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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

Weather-bleat is a colloquial term for a snipe. The 'bleat' or 'blate' is the sound it makes during mating season. I think the 'weather' part is a morphed/mispronounced form of 'heather', as the snipe is known as a heatherblate in some places

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

So welcome fáinleog - little wanderer of the skies, celebrated bringer of Spring for thousands upon thousands of years.

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

In Irish and Scottish folklore, Fáinleoga are one of the 'Seven Sleepers' whose awakening heralds the return of Spring:

'The bee, the bat, the butterfly,
the cuckoo and the swallow,
the corn-crake and the weather-bleat,
soon all the rest will follow'

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

The deeper meaning of Fáinleog can be traced back through several millenia - from early modern Irish 'Áinleog', through Middle Irish 'Áilleóc', back to Old Irish 'Ainnel'. 'Ainnel' stems from Proto-Celtic *wesnālā, which in turn evolved from the Proto-Celtic word *wesrū, meaning 'Spring'

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

'Fáinleog' is often ascribed the etymology of 'little wanderer' based on the diminutive form of the root verb 'Fán' "to wander".
While a beautiful and fitting meaning for these sweet wandering birds, this explanation is a surface meaning based on the modern form of the word.

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 9

A new illustration and colour study of some fáinleoga - barn swallows (Hirundo rustica)
These incredible migratory birds have started to arrive here this week so it seemed like the perfect time to study them.
#SpéirGhorm

Pen illustration with muted colours of 5 barn swallows perched on a branch. The word 'Fáinleog' is written in the bottom right corner

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 3

P.s I found a lot of these names in the really great online resource 'An English-Irish dictionary of Bird Names', compiled by Colm Ó Caomhánaigh. Highly recommend checking it out if you are a bird+word nerd

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 3

From a distance their feathers appear almost uniformly black, but closer inspection reveals shimmering hues of deep turquise, sapphire blue, and rich caramel layered throughout their jet black plumage

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 3

They are named colloquially in some places as 'Murúchaill' (Mermaid), 'Amplóir' (Greedy person), and from the Aran Islands 'Cabhail Scréachóg' (Cail/old woman & Scréachóg/screecher)

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Apr 3

A quick colour study of An Cailleach Dhubh - the Cormorant. These intriguing seabirds have a rich and varied assortment of beautifully descriptive names as Gaeilge - From 'Broigheall' (Broghais/belly & Geal/white) to 'Cailleach Dhubh' (Dark Hag) to 'Fiach Mara' (Sea Raven).
#spéirghorm

Illustration of a cormorant perched on a branch, wings outstretched. The words 'Cailleach Dhubh' are written in gaelchló style font on the bottom left of the image

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Reposted by Votive Illustration

Natalia Beylis @sunkenhum.bsky.social · Mar 19

My next live outings are with my newly named duo 'Hedgling' featuring me & Willie from @nyahhrecords.bsky.social. We're so excited to be touring with queer hardcore punk legends 'Surge'. They are the best live band I've seen in forever! Poster by the brilliant @votiveillustration.bsky.social

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Mar 19

🙌🔥 can't wait!

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Reposted by Votive Illustration

llewyn (Ye) máire @savagecraic.ie · Mar 18

open.substack.com/pub/votiveil...

The snakes were rebels✊

Loving this series from @votiveillustration.bsky.social

St. Patrick of the Political Propaganda Pt. 1

The Patrick of legend is a wholly propagandised fabrication, shaped significantly by the social, political, and cultural circumstances of the successive generations that have laid claim to him.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Votive Illustration

llewyn (Ye) máire @savagecraic.ie · Mar 14

Such an honour to have been able to contribute to this — particularly as it's in collaboration with @votiveillustration.bsky.social 🤲

Working with the Wort crew has been such a deeply generative experience — there are truly creative, generous & talented folx behind this project.

Wort Journal @wortjournal.com · Mar 14

Issue 3 of Wort Journal is out! Eight contributions on grassroots herbalism, including poetry, culturally-rooted plant explorations, herbalism and the tarot, and some extreme guerilla gardening mischief.
wortjournal.com/product/wort...
.
#herbs #herbalism #plants #naturewriting #zine #micropress

Yellow front cover image for Wort Journal Issue 3. In the main image spring weeds grow in the foreground with a mouse scurrying amongst them, with an industrial landscape on the horizon.

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Mar 18

Thanks so much for initiating this collaboration, I really loved working on it! 🌿

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Mar 2

Thanks Sharon! I've been enjoying adding a bit more colour to my pieces lately

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Reposted by Votive Illustration

Amano @amanoanseo.bsky.social · Feb 28

I'm honoured to be sharing verse in the next issue of Airmid's Journal. I found myself writing about my lost tongue, diasporic dislocation and perspective breakthroughs. In an issue bursting with Gaeilge, it was a strange gift to find freedom to express layers of myself that stretch beyond Éireann.

Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

Cover reveal and pre-order announcement for the latest issue of Airmid's Journal 🌿 A biannual publication of Irish folklore, foraging, myth, culture, and remedies

#folklore #mythology #zine #journal #publishing #diypublishing #SpéirGorm

Image showing the cover of the latest issue of Airmid's Journal. Central image is a song thrush perched on a branch, with visible waves of song coming flowing from their beak. That image is is framed by a separate image featuring ogham stones and coltsfoot flowers. A header reading Airmid's Journal is written in gaelic font at the top of the image. The names of the contributors are listed in the bottom section.

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Reposted by Votive Illustration

Ola Majekodunmi @olamajekodunmi.bsky.social · Mar 1

Delighted and so thankful to have my trilingual poetry a part of the latest Airmid's Journal! 🌟 Iontach álainn bheith i measc na scríbhneoirí seo.

@votiveillustration.bsky.social

@amanoanseo.bsky.social

#trilingual #poetry #Journal

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Mar 1

Grateful for all that is expressed in your beautiful poem Amano. Thanks so much for being part of this issue, we're so excited for it ❤️‍🔥

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Mar 1

We're thrilled to have your poems feature in this issue, thanks so much for being part of it! ❤️‍🔥

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

Thanks! Yep I did the type design as well. It's based on old cló gaelach type fonts

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

Pre-orders available at:
www.votiveillustration.ie/shop/p/airmi...
and
www.wildawake.ie/shop/p/airmi...

Airmid's Journal - Teanga — Votive Illustration

Airmid's Journal is a biannual publication of Irish folklore, foraging, myth, culture, and remedies. The theme for this issue is 'Teanga' - Tongue / Language

www.votiveillustration.ie

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

So grateful for all the contributors making the journal all that it is!

@amanoanseo.bsky.social
@olamajekodunmi.bsky.social
@ofionnachta.bsky.social
Aoife Hammond
Aoife de Bhál
Rónán Ó Raghallaigh
Johan Sandberg McGuinne
Gráinne Holland
Leasha Hogan
Catriona Ní Ghribín
An Dream Dearg

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

This is my favourite on-going collaboration with the great @wildawakeireland.bsky.social
Each journal has a central theme that contributors are asked to respond to, and we are so excited to release this issue based on the theme 'Teanga' 'Language / Tongue'

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Votive Illustration @votiveillustration.bsky.social · Feb 27

Cover reveal and pre-order announcement for the latest issue of Airmid's Journal 🌿 A biannual publication of Irish folklore, foraging, myth, culture, and remedies

#folklore #mythology #zine #journal #publishing #diypublishing #SpéirGorm

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