Columcille Megalith Park

On this misty magical winter solstice morning we danced with the dark, lit the solstice fire on Signal Hill, and waited for the return of the light. The sun had... much dross from 2020 to burn off. So, a little late, the sun broke through whitelymimicking the full moon. 2021 will be bright and we will all be together here next year to greet a brighter sun. See more

Register at: www.kirkridge.org/loving-the-land

It is with profound sadness we need to announce that today our dear friend, guardian and greeter at Columcille, Lochea has come to the clearing at the end of hi...s path. He was a companion and protector of Fred and Bill and did his job faithfully and well. You will be sorely missed buddy. May your journey be smooth and your reunion with our dearly departed joyous. Photos: Jill Chunko

Once in a Blue Moon. It was a silent Samhain tonight in what Bill would call no time. The sky was overcast and it looked as though the Moon was afraid to show... her face. I stopped by the Chapel to share a wee dram with Bill and Fred and to hear what they had to say about the looming election. The libation worked its magic. When I returned to the circle the stones were dancing in the moonlight. A sign that all will be well? See more

Photo by Sean Distefano

This morning our mountain sanctuary is poised for a moment in paradox. Day and night are in balance, time stands still, and we are greeted by frost in the morni...ng only to be warmed by a noon sun. The pandemic burning too many lives and the dry forest's vulnerability to other deadly flames have left our celebratory blaze unlit. We cover our faces and keep our distance to show our love. This is the season of abundance, of harvest, though we know the dark, cold, hunger, and hardship are at too many doors. Red signs of hatred, intolerance, and greed flare up along our mountain roads. This morning, though, we celebrate the equinox and embrace the light and warmth within us. We look forward, beyond the red warning in the morning sky, to a clear blue, hopeful autumn. See more

The lastest gorgeous shot of the park by our fabulous On-site Coordinator, Jill Chunko. Signal Hill Dawning

We are so incredibly grateful to have had a chance to collaborate and work with our neighbors up the mountain, Kirkridge and their Associate Director Justine Johnson, to put together this presentation in honor of Lughnasadh. We hope you enjoy. https://youtu.be/JkT1m6ABCN4

Registration is required for this free event, in order for us to send you a Zoom link. Please use the following direct link to the registration page: https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSdDx9dpY-dZcCiZCe/viewform

Celebrate the May. Bealtaine blessings!

A quiet celebration of Earth Day and of this beautiful corner of the Earth.

Spring has arrived at Columcille Megalith Park, the grass is turning green, dogwoods are budding, daffodils are in bloom, the fish have surfaced, and the peace ...and beauty of the land offer a respite from the pandemic that has disrupted all our lives. Though we have closed Casa Colum and the Voyagers’ Lounge and have cancelled all group activities, we believe it is important to keep the park open for individual visits with physical distancing. Our site coordinator and caretaker, Jill Chunko, has worked tirelessly to keep the park beautiful, welcoming, and safe. Mothers and fathers with their now home-schooled children express how grateful they are to have a safe place to bring their kids, who feel the magic, the spirit of the park. We have accomplished much this past year at Columcille, Inc. All of this costs money. Though numbers of visitors are up, donations are way down. We are determined to keep the park open free of charge for everyone. So, at this critical time, we ask present and past members to please send their 2020 membership donations as soon as possible, we ask friends of Columcille to become members if you can, and we welcome donations of any amount from those of you who love the park but don’t choose to be members. You’ll see that this year we have added a new student membership for only $25. We are grateful for every donation; anything you can give will help keep the park open this year. Long before Covid-19, the Stones were here, and they’ll be standing long after Covid-19 is gone. Whether we walk the trails or are hunkered down at home, we are all members of the Columcille community, and we will weather the storm together. Take care, keep well, and stay hopeful.

While we all are coping with the realities of a world-wide pandemic, so our park has been suffering from the scourge of the Emerald Ash Borer. Under the canopy ...of all the healthy trees, the 200 or so dead ash trees were not so noticeable, but winter revealed the extant of damage and the safety threat the dead trees present. If you visit the park you will notice that many dead trees have been downed. Trails remain open and we are slowly cleaning up. Piles of timber remain on Signal Hill and around the Chapel area. When the human virus recedes and it is safe to do so, we will ask for volunteers to help complete the clean up. We are removing only the dead trees that pose a threat to structures and trails. The land seems to be sharing our pain right now, but it soon will be more beautiful and more healthy than ever. See more

A few signs that Spring has found the park. The peepers in full song too.

