Drawn from the Ancient Order of Druids: 

 

 

 

ArdDraoi, Soerdraoi, DoerDraoi, Secretary, and Guardian (Chief Champion) assume official mantles, The DoerDraoi having previously ascertained that no person is present who is not fully an initiated member of the order. 

 

ArdDraoi: DoerDraoi, You will secure the entrance and proceed with the duties of your office. 

 

The DoerDraoi having secured the entrance, advances to the center of the Nemeton 

 

DoerDraoi: Fellow Draoithe, I will thank you to be upstanding and assist the ArdDraoi to open this Cathairach. 

 

The ArdDraoi shakes their Golden branch, this is repeated by the SoerDraoi shaking their silver branch, followed by the DoerDraoi shaking their silver branch. 

 

DoerDraoi: Fellow Draoithe, please assume regalia 

 

ArdDraoi: SoerDraoi, what is the first care of an ArdDraoi? 

 

SoerDraoi: Noble ArdDraoi,, your first care is to see the secret avenues secure, the necessary officers at their respective posts, and none but the duly initiated are present. 

 

ArdDraoi: DoerDraoi, you have my command to place the guardian on duty. 

 

The Guardian who is standing opposite the secretary's seat, is then conducted to the entrance by the DoerDraoi, who gives them passwords in a whisper, and his wand or symbol of office. Here s/he must remain until the Nemeton is closed. 

 

DoerDraoi Noble ArdDraoi, your instructions have been obeyed 

 

ArdDraoi:  Noble Guardian, are the secret avenues secure? Do you pledge your bond? 

 

Guardian: They are secure Noble ArdDraoi, to this I pledge my bond. 

 

Guardian holds wand horizontally-level with their breast- at opening and closing of Nemeton when addressing the ArdDraoi. 

 

ArdDraoi: DoerDraoi, are you satisfied that all present are duly initiated members of the order? 

 

DoerDraoi: I am entirely satisfied, Noble ArdDraoi 

​

SoerDraoi: I am entirely satisfied, Noble ArdDraoi

 

ArdDraoi: Nevertheless, I will thank you to prove yourselves Druids (upon declaration) 

 

All assembled: As you will, Noble ArdDraoi, so mote it be. 

 

ArdDraoi: Who is the greatest God? 

 

All: Aedh! 

 

ArdDraoi: What is Aedh? 

 

All: What Cannot be otherwise. 

 

ArdDraoi: Why can it not be otherwise? 

 

All: Could it be otherwise we should have no knowledge of any animation, being, existence, or futurity in relation to anything now known to us. 

 

ArdDraoi: What is Aedh? 

 

All: Complete and perfect life, and the total annihilation of everything inanimate and dead, nor can any species of mortality concur with it. And Aedh is life, full, entire, imperishable, and without end.  

 

ArdDraoi, SoerDraoi, and DoerDraoi shake their respective branches. 

 

all: I.A.O 

 

The DoerDraoi holds the hilt of the great sword (cleidheamh mor) over the ArdDraoi's head, the SoerDraoi takes the hilt. 

 

ArdDraoi:  

 

 Am Firinne in agaidh am t-saoghal      The truth against the world  

 

  A bheil sidhe?                                     is there peace?  

 

All:  

 

  Siochana!                                            There is peace!  

 

ArdDraoi:  

 

  Sheinn ard ud eile sheinn                    A song above all other songs  

 

  a bheil sidhe?                                       is there peace?  

 

All:  

 

  Siochana !                                        There is peace!  

 

ArdDraoi:  

 

  Macalla ard ud eile macalla              An echo above all other echoes  

 

  a bheil sidhe?                                      is there peace?  

 

All:  

 

  Siochana!                                        There is peace!  

