Into the Circle with Erica O'Reilly

The Coldest Day in May | S1 Ep9 *Season Finale*

As Bealtaine fires are lit and her flowers burst into bloom, a story stirs of the coldest day in May, where the wintry presence of an Cailleach once lingered at summer’s threshold. Walk alongside one man seeking the story from the land herself, as he receives wise counsel from unexpected messengers. A mythic Irish tale of Bealtaine that speaks to the hidden voices of nature, while posing the question: if you dare to ask it, can you be still enough to hear the response? _______________ Credits and Additional Resources Thugamar Féin An Samhradh Linn. I learnt this song when participating in The Song and the Story Class taught by Mary McLaughlin [https://www.marymclaughlin.com/]. The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer. [https://www.corkuniversitypress.com/9781859184127/the-book-of-the-cailleach/?srsltid=AfmBOooQgvFw-PYhLgjhOTWAiVBdoGQdH5UKC8vh2Arfo0vlXBkTybw9] Gearóid Ó Crualaoich. Cork University Press. _______________ Support the Show Into the Circle on Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/intothecircle] - Support the podcast with a gesture of kindness. Into the Circle on Substack [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/] - Subscribe to receive episodes and Erica's literary wonderings directly to your inbox. Connect with Erica Into the Circle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/intothecircle.eo/] Into the Circle Website [https://www.into-the-circle.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stepintothecircle.substack.com [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Whispers of Sheela-na-Gig from the Hill of Kings | S1 Ep8

What if the Sheela-na-Gig at the Hill of Tara could speak? Would she be happy with the tales we’ve told? In this episode, journey to the mythical landscape of Ireland’s Hill of Tara, exploring the intertwined stories of goddess, queen, and the land itself. Through legend, history, and reflection, we consider the many faces of feminine sovereignty — and how the stories we tell today shape our understanding of the past. All beneath the steady gaze of the Great Mother at the Gate. _______ Credits and Additional Resources Project Sheela [https://www.projectsheela.com/]. Website. The Wisdom of the Inner Grail [https://celticcreatives.substack.com/p/wisdom-of-the-inner-grail]. Jennifer Murphy. Substack. March 13, 2025. Medb, She Who Intoxicates. [https://celticcreatives.substack.com/p/medb-she-who-intoxicates?utm_source=publication-search]Jennifer Murphy. Substack. August 27, 2024. Hill of Tara at Dawn. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01nSNBjuwg] Mythic Ireland.  Youtube. Anthony Murphy. March 16, 2020. Medb of Connaught. [https://heritageireland.ie/2024/11/medb-of-connaught/] Shauna Fox. Rathcroghan Visitor Centre. Article. Great-Bladder Medb; Mythology and Invention in the Táin Bó Cuailnge [https://www.enotes.com/topics/tain-bo/criticism/criticism/charles-bowen-essay-date-1975]. Charles Bowen. Article. Subjective constructions: Medieval and modern perceptions of women and women warriors in Early and Middle Irish legal and literary texts. [https://theses.gla.ac.uk/82032/]Erin Kathleen Burrows. 2021. Article. The Sacred W***e: Sheela Goddess of the Celts. Maureen Concannon. Collins Press: 2004. Book. _______ Support the Show Into the Circle on Substack [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/] - Subscribe to receive episodes and Erica's literary wonderings directly to your inbox. Into the Circle on Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/intothecircle] - Support the podcast with a gesture of kindness. Connect with Erica Into the Circle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/intothecircle.eo/] Into the Circle Website [https://www.into-the-circle.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stepintothecircle.substack.com [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Brigid and the Stars | S1 Ep7

