Bealtaine is almost here!
Bealtaine (bee-YAL-tin-eh) is the ancient Irish fire festival that starts the night of April 30th- Oíche Bealtaine- and is celebrated May 1- Lá Bealtaine (though festivities can last longer). Bealtaine marks the beginning of summer. In modern Irish Catholic tradition, May is celebrated as the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
These quatations are all pulled from the dúchas.ie folklore collection. To learn more, go to https://duchas.ie
The ashes was never put out on May Day long ago.
A central theme of Bealtaine is fire, as it is with all the Irish fire festivals. On the eve of the holiday, all fires were put out. A central fire was lit at the heart of the island, which spread throughout:
On May Eve the Druids lit the great sacred fire at Tara and as the signal flames rose up high in the air and then a fire is to kindled on every hill in Erin; till the whole island is on fire with fires.
-Patrick Healy Co. Galway
A similar tradition has been revived at the Hill of Uisneach.
Having a bonfire and spreading the light from that central point would be a great way to honor the sacredness of fire and celebrate Bealtaine.
Back then, people would also guide their cattle through two bonfires at Bealtaine, to cleanse and bless them for good health and abundance. Speaking of cattle...
The people also tie a piece of red cloth on each cows' tail. This they tie on in the morning before letting them out. They do this to prevent the fairies from taking the cow's milk. Sometimes they tie a horse-shoe-nail or "táirgne crúth" in the cow's tails
-Mrs. Nora Maloney, Co. Mayo
On May Eve now people sprinkle Easter water on all the crops, cattle etc. and on the boundary fence. Perhaps this is apart from it's religious aspect a survival of the old dread of 'pishogues' when people dreaded harm to their crops and cattle.
Long ago the people went out on May morning and blessed the cow with a lighting candle.
-Patrick Lally, Co. Galway
And while we're talking about protection...
Yellow Flowers- Festive Protection
In years gone by the people used to throw a primrose in the byre door so that the fairies would not take away the milk from the cows for the year. It was at May eve that they threw this primrose in the byre door.
It is the custom for children to pick May flowers or Marsh marigolds on the last evening in April. These they throw on the doorstep or on the windowsill.
-Mrs. Norah Maloney, Co. Mayo
The first of May is called May Day or (Lá Bealtaine). On the eve of this feast the children gather may-flowers and place them on the window sills of the houses.
"Cow-slips were hung on the door that day to bring good luck for the year."
-Martin Costello, Co. Mayo
Try hanging up yellow flowers at your doors and windowsills for protection and good luck! If don't have any flowers, don't worry. There's another way to welcome in good luck...
It is also said that if you get up early on that morning and wash your face with the dew on the grass you will be healthy during the year.
-Collected by Anthony Clark
They washed their faces in the dew on May morning before the sun rose and and they would not get sunburned again for the year.
If a person wanted to preserve their beauty , they would have to get up one hour before sun-rise and wash their face in dew off the grass on May morning.
-Collected by Amy Gilligan, Co. Mayo
That's all well and good, but there is something more sinister that May morning dew is useful for...
Long ago, on May morning, lots of old woman went out in the morning before the sun arose and swept the dew of the grass by pulling a long rope after them and calling, "Come all to me, come all to me.” This was a kind of witchcraft, taking away butter of other people’s milk.
-Collected by Rudy Stronge, Co. Donegal
It is also believed if one goes out early and milks the neighbour's cow, they will be able to get all the butter from that cow's milk so they will have double the supply while their neighbour will not get any.
Long ago on May morning some people used pull three ribs from the cow's tail and take clay from her hoofs and bring it home. Then that person would have butter from the cows she did this to and the person to whom the cows belonged would have none after churning.
-Michael Costello, Co. Mayo
Some women used get a twig of mountain ash and put it under the churn on May Day and so get all the butter from her neighbours churn, on condition that she said she wanted the butter from her neighbours churn while making her own.
While I don't condone butter theft, Bealtaine seems to be the right time to do it. Let's look at another way to celebrate!
On May day morning, children get a small haw-thorn bush or at least a branch of one on which there is haw-thorn in bloom. On this bush they tie all kinds of coloured ribbons, papers, tinsel or other decorations left after the Xmas decorations till it is a gorgeous sight.
-Collected by Joan Martin
While hawthorn is the traditional tree chosen for the May bush, it's important to remember that the Irish tradition states to never ever bring hawthorn indoors.
This quote's sort of a miscellaneous one, but I thought it was interesting.
On May Night long ago the people used to leave a cake and a jug of milk on the table because they thought the Irish who were buried in America and other countries used come home on that night and visit their own home. Another old custom was to leave the doors unlocked that night. They considered it unlucky to give butter or milk way to any person on May Day as they would be giving away their luck. No stables were to be cleaned out on that day. The first person to go to the well in the morning was supposed to have luck for the rest of the year. It is not right to give money to anyone on that day. But if you get money on that day you will be getting it for the year."
Ah, can't forget the ancestors. Or the diaspora! ;)
An incredibly common tradition I saw while scrolling through dúchas (I really recommend you do it yourself! They have everything!) was that milk, coals, salt, money, or really anything isn't to be given away at Bealtaine, or you'll lose something for yourself. Something supernatural about Bealtaine surpasses the Irish tradition of hospitality. This to me really highlights a theme of abundance. Welp, that's all I have for now!
🌼☀️Beannachtaí na Bealtaine oraibh!☀️🌼
