Celtic Wheel Tales: Summer Solstice
Connect with the rhythms of the Celtic year through stories, rituals, and the Irish language.
As the seasons shift, bígí linn – join us for Celtic Wheel Tales, a unique storytelling and ritual series that follows the ancient Celtic calendar.
Together, we explore the myths, nós—customs and energies of each season through shared stories, simple ancestral rituals and the gentle weaving of Gaeilge/Irish with English making the experience accessible for everyone.
This is a welcoming space to reconnect with your imagination, Irish identity, and the land’s deep heritage. Through facilitator and scéaltaí—storyteller Mary Ellen’s guidance, we awaken inner strength and celebrate our roots le chéile—together as we honour nature’s turning points of the year.
These gatherings aim to deepen your ceangal—connection to Irish culture and invite you to experience the timeless power of the Celtic wheel in a welcoming and inclusive way.
Doors: 7pm; Starts: 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
About The Summer Solstice
Celebrate the ancient Irish festival of Grianstad an tSamhraidh—Summer Solstice. This sacred turning point has been honoured in Ireland for millennia as a liminal time of growth and transformation at ceremonial sites.
Traditionally herb gathering marked the day and bonfires were lit on hilltops. Couples would leap through the fire, lámh i lámh—hand in hand, to honour the grian gheal—bright sun at it’s height and test the strength of their bond or take their first snámh—swim of the year. Over time, these customs were absorbed into the Christian calendar as Midsummer Day and Oíche Fhéile Eoin—St John’s Eve.
Join Mary Ellen Saha as she brings to life the scéalta—stories and spirits of this season, focusing on goddess Macha, one of the sovereign goddesses of Ireland associated with the important archaeological site of Emain Macha (Navan Fort) Northern Ireland, which dates to the Iron Age 95BC. Close-by is Ard Mhacha—Armagh which translates as Macha’s Height.
Macha carries the spirit of the laoch — warrior and her presence reminds us of our neart—strength, resilience and the courage to seas suas — stand up for ourselves and support each other when needed.
Mary Ellen will guide you to connect with these ancient rhythms, awakening your inner fire and celebrating the richness of Celtic customs. She will be accompanied by David Piesplanos on bodhrán.
Experience this midsummer gathering in a warm, welcoming space at the Irish Cultural Centre.
Bígí linn – join us as we honour the height of summer and the enduring power of Macha’s legacy.
About the Facilitator
Mary Ellen Saha is a writer, meditation teacher and psychologist dedicated to reviving and sharing the fierce feasa—wisdom of the ancient Irish.
With a unique blend of myth, ritual and Gaeilge, Mary Ellen leads Celtic Wheel Tales, guiding participants on a transformative turas—journey through Ireland’s eight seasonal cycles, its goddesses and ancestral customs.
Her approach honours the feminine voice within Irish culture, where language and land are fite fuaite — interwoven to create experiences that reconnect us to identity and community.
Mary Ellen also runs a regular Mnátra Meditation Course that blends ancient Irish myths with Vedic practices, helping people find suaimhneas—calm and connection in today’s busy world.
