Fort, Festival And Flowers - Armagh, Edinburgh And Lindisfarne.
En route home from Ireland I detoured to Armagh's Centre for Celtic Spirituality at Navan Fort to lunch with Grace and Bruce Clunie. Grace is Director of the Spirituality Centre. Her work has been so valued by civic authorities that they have given her a base at their Navan centre. We talked about our mutual involvement in the growth of pilgrimage and Celtic studies.
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL, LINDISFARNE GOSPELS AND SCOTS INDEPENDENCE
Phew! I'm glad that's over. But it was a worthwhile event. You can download the text from this web site - see Resources/downloads/ Edinburgh. Afterwards some of the audience relaxed at the Princes Street Café, I wandered through the amazing street performers and crowds - and got a parking fine.
LINDISFARNE GOSPELS FLOWER FESTIVAL
The Lindisfarne Gospels Flower Festival 23-31 August (St. Aidan's Day) at St. Mary's Church, Holy Island is the best Flower Festival I have ever experienced. I'm invited to robe for the opening service led by Bishop Martin Wharton of Newcastle, Mrs. Marlene Wharton and Lady Rose Crossman. Twenty three sponsored sections highlight an aspect of the Gospels or the island and its saints who inspired them in unique flower and art work. A fantastic new coloured glass window in memory of three generations of the Crossman family will also be dedicated. It has Cuddy duck and puffin, pilgrim posts and upturned boat, church and castle, seals and Gospels, Celtic Cross, Aidan's deer, Hilda's ammonite and more.
Unfortunately the Vikings have just arrived, so I better scram.
