Wild Kin: A Celtic Podcast

Jess Neary

Wild Kin is a seasonal podcast exploring Celtic myths, deities, and traditions. Hosted by writer Jess Neary of Wild Kin Studio, each episode blends immersive storytelling with history and reflection to show why these legends still resonate today. New episodes drop around the Celtic festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. wildkinstudio.substack.com

  1. 26. APR.

    S3E4: At the Threshold of Desire

    From the sovereignty goddess tradition of the early Irish, through the May Day customs, this episode traces where the traditions of Beltane originated. Most of what people associate with the festival today was invented surprisingly recently, but underneath the layers, there's something older and more interesting worth finding. For more Celtic-inspired stories, check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack Further Reading: Sanas Chormaic: Cormac's Glossary Dúchas: The Schools' Collection Táin Bó Cúailnge: Recension I Lebor Gabála Érenn (Book of Invasions) Foras Feasa ar Éirinn by Geoffrey Keating "Manifestations of Sovereignty in Medieval Ireland" The Golden Bough by **Sir James George Frazer, 1890 The Anatomie of Abuses by Philip Stubbes, 1583 Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    13 Min.

  2. 19. APR.

    S3E3: Bonfires & Butter

    The Celtic festival of Beltane was never just about the fires. Behind the bonfires of May Eve lay something deeper — a three-thousand-year reverence for cattle, milk, and butter, and a persistent fear of the forces that might steal them away. Further Reading Sanas Cormaic (Cormac’s Glossary) The Schools’ Collection, 1937–1939 “The Needfire Ritual” Examples of the Survival in Scotland of Superstitions Relating to Fire” “Four Millennia of Dairy Surplus and Deposition Revealed through Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis and Radiocarbon Dating of Irish Bog Butters” Exploring the Food-Related Intangible Cultural Heritage of Bealtaine (May Day) within the Irish Folklore Commission’s Schools’ Collection Digital Archive” Wild Kin is a podcast and publication reconnecting to Celtic history, mythology, and spiritual tradition. Subscribe on Substack for more essays, seasonal guides to find your way home to your heritage. Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    12 Min.

  3. 12. APR.

    S3E2: Spring Sacrifice

    As the first of May approaches, the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane marks a turning point as a threshold between seasons. In this episode, we explore how communities may have prepared for the coming summer with rituals that hint at something darker. From the preserved body of Lindow Man, to 18th century Beltane customs recorded by John Ramsay, to the later May Day figure of Jack in the Green, a pattern begins to emerge. While separated by centuries, these traditions reflect a shared human response to uncertainty, and the question of what must be given in return. For more Celtic-inspired stories, check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack Resources - Julius Caesar’s Account of the Gallic Wars - The British Museum’s Archive on The Lindow Man - James Frazer’s recordings from John Ramsay in The Golden Bough - Library of Congress Folklore Blog on Jack in the Green Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    16 Min.

  4. 5. APR.

    S3E1: The Bull, the Queen, and the Balance of Power

    What does it mean to hold power, and what does it take to claim it? In this episode of Wild Kin, we step into the world of early Ireland through the story of Medb, a queen remembered for her ambition, her strategy, and the war she waged to secure her place as an equal ruler. But beneath the drama of cattle raids and battlefield tactics lies something deeper. Medb’s story opens a window into a society where wealth, land, and authority were closely intertwined- and where power within marriage, leadership, and even the land itself followed a very different logic than what we know today. From early Irish law to sovereignty traditions and later reinterpretations, we explore how Medb’s story has endured, evolved, and continues to resonate. If you'd like more Celtic stories & resources, check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack Resources: Primary texts are drawn from the CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts) archive at University College Cork. Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) via CELT Cáin Lánamna (Brehon Law Text) Medb of Connaught Mention of Medb’s Tomb in the Metrical Dindschenchas Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    14 Min.
  5. S2E4: The Wild Winter Mare

