Edain McCoy

Edain McCoy (b. 1957 [http://www.edainmccoy.com/ Author Biography and Interview] ] ) is a writer on modern witchcraft. McCoy claims to have initiated herself into witchcraft in 1981 and was subsequently initiated into a coven in San Antonio, Texas in 1983. Today, she is an elder of the Wittan tradition and a priestess of Brighid.The Wiccan / Pagan Times. [http://www.twpt.com/mccoy.htm TWPT Talks with Edain McCoy] ]

She has a B.A. in History from the University of Texas, is a former woodwind player for the Lynchburg Symphony, and works as a stockbroker.

Witta

In her book, "Witta: An Irish Pagan Tradition", McCoy alleged that she was an initiate of Witta, a surviving tradition of Irish witchcraft.

Originally McCoy claimed that Witta originated in Ireland, and was of ancient origin. However, as the tradition bears no resemblance to ancient Irish Paganism, those familiar with actual Irish traditions believe McCoy herself invented the tradition, or was unwittingly taught by someone who invented it.cite web | first=Joanna | last=Hautin-Mayer | title=When is a Celt not a Celt? | url=http://www.cyberwitch.com/wychwood/Library/whenIsACeltNotACelt.htm | accessdate=2006-11-18] Mac an tSaoir, Iain and Dawn O'Laoghaire. [http://www.clannada.org/wicca.php Why Wicca is Not Celtic v.3.2] . Clannada na Gadelica.] O'Brien, Lora (2004) "Irish Witchcraft From An Irish Witch". Career Press. p.203 ISBN 1-5641-4759-2] McCoy claims to have been introduced to the tradition by a woman named Mollie she met at an Irish dance gathering.The Wiccan / Pagan Times (2002). [http://www.twpt.com/mccoy.htm TWPT Talks with Edain McCoy] ]

McCoy herself has said about the book "Witta": "That’s the book that makes me cringe the most. I see places where I didn’t explain things well, or where I hadn’t thought through faulty research. It’s like getting whacked in the head as suddenly you think, 'I can’t believe I put that in print.' "

Controversy

Despite the author having a BA in History from the University of Texas; critics of the tradition described in "Witta" have pointed out many anachronisms which demonstrate it to be of recent New World origin:

* Like Wicca (another modern witchcraft tradition), the cosmology and ritual structure bears little to no resemblance to actual Celtic traditions. [cite book | first =Ronald | last =Hutton | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =1993 | month = | title =The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy | chapter = | editor = | others = | edition = | pages =p.63 | publisher = | location = | id =ISBN 0-631-18946-7 | url = ]
* The term "Witta" is either freshly-coined or at least Saxon - the Irish language having no W and not using double-Ts.
* There are many differences between Wittan history and historical events well known in Ireland; e.g. in Wittan mythology the Normans invaded Ireland in 1155 CE and this led to an increasingly difficult time for witches, whereas the accepted historical account of the Normans invading Ireland in 1169 CE is well known amongst both the Irish and even casual scholars of Irish history. [cite web | first=Jenny | last=Gibbons | title=Faery Wicca and Witta | url=http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/remembrance/_remembrance/faery_wicca_witta.htm | accessdate=2006-11-18 ]
* There are differences between Wittan cosmology and actual Irish geography; and between Wittan cosmology as it applies to England and other countries outside of Ireland, including some (such as Stonehenge) frequently visited by Irish Pagans. [cite book | first =Edain | last =McCoy | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =1993 | month = | title =Witta: An Irish Pagan Tradition | chapter = | editor = | others = | edition = | pages =p.63 | publisher =Llewellyn | location =St Paul, MN | id =ISBN 0-87542-732-4 | url = ]

As a consequence Witta is no longer claimed to have any actual historical links to Ireland, but to be a modern American invention loosely inspired by Irish culture, a view that is considered variously as anything from flattering to the Irish to being anti-Irish racism.

ee also

*Wicca
*Celtic Wicca
*Fakelore

Notes

External links

* [http://www.edainmccoy.com/ Edain McCoy's Witchy Pages]