 

All 3 Ministers:  

 

  Sidh gu naoimh                                 Peace to the heavens  

 

  Naoimhe gu domham                        Heaven to earth/ sanctity to the earth  

 

  Domham fo naoimh                           Earth beneath heaven  

 

ArdDraoi, SoerDraoi, and DoerDraoi shake their respective branches 

 

ArdDraoi: SoerDraoi, DoerDraoi, and assembled Druids, having ascertained that the secret avenues are secure, the necessary officers at their respective posts, and none but the duly initiated present, I as the ArdDraoi of this (insert name) Cathairach No(ie: number)...in union with the Imperial grand Nemeton, Duly and legally open for the purpose of it's first institution, namely, Benevolence, Harmony, Fraternitiy, proclamation, and any business which may be brought before me or the ArdDraoi presideing, beneficial to this Cathairach, or the order in general. By the powers vested in me, I now declare this Cathairach open and all laws in force. 

 

The three ministers shake their respective branches. 

 

All: I.A.O 

 

DoerDraoi: Fellow Druids, I will thank you all to remain standing and assist in singing the opening hymns 

 

O Chanada... 

 

God save the Queen... 

 

Bards prayer... 

 

Ailiu iath nChanada... 

 

Convocation of the establisment 

 

DoerDraoi: Fellow Druids, please be seated. 

 

ArdDraoi: SoerDraoi, DoerDraoi, and assembled Druids, I claim you attention to our secretary, who will now read/recite the minutes of the previous Cathairach. 

 

Secretary reads/recites the minutes. 

 

ArdDraoi: SoerDraoi, DoerDraoi, are there any comments? Pause. All of you who were present at the previous Cathairach and consider the minutes as presented by our secretary to be a correct record will signify the same in the manner observed amongst Draoithe. 

 

Show of hands. 

 

ArdDraoi: On the contrary? 

 

ArdDroi, if the minutes are carried: I Thank you Lord/Lady secretary I declare the minutes as read duly confirmed. 

 

Any Anruth should take this oportunity to register if not already done. Bard plays a short overture 

 

ArdDraoi: Lord/ Lady Secretary, is there any business from the minutes 

 

Such business, if any, is now undertaken. 

 

 

 

General Business 

 

ArdDraoi: Lord/ Lady Secretary, we will now take correspondence and other business. 

 

Inter grove/ Nemeton communications, other correspondence, and general business should now be deposed of... 

 

ArdDraoi: Has any member an associate to propose, or anything to advance for the benefit of the order, or Bardism?

 

Proposals and suggestions---if any. 

 

Is there a companion who wishes to propose an Ollamh for recommendation to the degree of Draoithe? 

 

Recommendations are given.---if any. 

 

Is there a member of the Ollamhach who wishes to propose a Bard for recommendation to their order? 

 

Recommendations are given.---if any. 

 

Is there a member of the Bards who wishes to propose an Anruth for their order?

...

I now declare the business closed for this evening. 

 

Initiations and other approved ceremonies held on appointed occasions must be performed and concluded before the second care. 

 

 

 

Official toast 

 

These first toasts to be taken in immediate succession. 

 

The Doer-Draoi faces each minister in turn. Doer-Draoi: Mosgail o Tuatha ma se do thoil sibh to honour the first official toasts. 

 

AD: Dhe Draoithe mo dhe tar gach nDhe 

 

SD: The Tuatha de Danann whose divine order we reflect through the ages. To our ancestors who bore the flame of tradition through time to relay it to us that we might bear it forth in our time.  

 

DD: Mo Daoine, the next toast will be observed in silence with the S.o.t.S (silence of the soul?) 

 

Secretry: To the memory of the Past ArdDraoithe (Here named) and those who went before him/her (in order from Toland, founder of the revived order). 

 

AD: Am firinne 

 

SD: In aghaidh 

 

DD: Am tsaoil 

 

All assembled: B'I Siodhchana 

 

3Draoi: IAO 

 

AD: This Cathairach is now in session  

 

DD: You may be seated 

 

The Cathairach may now proceed to ceremonies, lectures, and harmony. 

 

If an Ol-Feis (drinking feast) is to be performed in association with any other ceremony other than initiation, the Ol-Feis proceeds. With an initiation the Ol-Feis follows as both a lesson and an additional toast. 

 

 

 

 (Working) 

 

 

 

When the working is completed 

 

AD: Soer-Draoi, what is the Second Care of the ArdDraoi? 

