Home Page > News > Pagan weddings now allowed in Ireland

Blogs

28 Comments

Larger Text

E-mail

Pagan weddings now allowed in Ireland

JANE WALSHE

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, February 21, 2010, 7:17 AM

Updated Sunday, February 21, 2010, 12:05 PM

A pagan wedding ceremony

Pagan weddings, in many cases performed by a recognized druid, will now be allowed in Ireland.

Following a five-year campaign the Irish state has now recognized the right of the Pagan Federation Ireland to perform weddings.

Couples will now be able to be legally married after a ceremony that concludes with jumping over a broomstick to mark crossing over from an old life to a new one.

Pagan weddings are also known as hand-fasting and most recently, the nephew of Richard Branson got married that way and they have become increasingly popular.

Ray Sweeney, coordinator of Pagan Federation Ireland told the Irish Sunday Times that there are 40 couples ready to be married now by the old tradition of binding their hands with ribbons, literally tying the knot.

Kate Deegan, a wedding coordinator says she has couples ready to go including an American pair.

“When Ray Sweeney informed me that they are now legal, I thought he was pulling my leg,” Deegan said. “A white witch I worked with conducted the hand-fastings, bringing in the elements of fire, earth, wind, and water. We’ve done them on the Cliffs of Moher and further up the coast at Fanore.

“The couples used to have a civil marriage in a registry office first, but they often did it on their lunch break because they considered the pagan blessing more important.”

The tradition of hand fasting goes back to the Celtic pre-christian era. Currently eight marriage solemnizers or druids are being trained in how to carry out the wedding. 250,000 people in the last Irish census revealed they followed no organized religion.

Sweeney prefers to keep pagan weddings low key for fear of drawing a Christian backlash.

“We don’t want people shouting at us and singing hymns over us,” he said. “There are too many misconceptions about paganism. Some people think it’s Satanism, but it’s a pre-Christian religion, so how can it be anti-Christian? It’s not about dressing up in silly medieval costumes. I wear a suit with no tie.”

Vote now - Buzz this story up!

E-mail

Most recent of 28 comments - See all comments

It may take several minutes for your comment to appear.

Report abuse

Posted by jacersisityourself on Mar 28, 2010, 11:52 AM EDT

Preserved remains of people subjected to pagan rituals turn up in Irish Bogs every now and then. You can see some on display in Irish Museums. One is the top half of a man cut in half. Another shows holes in the skull from a bludgeoning beating to death. And you try to tell me that paganism is good?

Report abuse

Posted by kickstar on Mar 27, 2010, 11:06 PM EDT

I was married in a Pagan Ceremony in Dublin in 1980 so its been around a lot of centuries I of course elude to the Pagan Roman Catholic Church.

Report abuse

Posted by Spiritranger on Feb 24, 2010, 12:05 PM EST

"Mother" Earth? Don't be daft.

Report abuse

Posted by Spiritranger on Feb 24, 2010, 11:57 AM EST

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Don't be a fool.

Report abuse

Posted by Watereskhill on Feb 23, 2010, 10:26 PM EST

Looks like the enchanted Fairy Forts of Ireland, it's glades and hedgerows have not been crippled and immobilized by holy water and smoke after all. More power to these free-spirited people. So what if there's a back-lash from Christians in Ireland singing hymns. The more they chirp the more dull and daft they look.

Report abuse

Posted by allentown on Feb 23, 2010, 08:25 PM EST

My grandmother and grandfather whom I never knew came from Ireland. Apparantly, they began their lives together in New York City. As the story goes, when they were just married, my grandmother was a very religious Catholic who believed in tithling over 10% to the church. My grandfather came home with his salary and gave it to my grandmother. On Tuesday of the following week he asked her for some money for lunch. She replied she had none. He asked what did you do with it all? She replied I gave it to the church. The following week when my grandfather came home my grandmother asked him where was his salary. He replied he had none. She asked what did you do with it? He replied--------I drank it! Saint Patrick never came to my grandfather's ancestors part of Ireland.

See all of 28 comments.

Click to learn more from DiscoverIreland.com.

MEET SOMEONE SPECIAL!

FREE TO JOIN: IrishCentralPersonals.com now offers the best place to find the lad or lass of your dreams! Meet your Irish love today! RIGHT HERE! >

MOST READ
MOST E-MAILED

Most Recent Blog Posts

See All Blogs

Join us - follow IrishCentral.com

Click here to read more about IrishCentral.com.

About Us

IrishCentral is the website about everything Irish for everyone Irish -- the 70 million people around the world who trace their roots to the Emerald Isle.

You'll find the most-fascinating stories from the United States, Ireland and the global Irish world, including the latest in news, entertainment, celebrity gossip, travel and vacations, sports, food and drink, Irish ancestry and genealogy, immigration, religion, business and opinion. (close)