    28.12.2025

    S2E4: The Wild Winter Mare

    As the year draws to a close, there is a stretch of winter when time feels suspended. The space after holiday celebrations have ended, but before the light truly begins to return. In this episode of Wild Kin, we step into that liminal time, when spirits were once believed to roam freely, and the wild came knocking at the door. Resources: *National Museum Wales: Christmas Traditions: The Mari Lwyd *English Heritage: Uffington White Horse *Journal of the Royal Anthropoligical Institute: Rethinking ritual: how rituals made our world and how they could save it For more Celtic stories and traditions, check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack. Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    15 Min.
  6. S2E3: Midwinter Gatherings

    21.12.2025

    S2E3: Midwinter Gatherings

    In the heart of winter, when storms rage and resources grow thin, generosity has never been easy, or even optional. In this episode of Wild Kin, we step into the deep history of midwinter to explore why hospitality, gift-giving, and communal care have carried such moral weight across time. From Neolithic stone monuments aligned to the returning sun, to Celtic laws that mandated hosting as a sacred duty, to Christian stories that reframed generosity as divine obligation, we trace how winter has always demanded answers. Resources Winter Solstice at Newgrange — World Heritage Ireland Hospitality and the Law in Early Medieval Ireland — RTÉ Brainstorm Togail Bruidne Dá Derga (The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel) — CELT, University College Cork For more Celtic stories and traditions, check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack. Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    14 Min.
  7. S2E2: The Holly Tree

    14.12.2025

    S2E2: The Holly Tree

    Holly is more than a Christmas decoration — it’s one of winter’s oldest guardians. In this episode of Wild Kin, we trace holly’s path from pagan threshold magic and medieval law to ogham lore, wandering spirits, and the evergreen symbol we still hang above our doors today. Resources & Further Reading Ilex aquifolium (Holly) — University College Cork Auraicept na n-Éces — CELT Edition Bríatharogam (Ogham Kennings) — Wikipedia Celtic Tree Alphabets — Nigel Pennick Trees in Early Ireland — Fergus Kelly (PDF) To hear more, check out The Artio Journal on Substack Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    14 Min.
  8. S2E1: The Winter Crone

    07.12.2025

    S2E1: The Winter Crone

    The first frost isn’t just a shift in weather — it’s the moment the Cailleach rises. Mountain-shaper. Storm-bringer. Guardian of the wild herds. This week on Wild Kin, we travel into the heart of her mythology:how the winter crone shaped the landscape, why she appears at the turning of the season, and what her ancient stories reveal about aging, power, and the wisdom found in darkness. Resources and References Blackie, Sharon: If Women Rose Rooted. September Publishing, 2016. Jones, Mary: Cailleach Bérri: The Lament of the Old Woman of Beare. (Primary text translation.) Martin, B. K.: Lament of the Old Woman of Beare: A Critical Evaluation. Medium Ævum, 38(3), 1969. PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Post-reproductive Lifespan in Humans and Whales. 2019 (Grandmother Hypothesis reference) Ritari, Kati. Images of Ageing in the Early Irish Poem Caillech Bérri.Studia Celtica Fennica, 19, 2022. Whyte, A. C. The Cailleach in Scottish Place-Lore and Place-Names. Journal of Scottish Name Studies, 14, 2020. Check out Wild Kin Studio on Substack for more Celtic-inspired stories. Get full access to Wild Kin at wildkinstudio.substack.com/subscribe

    16 Min.
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Wild Kin is a seasonal podcast exploring Celtic myths, deities, and traditions. Hosted by writer Jess Neary of Wild Kin Studio, each episode blends immersive storytelling with history and reflection to show why these legends still resonate today. New episodes drop around the Celtic festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. wildkinstudio.substack.com

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  • Erstellt von
    Jess Neary
  • Jahre aktiv
    2025 - 2026
  • Folgen
    14
  • Bewertung
    Unbedenklich
  • Copyright
    © Jess Neary
  • Sendungswebsite
    Wild Kin: A Celtic Podcast