Caíseal Mór

Caíseal Mór was born in far west Queensland, Australia, in 1961. His parents were Irish immigrants who ran a cattle station, and his first language was Gaelic, as is his first name (pronounced "cashel"), meaning "circular stone fort". He inherited a love of storytelling and music from his parents, and in a long-held family tradition, learned to play the brass-strung harp as a child.[1]

As a child, Mór was diagnosed on the autism spectrum as a savant, which he later discussed in his autobiography A Blessing and a Curse; Autism and Me (2007), where he wrote about the profound difficulties he had as a child with conformity and the judgement of others.

After returning from travels in India, Europe, and North Africa in 1986, Mór was encouraged by friends to audition for the performing arts degree programme at the University of Western Sydney (Theatre Nepean) in 1987. He graduated with a degree in performing arts[1] in 1990.

In his early twenties Mór travelled through India, Europe, and North Africa, where he met musicians and yogis from the Hindu and Sufi traditions, and developed a love for non-Western music and instruments. In Turkey he was introduced to the Yaylı tambur, an instrument that later featured in his musical compositions. Mór travelled frequently to Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany, collecting stories, songs and music of these Celtic lands.[1]

A few distinct themes recur throughout Mór's novels. He focuses on an examination of religion versus spirituality; gods, deities, and spirits; magic; and technology. He also questions the basis of authority and the focus of western culture on conformity. Most of his stories are set in early medieval Ireland and Scotland, and feature a personal interpretation of the Celtic Otherworld.

Mór has worked as an actor, teacher, and musician.[1] Straight after graduating, he started teaching drama and art in the Catholic education system. In late 1993 he resigned his teaching position.

1999: Shortlisted, Best Novel, Ditmar Awards, for The Tilecutter's Penny

• Circle and the Cross (Companion to the novel of the same name) (1995 )
• Song of the Earth (Companion to the novel of the same name) (1996)
• Water of life (Companion to the novel of the same name) (1997)
• The Moon on the Lake (1998)
• Loom of Music (1999)
• [The Well of Yearning] (companion to Well-Spring Trilogy - books) (2002)
• Beautiful Hands (Celtic Harp) (2003)
• Divine Passion - Rain Water (2004)
• Divine Passion - Air (2005)
• What is Magic? (2009)
• Flow (2010)
• Alchemy for the Heart (Creative Trance) (2011)
• Dreaming Tree - Red (Creative Trance) (2012)
• Dreaming Tree - The Green Album (Dreaming Music and Creative Trance) (2013)
• Prana (2014)
• Dreaming Deep (2016)
• Ninety-Nine Skies (2016)