From May flowers to the May bush, Marian processions, bonfires and butter-stealing, there are many Irish traditions associated with our first day of summer.
Today is May Day, a date that has been celebrated for thousands of years, going back millennia and known in Ireland as Bealtaine.
The tradition was strongest in Leinster and the midlands, stretching west to Galway and northwards to south Ulster, including parts of Donegal.May poles indicate an English influence and were popular in large towns like Kilkenny, Kildare and Longford, where festivals were staged to welcome in the summer.
Such was the belief in the health inspiring properties of May Day and Bealtaine that farmers would drive cattle through the embers of May fires to gain their good fortune for the coming year. Mayflower water taken from the well on May Day was said to offer protection and cures, as well as being good for the complexion.
“May butter was often kept and used in small quantities to add to the churn and dairy items for good luck and protection.” The start of summer was marked with ancient Celtic ceremonies and rituals at Tara in Co Meath during the Festival of Bealtaine or Beltane.
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