Sacred Stone, Sacred Water Edited By Carolyn Brigit Flynn

February 14, 2021 by Irish American Mom 112 Comments

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Sacred Stone, Sacred Water is a skillfully crafted book of inspiring reflections on Ireland's spiritual places, paired with spectacular evocative photographs of Ireland's sacred landscape.

This beautiful book is edited by writer and teacher, Carolyn Brigit Flynn, and designed by artist, Janis O'Driscoll. Together, they created an elegant and intimate collection of writing, art and photography evoking Ireland’s wild beauty and deep soul.

Green coastline on a book cover with text banners — Sacred Stone Sacred Water

Ireland's Thin Places
Sacred Stone, Sacred Water Edited by Carolyn Brigit Flynn
About Carolyn Brigit Flynn
Carolyn's Roots In Ireland
Praise for Sacred Stone Sacred Water
Where To Purchase Sacred Stone, Sacred Water
The Giveaway
Update: Winner Chosen on February 20th, 2021

Ireland's Thin Places

In our little corner of the internet, we previously explored the significance of Ireland's thin places, sacred sites where heaven and earth seem to meet. This book is a further exploration of these sacred spaces.

Today, I'm delighted to share a giveaway for a copy of this beautiful book. But before we get into the details of how to enter our sweepstakes, let me first hand you over to the editor, Carolyn Brigit Flynn, to explore her writing inspirations.

Sacred Stone, Sacred Water Edited by Carolyn Brigit Flynn

'Sacred Stone, Sacred Water' is an elegant and intimate collection evoking Ireland's wild beauty and deep soul through the work of fourteen American women writers and artists.

I am an author and writing teacher, and the book emerged from a writing retreat and tour I taught in three parts of Ireland in September 2016 called "Landscape of Soul and Story."

Our journey focused upon mythic places and sacred sites that live prominently in the Irish landscape. Our group happened to include a large number of very gifted photographers and artists, and we traveled to exquisite places in the Boyne Valley north of Dublin, the Beara Peninsula in the scenic southwest, and the ancient town of Kildare in the midlands.

The sun illuminates a large stone burial mound in a green field — Newgrange

I have taught writing retreats and tours in Ireland every few years since 2002. The writers with me in 2016 included published authors, artists, novelists, poets, photographers, painters, medical doctors, healers, musicians, educators, political organizers, social workers, and international women's activists.

What emerged from this talented circle was elevated, intelligent, soulful, and finely honed. As I heard their written work and saw their photographs, I knew this would make a gorgeous book. The artist Janis O'Driscoll, who was with us, agreed to design the book, and her excellent eye and the lyrical writing sets Sacred Stone, Sacred Water apart as a singularly beautiful offering.

We explored world-famous Newgrange and ancient monasteries in the Boyne Valley and had the rare good luck to experience, the rising sun enter the 5,000-year-old passage mound at Loughcrew on the Fall equinox sunrise, which we wrote about and photographed.

Standing stones at the water's edge with a mountain in the background — Uragh Stone Circle on the Beara Peninsula

In the scenic Beara Peninsula, we traveled the world-renowned Healy Pass, journeyed to venerable stone circles and ancient churches on the Ring of Beara, and explored the colorful town of Castletownbere. Finally, in Kildare we immersed ourselves in the spiritual legacy of the goddess/saint Brigit at her ancient monastic site, sacred wells, and Solas Bhríde Centre.

We were thrilled to receive many endorsements for Sacred Stone, Sacred Water, including from the beloved Irish musician Nóirín Ní Riain, the Irish ecologist and guide Gerard Clarke, and Sue Booth-Forbes, the founder of the Anam Cara Writer's Center in Eyeries, Ireland, as well as many others.

About Carolyn Brigit Flynn

Carolyn Brigit Flynn is an author and teacher dedicated to language as a pathway to renewed life and deepening of soul and spirit. As a poet and writer she infuses her work with a dedication to the earth, a love of natural and human history, and the lives of women.

As a teacher, she provides a powerful container for writers to generate new work from the depth of the soul, and to edit and complete their writing for a broad audience.

A woman at a lectern teaching a class in a book store — Carolyn Brigit Flynn Writer and Teacher

Carolyn received her B.A. from George Washington University and her M.A. from UCLA, both in Urban Studies and History. She studied the craft and soul of creative writing with the poet and novelist Deena Metzger, now her long time mentor and friend. She studied dream work in the tradition of depth psychology with Stephen Aisenstat at Pacifica Graduate Institute.

Many years ago Carolyn discovered a profound affiliation with the ancient places of Ireland. She periodically brings groups of writers and artists to journey into the soul and spirit of Ireland through writing, art and storytelling.

