Featured Members of the Month
In every issue, we feature those members of our network who have contributed, in some way, to our network, as well as the Celtic Community as a whole. We have provided each of you with the opportunity to voice your opinion by casting your vote for the person you think we should feature. You can cast your vote in the Round Table group. We appreciate your input!
This month our featured members are:
Pat McDermott - Pat is the author of an alternate Irish history novel "A Band of Roses," the first in a trilogy of historical fantasy adventures. Her book received a glorious review and a rating of “Excellent” from Book Wenches just last month. Congratulations Pat!
Born and educated in Boston, Massachusetts, she grew up in a family full of music and myths that have found their way into her stories. She is a member of The New Hampshire Writers' Project, Seacoast Writers' Association, Romance Writers of America, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. A frequent visitor to Ireland, she lives in New Hampshire, where she is currently working on her next novel.
Since joining CFN, Pat has been active in many groups and has entertained us with several blogs and discussions. We truly appreciate her involvement here and wish her the best of luck with her new book.
Andrew Smith - is the owner of the Bardic Press and publisher of Will Parker's monumental The Four Branches of the Mabinogi: Celtic Myth and Medieval Reality. He is also the author of several books about Gnosticism as well as the editor of The Gnostic, a new journal focusing on Gnosticism. Other books that he has published are in the areas of Sufi poetry, Gnosticism and early/alternative Christianity and the Gurdjieff tradition. Andrew does not actually write about Celtic subjects (though he hopes to eventually), and plans to publish more Celtic-related material.
Andrew comes from Penarth, in south Wales, and now lives in Dublin. He is learning to play the uilleann pipes and says he really ought to pick up that harp again! Andrew has been a member of our community since the beginning and we sincerely appreciate his continued support.
Awen - works with numbers and data (left-brain) in her profession but longs to work more with her right brain. She enjoys travelling, reading, and herbal medicine, as well as gardening and nature. This spring she added a Celtic twist by designing a pebble labyrinth for her garden and she would like to design an “Awen” symbol for her lawn. Awen loves to experience the solitude, peace, and communion of nature. She says it is as if her soul opens up while alone in the woods or by the water.
A sensitive and gentle person, Awen has developed deep connections and true friendships since becoming a member of CFN. She is a frequent visitor and contributes greatly with her warm, friendly comments and her generous testimonial.
Brenda D Baker - is a meticulous watercolor artist and a freelance writer, as well as a Celtic enthusiast. For years, she had been doing graphic design and direct commission paintings on a freelance basis and found the flexibility rewarding, but now she concentrates on Celtic mythology and nature. Brenda is currently rebuilding her portfolio to be more specific to book illustration. She is working with an art agent who will help her reflect the niche she has chosen.
Brenda received several awards for excellence in painting before going on to major in illustration and fine art at Kendall College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Brenda says that her inspiration comes from the history, myth, and beauty of the ancient culture and she tries to express it in her art. She also says that she loves listening to the Celtic myth podshow while painting, as it really gets her in the mood for the Celtic genre. Brenda likes to work with tools and mediums that were used in history, as well as experimenting with the old masters’ techniques.
Since joining the CFN, Brenda has posted pictures of her art, joined several groups, and invited new members to join our community. The most recent invitation she sent was to the Celtic Myth Podshow. They have since joined and started a new group called the Celtic Myth Podshow where they added their podshow player. Now we can all listen to their podcasts. We would like to thank Brenda for her influence with this new addition to our network and for her continued support!
Anne Keysia - is a medical assistant and the proud mother of two children. She studied herbal medicine and believes in the healing quality of plants. Someday, she hopes to do this professionally.
Anne lives in Brugge, Belgium and her hobbies are gardening, travelling, listening to music, and reading. A lot of her time goes to her children because she wants to be a good mom and create a warm home for them. She tries to create peace and love in her life everyday and is fascinated with what other people are thinking. Having a connection with the spiritual energy around her, and with Mother Earth, is important to Anne. She is fond of the typical Irish life and wants to share this passion with other people!
