There were many traditions associated with Easter in Ireland, from a 'black fast' on Good Friday to 'cake dances' on Easter Sunday
Analysis: there were many traditions associated with Easter in Ireland, from a 'black fast' on Good Friday to 'cake dances' on Easter Sunday
From RTÉ Radio 1's The Business, the history of the Easter egg from religious symbolism to a multi-million chocolate industry Good Friday was a day of suffering for Christ so it was a day of prayer and fasting for Catholics to mournfully reflect on this. Good Friday meant a so-called black fast, meaning that nothing but water was taken. No work was to be done . No blood was to be shed, so there was no slaughter of animals, and no fishing boats were to be launched. No wood was to be burned or nails driven through wood, in solidarity with Christ’s suffering on the cross.
On Easter Saturday, holy water was blessed in the church. People took containers of this ‘Easter water’ home and it was used to bless the house and farm. At this time, Lent was nearly over, and butchers in some urban areas around the country held symbolic mock funerals for herrings to symbolise it. Herrings had sustained many people during the meat-free Lent but most were quite bored of them by Easter Saturday so butchers were looking forward to an upturn in business.
The use and decoration of Easter eggs is customary throughout Europe and Irish traditions are not that different. Not only had eggs connotations with life-power, but there would have been an abstinence from them for Lent so there would be a large glut of them collected to use up. A feast of eggs was enjoyed for breakfast on Easter Sunday. Children added dyes to water to colour them while they boiled. They were painted and decorated and either eaten, displayed or played with.
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