From Alighieri Dante; Cary, Henry Francis (ed) (1892) “Canto XXXI” The Divine Comedy by Dante, Illustrated, Complete. London, Paris and Melbourne; Cassell and Co., (Wikimedia Commons)
A Book of Saints and Wonders – according to the Old Writings and the memory of the People of Ireland.
Lady Gregory – 1906
Book Five – Great wonders of Olden Times (edited)
The Seven Heavens
As to the Seven Heavens that are around the earth;
The first of them is both bright and cloudy. It is the nearest and has the shining of the moon and the scattering of the stars within.
Beyond that lie two flaming heavens, angels in one, the winds in the other.
Beyond those lie an ice-cold heaven, bluer than any blue, seven times colder than any snow. It is out of this comes the shining of the sun.
Two heavens lie above – bright like flame. It is out of them shine the fiery stars that put fruitfulness in the clouds and sea.
And the last – highest of all it is, having within it the rolling of the skies – the labour of music – and choirs of angels.
Within the belts of these seven heavens are hidden twelve shaking beasts. They have fiery heads upon their heavenly bodies and blow twelve winds about the world. And in these belts sleep dragons. Tower headed, blemished – their fiery breath give out the crash of the thunders and lightning blows from their eyes.
The Burren and Beyond 