Lá Bealtaine - Irish customs and folklore around May Day
Bealtaine (May 1st) is the Cross Quarter Day, half way between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. This day has been important in Irish calendars for hundreds of years and possibly connects back thousands of years to the people who created the monuments like New Grange in the Boyne Valley.
Growing up, ( 90’s, 00’s in Meath) Bealtaine was just the May Bank holiday. A day off school and usually a sunny one at that. While it wasn’t more than a public holiday to me it was always one of the best! The May bank holiday is often the first real feeling that summer is in the air!
I’ve been researching so much about the Celtic festivals of Imbolc (Brigid's day), Bealtaine, Lughnashadh, and Samhain. This year my mind is ignited by Bealtaine! Its rich history and traditional practices are resurfacing (thank you internet!!) and it’s such a lovely way to connect with nature this time of year.
Bealtaine is a time for celebrating the coming of summer, honoring the ‘good people’ (fairy folk) and warding away ill fortune and bad spirits.
My favourite resource when looking for information on Irish folklore is Dúchas.ie. There are 109 entries on May Day folklore! Here are a few things mentioned about May Day traditions from the scanned school copybooks, (some from the 1930’s). I’ve linked everything below if you want to take a deeper look.
“If you got up at six o'clock May morning and wash your face with the dew and dry it with the sun you would have good luck for that year.”
“The old people used to tie the May flowers round their cows horns so that their cows would have a lot of milk for that year.”
“sweep the threshold clean, sprinkle ashes over it and watch for the first footprints. If it is turned inwards it means a marriage and if it is turned outwards it means a death.”
“light a bush before the house on May Eve and it is considered to keep away thunder and lightning.”
“...go out May Eve and gather armfuls of yellow flowers known as May Flowers. These are strewn at the gate of every field, outside the doors of homes and out-houses and even on the housetops. It is considered that these would keep away ill-luck, evil spirits and disease.”
Bealtaine fires and the Hill of Uisneach
We can’t talk about Bealtaine without talking about the Hill of Uisneach and the Bealtaine fires.
The etymology of Bealtaine could come from Proto-Celtic *belo-te(p)niâ, meaning 'bright fire'. This festival involved many customs to do with fire warding away evil spirits and preparing for a good summer. The hill of Uisneach, located in Rathconrath in County Westmeath, is a fascinating site and is said to have been the sacred centre of Ireland.
“The hill is over 600 feet high, it is in the centre of Ireland and from it a view from the Shannon to the Wicklow Mountains can be had.”
Fires were lit on the Hill of Uisneach for Bealtaine and they signaled for fires to be ignited across the whole island. Traditions around these fires and cattle were an important feature.
“Two great fires were lighted on the hill in honour of the sun god, "Beal" and the cattle of the province were driven round the fires to preserve them from sickness.”
In various extracts I read, in more modern times people had taken to lighting candles and passing them under the cows instead of the large fire procession. This may have been traditions changing with the adoption of Christianity in Ireland.
The Hill of Uisneach itself is said to have been the borders where each province met. The large glacial stone on the southwest side of the hill is known in Irish as Ail na Míreann "stone of the divisions". (It's also nicknamed the catsone as it resembles a sitting cat!) This place has mythological figures like Ériu, Lugh and the Daghda associated with it, as well as stores about St Patrick and St Brigid meaning its importance carried on throughout Ireland’s history.
I have never been to the Hill of Uisneach but once things re-open its top of my list for an adventure! It is on private land so you have to book in advance. Check out uisneach.ie for more info.
Nine Arrow Bealtaine enamel pin update.
Bealtaine was the next on my list for enamel pin’s to celebrate key events in Ireland’s calendar. Unfortunately the pins I had made were damaged and had to be replaced and so won’t be in time for Lá Bealtaine. It’s a pity but it’s also a good lesson for me when making time sensitive things, (I’ve learned my lesson. I've already ordered June’s pride pin and I should have it in a week or two!) The Bealtaine fire pin will be available here in early May and I’ll send an email update once it has arrived! Thank you so much to everyone who’s been following the pin series and enjoying learning more about Irish holidays!