 

SD: Your second care is to Give thanks where thanks is due 

 

DD: Please rise while the ArdDraoi takes his/her second care. 

 

SD: Registrar, please read the record of attendance 

 

Registrar reads the record of attendance 

 

SD: Is there any who has not heard their name correctly called, or who has not attended the registrar? (time is given to register if need be) 

 

AD: (Gives a speech along the lines of) Thank you to those Gods who attended, and to these noble folk who have come to bear witness. thanks to our generous benefactors...Return thanks to all Imperial Grand Officers, Colonial, Provincial, and District Grand Officers, present and past, Past Ardraoithe, Companions of the supreme chapter or others of the Royal arch degree, and visitors, not forgetting those members of your own grove who have honoured you with their attendance. The ArdDraoi returne thanks in suitable terms and calls for responces at his/her dicression. 

 

 

 

Fifth Official toast 

 

The announcement of a Tuatha member's death shou;d be made immediately before this toast is honoured and the Grove formally placed in mourning for a period specified by the ArdDraoi 

 

AD: Noble ones arise and assist the Doer-Draoi in giving the fifth official toast. 

 

The assembled Draoithe and Ollamhs retrieve their  respective Pelan Tan and hold it for this toast in their left hand, with their scycle and mistletoe in their right (for the salute) 

 

DD: O mo Daoine, please assist in honouring the fifth official toast. "To the noble memory of those of our Tuatha who have passed to that supreme Grove beyond reserved only for the worthy, and more especially those who have died for their country. Ranks are closed (shoulder to shoulder) and the salutu is given (pelan tan in from in left hand, sycle and mistletoe held aloft in the right hand) while observing a short silence. following the silence appropriate music may be played by a minstrel or Bard. If desired the procedings may extended as follows. 

 

AD (Hands in benediction-Eloh): Greater love hath no one than this, that a person lay down their lives for their friends. Oh, Thou, who givest all, and unto whom all must, in its season return, we commend to your care and keeping all those of out clann who have died that we might live. May we, so live our lives as to prove worthy of that gift, and to show the world they did not die in vain, may they look back kindly upon us, and bless us in our gathering.  

 

an "Abide with me' type hymn is sung. 

 

 

 

At the conclusion the ArdDraoi rings their silver branch 3 times and the assembly resume their seats. 

 

 

 

Closing 

 

AD: Let us make our pledge before this assembly 

 

All: We pledge by peace and love to stand 

 

       Heart to heart, and hand in hand 

 

       Hear us Aedh, and mark us now 

 

       Confirming this, our sacred vow 

 

 

 

AD: Soer-Draoi, I will now thank you to place me in possession of the third Care of an ArdDraoi 

 

SD: Noble ArdDraoi, your third Care is to secure the secret (sacred) paths. 

 

AD: Guard! Are the secret avenues secure? 

 

Guardian: (To the Fenians) Fianna! B'I slan do rathad leam fein? 

 

Guards: Slan e bhi 

 

Guardian: They are secure noble ArdDraoi 

 

AD: Soer-Draoi, do you report this Cathairach as properly constituted? 

 

SD: The necessary officers are present, Noble ArdDraoi 

 

AD: Having asscertained that the secret avenues are secure and the necessary officers at their respective posts: it is to you O noble Soer-Draoi, and you O noble Doer-Draoi to instruct the muinter as to our next meeting. 

 

SD: Eisteachd! Hear ye! This Cathairach will be re-opened here on... next at...o'clock, for the purpose of its first institution, namely Benevolence, Harmony, Community (fraternity), together with any business which may be brought before the ArdDraoi presiding, beneficial to this grove/Nemeton, or the Order in general 

 

DD: Muinterach! The national anthem 

 

The National anthem is sung. after which the members with their acoutrement file out in clockwise procession. The 3 ministers (AD, SD, and DD) are the last to leave, when they are at the entrance they look into the sanctuary and ring their silver branches three times: 

 

AD: I am now able to declare this our... Grove/Nemeton, no... in union, legally closed, the next meeting duly anounced, and all laws out of force. 

 

The muinter make one last procession around the space externally singing: 

 

"the circle is open, but unbrokern"