to us than dogma and ritual however, is the development of the deity within.
Enchanted Druid Order AN FAOI DHRAIOCHT DRAOI OARDYR / THE ENCHANTED DRUID ORDER or "E.D.O.", was
founded in the early spring of 2000, "upon the timeless ideal of pluralistic
worship of the Divine through nature". Embracing Druid philosophy means seeking
an awareness of our symbiosis with the natural world around us both tangible and
intangible. Early Celts believed in the sacredness of wilderness, of life, and
in the wisdom to preserve it. Our theological focus is centered around enabling
the human spirit to be at one with the Divine through the understanding and
appreciation of this nature-centric philosophy. In the ENCHANTED DRUID ORDER we
call this the Western Rite of Druidry. The Mother Grove of the E.D.O. is
established as serving the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area along with
Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Visit our website for more information.
The Celtic Grove A nice celtic-wiccan page.
Summerlands is a community-based group of researcher of Celtic lifestyle and religion. They have a recommended resource database on what they've researched so far. A highly recommended visit!
The Hollow Hill Eclectic site with (real) ghosts, plus Celtic lore and magick.
Greythorn's Grove Some useful information here.
In the United Kingdom, there is the Order of Bards, Oviates, and Druids. OBOD is descended from British Circle of the Universal Bond which traces back to 1717, and has a correspondence course available worldwide. It is the largest of the Druid organizations in the world, perhaps about 7000 members, members in 20 countries, with groves in Europe, America and Australia. It provides many services to its members, including a newsletter, study programs, internet forum, books and so on.
It encourages a spiritual understanding rooted in nature and the land, and protection of the Earth, and attempts to be a supplement to, not a replacement of, any religion each member already professes.
Dalriada exists to preserve and promote the culture, customs, language, mythology and folklore of the native celtic peoples within the British Isles and Ireland. We preserve by collecting and archiving. We promote through our publications, workshops, events and other media. Based in Scotland. Friendly to the RDNA, but distinctly unrelated.
DEAD LINK. Founded in 1993, they are a Neo-Pagan tradition, with Wiccan tendencies. Members tend to be younger and perhaps a little wilder.
Write to Druids@insular.demon.co.uk or Insular Order of Druids, C/o Labrynth, 2 Victoria Rd South, Southsea, Hants, England.
The Temple of Danann Mail to them at willow@danann.org
Bandarach College of Druids The Bandarach College of Druids is an order of Celtic Druids serving the Celtic community. We provide counseling and education, and preside over religious services. We are priests and priestesses of the old Celtic gods and goddesses.
The Bandarach Council of Druids was founded in 1980 as a loosely organized group of solitary druids in Europe. The Council remains very informal, and has never met, face to face, as a body. Previously, all discussions were conducted by mail, and more recently by email or chat.
The Mother Grove of the British Druid Order (BDO) was formed in 1979 as part of a personal quest to recreate a native British spirituality. Founded by Phillip Shallcrass (aka Grey Wolf) and Emma Restall Orr (Bobcat), who were raised in Wiccan traditions. This combination of artist and teacher are producing many workshops drawing on eclectic sources.
Emma Restall Orr; bobcat@nemeton.demon.co.uk
Phillip Shallcrass; greywolf@druidorder.demon.co.uk
To sign up send a check, po or imo for 9pounds UK, 11pounds Europe, $24America/elsewhere payable to The Druid Order. They'll send you a book with more materials.
British Druid Order, Po BOX 29, St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7YP England
An academicly-organized on-line campus for people studying Celtic spirituality.
Welsh Eisteddfod is the greatest cultural festival of Wales and was once a meeting place for fraternal druid groups interested in ancient Welsh traditions. Iolo Morganwg was the 18th century ring-leader who invented (or heavily interpretted) many of the Gorsedd customs associated with this festival.
A rather nice little homepage for a Druid.
Brigit's Forge represents the place where I work as a homoeopath and healer and where I research and write about Brigit, Celtic mythology and folklore. I believe that healing, inspiration and creativity are linked, and that the ability to forge is important for bringing our creativity into manifestation.
The Grove of the Wild Hunt is the collection of rites, liturgies, prayers and practices that comprise our tradition. When you follow the practices and integrate them into your daily life, essentially when you follow the tradition, you are entering the Grove of the Wild Hunt.
As long as we can see: Brutality - ruthlessness - lack of respect for the lives as well as the property and the opinions of other people Eany form of biased influences Eand lawlessness Ea. o. our order has its purpose as an Educational Center. Any agitation in favour of specific political convictions, religions, or all kinds of sects, will result in expulsion.
Our aim is to accept the changing political and religious condition of the world by strengthening our members, helped by the safety of Celtic thinking. As a member you are never alone; there will always be someone behind you who supports you, is interested in you and helps you, but without being obtrusive. Of course we would like to have more lodges and members, but not just any person.