Carolyn's Roots In Ireland

Carolyn makes her home in California, but Ireland is the land of her ancestors, and the sacred ground of her creative and spiritual work. Her private journeys over the past 23 years feed her deep connections with Ireland’s history and lush landscape.

She has lifelong friendships with Irish guides and teachers, as well as longstanding connections with relatives in County Roscommon and County Dublin.

Carolyn first led groups of writers and artists to Ireland in 2002, with a focus on meeting creative spirits and ancient ancestors in the landscape, the carved stones, and the hills and fields.

Statue of a woman beside a stone wall and well — Saint Brigids Well in County Kildare <a href=httpscommonswikimediaorgwikiFileKildare Brallistown Little St Brigid27s Well Statue 2013 09 04jpg target= blank rel=noopener nofollow sponsored>Image Credit<a>

Praise for Sacred Stone Sacred Water

Here you'll find some beautiful recommendations from other writers and artists.

“Beautifully woven in image and word, this cornucopia is surely a jewel in the crown of Tír Ghrá (pronounced teer graw - an ancient Irish phrase which means “love of land”) literature. Booklover, read aloud to taste and hear the fulsomeness, the music and richness of these deep, passionate experiences! I fully endorse this book, and every seeker of holiness, love and wholesomeness will delight in it.”

- NÓIRÍN NÍ RIAIN, Irish musician, spiritual teacher & author of Listen with the Ear of the Heart

“This delicious and thoughtful book is almost as good as going to Ireland yourself. Through the eyes of insightful women traveling together, you’ll feel as if you are with them in a stone chamber as the autumn equinox light enters it, or visiting the sacred well of Brigid, or tramping along the green, rain-soaked hills. A must-read."

- MARY DINGEE FILMORE, author of An Address in Amsterdam

“Sacred Stone, Sacred Water is a blessing, offering undeniable beauty and magic. The earth, sky, light, river and stones speak their holy language through the words and images of these wise and gifted women who made a pilgrimage to Ireland to know the Old Ones in this life.”

- DEENA METZGER, author of A Rain of Night Birds and Writing For Your Life

“A gorgeous book...From meeting modern stone diviners, to finding the hag-godess Cailleach, to tromps across wet moss to greet old stones, Sacred Stone, Sacred Water is a document of a life-altering journey. It reveals the beautiful mystery of an ancient tradition, and the power of ancestral land in sourcing what's essential now.”

- SONYA LEA, author of Wondering Who You Are

Waterfall on a mountain with yellow flowers in the foreground — Gleninchaquin Waterfall on the Beara Peninsula

Where To Purchase Sacred Stone, Sacred Water

Good news! Carolyn has discounted her book by 20% between now and Saint Patrick's Day 2021.

It's available through the website, Sisters Singing.

You can also learn more about Carolyn's writings, teachings and tours of Ireland on her website, Carolyn Brigit Flynn.

The Giveaway

This book is a perfect coffee table volume, allowing the reader to join others on their sacred pilgrimage to Ireland. Whenever a moment is needed to refresh the soul, simply pick up this book. Through inspiring photographs, the reader travels to the ancient landscape of Ireland, while lyrical words take the reader on an inward journey to the rich territory of our unfolding souls.

Enter this giveaway for a chance to experience Ireland's exquisite beauty, and encounter her poetry, music and stories.

One lucky reader will win a copy of Sacred Stone, Sacred Water.

To enter simply leave a comment on this blog post by noon Eastern Time on Saturday, February 20th, 2021.

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us if you have ever visited a sacred place in Ireland.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced on Saturday, February 20th, 2021, at the bottom of this blog post.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

Thank you to all who support this giveaway and share it with family and friends.

And many thanks to Carolyn for supporting this giveaway by sponsoring the prize, and for sharing her amazing work with us today.

Update: Winner Chosen on February 20th, 2021

Our winner has been randomly chosen using the Pick Giveaway Winner Plug-in for WordPress.

And the lucky reader is ….

Linda Goodnight

I’ll send an email to arrange mailing of her prize. A big thank you to everyone for supporting this giveaway by leaving comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every comment.

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Happy reading to all.

Thank you all for supporting our Irish American community.

Stay tuned for more stories and giveaways over the coming weeks and months.

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Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Mairéad -Irish American Mom

Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th

Mairéad - rhymes with parade

Disclosure: I don't have any financial connection with Sisters Singing or Carolyn Brigit Flynn. The links for purchasing this book are not affiliate links. This post reflects my honest and unbiased thoughts about this work.

Here's a Pinterest friendly graphic, if you would like to add this book to your reading and book boards.

Coastline and a stone circle at sunrise with text banners — Sisters Singing Books about Ireland

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