John Duncan, 1866-1945

RIDERS OF THE SIDHE


TRISTAN AND ISOLDA


COMING OF BHRIDE

John Duncan's art is sadly neglected by the art communities of the world. I first discovered Duncan while looking for images of my special Goddess, Bride. He was a Scottish painter and illustrator. Many of his better known works are pictured above. John Duncan was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1866, and studied there at the School of Art. Duncan was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, Celtic imagery, and symbolism. His work included pictures depicting myth and legend, also Symbolist work
in a late Pre-Raphaelite manner. Duncan died on 24th November 1945.

The History of the Sidhe

Riders of the Sidhe, by John Duncan, 19th c. Scottish artist.

(This is an introductory overview of the people known as "The Sidhe" taken from another website. This is not my work and I recommend you check out the title link for more excellent information about the sidhe and the ancient Celts. I am including this here to further enlighten the reader about the legendary inhabitants of Newgrange or Brugh Na Boyne. This is legend and not necessarily fact.)

The people known as the Sidhe, people of the mounds, The Lordly Ones or The Good People were descended from the Tuatha de Danann who settled in Ireland many millennium ago. After being defeated by the Milesians, they retreated to a different dimension of space and time than our own. They were believed to be living under mounds, fairy raths and cairns, and also in the land of Tír na nÓg a mythical island to the west of Ireland. Place names in Ireland with the pre-nouns Lis, Rath, and Shee are associated with these people for example Lismore, Lisdoonvarna, Sheemore, Rathfarnham etc.

Down through the ages the Sidhe have been in contact with mortals giving protection, healing and even teaching some of their skills to mortals. Smithcraft or the working of metals is one such skill. Cuillen (Culann)is one sidhe smith who has been told of in the Legends of Cúchulainn and the later Legends of Fionn mac Cumhail.

The Gaelic word "sí" or "síog" refers to these otherworldly beings now called fairies. The Irish fairy is not like the diminutive fairies of other European countries. The Sidhe are described as tall and handsome in all accounts. They are dressed very richly and accounts of their halls are of richly decorated places with sumptuous food and drink. The Sidhe are generally benign until angered by the foolish actions of a mortal. Many trees and mounds are considered under their protection and if a mortal destroys or damages fairy trees or mounds, then a curse is put upon him and his family. In some parts of the countryside, people would not build their houses over certain "fairy paths" because of the type of disturbances which would ensue. Whenever a host of the Sidhe appears there is a strange sound like the humming of thousands of bees also a whirlwind or shee-gaoithe is caused.

Further Reading: O'Hanlon, rev. John (Lageniensis), Irish Folklore:
Traditions and Superstitions of the country. first published 1870,
republished E.P publishing Ltd., 1973.