IInternational Grand Lodge of Druidism This union representing AOD and UAOD was founded in 1908. Thier goal is
"to bring into closer union all Druids of the world without distinction of religion, rank or riches, language or nationality. To promote methods of security financial aid to members and their dependents, in futherance of international peace and fraternal goodwill. To co-operate for the extension o f Druidism into countries where no lodges exist. To establish fraternal recognition by an international password whereby a Druid migrating to another country may obtain a brotherly welcome. To do all in its power to arrange receptions for Brethren visiting countries other than their own. To promote an interchange of correspondence between brothers overseas."
The AOD began back on 1700 or so, and is the ancestral organization of most fraternal Druid organizations in the world, including the UAOD. This is an excellent report on the Geneology of Ancient Order of Druids by Scot Meacham. Extra copy Stored here
The Gaelic Order of the Southern Cross , a group of Southern Druids, probably Australia.
Aisling Association of Pagan Tribes Mail to them at aaronpm@aol.com DEAD LINK
For those interested in Druidry with a Germanic perspective.
Today there are a great many organisations and churches that practice Druidism, to whatever extent each of them feels it is possible. Based on the sources of Druidism, each of them attempts to "reconstruct" old celtic religion, by writing rituals, organising festivals and conventions, and distributing study courses. Some will call what they do Celtic Reconstructionism in order to emphasise that what they do is not precisely the same as what was done in ancient times. Each bears their own unique style as well, based on how much Romantic influence they admit, or on which of the Celtic Nations they identify with. Some will be more votive, others will be more ecstatic, in their approach to ritual.
Some very good places to start a study of Neopagan Druidism, dismiss myths and bad rumors is at
Celtic NeoPaganism Apparently one college in the US offers a course on the subject.
The Druid Network http://www.druidnetwork.org/index.html
North East Druid Coalition http://www.technovate.org/nedruid/
NJ, NY, PA, MA, CT, RI, VT, ME, NH
South East Druid Coalition http://www.thefluiddruid.net/sedc/html/index.php
VA, NC, SC, GA, TN, AL
South Central Druid Groups http://scdruidcoalition.tripod.com/
TX, LA, AR, OK, MO
California Druid Coalition http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NemedhiuCA/
Pacific Northwest Druid Coalition http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PNWDC/ WA, OR, CA, BC
Druids of Texas http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DruidsOfTexas/
ArkOkla Groups
ArkDruids http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArkDruids/
ArkOkla Druids http://arkokla_druids.tripod.com/
ArkOklaDruids e-list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arkokladruids/
Once an internet discussion group, Imbas is now a non-profit organisation devoted to the reconstruction of iron-age Celtic religion, based upon the home, family and tribe. Imbas emphasizes a solid grounding in academics, mythological texts and the folk tradition.
"(pronounced 'im-bus') is an Old Irish word meaning 'poetic inspiration'. IMBAS exists to promote the religion of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism and the cultural heritage of the Celtic peoples."
email: imbas@imbas.org or IMBAS, 1412 SW 102nd St., #139, Seattle WA 98146-3770.
This is one of the oldest e-mail lists, begun in 1994, to discuss Celtic Spirituality, pre-christian Celtic paganism, and its modern revival.
To Subscribe:
Send an email to this address: lists@technomage.biz
in the body of the message type "subscribe nemeton [your email address]"
To Unsubscribe:
Simply send any old message off to this address: lists@technomage.biz
in the body of the message type "unsubscribe nemeton"
Digest Mode
Once you are subscribed you can recieve the digest version by sending email to: lists@technomage.biz
and in the message put this text: "set mode digest nemeton" (but without the quotation marks of course.)
The list server bot understands multiple commands in a single message, so this can be the second line in your subscribe message.
To go back to regular non digest mode send email to: lists@technomage.biz and in the message write "set mode standard nemeton"
Or contact the list technogod: Ray@pagancentral.com
Draiocht Mailing List
We want the Draiocht list to develop techniques and methods that are practical and universal for all in their work of the body, mind and spirit. In addition to existing celtic lore and techniques, we will be willing to explore techniques from the world and the cultures in it, and then improve upon them in a uniquely Celtic way that is guided by the Celtic spirit and the gods of the people.
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subscribe draiocht your name
To unsubscribe
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Once you are subscribed you can recieve the digest version by sending email to:
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An archive of previous posts is available online at http://dagda/pagancentral.com/digest/draiocht
If you have and problems, contact me Ray White at
hackman@technovate.org
RDNA's Readinglist is, of course, quite extensive.
Visit www.Druid.org has a great number of druid-related bibliographies.
Visit the Nemeton Mailing List's recommended reading list, compiled by Erynn Laurie, at this link.
Visit the Whiteoak reading list, compiled by Ellen Evert Hopman, here.
Visit the Summerland's Rowan Leaf Bookstore in The Marketplace, for recommended reading lists for a wide variety of topics, including Druidism, herbs, and astronomy.
Visit Clannada na Gadelica's recommended reading list here. They also have reviews of several books here.
Visit RainRiver's Celtic Study library here.
If you have questions or advice on the materials discussed here, or if you have more resources to add; email me mikerdna@hotmail.com
This page was created in March, 2000 c.e. Updated January 10, 2002. No copyright by presenter, excerpts taken from Amazon and various other cited sources.
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