Ben McBrady: the last Druid of the old Gaelic order

[Billy]

A documentary describing the life of the late Irish Druid, Ben Mcbrady. Ben was initiated into the old Gaelic order at the age of 12 years old by his uncle, after 18 years of training he became a fully fledged member of the old ways.
Ben who was 72 years old at the time of the documentary, passed away in January 1996.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FIrYD7djFH8

The Order of Druids in Ulster

How it all began...........

"The Old Gaelic Order" came originally from Phoenicia and they were Baal or Sun worshippers. They were Bards, Psychics, Healers, Walkers between the Worlds, Lawgivers and Makers, Priests and Kings. One of the first abilities taught to new Initiates was Telepathy. "The Order" at all times was to remain outside society; within it yet outside it at the same time. All knowledge came within the realm of "The Order", but they were particularly concerned with Astronomy because they had experience of so many significant calamities. It was thought that a full knowledge of Astronomy would enable them to predict conditions when these calamities were likely to take place and take some action to protect themselves. Another primary function of the order was to preserve language.

The Order of Druids in Ulster


When the Druids came, many members of "The Order" infiltrated that order. Elsewhere in Europe the Druids carried out their ceremonies in oak groves. The term for oak is Druha, so they became known as Druidi or Druids. Now, in Ireland specifically the Druids worshipped The God of the Sunset, The Dah Ruah -The Red God. A priest of that order was called a Ceile Dah Ruah - a servant of The Red God. Over time this was shortened to Da Ruah then Druah or Druid. That's how confusion arises between the Druids on the Continent and the Druids in Ireland. They both have the same name for different reasons.

The order continued to survive by adapting itself, first to the Druids and then to Christianity. It kept its traditions and beliefs but operated inside the Christian Matrix. The members of the order were Priests and Kings, and in Christianity, this developed into Bishops and Herenachs about the 12th century. In Ireland eventually the Herenachs, not being Bishops anymore because of the suppression of Catholicism, integrated into Protestant religion. There was no change in the central purpose of "The Order" whatever guise they operated under.

Ben's earliest recorded ancestor was Lugar MacLugair. MacLugair seems to have been the most important figure in the 2nd century - he was a Lawgiver. He was described as the one who adapted "The Senchus Mor" the great compendium of Law to the Christian tradition. MacCugar was one of those characters who emerge every few generations and totally transform the character of a society. But because of the conflicts between Paganism and Christianity, he was written out history. MacLugair was the most important Druid of his time and a member of "The Order". He was Chief Druid of Ireland and Druid to the High King Leary and Druid to the Kings of Leinster.

It was originally the task of each member of "The Order" to be a compendium of all knowledge. If humanity was wiped out except for one individual, he should be capable of re-establishing everything from his own resources. Now because of the exceptional increase in knowledge techniques and skills, medicine, science, it would not be within the abilities of a single human mind to encompass everything. So the system was developed whereby three were brought together as a triad. The one who seemed most suited for a particular group of skills or awareness was trained in those and thus the full range of knowledge was divided up among them.

The first vigil or initiation partly required the candidate to spend several nights at "St Kevin's Bed" at Glendalough. Its old Irish name was Glen Da Lug (Glen of the God Lugh).

When a triad had to retrieve knowledge from the collective unconsciousness, one member of the triad was hypnotised and the third was the controller. Using this technique, vast amounts of information could be accessed from the collective unconscious.

The "Old Gaelic Order" had sacred dances, Kundalini exercises and created sacred space to commune with otherworldly beings. They celebrated the fire festivals and the solstices and equinoxes, although I'm not sure if these were a later addition. One of Ben's triad, the Astronomer, worked out the exact date they should celebrate. His dates rarely fell on the dates accepted today by pagan groups.

Source: http://www.orderofdruidsinulster.org...LIC-ORDER.html

[Words of Joy]

I found it a fascinating documentary. A jewel in it's way. Thank you for posting.

A couple of things stood out. First the mention of high places together with the sou-terrains. He also mentioned the dolmen as a shelter. I can imagine that they have been used for that at some point. Not convinced they were actually created to be a shelter. The sou-terrains I can imagine could be shelters, especially because he mentioned them being in high places. I might want to look a bit deeper into that.

He mentioned Ruah. Phoenicia was bordering Israel back in ancient days:

Phoenicia also was a great seafaring nation, dominating the maritime trading routes. Known for their trade with the Americas. The import of cocaine for the pharaohs. I have the idea they might've been offspring of giants, maybe some giants even remained in those areas in those days.

I have looked into the Celts/Gauls/Galatians and also into druidism and it's a mixed world from my perspective. Maybe their will to learn everything also lead them to, from my perspective, some side tracks. Allow me to explain myself. The man in the documentary started talking about a golden age in the history of cultures around the world. That's where I was getting excited and I felt in tune with what he was saying. Speaking of pre-Christian Christianity, the flow of Divine water within a person.

Speaking of Druids moving eastwards from Ireland. That makes sense, from the perspective of the Irish coming from Atlantis, having been involved with Apollo and Hermes, which brings us to the, from my perspective, true Pre-Christian Christianism where indeed the interaction with the Spirit of the Creator was sought. In Hebrew the name for the Spirit is Ruach (ruach ha-kodesh), which would make that full circle with what the druids in this documentary were worshipping. Up until there I was completely able to follow and made perfect sense.

It resulting in saints during those days I think is perfectly possible and not unlikely, as that is what happens when one allows himself to invite the Spirit within (which makes the water flow internally) and align with His plan for you for a lifetime. I have come to know that is truth. Though then, at some point, he started speaking about Pelagianism. That's where the needle slid of the record in my head. A total disconnect with the Divine, and certain to bring no one into sainthood.

Understanding Pelagianism was given room in Rome to evolve, should make all alarm bells go off, if one didn't think it was remarkable what he was saying to begin with regarding Pelagianism. When looking at this man's life from what I can see in the documentary, though being a man with a great wealth of knowledge, he doesn't appear to be a saint, in the purest sense. That makes me think he also was on a side track as far as interacting with the Divine is concerned. I do feel the man had a beautiful intent.

[what is a name?]

A photo taken a couple of weeks ago at a local museum.


"Here we see the rite of bringing in the sacred mistletoe, and showing a group of Druids or Celtic priests in richly decorated ceremonial robes and insignia proceeding down a steep hillside in solemn procession. The mistletoe, cut from the sacred oak by a golden sickle held by the chief druid, is ceremoniously received by subordinates in white raiment and borne home reverently on the backs of the white bulls. Mistletoe is significant as a plant revered by the druids for its magical as well as medicinal properties. In the 1890s there was a revival of interest in Celtic art and folklore; the influence of this can be seen in the use of complex intertwining patterns on the priests' robes and also on the pattern work of the frame. Henry and Hornel were members of a group of artists called the Glasgow Boys who, at the end of the 19th century, revolutionized Scottish painting. This painting, dating from 1890, was the first on which the two artists collaborated and is their most daring composition."