The Unbearable CosPlay of the Trim "Puca Festival"

NeoPagan Larpers and NGOs Creating a Politically-Approved Version of our Ancient Gaelic Heritage

“Tlachtga, Ring Fort. It’s known locally as the hill of ward in Athboy Co. Meath. Tlachtga is an ancient, sacred site. It is thought that first Samhain fire took place there, to form a festival of remembrance and celebration, that marked the New Year of the old Gaelic-Celtic calendar. It was one of the four royal sites of the kingdom of Meath. From near and far and even from foreign lands people came to the hill, on Samhain. The history of the hill, dates back to the Stone Age, various archaeological discoveries have proved this. A interesting find which proves the importance of the hill, is the evidence of years worth of ash, from the burning of the fires as far back as 2,000 years ago.

The site takes the name Tlachtga, from the daughter of powerful druid Mogh Ruaith. She was thought to be the sun goddess in the time of the Tuatha Dé Danann. It is believed that Tlachtga died giving birth to three sons, named Dorb, Muacth and Cuma, and that she is buried on the hill. This is but a fraction of the mythology and history attached to this ancient site.

In 1999, a local man, known as the keeper of the hill, Joe Conlon, and his family rekindled a ceremony on the hill. A fire would be lit and a circle formed where a beautiful ceremony would take place which included calling out the names of loved ones who had passed from this world to the next, in remembrance. The first year this took place, there were 7 people in attendance, throughout the years, the numbers grew to as big as 3,000 people and maybe more, many of which came from abroad. These people were of every culture and belief. It became known as the Samhain Festival of Fire.

The tradition and event ran right up to 2016 and was free of charge without any public or government funding. At the advice of archaeologists from UCD, it was decided not take place in 2017 for the simple reason as to allow the land to rest. After the year of rest, a local councillor along with Boyne Valley tourism, Meath County Council and the local enterprise office, came together and used public funded money, unbeknownst to Joe Conlon or any of the committee who had been running the Samhain Festival of Fire for 16 years, to lease the land and plan their own festival. Joe nor none of the committee were asked or offered to give their input into any of the plans and weren’t informed about who was running this new event.

A few hours before this new planned event on the 31st of October 2018, they were informed that they could have a three minute slot to hold their ceremony, that was the Samhain Fire Festival. The invitation was politely declined. It seems extremely disrespectful that this can happen without any mention of the people who have held a festival on the land since 1999, who have a deep love for the hill and all it’s history and culture.

This “new” festival has now been branded as “Puca Festival” and has been running since 2018. Up until this year , a handful of people have returned to the hill on the 31st of October in a respectful way, after the “circus” preformed by “Puca” and its organisers was done and dusted. The hill was always open and free for people to visit and enjoy as a part of our Irish heritage.

However as of late 2023, the entrance to the site, has been fitted with large gates that are chained and locked. It is a shameful indictment for all those, especially Joe, who have given so selflessly to the preservation of this ancient tradition and special site, in order to make money from what should be a spiritual and cultural experience and was, up until 2018. But of course, in this corrupt little state, business, and certain political agendas, always comes first. It is clear to see that a lot of underhanded dealings occurred in turning what was such a magical event into a moneymaking scheme and it is heartbreaking to see Tlachtga, locked away, denying local people, who have spent decades at the hill, from accessing it.”

This article was forwarded to me by the author
D. Breathnach who is a resident of the area.