A falling star. A midnight meadow. And a grandmother who knows more than she lets on. Journey with a young girl named Brigid as she discovers the ancient wisdom of the women before her — celestial secrets, sacred waters, and the night myth steps out of story and into her life. Step into the misty heart of Ireland, where the land whispers, rivers carry the names of goddesses, and magic lives in the spirits of those who walk her fields. ____________________ Credits & Additional Resources The Metrical Dindshenchas - Volume 3 [https://mythicalireland.com/blogs/myths-legends/the-metrical-dindshenchas-volume-3]. Boand I & II. Mythical Ireland. Live Irish Myths episode 16: Bóinn, goddess of Brú na Bóinne. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVB5SFxp2SI] Mythical Ireland. Youtube. Bóinn Re:membered: A Story of Poetic Inspiration by Laura Murphy | S2 Ep7 [https://www.knotworkstorytelling.com/episode/boinn-remembered-laura-murphy]. Knotwork Myth & Storytelling. Sitting with the Mothers: Getting to Know Goddess Bóinn [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/p/sitting-with-the-mothers-getting-651]. Substack. Written by Erica O’Reilly. ____________________ Show You Support Into the Circle on Substack [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/] - Subscribe to receive episodes and Erica's literary wonderings directly to your inbox. Into the Circle on Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/intothecircle] - Support the podcast with a gesture of kindness. Connect with Erica Into the Circle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/intothecircle.eo/] Into the Circle Website [https://www.into-the-circle.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stepintothecircle.substack.com [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Vision of Imbolc | S1 Ep6

Stand at the ceremonial threshold between seasons — where Samhain meets Imbolc. Journey into the heart of the story, where an Cailleach greets Brigid at the turning of the year. Stillness softens. Darkness lifts. And seeds of becoming begin to stir. Here, the wise woman does not entirely disappear as the light returns. She is invited to walk with us — carrying the bones of what has been, midwifing what is yet to be born. Additional Resources Sitting with the Mothers: Getting to Know Goddess Brigid. [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/p/sitting-with-the-mothers-getting] Substack. Written by Erica O’Reilly. An Irish Imbolc Ritual. [https://celticcreatives.substack.com/p/an-irish-imbolc-ritual?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0030cbbc-7b53-464e-be3c-aadbc54e24fc_377x550.jpeg&open=false]Substack. Written by Jennifer Murphy [https://substack.com/profile/121095559-jennifer-murphy]. Brigid’s Day [https://www.herstory.ie/brigidsday]. Website. Ireland’s National Holiday. Brigid’s Way. [https://brigidsway.ie/] Website. A Celtic Pilgrimage. Show Your Support Into the Circle on Substack [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/] - Subscribe to receive episodes and Erica's literary wonderings directly to your inbox. Into the Circle on Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/intothecircle] - Support the podcast with a gesture of kindness. Connect with Erica Into the Circle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/intothecircle.eo/] Into the Circle Website [https://www.into-the-circle.com/] * Image Credit: "Dormant Light". Inspired Stock. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stepintothecircle.substack.com [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

A Winter's Gift | S1 Ep5

Journey into a winter’s tale where a child’s soft question stirs the magic of an Cailleach, the ancient grandmother spirit of Irish folklore — and the quiet miracles that can mend a grieving heart. In our story, we meet a Little Boy navigating his first Christmas without his mother. Through his eyes, we witness a world filled with both sorrow and wonder — as he holds a single wish for the season: snow. In a tale where myth is woven alongside the human heart, an Cailleach offers the Little Boy (and listeners alike) a spark of winter magic and a gentle reminder: our loved ones remain connected to us, even when their physical presence feels far away. More on an Cailleach Sitting with the Mothers: Getting to know An Cailleach [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/p/sitting-with-the-mothers-getting-b6b]. Into the Circle with Erica O’Reilly. Substack. 17 November, 2024. Show Links Into the Circle on Substack [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com/] - Subscribe to receive episodes and Erica's literary wonderings directly to your inbox. Into the Circle on Buy Me a Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/intothecircle] - Support the podcast with a gesture of kindness. Connect with Erica Into the Circle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/intothecircle.eo/] Into the Circle Website [https://www.into-the-circle.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stepintothecircle.substack.com [https://stepintothecircle.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]