For some obscure reason, I find it very moving that the well was the site of Killaloe's drinking water, and seeing that water still flowing.
"Until modern day piping" : yes, this hits home, because now that I think about it, the modern day piping makes the water... continuously accessible 24 hours a day, as in being "connected" to your drinking water. The modern experience is all about being connected, isn't it ?
I also would like to believe that the old Brian Boru went out onto the battlefield, where he found his death. Like Beowulf went out to meet his death with the dragon, for example.
For sure, praying in a tent is a noble occupation for an old man, but I know now that it is best for a man to be UPRIGHT, maybe with a sword, to remain a man, for as long as possible, particularly as he gets older. When the old men lie down something goes out of them...
Something I wrote here came home to me during my bout with insomnia last night. "The modern experience is all about being connected". Although the thinking is not unanimous about the etymology of "religere" in Latin, and Cicero himself questioned it, it is worth while looking at it for a minute here, with respect to our "tourmente/torment" right now. Alain Rey in my historical dictionary of the French language says that the Christians see in the word "religio" the verb "religare" which means to "re-lier", which is in relation to "attachment, dependance". The "ligare" even indicates the idea of being bound, and under obligation. In all probability, it is visible in the expression "LIEGE" lord...Cicero, however, considered that the word "religio" in Latin came from the verb "legere", to collect, in a verb that has given us, in French, the verb "lire", to read, but also, of course, "légiférer", which is in relation to legislation, and THE LAW. The word "religere" means, according to Beneveniste, a twentieth century authority on linguistics, to "go back over what one has done in thought, to devote attention and application to it" (my translation from French). "Religio" is synonymous with "scrupulous, done with an attention to detail". During the Middle Ages, "religio" designated the monastic DISCIPLINE, attention to detail, OBSERVATION of ritual practices. Rey again : "it seems that western languages, unlike other idioms, even indo-european, created a word to distinguish beliefs and rites from all other forms of social institutions. This break and transfert correspond to the specific designation of a domain which had never previously been thought as something separate, since archaic societies did not separate social from sacred."
Cicero's etymology puts the accent on the law, to be linked to what emanates from the activity of reading.
The word "connected" comes from the imperial latin "conexus" "connexus", "which forms a continuity". "co" comes from "cum" : "with", and "nectere" means to "knot, tie together". The words are employed with an ABSTRACT sense of being in relation to.
Historically, the word "connect" derives from a scientific way of finding meaning in the world, and the words are what we call "savant" in French, which means that they were used by the upper, educated classes who could read.
There are probably people here who believe that words which are synonyms are equivalent, but I do not believe that at all. Words, like people, have histories, and they are even less innocent than we are. They also seem to have their own agendas. The words "connected/continuity" are fighting/competing in our minds to replace the word "religion" whether used by Cicero, or Christian monks.
I think that I would much rather be religious than connected, right now... and I am trying to work at it.
Speaking of a downside of “modern piping” An acquaintance of mine put together a nonprofit to help a village in Guinea, Africa. The non-profit installed a new water source and offered to put a faucet in each hut in the small village. The village elders declined as it would eliminate going to get water as a place of meeting and the walking through the village to get water reducing the interaction and contact among the villagers lessening vital social connection. Physical convenience and time saving were not the highest values. Every technology has it pros and cons.
I love this. Where I live in Northern California, there is a spring that comes out of the base of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A community member cares for this spring and has built a beautiful rock work bench and installed copper pipes. It has become a community meeting place where people come to fill their jugs with this most pure delicious water. It very much has fostered social connection and community. I often think about times past while I am filling my water jugs, about community water sources and what an important role they played in peoples lives.
There's a similar tale out of American-occupied Afghanistan: the Army piped in water to a rural village to save time and effort for the women (who carried the water), only to have the plumbing repeatedly damaged or destroyed. Finally, a female officer spoke with some of the women, who told her that going to the well was the one time in the day they could be out from under the 'firm hand' of their menfolk, and gossip and exchange stories and laugh. The well was restored to serve that purpose. I got the story second hand.
I just read this essay to my Irish husband, Brian Kennedy (Breen O'Kenayda as he calls himself), who informed me that he was named after Brian Boru. There is an uncanny resemblance between the depiction of Brian Boru in the painting you shared and my Brian - including the wild beard and crazy hair.
For some obscure reason, I find it very moving that the well was the site of Killaloe's drinking water, and seeing that water still flowing.
"Until modern day piping" : yes, this hits home, because now that I think about it, the modern day piping makes the water... continuously accessible 24 hours a day, as in being "connected" to your drinking water. The modern experience is all about being connected, isn't it ?
I also would like to believe that the old Brian Boru went out onto the battlefield, where he found his death. Like Beowulf went out to meet his death with the dragon, for example.