This is the first in what will be an ongoing series of digital engagements for the Columcille community.

From the Board of Directors of Columcille Megalith Park For more than forty years, Columcille has been a sanctuary, welcoming what our founder, William H. Cohea Jr., called, "reluctant saints and weary sinners. By that he meant, each and every one of us. In times of national tragedies, such as the September eleventh attacks, and in times of personal loss, Columcille welcomes us and provides solace, a balm for psyche and spirit. During the present public health emergency, Co...lumcille will remain a sanctuary, a safe harbor during the storm, and will continue to welcome private visitors. To ensure we are able to do so safely, we are canceling or postponing all public events and other gatherings at the Park. We honor all CDC, national, state, and local guidelines for safety while maintaining our core mission of providing our community a place of respite. We are taking several specific actions in the face of this pandemic to ensure the safety of our community. First, as noted, all gatherings at the park are canceled or postponed until further notice. We are closing the Voyagers Lounge for the duration of the disruption. Likewise, Casa Colum will also be closed to the public. Additionally, we ask that groups not gather in the enclosed space of St. Columba’s Chapel, though it will remain unlocked for individual use. We ask that folks who choose to visit the Park privately make sure to employ proper social distancing strategies, good hygiene practices, and to remain conscious and respectful of fellow visitors. We know that for many families with children, Columcille may offer an opportunity to get them out of the house in these trying times. They are most welcome on the Land, and we ask parents to help them remember that the park is a place for quite reflection and communion with nature. Please help us to remain open by following all posted park policies while visiting Columcille. As we hunker down and do what we can to prevent the spread of this virus, we will all need a safe place to walk, become immersed in nature, and welcome the hope of renewal as spring settles on the Land. Although we will not be hosting any Columcille Academy talks until further notice, we are working to find ways to strengthen our community at a time when each of us may feel isolated. We will be posting photos, sharing the beauty of spring at the Park on Facebook and Instagram, and we encourage you to do the same. We are exploring diverse options to provide a sense of connection for our community in a time when many will be enduring unwelcome isolation and disruptions. Columcille's Infinity Gate, the entrance to our shared Land of Myth and Mystery, remains open and welcoming in the real and virtual worlds. Please contact us at [email protected] with any additional questions. Watch our website Columcille.org, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates as we move through these interesting times.

The generosity of our supporters is so very important to the continuing success of Columcille. One of the lessons the land teaches us is that nature is never static, and neither is our park. Every year, the trails need to be maintained, stones cared for, the grasses cut, and many, many other projects we hope to accomplish as they make themselves known. Our beloved Casa Colum (the house) is well over a century old and has many ongoing maintenance needs. We also have a number... of contractors to assist the business side of the park, from accounting to the wonderful presence of our on-site coordinator Jill. Tomorrow at 8:00am Eastern Time, Facebook will be matching the first $7 million in charitable donations to various non-profit organizations. Columcille Inc. is the name of the non-profit corporation responsible for the Megalith Park and is one of the organizations eligible to receive these funds. We would deeply appreciate whatever you might be able to give. Thank you. See more

Columcille Megalith Park is a non-profit park, 100% supported by the generosity of our visitors, friends, and members whose gifts allow us to remain open for the public and continue our missions of conservation, education, and holding open space for spiritual exploration, rejuvenation, and celebration. As we enter this season of giving, please consider making a donation to Columcille. Facebook is once again offering to match the first $7 million in donations made to non-profits and charities on Giving Tuesday, this Tuesday, December 3rd.

Unfortunately, we are announcing the cancellation of tomorrow's inaugural Columcille Academy: Standing Stones. While the park is beautiful covered in rime, glaze, and snow, getting to the park and moving around on the land is often quite hazardous in such conditions. Given the anticipated winter event affecting the Pocono mountains tomorrow, and our desire for everyone in our community to stay safe and warm, rescheduling the event seems the most prudent course. Watch this space for the date and time of this exciting offering when we are able to reschedule it.

A celebration of Samhain.

Thank you to the wonderful community of Columcille who came out tonight and made this year's Samhuinn observance so amazing.Thank you to the wonderful community of Columcille who came out tonight and made this year's Samhuinn observance so amazing.

