Our application to the Charities Regulator on behalf of Celtic Druid Temple for charitable status as a Religion with Nature as the Supreme Being under Section 39 of the Charities Act 2009, has been approved on 13/06/2018 after just 9 months. The Celtic Druid Temple's 'Registered Charity Number' as issued by the Charities Regulator (established by the Minister for Justice and Equality on a statutory basis on 16 October, 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act, 2009) is RCN 20106003
The Celtic Druid Temple was recognised by the Revenue Commissioner as a Religion with Nature as the Supreme Being after two and a half years of negotiations on 20/06/2015. The Celtic Druid Temple has legal and formal recognition in Ireland as a religious charity from the Revenue Commissioner with a CHY number 20684 issued by the Dept of Finance.
The Celtic Druid Temple became a Registered Religious Body for Solemnising Pagan handfastings as announced by the Office of the Registrar General of the Dept of Social Protection on 03/02/16. Our Celtic Pagan weddings are performed "according to the Rites of Passage of the Indigenous Wisdom Tradition of Celtic Druid Temple" – this is on your marriage certificate when we facilitate on your special day!
Nature based spirituality has now achieved full recognition in Ireland after a lapse of many centuries. Men and women, young and old seeking to express their Celtic Spirit can openly declare their own direct link to Nature as Supreme Being and seek guidance from the Spirits of the Ancestors. Ritual ceremonies are being held at the ancient temples on the Full Moon and for the Eightfolds of the Sun year across Ireland. This tradition of ceremony at our sacred sites helps us all to re-connect to the cycles of Nature and to our Celtic Spirit so that each of us can make and develop our own unique direct connection to the Gods and Goddesses.
Our Druí have jury service exemption status from the Dept. of Justice and An Garda Siochana have on four occasions provided protection for our public ritual ceremonies at Tara and at Newgrange. BUNREACHT NA hÉIREANN secures our freedom to practice our religion, the HSE also recognises Druidry as a religion and recent European legislation further protects the rights of Druids and Pagans. The European Convention on Human Rights provides a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to manifest a religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance. The Irish Educational System recognised Ard Druí Con Connor hosting a spiritual Imbolg ceremony at Tara in their 2004 school book “Religion: The Irish Experience”. Many thousands of people have joined in and contributed at the Celtic Druid Temple’s public ritual Sun and Moon ceremonies since 2003. Celtic Pagans from Ireland and overseas have availed of our private Rites of Passage ceremonies at Temple Crom and at their own chosen locations all over Ireland.
“All Irish men, women and children can now choose to openly practice the indigenous spiritual traditions of this island. We can all now openly honour Nature as Supreme Being and acknowledge the Spirit of our Celtic Ancestors without fear of censure. These rights are protected by the Irish government and the dignity and inherent divinity of all men and all women can be honoured and nurtured to its fullest expression.’ said /|\ Ard Druí Con Connor.
The Celtic Druid Temple has continuously hosted public Full Moon ceremonies on Tara in Co Meath since the Spring Equinox 2003. At Temple Crom, near Castlerea in north Roscommon, ritual ceremonies to honour the Full Moon and the Eightfold Sun Year have been held since 2008. These ceremonies are free of charge and open to all who choose Earth based spirituality. This is an opportunity to stand equal in circle connecting to the fullness of the Moon just as our Ancestors did. Celtic Pagan 'Rites of Passage' such as Welcoming and Naming, Coming of Age, Legal Weddings and Pagan Handfasting, Life Path Guidance and Last Rites are offered at Temple Crom and by request at your chosen location. Training courses are available for those who seek to offer service to the growing Celtic Pagan community. People wishing to join in a ceremony at Temple Crom or at Tara can join us at 8pm on the night of the Full Moon. There are no special requirements to join us in ceremony, children are welcome with adult supervision and we recommend you arrive early, dress in layers and bring an open heart and a smile.
Our sincerity, integrity and clarity around who we are and what we do and have been doing publicly since the Spring Equinox 2003 with open and free Full Moon ceremonies on Tara and here at Temple Crom in north Roscommon since Autumn 2008 is fully acknowledged by the state. We would prefer to be seen as a spiritual tradition that connects us all to Nature and to the Ancestors as we are non hierarchical and do not have a book of rules, but the government in Ireland seems unable to officially recognise 'spirituality'. We will continue to walk our talk and to live life as we have done in the past, but we will live in the now and have an eye to the future too.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Celtic Druid Temple, I want to acknowledge the work done and give thanks to /|\ Ard Druí Niamh Connor for her focused efforts to secure this Registered Charity Number as issued today by the Charities Regulator.
We, as a group feel we have achieved much but realise too that this is simply another step...
Grá, Solas agus Gáire (Love, Light and Laughter)
/|\ Con
celticdruidtemple.com
Celtic Druid Temple - Registered Charity,13/06/2018 - RCN number 20106003.
Celtic Druid Temple - Registered Solemnisers, 03/02/16 – numbers 5863 5863 5864
Celtic Druid Temple - Charitable Status, 20/06/2015 - CHY number 20684.
Contact Details -
Celtic Druid Temple, Rathniamh, Candlefield, Trien, Castlerea, Co Roscommon. celticdruidtemple@gmail.com
celticdruidtemple.com Facebook at 'Celtic Druid Temple - Ireland's Druidschool'.
Please note - the Celtic Druid Temple is not a neo-druid group, we are not wiccan either - we are Celtic Pagans and Druí honouring Nature, the Ancestors of this land at the sacred temples of this land and as such we are the modern expression of the indigenous spiritual tradition of Ireland. Further information on our activities, services and courses can be found online.