An    Irish    Dream
Dolmen, Kilcooney, Co. Donegal by Jim Fitzpatrick
ailte!  Welcome to An Irish Dream, a website dedicated to the explanation and study of Gaelic Traditionalism.  Gaelic Traditionalism, a
very misunderstood subject.  It is often mistaken to be Celtic Reconstructionalism, or Celtic Paganism.  What is misunderstood here is that the Celts were a great number of people united by religion, race, art style, and language.  The Gaelic people were indeed a part of the Celtic Society, but in itself refers to the people of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle Of Man.  One way to look at it is that the Celts are the equivalent of the Native Americans, and Gaelic is the equivalent to the Sioux.  And, Gaelic Traditionalism is far more than just religion.  It is an entire culture: laws, customs, belief system, art, language, as well as religion.
Unfortunately, due to the misunderstandings, a great number of people seeking to study specifically the history, culture, laws, and religion of the Gaelic people find themselves drowning in an ocean of information concerning Celtic Reconstructionalism and Celtic Paganism.  To make matters worse, it is quite common for individuals or groups claiming to be Celtic Reconstructionalist or Celtic Pagans to mix in the belief systems and religions of other cultures, such as the Greeks, the Vikings, and Native Americans.  I’ve even seen quite a few who incorporate Egyptian beliefs into this.  Each of these cultures are beautiful, and wonderful in their unique way.  However, none of them were a part of the Celtic Empire that once existed.  Therefore, it is misleading to call themselves Celtic Reconstructionalist or Celtic Pagans.  While they have every right to study and share whatever they so chose, I do feel they have a responsibility to title it accurately.  There would be a great deal less confusion to those who are still searching for their way.   
Another subject searchers will find a wealth of sites on is Gaelic Reconstructionalism.  For those that refer to themselves as Celtic Reconstructionalist, and truly dedicate themselves to this, it is a title I can understand, for the Celts were all but obliterated by the Romans, and later the Church.  However, the Gaelic Society is another story.  Keep in mind that the Romans never entered Ireland, which today holds the greatest wealth of information on Gaelic Culture, for it is their culture.  Granted, the Church did a good amount of damage to the Gaelic Culture, almost destroying certain portions of the Gaelic Society.  However, while it has certainly suffered some serious blows, the Gaelic Culture has not only survived, it has changed and grown with the passing of time.  And, to that note, for any culture to survive it must change and grow.  The stagnation of any culture is a death sentence.  Never the less, to refer to it as Gaelic Reconstructionalism is implying that the Gaelic Society was destroyed and must be rebuilt.  This simply is not true.  
Allow me to point out that I am still very young to this way of life, and am still learning, myself.  The reason I decided to do this website is because of what I suffered in searching for what it was that my heart and soul cried out for.  It is an effort to provide true and accurate information on Gaelic Traditionalism in hopes of aiding those who suffer as I have suffered.  I am in contact with a wonderful clan that offers me information willingly, without being elusive or evasive about anything.  I also do a lot of research from books, and other reliable sources.  However, I will give you the advice I was given.  Take nothing, not what I claim or anyone else claims as law.  Double and triple check it with other sites and publications.  The information is there.  All one has to do is look.  My goal is to share with others what I’ve learned.  My hope, my dream is to help those who are suffering as I suffered.  If I help one person than I have achieved what I set out to do.
Having said all of this, I would like to share something.  I have always been drawn to Ireland, be it Irish Faerie Tales, or Irish Music, or even the troubles that plague Ireland now.  However, the older I grew, the more this emptiness inside of me grew, driving me to search desperately for something, even though I had no idea of what it was that I sought.  There were times that I felt so empty that a single word could drive me to tears, so lost that I felt I was drowning.  And, more often than not I wondered if I was just going insane.  By the blessing of the Gods, I came across a wonderful site, and contacted them.  This led me to where I am today, and for once in my life I am truly whole.  I’m not sure of how to explain it, but I feel that Ireland has not forgotten her children, and she calls out now, insuring that we do not forget her no matter how far from her we are.  The same goes for all of the Gaelic lands.  In short, I guess what I am saying, is I was home sick to a point of damn near insanity.  Returning to my roots, learning all that my ancestors strove to teach us, has been my salvation.   
I hope that it is yours, as well, what ever your ancestry is.  Even if Gaelic Traditionalism is not what you seek, I urge you to look over the site, to see what it is our people are about.  There is no harm in learning another culture for it is gaining knowledge, something my people strive for.  We all have a right to preserve the culture that our ancestors fought to keep, for it is our ancestor’s greatest gift to us.  I thank you for stopping by, and hope that I have helped you in some way, no matter how minor.  May you always know peace and love, may we all know them. 

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