New Book to Explore Sacred Places of Ireland

(Newswire.net — November 3, 2016) Franklin, TN — When St Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century, Ireland entered a Golden Age of Enlightenment and became known as the Land of Saints and Scholars. Impressive churches with high crosses were built at early monastic settlements like Clonmacnoise. Here, the monks began to record the scriptures in beautifully illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. Intricately crafted metalwork items, inlaid with precious stones like the Ardagh Chalice and the Cross of Cong were also the magnificent creations of the monks.

These artifacts were inspired by places and landscapes, particularly sacred sites that can be traced way back beyond the Pharaohs of Egypt and the Pyramids. Oral legends about Druids and Celtic Gods and Goddesses were absorbed by Christianity with many of the finest churches, abbeys and monastic sites in Ireland having pagan origins.

Dr. K. Mark Hilliard, a resident of Franklin, Tennessee has had an abounding interest in the sacred sites of Ireland for many years and his new book on this topic ‘Sacred Place and Sacred Space” is due out in the Spring of 2017.

“County Laois, in the mid-lands of Ireland, is a land literally saturated with places believed to be sacred. As the former president of O’More College of Design, a college with deep Irish roots, and a professor of behavioral science and spirituality, I led an annual group of students on a travel course to Laois, in search of these places over a period of eight summers.” says Dr. Hilliard. 

“On alternative years, I conducted, and still conduct, research on sacred place and sacred space as a visiting fellow at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, England, and on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, Cherokee, N.C.” continues Dr. Mark.

He goes on to explain that he has also taught multiple college courses, and has given lectures and readings on the subject of sacred place and sacred space. The professor’s academic trips to Ireland, England, and Cherokee, over the past twenty years, have provided much of the thoughts and directions for his courses, lectures, readings, and for this book on sacred place and sacred space.

Dr. Hilliard has also been heavily involved in the Williamson county and Laois County sister-city venture. This town-twinning association brought the two communities together in many ways including tourism and the promotion of the arts and business. It was formalized by both local governments.

It is no surprise then that this Ireland and Franklin twinning continues to expand, this time with Professor Mark joining with The Irish Gift, Inc, an Irish company founded by an Irish expatriate now living in Franklin, Tennessee.

“I am beyond excited to partner with Dr. Hilliard on this new venture of music and spoken word performances. The purpose of The Irish Gift, Inc is to promote the East Galway Irish Music Tradition, a rare style of Irish music that is in danger of dying out. There is something sacred about that and it is very fitting that my musical performances should be infused with stories of Irish legend and tradition by such an expert as Dr. Mark” says Éilís Crean who teaches and performs the East Galway Irish Music and is the founder of The Irish Gift, Inc.

The Irish Gift, Inc has an online music school which will be launched over the next few months. This online classroom will be supplemented with in-person workshops to be scheduled every three months and will take place at The Big East Fork Retreat with performances at McCreary’s Irish Pub, located in historic downtown Franklin.

“The difference in what we do at The Irish Gift, is that we teach and explain that the music is part of a bigger tradition that is multi-fold; it is the meaningfulness of both happy and sad times, it is community and the coming together through music. It is the value for the simple things in life. It’s music, it’s dance and song and storytelling. Quite simply, the music is one part of the Irish Folklore and it’s important not to separate it out from the other parts of the Irish Folklore” explains Crean.

And that is exactly what Dr. Hilliard’s new book is all about. Folklore or Folk Story

Says Dr. Hilliard “The sacred is often hidden in history, in historical events or at historical sites. The knowledge of this history helps to determine a place’s sacred significance. The lives and actions of those who have passed before us, leave their mark, their sign, for us to uncover and to which we might connect. Ruins leave their history for us to unearth. Written words leave their story to be unfolded. Music leaves it’s sounds and it’s traditions to reverberate.”

The renowned Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes, in the foreword of his 1997 album “The Lonesome Touch” puts it like this.

“The word lonesome expresses a sadness, a blue note, a sour note. Even though the music bares the trace of a struggle and of pain, it is also the means of uplift, transcendence to joy and celebration. Meeting and experiencing sadness or tragedy through art, literature or music is very often the transformation of that experience to it’s corresponding opposite, the release of Joy and Freedom” 

Undoubtedly, A Sacred Space.

 For more information on upcoming music and spoken word presentations send an email to Dr.K.Mark Hilliard at mark.hilliardinstitute@gmail.com