Fellowship of Isis - The Writing of Olivia Robertson

An account of life in one of the poorer districts of Dublin. This book introduces characters that will appear in Olivia's later novels about life in the Dublin during the early 1940's. The book is filled with beautiful, descriptive passages such as this one: "The children's playground is placed in the middle of St. Malachy's Court flats ... Radiating round the playground are the washing lines... transformed by light and movement into beauty. The color is fresh and pure, with the tints of Fra Angelico; a patchwork of mauve, primrose and white against the shabby Court buildings..." Published in 1946 by Peter Davies Ltd., in Kingswood, Surrey, UK and in 1947 by Odyssey Press in New York, USA

Field of the StrangerThis book was begun in Dublin in 1946 and completed at Olivia's ancestral home, Clonegal Castle. It offers an early glimpse of the land and people that influenced her early years. Although accounts provided in this book are fictionalized, they provide an important overview to her later work - especially in the Druid Clan of Dana.

"The valley of the Slaney near our home is enclosed by gently curved hills with patchwork of green, orange and brown; the pale blue of Mount Leinster fading against the sky behind them. Our part of the bank is enlivened by gorse, smooth grass and wild flowers ..." Published in 1948 by Peter Davies Ltd., in Kingswood, Surrey, UK and by Random House, New York, USA

The Golden EyeThe novel begins with this fragment of a song sung by children on the streets of Dublin during the period that Lady Olivia worked as a supervisor of play activities:

"The Wind, the Wind, the Wind blew high,

The rain came tumbling from the sky:

Eva Tracey said she'd die

For the Want of the Golden eye."

The locations in Dublin and characters previously introduced in St. Malachy's Court are revisited. The publisher summarized the book this way: "There is much fun and a great deal of shrewdness in this highly original and superlatively Irish exposition of some of the vagaries of human nature." Published in 1949 by Peter Davies Ltd., in Kingswood, Surrey, UK.

Miranda SpeaksThis novel, like the Golden Eye, begins with a fragment from a song sung by children on the streets of Dublin:

"Stand the lady on the mountain,

Who she is we cannot tell you:

All she loves is gold and silver

And a nice young man to love her."

The contents of this novel display the same sharply honed skill at description and insight into the human condition as previous works - brilliant wit combined with real feeling. Published in 1950 by Peter Davies Ltd., London, UK.

It's An Old Irish Custom"Someone once declared that Irish songs are the map of Ireland set to music ... Perhaps one of the reasons that the Irish landscape appeals so much to the imagination is that there is so much variety in such a small island. Hence each inhabitant feels that his little corner is unique, and that unless its beauties are sung about, other people will never hear about Bunclody or Coleraine or Mullinacruff."

Unlike the other books, this one does not contain original artwork by the author, but the contents are fascinating, offering a wide scope of vignettes of Irish life. Among the entry titles: "to sing of country places; to give and expect hospitality; to love the harp; to believe in the miraculous; to be original..." Published in 1953 by Denis Dobson, London, UK, and by Vanguard Press, New York, USA, re-printed by Vanguard Press in 1960.

Dublin PhoenixThis book outlines the author's observances and hopes for the city of Dublin. Many passages have proven prophetic, for this city is now one of the most popular destinations in Europe.

"Of course Phoenix Park does not refer to a bird at all," said a friend of mine. "You know that, naturally. The word derives from the Irish word "Fionn-Uisce", or "Clear Water." None the less, people will always think of the Arabian red and gold bird and remember all the times that Dublin has arisen reborn from her ashes." Published in 1957 by Jonathan Cape, London, UK.

Olivia Robertson is included in the Author's List of the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco, which lists not only her novels but later published works for the Fellowship of Isis. Two of her novels "It's An Old Irish Custom" and "Miranda Speaks" are part of the literary holdings of the Belfast Library in Ireland.

Work Published Through Cesara Publications

Cesara Publications was the private press of Lady Olivia Robertson and Lawrence Durdin-Robertson. It was created to publish written materials for the Fellowship of Isis. Cesara Publications was located at their ancestral home, Huntington Castle (later changed to Clonegal Castle), Clonegal, Enniscorthy, Ireland.

Olivia Robertson states: "These Rites were inspired directly by Isis between 1976 and 1994, and contain the sacred teaching received and presented in close collaboration by the Co-Founders of the Fellowship of Isis, The Rt. Rev. Olivia Robertson and her brother Rt. Rev. Lawrence Durdin-Robertson who passed into Spirit World in 1994."

Cover, first edition of "The Call of Isis"The Call of Isis

Lady Olivia refers to The Call of Isis as her spiritual biography. First published January 1, 1975 by Cesara Publications, a second edition was issued through Cesara in 1990. The outer back cover states: "In The Call of Isis Olivia Robertson vividly describes her adventures in the psychic, occult and mystical fields. She has worked for eleven years with groups in South Ireland and London, and has specialized in inducing psychic projection through trance.

Cover, first edition of "The Isis Wedding Rite" published in 1976.The first enactment of the Isis Wedding Rite in the form we know it today took place June 28, 1975. The Isis Wedding Rite was initially published in a booklet by Cesara Publications in February of 1976, prior to the formal founding of the Fellowship of Isis on Spring Equinox of 1976, Sunday, March 21st of that year.

The first two editions of Dea, Rites and Mysteries of the Goddess did not have cover art.

The first Cesara edition of Dea that featured cover art by Olivia, was the third edition, published in 1988.

Published as a companion booklet to the College of Isis Manual, the FOI handbook offered information about how to apply for admittance into an iseum, coursework for iseums and application for the priesthood, introductory materials on the College of Isis, Druid Clan of Dana and the Noble Order of Tara, attunement times for the Fellowship of Isis and plans made for the future of the Fellowship of Isis by the FOI co-founders. This booklet was based on information published formerly in the Isian News prior to 1992 and the Fellowship of Isis Directories prior to 1992.

The College of Isis Manual (1992)Published after the creation of the College of Isis in 1986, this was the first FOI publication to give detailed information on the College of Isis - including lyceum coursework guidelines, an illustration of the Star of Ishtar diagram drawn by Chesca Potter, the key to ritual correspondences, "Flamma Vestae", ritual of initiation into a Fellowship of Isis lyceum and the Consecration of a Hierophant, "Flamma Sacerdotae" into the FOI/College of Isis.