On beautiful Deeside, in the grounds of Aboyne castle estate "Samhuinn" the Celtic Fire Festival got underway. The festivities started at 2pm and the weather was on our side with the mildest day for over a week. Samhuinn celebrates the beginning of the Celtic year with the arrival of winter.

The afternoon was well attended, entertainments for our youngest Celts including story telling, circus skills, drum workshop and puppets stall while us older ones could visit the various stalls, from touch healer, woodcrafts and of course the Crann Tara tent, or relax with a drink in the "Coo's cathedral" listening to music from the Pictones and Old blind dogs. But the festival really started at nightfall. Crowds arrived from everywhere, New age and Old school, all mixing to celebrate our pagan roots and our Celtic future. Troops of fire jugglers and twirlers lit up the night, dancing beneath the full moon eclipsing the multicolour glow sticks adorning the crowd. A mystic walk through the Fire Spiral to rekindle our ancestral beliefs, the sights were spectacular. As a climax the incredible Peat Bog Fairies played the indoor music stage.

What an entertaining and exciting event for all the family.

I am the god of FIRE

By Rab & Juliette Cairney