Luke Eastwood – författare

‘An excellent and comprehensive exploration of this fascinating subject.’ - Philip Carr-Gomm, author of Druid Mysteries‘Samhain was the entry point into winter, a time of hardship, cold and hunger … It was also a time of introspection, of communing with the dead and the otherworld – themes that have somehow survived, albeit distorted, into the modern era.’The modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead known in Ireland as Samhain. It is from Ireland that we have inherited most of our Halloween traditions, mainly through the diaspora. Delving into the ancient past, this book uncovers the history of this festival in Britain, Ireland and Brittany, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in Co. Meath, where the first Halloween fires were lit.

Named after the peoples of Ciarraige who inhabited the ancient territory, Kerry possesses a rich tapestry of history, legend and folklore unparalleled by many others. In this book, authors Gary Branigan and Luke Eastwood narrate a variety of myths and fables that will take you on a journey through Kerry’s past. Many of the stories have been handed down by local people from generation to generation, and reveal old customs and beliefs filled with superstition, while others are more modern, showing the continuance of the Irish traditions of the seanachaí and of Irish storytelling.

In this age of high technology, GM foods and industrial farming, many people are looking for an alternative way to live, that honours and respects the natural world. The Druid Garden mines the deep seem of gardening through the ages and alternative modern developments, to bring the reader a method of gardening that is truly in touch with the Earth. Drawing on the knowledge of the Druids and other ancient cultures, Luke Eastwood has created a practical guide to organic and natural methods that are proven to work. Advice for the total beginner, through to the experienced, ties together Druidic wisdom with the best of gardening knowledge. Part of this book is a handy alphabetical guide to trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, giving a wealth of information on history and folklore, as well as practical details on plant care and growing from seed. This book is invaluable to anyone serious about organic gardening or those simply interested in how things were done in former ages, Celtic Europe in particular.

Covering an entire metonic cycle of 19 years (2004-2023) in the life of a druid, this collection covers everything from ethics to gardening with the intention of provoking both thought and action. Of his Druid work the author states “My job is to push the boundaries of Druidic understanding, to challenge the accepted norms and to question what direction neo-Druidry should be headed in. I am not here to comfort and sooth, but to stimulate and promote wisdom and the evolution of Druidic consciousness.