Du Bandia Grasail lineage

This page is occasionally updated as I receive corrections and additions from folks who remember this stuff better than I do.

To the best of my knowledge, these are the covens that descend from Du Bandia Grasail, an Alexandrian coven based in the Boston area in the early 1970's. Du Bandia Grasail was founded by Summanus, whose initiations came direct from Alex Sanders (after a brief, but intense, period of study, I understand). Although Du Bandia Grasail lasted only five years, many of the initiates of that group went on to form their own covens and train more people, and eventually grew into a large extended family of related covens.

The relationships between these covens are often more complex than can be captured in a simple family tree, as individuals move between covens, and often receive training from more than one coven before starting their own; and initiates of different covens often choose to work together, further muddying the waters. I have grouped covens to indicate where I think the primary influence came from.

Alexandrians: Do not use this chart in place of a proper vouch, it's just my best guess in some cases. If you think your coven should be on here, drop me a note at janus (at) spawnfar (dot) net and tell me your coven name, dates, and where you think you fit in the family tree. If your story seems reasonable, I'll be more than happy to add you in.

Du Bandia Grasail family treeDu Bandia Grasail family treeDu Bandia Grasail family tree

The Lineage:

Du Bandia Grasail, 1969-1974

The Second Generation

Coven of the Chthonioi / Order of Ganymede, 1974-present

Uil'iomlan Tri-fillte Mathair ("Gefilltefisch"), 1974-1976 (continued from 1976-1979 under the name An Cuairt Naomh practicing American Celtic Tradition)

ArDealrach Baintighearna, 1974-1981 (then rejoined with Ganymede/Chthonioi)

Astreas/Sophia, 1973-1984 (Dubuque/Milwaukee)

The Third Generation and Beyond

Cylch y Lleuad Haidd, study group 1978-1985, coven 1985-1988

Coven EarthRose, 1977-present
(Coven EarthRose has initiatory descent from Du Bandia Grasail via ArDealrach Baintighearna resulting from personal instruction and initiation outside of the coven context.)

Spawn Far, 1980-present (changed leadership in 1983, again in 1987)

Symbios, 1987-1996, 1997-present

NFG, 1988-present

Satyria, 1976-77 and 1980-83 (Milwaukee)

More Distant Relations

There is also a connection between Turtles Coven (1986-1995) and Spawn Far Coven on account of the dual membership of Johanna (HPS of Turtles) for most of that time, and the participation of Janus (HP of Spawn Far) in some of the Turtles initiations.

The covens of the Glainn Sidhr Order, formerly the Athanor Fellowship, have a connection to the Du Bandia Grasail lineage through Chthonioi/Order of Ganymede, although that connection is indirect and has had no noticeable influence on the tradition practiced by the GSO.

One of the founders of Tuath nan Sgāthan, AACT (1997-2002), a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan group (emphatically not Wiccan), received some training in Cylch y Leuad Haidd.

Lasanta Eala Bhrighid (1991-present), a Gardnerian coven, also has a connection to Cylch y Lleuad Haidd.

Alder Stand (2000-present) was originally descended from Breed's Forest, but has since been adopted into a different Alexandrian line.