Anne is a very active member and posted many videos and pictures. A warm and caring person, she has created close and lasting friendships on the CFN. She has met people here that, she says, have opened her heart and her mind to things, and who have come into her life to serve some sort of purpose. Anne says that she believes in the mission of this website, bringing people together who have the same strong desire for life and creation.
These members, in their own individual way, have sparked interest with their works, brought us together as a culture, and have left a mark that will live in the hearts of our members. If you would like to be featured in upcoming months, there is more information about this under MORE tab, Get Featured.
UPDATE!
Last month we featured Brian Wright of celtic-knotwork-coasters. He enlisted the advice and expertise of our network owner, Shane Clark, to help him build his site. The two have been collaborating on this project for several months and the result is a smashing success. Congratulations to you Brian!
Ingrid Houwers of Imbas Creations is also working with Shane. He has commissioned her to create an item (yet to be announced) of his own design. Stay tuned for the outcome of this project!
Joe Adams, who we featured in our April issue, was kind enough to design a network logo for our site. At that time, the project was still in the works. We are proud to announce the result of Joe’s effort, which is a Knotwork star, symbolizing the six Celtic nations. The Network logo can be found at the top of our home page, next to the heading, “What is the Celtic Friends Network?” We would again, like to extend our appreciation to Joe for volunteering his valuable time and talent!
These members are shining examples of the mission of the Celtic Friends Network: to provide a portal through which individuals can come together to attain their mutual goals and develop cultural kinship!
Be Sure to Invite Your Friends
The Celtic Friends Network is a growing community and you can help our site grow even more by inviting your friends. By clicking the “Tell A Friend” tab at the top of every page, you can invite your friends individually, or you can import your address book from any of the following emails: Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail or AOL Mail. Otherwise, you will have to do this manually through your email service.
Spread the word by making use of the link to “Stumble It”. You can find this under the subheading: “Help Others Find Us!” located near the bottom or middle right of each page, depending on which page you are on.
Remember, this is your network and we sincerely hope that you will help make it more enjoyable for yourself, and for others members, by inviting your friends and referring others to our site!
Inviting members also helps to support our site as we have related ads on the right side of each page that may be of interest to each member.
New Features
New Celtic Chat:
We have recently changed the Chat feature. You still have the convenience of Chat on every page, however it is now located right side of every page. It is clearly visible now so you can see which members are currently online and you can browse while you chat!
The new Chat feature is a great way to build relationships and to promote yourself. It is also an easy way to ask questions and get answers quickly. Check it out !
Use our Banners:
You can download the Celtic Friends Network banners to your personal pages on other social networks or to your websites. Currently, there are two to choose from but keep checking because we are in the process of creating new ones. These Banners can be found under the MORE tab (Link to Us).
Affiliate Program:
We have recently added an affiliate program for those who wish to earn a 40% commission from all sales of our Celtic Tattoo Designs. It is a very simple process. All you need is a free affiliate account ID and you can easily promote our products on your website. We provide great tools to sell our products easily, including the ability to cut and paste our link to any website. Currently, we are offering Celtic Tattoo Designs but we plan to include Celtic Store items as well. You will find more information about this under the MORE tab, “Affiliate Program”.
Celtic Store
Come check out the new items that we have added to the Celtic Store! This month we updated the existing pages and many new products were added. If you would like to see your products featured there, please contact us.
The range of products in the store continues to increase. Please check back regularly as the Network Store is updated daily!
Events
If there is an upcoming event that you would like to have featured, please click “Add Event” below the Events section on our homepage, or hover your mouse pointer over “My Profile” and select “New Event”.
Odarka plays Celtic Harp:
Do not miss the opportunity to experience the beautiful Celtic harp music of Odarka Polanskyi Stockert. She plays Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 at Café Monet in Millburn, NJ through June 28, 2009.
