1) What’s with your pub’s name?

Hibernia is the classical Latin name for the island of Ireland, it was first used by the Romans in 98 AD. While the island of Ireland was never incorporated into the Roman Empire, Roman history and maps referred to Ireland as Hibernia.

There is evidence of Roman influence however as Roman artifacts have been found in Leinster, about 15 miles north of Dublin. Roman coins, some converted to pendants, and Romano-British brooches have been found in Ireland as well.

By the 18th century Hibernia was used on Irish coins and companies, such as the Hibernian Insurance Company (now the Hibernian Group). The name took on popularity with the success of the Irish Patriot Party. At a time when Palladian classical architecture and design were being adopted in northern Europe, Hibernia was a useful word to describe Ireland with overtones of classical style and civility, particularly by the prosperous landed gentry who were generally taught Latin at school.

> Learn more about the history of “Hibernia” on Wikipedia

 

Celtic Swirl

The celtic swirl is a very old symbol of Celtic origin.

Early man had much to contemplate when observing the beauty of spirals in the natural world. They appear on animals such as snails, seashells, and rams’ horns and they occur in natural phenomena like whirlpools, tornadoes, and spinning galaxies. It is not surprising that the spiral would become a powerful symbol for creation and growth. It is probably the oldest symbol of human spirituality and the most commonly recognized Celtic design motif.

The Celtic spiral design appears on a myriad of ancient artifacts, as well as on stone monuments such as Newgrange, in Ireland. It is uncertain what the religious significance was to the pagans of Newgrange, but it undoubtedly had some connection with the sun, which is spiral in its movements every three months. The double spiral also follows the path of the sun, describing the movement of the heavenly body over the course of a year.

The symbol meaning of the Celtic spiral is unknown. It may have been used simply for decoration but there is much room for interpretation. In most cultures, it is a symbol of eternal life. The symbol spirals out infinitely, thus reinforcing the concept of life, death, and rebirth. The whorls represent the continuous creation and destruction of the universe. In terms of rebirth and growth, the spiral symbol can represent awareness of self, beginning at the core or center, and expanding outwardly, as it develops.

It is also a symbol of initiation and the ritual journey through a labyrinth to the sacred realms beyond the center. The center represents complete balance. It is the place where Heaven and Earth merge. – You can the rest of this fine article at the Celtic Symbol Dictionary

• The ever present Sun
• Evolution and holistic growth
• Letting go, surrender, release
• Awareness of the one within the context of the whole
• Connectivity and union with deific and cosmic energies
• Revolutions of time, stars, planets and the way of natural progress
• Guinness is good for you

 

What If I over do it?
We all over-do it from time to time. After a long drinking session I slipped on a wet floor and hurt my back, thankfully to alleviate my back pain I could visit a good osteopath, which was a godsend. But perhaps the best thing to do is to drink less 😉