Saturday Samhuinn celebration with Kindred Moone at Columcille! What could be better? Ceremony begins at 7:00. It'll be cool outside so dress appropriately. Setup begins at 2:00, and volunteers are always appreciated. We are also asking for baked goods donations if any kind souls would be willing. See you there.

Samhuinn, of all our celebrations, needs the most help from our community. We need volunteers to help set up torches, fires, and luminaria prior to the event and baked goods donations for our hospitality tent. Setup begins at 2:00 pm Saturday. Contact [email protected] for information or to let us know you're coming. Don't miss Kindred Moone, performing this year!

Kindred Moone will be performing at Samhuinn this year. Come see these incredible performers at Columcille on Saturday, November 2nd.

Andrew’s Challenge & Description of the Journey Are you called to stand up for all life? As the darkest dark rises spreading fear, creating anger, lethargy, despair and hopelessness, the lightest light is rising to meet, penetrate and transmute it. We are the people we have been waiting for. We gather to step into the fullness of our power as we look to co-create a bright new world and play a part in the evolution of our species The Wild Hunt is a ritual battle agains...t the forces of death and destruction at the gateway of the dark half of the year that begins with Samhuinn, the Celtic New Year. It is a transformative shamanic journey based on an indigenous Celtic medicine pathway, and offers an opportunity for deep healing on a personal level and a wonderful cleansing to the land, its ancestors, and the worlds between worlds. The journey is a huge responsibility, and also an amazing celebration of life. Elements of the journey include: Celtic Fire Ceremony with the Ancient Wicker Man Sacred Oak Knowledge Offerings Ceremonial work with the Bone Mother, the Morrighan, Lugh, the Dagda and the Tuatha De Dannan Honouring of the Ancestors & the Fae Collective Journey: The Wild Hunt Schedule: Friday, October 25: Registration 6.30pm; Circle 7:00-9:30pm Saturday, October 26: 9.30am-10pm Sunday, October 27: 10:00am-1:00pm The Wild Hunt is an indoor/outdoor gathering where the focus will be to be out on the land as much as possible, so sturdy shoes and clothing for all weather conditions are recommended. (A full list of what to bring will be supplied nearer the date.) Cost is $225.00/person, exclusive of food and lodging, which can be booked at establishments within a 10-mile radius near Stroudsburg PA. For advance registration (required) and further details, please visit andrewsteed.com.

Last chance this year!

Reminders: Saturday, September 14, kicks off Fall Clean-Up Week at Columcille! Workdays begin at 10:00am. Please call (610) 588-1174 to let our On-Site Coordinator, Jill Chunko, know when to expect you, or email her at [email protected]. Our Sunrise Observance of the "official" Equinox will begin at 6:30am on Signal Hill on Monday, September 23. We appreciate your support in the many varied ways that you continue to offer it. Please forward this message to your friends, and invite them to join you.

Did you know you can contribute to Columcille while you shop? Amazon offers an alternate website by which to shop online called smile.amazon.com. It's just the same as the regular Amazon page except that a small percentage of the total amount of your order will be donated to your preferred charity, which could be Columcille Megalith Park. Below is a link that will take you to instructions in how to change your charity or set one up. Please consider making Columcille your smil...e.amazon.com charity. https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html For more information about the smile program at Amazon follow this link; https://smile.amazon.com/about

For more information and to register go to, https://oran-academy-staying-sane-on-a-tilting-planet.event

For more information, and to register, go to, https://oran-academy-staying-sane-on-a-tilting-planet.event

Thank you to everyone who came out to the park on Saturday for our Lughnasadh celebration. For those who were not able to make it, here is a film of the short play, "Against the Blight: Lugh vs. Balor" which premiered at the celebration. https://youtu.be/cvRNMBFe4Sc

For those that are not aware, Tom Egan will be continuing his first Saturday of the month tours of Columcille tomorrow. For those of you who have never been on such a tour, they are amazing and convey so much knowledge about the park, its history, and some of the magic to be found hereabouts. The tour begins at 9:30 and will last till approximately noon. Stay and join us in our lughnasadh celebration at 2: 00!

Here is a blast from the past, an old news segment shot at the park with a bit of the history and two much loved and missed gentlemen. https://youtu.be/sD373ORmo-A