National Celtic Festival:
Siobhan Owens will be performing at the National Celtic Festival in Portarlington, Victoria, Australia, June 7-8, 2009. Her performance times are as follows:
Sunday 7 June, 11.30-12.10pm - Acoustic Set at "The Ol' Duke"
Sunday 7 June, 2.00-3.30pm - Sean Nos Session at "The Ol' Duke"
Sunday 7 June, 8.30-9.10pm - Performing at "Parks Hall"
Monday 8 June, 11.10-11.50am - Performing on "Village Stage"
NAFCSC Annual Convention 2009:
The North American Federation of Celtic Supporters is holding their annual convention in Las Vegas, NV, June 8-14 2009. For details, please see the brochure.
Potomac Celtic Festival:
This event is to be held once again on the picturesque historic green near the Morven Park Mansion and Museum, in Leesburg, VA, June 13-14 2009. The festival will include continual music and dance from many of your Celtic favorites, juried crafters, and specialty import vendors, 2000 years of Living History reenactments, storytelling in the grove, workshops, children’s activities and crafts, food and drink, the authentic pub tent, and all of the family-fun that has become synonymous with PCF!
Fête de la Musique:
Siobhan Owens is one of the performers at this year's Fête de la Musique. The Alliance, Française d’Adelaïde organized this music festival. Held on the same day in more than 100 countries all over the world, it takes place June 20-21, 2009, under the canopy in Rundle Mall, in Adelaide, Australia.
Gathering of Eagles, Spiritual Unity of Tribes:
Do not miss four days of sharing, teaching, and great energy at the Free Spirit Campground in Sturgis, SD, June 25-28 2009. This event is open to everyone; people come from all lifestyles, from all over the world, from many faiths. You can listen to speakers at the arbor where the fire is; have a lunch meal with everyone else; be in a sweat or purification lodge; join a men’s or women’s circle; enjoy being out of town, near the base of the beautiful Bear Butte outside of Sturgis, SD, USA.
Featured Groups
Celtic Recipes:
This is a group where people can share their wonderful Celtic recipes. We all must eat so why not learn what others are putting on the table. Our members have given us the recipes for Guinness Beef Stew, Mulligan Stew, and Bailey’s Irish Cream Brownies, just to name a few. Perhaps you have lost an old family recipe. This is a great place to ask how to make a dish as well!
Celtic Myth Podshow:
Two of our newest members recently created this group. Ruth and Gary have added their podshow player for easy access to the show for our members. They will tell you ancient tales and legends of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Isle of Man, bringing you the bravery of heroes and heroines, stories of the Fey and the ancient Celtic races. The podshow weaves together the rich, beautiful tapestry of mythological history.
Each podcast lasts approximately 25 minutes and airs every other week.
Brehon Filid:
The members of this group are the administrators of our site. The reason for the name of the group is as follows: Prior to English common law, Ireland had its own law system, which survived until the 17th century. This native system was known as Brehon Law. It developed from Irish customs passed orally from generation to generation.
The laws were written down for the first time in the 7th century AD. Brehons (brithem) administered the Brehon law system. Brehons were successors to Druids. They were similar to judges yet their role was closer to that of an arbitrator. Their role was to preserve and interpret law rather than expand the law..., which is the same role the Brehon Filid has in our community.
We Care About Your Safety!
Your privacy is important to us. We would like to remind you that we have provided added safety measures in an effort to keep the information that you provide to us, specifically your personal email addresses, private. This means that no one, except the administrator, has access to him or her.
When you would like to send private messages to your friends on the Network, you may do so from your friends’ profile page (Send a Message). When you send the message, it goes to their inbox here on our site, as well as to their personal email inbox. They can reply to you from their inbox here on the site, however, your personal email address is not displayed anywhere! The only way another member of the Celtic Friends Network can get your address is if you provide it to him or her personally, or post it in a comment.
We would encourage you to use every precaution necessary, to protect your personal email addresses. If someone asks you for your address, be very sure that it is a person that you can trust. Giving out your email address to anyone online can be a very dangerous thing. We sincerely care about the safety of our members and seek to make you aware of the dangers of giving out your email address.
Thank You!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement as we continue to develop the Celtic Friends Network. We are a very diverse Celtic community. Many people have gathered here for bringing together the various facets of our culture. We hope that this Network provides a place for you to spread your knowledge and for others to learn from it.
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