For sure, praying in a tent is a noble occupation for an old man, but I know now that it is best for a man to be UPRIGHT, maybe with a sword, to remain a man, for as long as possible, particularly as he gets older. When the old men lie down something goes out of them...
Thank you for this, this morning, Paul.
Something I wrote here came home to me during my bout with insomnia last night. "The modern experience is all about being connected". Although the thinking is not unanimous about the etymology of "religere" in Latin, and Cicero himself questioned it, it is worth while looking at it for a minute here, with respect to our "tourmente/torment" right now. Alain Rey in my historical dictionary of the French language says that the Christians see in the word "religio" the verb "religare" which means to "re-lier", which is in relation to "attachment, dependance". The "ligare" even indicates the idea of being bound, and under obligation. In all probability, it is visible in the expression "LIEGE" lord...Cicero, however, considered that the word "religio" in Latin came from the verb "legere", to collect, in a verb that has given us, in French, the verb "lire", to read, but also, of course, "légiférer", which is in relation to legislation, and THE LAW. The word "religere" means, according to Beneveniste, a twentieth century authority on linguistics, to "go back over what one has done in thought, to devote attention and application to it" (my translation from French). "Religio" is synonymous with "scrupulous, done with an attention to detail". During the Middle Ages, "religio" designated the monastic DISCIPLINE, attention to detail, OBSERVATION of ritual practices. Rey again : "it seems that western languages, unlike other idioms, even indo-european, created a word to distinguish beliefs and rites from all other forms of social institutions. This break and transfert correspond to the specific designation of a domain which had never previously been thought as something separate, since archaic societies did not separate social from sacred."
Cicero's etymology puts the accent on the law, to be linked to what emanates from the activity of reading.
The word "connected" comes from the imperial latin "conexus" "connexus", "which forms a continuity". "co" comes from "cum" : "with", and "nectere" means to "knot, tie together". The words are employed with an ABSTRACT sense of being in relation to.
Historically, the word "connect" derives from a scientific way of finding meaning in the world, and the words are what we call "savant" in French, which means that they were used by the upper, educated classes who could read.
There are probably people here who believe that words which are synonyms are equivalent, but I do not believe that at all. Words, like people, have histories, and they are even less innocent than we are. They also seem to have their own agendas. The words "connected/continuity" are fighting/competing in our minds to replace the word "religion" whether used by Cicero, or Christian monks.
I think that I would much rather be religious than connected, right now... and I am trying to work at it.
I always think of the Chieftans whenever Brian Boru is spoken of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnGxgSXJK-s
This is awesome. Makes me want to dig out some old Chieftains. Hail to the northern isles
Speaking of a downside of “modern piping” An acquaintance of mine put together a nonprofit to help a village in Guinea, Africa. The non-profit installed a new water source and offered to put a faucet in each hut in the small village. The village elders declined as it would eliminate going to get water as a place of meeting and the walking through the village to get water reducing the interaction and contact among the villagers lessening vital social connection. Physical convenience and time saving were not the highest values. Every technology has it pros and cons.
I love this. Where I live in Northern California, there is a spring that comes out of the base of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A community member cares for this spring and has built a beautiful rock work bench and installed copper pipes. It has become a community meeting place where people come to fill their jugs with this most pure delicious water. It very much has fostered social connection and community. I often think about times past while I am filling my water jugs, about community water sources and what an important role they played in peoples lives.
There's a similar tale out of American-occupied Afghanistan: the Army piped in water to a rural village to save time and effort for the women (who carried the water), only to have the plumbing repeatedly damaged or destroyed. Finally, a female officer spoke with some of the women, who told her that going to the well was the one time in the day they could be out from under the 'firm hand' of their menfolk, and gossip and exchange stories and laugh. The well was restored to serve that purpose. I got the story second hand.
I just read this essay to my Irish husband, Brian Kennedy (Breen O'Kenayda as he calls himself), who informed me that he was named after Brian Boru. There is an uncanny resemblance between the depiction of Brian Boru in the painting you shared and my Brian - including the wild beard and crazy hair.
“…In the flow…”? Clever. Was that intentional?
I’m still struggling with the fact that there was an ancient King called Brian. But maybe that’s just me.🤣
It’s pronounced Bree-an, I think, (which makes it less funny, I know).
Thanks Kathy. That helps. I blame Monty Python, and apologise to Brians everywhere on their behalf. 😊
🤣Yes!!!
Did the lad do this, at but 2mo. old?
It might be dawning on me the yes to this and like stories from antiquity and legend:
Was it really 7 days?
40 lashes?
7x70 times?
7 and then 7 more generations to our Christ?
Or is this the wrong way to think about these numbers, what makes them true and accurate?
Likewise to the truth of an infant doing the historically concretely unlikely.