An Chéad Nollaig Links Celtic Myth and the Nativity Through Two Children’s Quest

James E. Burnett’s adventure follows young siblings from Ireland to Bethlehem in a Christmas story of faith and parental care.

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The birth of the Messiah depends on two Irish children reaching His mother in James E. Burnett’s An Chéad Nollaig. Set in the year before Christ’s birth, the story sends eleven-year-old Shannon and nine-year-old David toward Bethlehem with the world’s remaining magic in their care. Their task places children at the center of a struggle involving ancient gods, a Rome possessed by Satan, and the approaching first Christmas.

The siblings begin their journey after their mother, Danu, becomes the Moon to illuminate their path. With the old gods having entrusted both their power and their souls to the children, Shannon and David travel under the protection of Cú Chulainn and a Roman soldier who knows a secret concerning their father. The route takes them through Dún Aengus, Rome, and the African deserts before Bethlehem. A sea serpent, a dragon, and four armies stand among the dangers, alongside a darkness that tells them they have been abandoned.

Celtic legend and the Nativity provide the book’s distinctive combination for readers of all ages drawn to mythic adventure and Christmas stories. Its supernatural encounters sit within a narrative concerned with forgiveness and family, rather than a quest told solely through battles and obstacles. The scale extends from the fate of the gods to the importance of small acts.

The story also reaches beyond the siblings’ viewpoints, moving through the perspectives of a daughter, a son, a father, a mother, and God Himself. This structure brings both children and parents into the telling, giving the family relationships a place alongside the journey’s religious and mythological elements.

Burnett traces the book’s inspiration to watching a Celtic Woman concert and to his own children, whose faith had been challenged during difficult times. He wrote with them in mind. His intended message also speaks to mothers and fathers who want their children to understand that they do not have to face life alone, a concern reflected in the story’s treatment of abandonment and enduring care.

James E. Burnett spent years in pipeline construction, often working six and seven days a week far from his family, and wrote An Chéad Nollaig at night in hotel rooms. The story’s message, that no one is ever truly alone, grew from those years apart from his children, Shannon and David, who inspired the book’s young heroes.

The book is now available. Secure your copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HLGXRZ23

For review copies, interview requests, or additional information, please contact:

James E. Burnett
BrightKey PR
AnCheadNollaig@outlook.com

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