This is an image of Oisín and his travels to Tìr nan Òg. It starts with St. Patrick asking Oisín-a very ancient man- about his life. Oisín then explains how he was the son of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and travelled to faeryland with a Sí woman who would become his wife. After many adventures he decides he wants to see his country once again, she implores him to stay but he insists. She gives him a horse and tells him never to dismount, for if he does he can’t come back. He promises to be back and rides off, but when he comes to Ireland it is much changed and all of the Fianna are gone. Saddened, he rides around and chances upon men trying to move a stone, they’re having much trouble and ask for his help, for he is very strong, he knows that he can’t dismount though he tries to help, but when he leans in the saddle he comes crashing to the ground. Three hundred years comes upon suddenly and he is gasping for breath, not knowing what to do the men bring the wisest man they know to help, the man is St. Patrick. And thus were at the beginning of the tale.
St. Patrick most likely wore a non-Celtic tonsure, which one though is very unclear. It all comes down to the Corona and how old that is, plus when the tonsure was introduced in all of Christianised Europe, if the Corona is not old enough and tonsures were introduced then Patrick most likely wore the full tonsure, but if tonsures weren’t introduce then it’s quite possible that Patrick wore no tonsure at all. Druids wore tonsures and this is what the Celtic tonsure is supposed to be based on, though we do here of people in Gaul-albeit after Patrick’s time- wearing a tonsure described like that of the Celtic Church. After much debate I chose the proposed Celtic tonsure, there is another version of the Celtic tonsure but I chose this one because of artistic reasons.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!
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