Irish Green Men

Happy St. Patrick's Day -- Tis the Wearin' o' the Green or Green Man?
The famous Irish "Book of Kells" has numerous illustrations of men and beasts disgorging vegetation.  The Book of Kells, housed at Trinity college in Dublin, Ireland can now be seen online at this link: http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v

http://books.google.com/books?id=xJ3Ppecdh14C&printsec=frontcover

 

The above book has some terrific information  on Ireland and the Green Man.  See pages 211 and 212.  I've only had a chance to read portions of the book, but am looking forward to reading the complete volume in the next week.  The reviews are excellent.

As I think literally of the "Wearing o' the Green" my thoughts return to Zeleni Jurae of a previous
post: http://thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/09/zeleni-jurij.html

and 'green' costuming at: http://www.thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/10/green-man-masquerade-part-1.html

Slainte!

Not just any George...

Not just any George…

He’s not George Washington, George Carlin or George Lucas. He’s “Green George.”  If I was politically correct, I would post this blog entry on April 23^rd  -- Green George’s Day or the Christina celebration of St. George.
Green George is a Green Man figure from Eastern Europe and Russia.  He is the protector of the earth, god of vegetation and the forbearer for Spring. 

 Green George photo from: http://mazzoumemories.blogspot.com/2012/03/2011-cultural-events.html

In some Slavic countries he is known as Jarilo and is related to St. George (of St. George and the Dragon fame) or Zeleni Juraj:

  (from: http://www.visitdolenjska.eu/bela-krajina/vrsta-ponudbe)

There is an amazing article on Green George at: http://www.leluya.org/mythology/Green_George.php#